Program Codes:
NRB.AS
Associate in Science Degree
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This program prepares students for entry-level positions in nursing and for taking the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN®). It has been approved by the New Jersey Council of Presidents and accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), 3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 850, Atlanta, Georgia 30326, 404.975.5000, http://www.acenursing.org and the New Jersey State Board of Nursing, 124 Halsey Street, 6th floor, Newark, NJ 07101, 973.504.6430, http://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov
The Associate’s degree Nursing Program at Middlesex County College meets the state education requirements for a nursing license in the state of New Jersey. Middlesex County College has not determined if the Nursing A.S. program meets the state education requirements in any other state, any U.S. Territory, or the District of Columbia. Students may go to the National Council on State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) website to review each state’s initial licensure educational requirements: https://www.ncsbn.org/14730.htm
Below are required courses and recommended course groupings and sequences for program completion.
Courses may have prerequisite and corequisite requirements. Check course descriptions for details.
A study of cellular transport mechanisms and tissues as they relate to organs and systems. Structural and functional features of the skeletal, muscular and nervous systems and special senses are examined. Recommended for students in the health sciences.
Provides a psychological basis for the understanding of human behavior. A survey of fundamentals that are necessary for subsequent psychology courses. Topics include but are not limited to: learning, motivation, cognition, personality, abnormal behavior, development and social psychology.
Through a variety of writing projects requiring competence in clear, correct, and effective English, students use inferential and critical skills in the process of composing documented essays. Extensive reading materials serve as structural models and as the bases for discussion and for the writing of essays involving response, analysis, and synthesis.
RDG-011 may be taken as a co-requisite if not previously completed with a grade of "C" or better.
This course provides students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required for introductory professional nursing practice. Students develop competencies and skills basic to the role of the nurse in the contemporary healthcare environment. The care of the patient in multiple settings using evidence-based practice is stressed. Students are introduced to the concepts of safety, hygiene, therapeutic communication, clinical judgment, interprofessional collaboration, physical assessment, oxygenation, pain and comfort, elimination, fluid and electrolyte balance, documentation, reporting, pharmacology, and medication management. Faculty supervised learning laboratory and clinical practicum provide students with opportunities to develop professional competencies.
American Heart Associate Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification for the Healthcare Provider
BIO-111 and PSY-123
A continuation of BIO 111. A study of the structure and function of the body is continued by examining the endocrine, reproductive, circulatory, digestive, respiratory and excretory systems.
BIO-111 with a minimum grade of “C”
This course introduces students to the psychological development of the individual across the life span. Developmental concepts and theories are reviewed and applied in the study of the various stages of life.
This course provides students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required for the care of adults with acute and chronic medical, surgical, and behavioral health alterations. This course builds on previous learning and clinical experiences. Students have the opportunity to develop the competencies needed to assess, plan, manage, and evaluate nursing care of patients in multiple healthcare settings. The focus of this semester is evidence-based practice, safety, communication, patient-centered care, interprofessional collaboration, clinical integration, and nursing judgment. The care of patients with faculty supervised learning laboratory and clinical practicum assist in the development of clinical competencies.
BIO-112, PSY-232 and NRB-135
For the past decade, nurses have ranked first in national surveys about trustworthiness and ethics. Today's graduate nurse requires an appreciation of the legal, ethical, economic, and social issues impacting healthcare. This course is offered in a hybrid (blended) format and will explore the many roles of the nurse in contemporary society and as a member of an interdisciplinary healthcare team.
An introductory study of the microbial world with emphasis on the nature and behavior of microorganisms, the interrelationships that operate between microbes and the human host in health and disease and the principles of prevention and control of infectious disease. Laboratory experience develops techniques in the proper handling, observation and identification of microbial cultures. Recommended for students in the health sciences.
Through a variety of writing projects requiring competence in clear, correct, and effective English, students use inferential and critical skills in the process of composing argument synthesis essays. Students engage in formal written argumentation based on extensive reading and analysis of complex texts. Through the research process, students will locate, analyze, and synthesize scholarly sources to advance their own informed positions on relevant issues in the composition of a formal research paper.
A grade of “C” or better in ENG-121
This course provides students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required for the holistic care of the childbearing woman, children, families, and the geriatric populations. This course builds on previous learning and clinical experiences. Students have the opportunity to develop the competencies needed to assess, plan, manage, and evaluate nursing care for diverse patients in multiple healthcare settings throughout the life cycle. The focus of this semester is health promotion, growth and development, evidence-based practice, safety, communication, patient-centered care, interprofessional collaboration, clinical integration, and nursing judgment. Faculty supervised learning laboratory and clinical practicum assist in the development of clinical competencies.
BIO-211
Choose one course designated in the course descriptions as General Education Humanities (GE HUM).
This course provides students with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to care for patients with high acuity health alterations. This course builds on previous learning and clinical experiences. Students will have the opportunity to develop competencies for patients with advanced medical surgical conditions, emergencies and crisis situations, and global health needs. Students will develop the needed competencies to integrate the multiple dimensions of patient centered care including clinical reasoning and judgment, teamwork, communication, and collaboration, evidence-based practice, and the principles that guide safe nursing care.
Criminal Background and Drug Testing: Prior to matriculation, a nursing student must undergo a complete history and physical examination and be in compliance with the MCC and Nursing Program policy on immunizations. A student is required to have a criminal background check and drug test performed with satisfactory results acceptable by MCC and the Nursing Program and/or participating clinical facility as a condition of admission, initial enrollment, and/or continued enrollment. An offer of admission will not be final, and enrollment not permitted until the completion of a satisfactory criminal background check/drug test. Admission may be denied or rescinded, or enrollment terminated based on the results of the criminal background check and drug test.
Students must adhere to the policies of MCC and affiliated health care agencies. A student should complete the nursing program within three years of beginning enrollment in the first nursing course unless written allowance by the Nursing Director is provided.
Progression: Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 and earn a “C” grade or better in all nursing courses (NRB-131, NRB-132, NRB-135, NRB-231, NRB-232) in order to progress in the curriculum. A grade of “C” in nursing is 77-80. There is no rounding of grades in the nursing program.
Once a student is accepted into the Nursing Program, the student must maintain a grade of “C” in all co-requisite science and general education courses to progress in the program. If a student earns a grade less than “C” in any science course of the nursing program, the student is allowed to repeat the science course only once; however, it may impact progress to the next scheduled nursing course. The only exception to the above is the following: if student earns a grade of “D” or “F” in English 121 or English 122, the student has until the final semester of the nursing program to complete these courses and earn a grade of “C.” If a student earns a grade of less than a “C” in a non-nursing course that is a pre-requisite for the next nursing course, they will be unable to progress in the nursing program.
A student who earns a grade of “D” in any nursing course, may not progress to the next nursing course. The student may apply for re-entry to the course one time (space permitting and providing the GPA is at least 2.0) and must earn a grade of “C” or better to progress and remain in the nursing program. If the student returns to the nursing program and earns a final course grade of “D” or “F” in any nursing course the student will be dismissed from the Nursing Program and is ineligible to reapply for admission.
If a student earns a grade of “F” in any nursing course the student will be dismissed from the nursing program. The student will be ineligible to reapply to the nursing program.
If a student receives a clinical failure in any nursing course, the student is dismissed from the nursing program and is ineligible to reapply.
Students who are unsuccessful in NRB 135 (Grade < “C”) in the fall semester have the option to retake this course in the spring semester. NRB 135 is a prerequisite for NRB 231; therefore, it must be completed before the third semester. Therefore, if a student is unsuccessful in NRB 135 in the spring semester, the student will not be able to progress into the next (fall) semester.
Transfer Credits: No nursing course from another program with the exception of NRB 135 (Introduction to Professional Issues and Trends) will be eligible for syllabus review or transfer credit. Students who have earned a grade of “C” or higher (based upon transcript and syllabus review) in a professional nursing course (from another nursing program) will receive course credit for NRB 135.
Graduates of the Program will be able to:
Contact Name: Ms. Nancy Berger, Director of the Nursing Program OR Donna Howell, Acting Dean, Division of Business, STEM and Health Professions or Theresa O'Reilly, Assistant Dean, Division of Business, STEM and Health Professions
Contact Phone: 732.906.4660 OR 732.548.6000
Contact Email: NBerger@middlesexcc.edu OR DHowell@middlesexcc.edu OR TOReilly@middlesexcc.edu
Department Web: https://www.middlesexcc.edu/nursing/
The pass rate for the NCLEX is as follows:
Class of 2017 - 92.41%
Class of 2018 - 90.28%
Class of 2019 - 87.50%
Raritan Bay Medical Center (RBMC) (now part of Hackensack Meridian Health) is the Nursing Program partner and is the primary clinical site for the Nursing Program.
· General education, science and other pre-requisite non-nursing courses will be taught by MCC faculty and nursing courses will be taught by RBMC nursing faculty, in accordance with requirements for the degree as established by MCC in consultation with RBMC.
· RBMC professional staff serving in the role of nursing faculty are employees of RBMC. The faculty meet all academic and professional qualifications for appointment as required by MCC and RBMC and all applicable accrediting agencies.
· The curriculum for the Program is mutually agreed upon by RBMC nursing and MCC faculty. As the grantor of the degree, MCC will insure the curriculum meeting all requirements for the nursing degree.
· Student applications for graduation will be evaluated and certified by the MCC’s Office of the Registrar.
No. When an applicant is admitted to the nursing program, the student starts the first nursing course in September. If you are not admitted, then you may reapply for the next class.
The standard duration of this Associate Degree program is four semesters (two years). Many students elect to take the science and general education courses required in the program before entry into the program. However, once starting the nursing program, four semesters of nursing courses are required before graduation. Each nursing course may require Monday through Friday attendance.
The student must maintain a GPA of 2.0 or higher and meet the academic standards of progress to stay in the nursing program.
The New Jersey State Board of Nursing requires that an applicant for licensure as a registered nurse must submit to the Board evidence, in such form as the Board may prescribe, that the applicant is of good moral character, is not a habitual user of drugs and never been convicted or has not pleaded nolo contendere, non vult contendere or non vult to an indictment, information or complaint alleging a violation of any Federal or State law relating to narcotic drugs. Application for licensure may be denied by the Board if violations exist. All licensure candidates must undergo a criminal history record background check, including fingerprinting prior to the issuance of the license.
The courses students take may be applied to the Bachelor of Science (BSN) Degree. Any final decision regarding transfer courses will be made by the receiving college. MCC has a dual admission agreement with Felician University. This articulation provides students the opportunity to complete their BSN on MCC’s campus. The nursing program also has articulation agreements with Chamberlain University and New Jersey City University.
Yes, there are practical considerations, health considerations and legal considerations that you should review before making the decision to choose nursing as a career:
The following Practical Considerations are listed so the students may be better able to assess their career choice in terms of ability to succeed in the program and gain employment in the field:
Due to the nature of clinical experiences in the Nursing Program, students will be participating in a work environment that has the potential of exposure to bloodborne pathogens and infectious diseases. All students accepted into the Nursing Program are provided with instruction on infection control protocols specific to the Program in order to reduce the risk of disease transmission. Students are required to get a flu shot annually.
Students in the Nursing program must provide proof of having health insurance every semester.
Criminal Background and Drug Testing: Prior to matriculation, a nursing student must undergo a complete history and physical examination and be in compliance with the MCC and Nursing Program policy on immunizations. A student is required to have a criminal background check and drug test performed with satisfactory results acceptable by MCC and the Nursing Program and/or participating clinical facility as a condition of admission, initial enrollment, and/or continued enrollment. An offer of admission will not be final, and enrollment not permitted until the completion of a satisfactory criminal background check/drug test. Admission may be denied or rescinded, or enrollment terminated based on the results of the criminal background check and drug test.
Students must adhere to the policies of MCC and affiliated health care agencies. A student should complete the nursing program within three years of beginning enrollment in the first nursing course unless written allowance by the Nursing Director is provided.