Nursing

The pass rate for the NCLEX is as follows:

Class of 2019 - 87.50%
Class of 2020 - 83.02%
Class of 2021 - 95.71%

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 Middlesex College faculty and nursing courses will be taught by RBMC nursing faculty, in accordance with requirements for the degree as established by Middlesex College 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 Middlesex College and RBMC and all applicable accrediting agencies.

·       The curriculum for the Program is mutually agreed upon by RBMC nursing and Middlesex College faculty.   As the grantor of the degree, Middlesex College will insure the curriculum meeting all requirements for the nursing degree.

·       Student applications for graduation will be evaluated and certified by the Middlesex College - Office of the Registrar.

• An applicant must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
• Students must have a “B” or better in high school or college laboratory biology and laboratory chemistry.
• Algebra 1 is a pre-requisite for all majors. Algebra 1 competency may be verified with a passing score on the College’s placement test of completion of the appropriate course. As a result of the student’s performance on the College’s placement test, he or she may need developmental coursework. All developmental coursework must be completed before they will be considered for admission to the program.
• Students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher on a 4.0 scale. High school GPA will be used if the student has less than 12 college credits at the time of application.
• When students apply, they must take a Health Technologies entrance examination and attain a score of proficient.”

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.

Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 and earn a “C” grade or better in all nursing courses with a clinical component (NRB 131, NRB 132, NRB 231, NRB 232) in order to progress in the curriculum. A “C” grade in nursing is 77-80. There is no rounding up of grades in the nursing program. Students must earn a “C” grade or better for all science courses (BIO 111, BIO 112, and BIO 211) to progress in the Nursing Program.  If a student receives less than a “C” in any science course of the nursing program, the student may repeat one science course only once; however, it may impact progress to the next scheduled nursing course. An unsatisfactory grade (i.e. a grade less than “C”) in NRB 131 results in dismissal from the Nursing Program. Students have the option to reapply to the program once, if they are dismissed. Students are allowed only one reapplication/readmission to the Nursing Program. If the student is readmitted to the Nursing Program and earns a final course grade of “D” or “F” in NRB 131 on the second attempt, the student is dismissed and is ineligible to reapply for admission. 

If a student earns a grade of “D” in any nursing course other than NRB 131, 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 program. If the student earns a final course grade of “D” or “F” on the second attempt of any nursing course, the student will be dismissed from the Nursing Program and is ineligible to reapply for admission. 

(Example: If a student earns a grade of “D” in NRB 132, the student may apply for reentry and is able to return; the student must earn a grade of “C” or better in all subsequent nursing courses.)

If a student earns a grade of “F” in any nursing course, the student will be dismissed from the Nursing Program and will be ineligible to reapply for admission to the nursing program.

Students who can demonstrate a grade of “C” or higher (based on transcript review) in a professional nursing course will receive course credit for NRB 135. NRB 135 is a prerequisite for NRB 231; therefore, it must be completed before the third semester.   If a student withdraws from NRB 135 or attains a grade of “D” during the Spring Semester, the student must schedule an appointment with the Director of Nursing Education to discuss possible options for course completion. 

Students must adhere to the policies of Middlesex College and affiliated health care agencies. A student should complete the Nursing Program within three years of beginning the first nursing course, unless written allowance is obtained from the Director of Nursing Education or Academic Dean. A student who does not successfully complete the major nursing sequence under the above conditions may not continue in the Nursing Program. 

Students must earn a minimum cumulative theory grade of 77% (Grade of “C”) to pass a nursing course. No rounding up of grades will occur.  For example, a student who earns a grade of 76.99, will earn a letter grade of “D.”  In addition, students must satisfactorily complete all clinical and laboratory requirements to pass the clinical component of nursing courses.

To progress in the nursing program, students must earn a grade of “C” in the following science courses:

• BIO 111 (Anatomy and Physiology I)
• BIO 112 (Anatomy and Physiology II)
• BIO 211 (Principles of Microbiology)

Students must also maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 during their course of studies 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. Middlesex College has a dual admission agreement with Felician University. This articulation provides students the opportunity to complete their BSN on the Middlesex College 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:

1. Have written and oral communications skills in the English language to effectively and accurately communicate with patients, peers, and supervisors.
2. Have sufficient visual acuity to accurately assess patient conditions and treat patients safely.
3. Have motor skills capable of fine and delicate manipulation of patient equipment.
4. The ability to transfer, lift and move patients without restrictions.
5. Demonstrate acceptable affective behaviors required by health care employees such as maintaining excellent attendance and integrity and being able to work under pressure.
6. Comprehend and follow clinical policies and procedures related to the profession you choose.

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 Middlesex College and Nursing Program policy on immunizations. A student is required to have a criminal background check and drug test with satisfactory results acceptable by Middlesex College and the Nursing Program and/or participating clinical facilities as a condition of admission, initial enrollment, and/or continued enrollment. An offer of admission will not be final, and enrollment will not be 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 the drug testing.