Nursing (Associate Degree)

Become a nurse and enjoy a satisfying, respected, and thriving profession.

WNCC’s Associate Degree-Nursing program (AD-N) will give you the skills, knowledge, and hands-on experience you will need to enter the dynamic discipline of nursing. Upon graduating from the program, you will be eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nursing (NCLEX-RN) and when you pass the exam you will be qualified to practice as a registered nurse.

This program has four college-semesters of nursing courses. Before you enroll in our nursing courses, you will need to complete specific general education (pre-requisite) courses.

Admission for the AD-N program is selective. You will need to meet the application requirements in order to be considered for our next fall class. You can request a program information packet, which includes information about the selection process and applicant folder requirements, from the Health Sciences Division-Nursing Department. We encourage you to make an appointment to discuss the details about AD-N requirements.

To participate in the nursing program, you will need to attend on a full-time basis. During the year, you will have classroom work and clinical rotations through the school year. Clinical rotations take place during days and evenings, and potentially on the weekends. Clinical hours are completed in area hospitals, provider’s clinics, community based settings and long-term care facilities. You will earn an Associate Degree in Nursing upon graduation from the program. Background checks are required.

Award Types

Associate Degree in Nursing

About the Program

Program Outcomes

Program Outcomes:

At the conclusion of the WNCC Associate Degree Nursing Program, the student:

Analyzes care practices and processes to minimize risk of harm to patients, self and the health care team.
Coordinates holistic patient-centered care for groups of patients.
Compares professional communication skills that facilitate shared decision-making in provision of patient-centered care and in promoting effective team functioning.
Analyzes findings from current evidence-based practice for use in provision of patient-centered care and in the improvement of clinical processes and systems.
Analyzes values and beliefs consistent with professional standards, ethics and legal regulations in the practice of nursing while adhering to established college and clinical agency policies and procedures.

Getting Started

Associate's Degree Nursing Program Checklist

Admissions Criteria

Program Application

Program Letter of Intent

Curriculum

Career Opportunities

If you know you want to be a nurse, but are unsure how much education you want to pursue, getting an Associate Degree in Nursing is the perfect place to start. The Nursing Associate Degree program at WNCC will prepare you to take your National Council Licensure Examination-Registered Nurse, so you can embark upon a career in the healthcare field to become a Registered Nurse. If you decide you’d like to continue college, you can pursue a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN) at a four-year college or university.

As an RN you can work almost anywhere within the healthcare sector, including doctor’s offices, hospitals, outpatient clinics, public health offices, schools, non-profit organizations, insurance providers, legal offices, research laboratories, cruise ships, and more. With this degree you can also pursue a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN) at a four-year college or university.

RN careers afford you plenty of opportunity for advancement and movement within the field; they are consistently in high demand, pay well, and offer job satisfaction rarely found in most careers, as lives literally depend on you. It’s a career that contends with life and death, meaning you’ll not only need to be physically fit for the demanding hours and manual labor, but mentally fit to handle the emotional challenges of working with humans at their most vulnerable stages of life. For all of the highs and lows, you’ll discover a passionate and rewarding satisfaction for this challenging occupation.

For more information on any of these career options, contact Career Pathways & Advising at pathways@wncc.edu .

Nursing Program Student Handbook

Student Achievement Data

State Licensure Requirements

Per the Nebraska State Board of Nursing, "Registered Nurses have completed two to four years of education at a college or university, and passed the NCLEX-RN in order to qualify for licensure. The RN plans and directs the plan of nursing care for patients."

Nurse Licensing Information

Licensure Exam Application

Graduates passing the NCLEX-RN exam in Nebraska may also practice as a licensed practical nurse in any of the other compact States. Click on the following link to access more information regarding the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC).
Nurse Licensure Compacts Information

Accreditation and Approval Information

The Associate Nursing program at Western Nebraska Community College in Scottsbluff NE is accredited by the:

Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400
Atlanta, GA 30326
(404) 975-5000

The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the Associate Nursing program is initial Accreditation.

View the public information disclosed by the ACEN regarding this program at: acenursing.org/search-programs/