Associate of Science in Nursing
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Description and Outcomes
The Associate of Science in Nursing program is a prelicensure nursing education program. The program offers a dynamic curriculum designed to organize and integrate content, skills, and procedures, increase your knowledge and competence, and provide the foundation for progressively higher levels of nursing practice. Prospective and current students must review Purdue Global’s State Licensure and Certifications site to view program and state-specific licensure information.
Upon successful completion of the required plan of study and all other graduation requirements, you may be academically prepared to apply to take the licensing examination for registered nurses (NCLEX-RN®). Refer to the Certification, State Board, and National Board Exams section for important program disclosure information. If you complete the associate’s degree and successfully pass the NCLEX-RN, you will be eligible to enter the Purdue Global Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree-completion program.
The Associate of Science in Nursing program admits students who have no prior health care experience as well as individuals who hold an unencumbered EMT or paramedic license or who have completed a practical nursing program.
Clinical Experiences
The program blends online coursework with on-ground, facility-based clinical experiences.
In particular phases of study, some courses include a clinical experience that is to be completed without compensation.
Although you are supervised by professionals at your clinical site, you must continue to participate in the online course activities and complete all assignments.
You must meet the following eligibility requirements prior to starting a clinical:
- You must complete and pass a drug/chemical substance test as part of your required health and safety documentation prior to beginning clinical experiences.
- Note, state laws may permit the use of marijuana for medicinal or recreational purposes; however, federal laws do not, so marijuana is a prohibited substance in the drug/chemical substance test for clinical experiences, without exception.
- If your drug/substance test is positive, you will be withdrawn from your nursing program at the end of the current term. You will be given two weeks to petition to retest, providing an explanation for the positive result by supplying medical or other relevant documentation to the Dean of the School of Nursing. If your petition is approved, you will be placed on an administrative leave of absence for one academic term. During this leave, you must complete and pass a second drug/chemical substance test. If your petition is denied or you are unwilling or unable to pass a second test, you will not be permitted to return to the program.
- You may not have an incomplete grade (“I”) for any major course.
- You must have a 2.0 GPA for any prior practicum or clinical experiences.
During clinical training, you are expected to perform in an ethical, safe, and professional manner and to assist in all matters appropriate to the scope of practice. Failure to do so may result in course failure and dismissal from the program.
All clinical sites are carefully selected based on an evaluation of site personnel, facilities, geographic location, availability, and type of learning experience provided.
The University maintains affiliation agreements with a variety of facilities. Some facilities may have special requirements that must be met. If you have a particular interest in a facility with which the University is not affiliated, you may bring this to the attention of the Clinical Coordinator so the site may be evaluated.
If you are absent from clinical training, you must inform both the site and the clinical instructor. You must comply with all attendance expectations while completing a clinical experience.
Clinical sites may require a criminal background check or medical examination.
Refer to the Progression Requirements section for additional requirements.
Program Length
The Associate of Science in Nursing program consists of a minimum of 116 quarter credit hours. Upon successful completion of the program, you will receive an associate of science degree.
Program Availability
Enrollment in the program is limited. Contact an Admissions Advisor for details.
Program Outcomes
Discipline-Specific Outcomes
- Foundational Nursing Skills: Integrate the nursing process into caring for clients at different levels along the health–wellness continuum.
- Professional Roles: Integrate knowledge from nursing and other disciplines into the delivery of competent, culturally sensitive, and developmentally appropriate care.
- Leadership: Utilize leadership and management skills within the scope of identified roles for the associate’s degree graduate.
- Problem Solving: Use evidence-based practice and the nursing process to develop solutions appropriate for delivery of care.
- Health Care Technology: Demonstrate safe and appropriate performance of nursing skills including using various technologies within the health care delivery system.
- Values: Integrate ethical decision making and legal considerations into professional practice.
- Communication: Apply effective communication skills within the professional role.
- Professional Development Plan: Analyze one’s own professional growth and progress toward the achievement of self-initiated goals.
General Education Literacies and Professional Competencies
In addition to the discipline-specific outcomes, general education literacies and professional competencies are integrated throughout your academic program. You can review the general education literacies and professional competencies associated with your academic program in the General Education and Professional Competency Requirements section of this Catalog.
Program Availability
For program availability, please refer to the U.S. State and Other Approvals section and Program Availability Information.
Policies
Admissions Requirements
You must meet the below admissions requirements in addition to Purdue Global's general requirements.
If you have held prior health care licensure or certification, it may be subject to additional review during the admissions process. Past disciplinary action may be grounds for denial of admission to the program.
If you have passed the NCLEX-PN® and hold an active PN license, you must possess an active, unencumbered LPN license in the states in which you hold licensure. If you are a previous graduate of another Purdue Global program, you must be in good academic standing and have no Code of Conduct violations.
Two weeks prior to the beginning of any course with a clinical component, you may be required to submit current American Heart Association CPR Certification (also called BLS) at the Healthcare Provider Level; online and the American Red Cross will not be accepted. Certification must be valid during your full tenure in the program.
Prior to enrollment, you must:
- Be at least 18 years old at the program's start date.
- Complete an informational interview with an admissions representative.
- Complete enrollment activities including the Student Expectations Acknowledgment Form.
Prior to start, you must:
- Achieve the minimum required scores on the entrance assessment tests, as required by the School of Nursing.
- If you are a returning student previously admitted to the Associate of Science in Nursing program with satisfactory entrance assessment test scores, you will not be required to retake the tests upon readmission. If you are a returning student who did not take current entrance assessment tests during your previous enrollment, the School of Nursing may require satisfactory completion of entrance assessment tests.
- Submit official/unofficial transcripts from all other colleges, universities, and/or vocational schools attended, if applicable.
- Complete an admissions interview conducted by the Academic Chair or a designee.
- Pass a criminal background check.
Progression Requirements
- You will follow the grade scales found in Academic Grades and Marks.
- Prior to beginning any nursing major course, you must successfully complete the following courses with a minimum grade of “B-”:
If you are applying for transfer credit for any of the courses listed above, the prior course must have a grade of “B-” or better to transfer. You will have one opportunity to repeat a course. If you fail to achieve a “B-” on the second attempt, you will be dismissed from the program.Course List Code Title Credits SC121 Human Anatomy and Physiology I 5 SC131 Human Anatomy and Physiology II 5 SC246 🌐 Fundamentals of Microbiology 5 MM212 🌐 College Algebra 5 - You must follow the repeat course policies found in Repeated Courses.
- For each didactic and clinical course pair, you must successfully meet all requirements of both the didactic and clinical courses to earn passing grades. Failure of either the didactic or clinical course leads to a failure of both courses, and both courses must be retaken.
- You must complete your clinical experiences at University-authorized locations. You are responsible for arranging and paying for your own transportation, housing, clinical site onboarding, and availability to attend clinical experiences. Clinical locations may change at any time. You are required to complete all clinical activities assigned. Failure to meet clinical attendance requirements will result in failure of the course.
EMT-to-ASN and Paramedic-to-ASN Pathways
If you have an active, unencumbered EMT or paramedic license, you are eligible to pursue the Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) degree via one of the pathways outlined below.
EMT licensees will receive credit for the following courses:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| SC121 | Human Anatomy and Physiology I | 5 |
| SC131 | Human Anatomy and Physiology II | 5 |
| NU104 | Pathophysiology for Nursing | 5 |
Paramedic licensees will:
- Take NU108 Health Professions Transitions
- Receive 22 quarter credits for their paramedic license
- Have the following courses waived:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| SC121 | Human Anatomy and Physiology I | 5 |
| SC131 | Human Anatomy and Physiology II | 5 |
| NU104 | Pathophysiology for Nursing | 5 |
| NU140 | Nursing Fundamentals | 3 |
| NU140CL | Nursing Fundamentals Clinical | 4 |
| NU141 | Pharmacology for Nursing | 4 |
| NU141CL | Pharmacology for Nursing Clinical | 2 |
Certification, State Board, and National Board Exams
Certification and licensure boards have state-specific educational requirements for programs that lead to a license or certification that is a precondition for employment. Prospective and current students must review Purdue Global’s State Licensure and Certifications site to view program and state-specific licensure information.
Licensure-track programs may limit enrollment to students in certain states; please see Purdue Global’s Program Availability Information to determine enrollment eligibility.
You are responsible for understanding the requirements of optional certification exams. Such requirements may change during the course of your program. You are not automatically certified in any way upon program completion. Although certain programs are designed to prepare you to take various optional certification exams, Purdue Global cannot guarantee you will be eligible to take these exams or become certified. Your eligibility may depend on your work experience, completion of education and/or degree requirements, not having a criminal record, and meeting other certification requirements.
The Associate of Science in Nursing program is designed to help you become academically and clinically qualified to provide outstanding patient care. Upon successful completion of the program of study, you may be academically prepared to apply to take the national licensure examination for registered nurses (NCLEX-RN®). This program is approved by the state Boards of Nursing and meets the educational requirements to obtain licensure in the states of Iowa and Maine. For more information on additional eligibility requirements, please visit:
- Iowa Board of Nursing: https://nursing.iowa.gov/ibon-online-services
- Maine Board of Nursing: https://www.maine.gov/boardofnursing/licensing/index.html