A strong foundation for a cutting-edge career as a nurse includes a blend of critical thinking and caring.
Mercy College will prepare you for this important, in-demand career working directly with patients and physicians as a Registered Nurse (RN). This degree program provides you with a quality education and solid preparations for a career as a RN. Classes are held on evenings and weekends.
The Associate of Applied Science in Nursing program courses begin in the fall semester (August) however students can be admitted and begin taking pre-requisite and general education courses toward their program of choice in the fall semester (August), spring semester (January), or summer semester (May).
Program At A Glance
5 semesters
Typical program length for full time students
$68,450
Median national annual wage for registered nurses
711,900
Number of new registered nurse jobs projected by 2024
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Priority Deadline for Admission to Associate of Applied Science in Nursing Programs
January 15, priority deadline. New students meeting program criteria, must have a completed admissions file, all transcripts received, by the priority deadline. Students submitting applications for admission after the priority deadline, may be reviewed but may or may not be eligible for a program seat due to reaching capacity of clinical seats. Students applying after the January 15 deadline, may be offered a spot on the wait list. Check with an admissions officer for questions regarding the priority deadline and program wait list.
Program Overview
Associate degree nursing education which occurs in institutions of higher learning prepares the graduate with the values, knowledge and skills needed to practice nursing with integrity and professional competence.
Associate degree nursing education, in conjunction with integration of knowledge from other disciplines, provides a broad theoretical base in nursing, related sciences and general studies; knowledge of the role of the associate degree nurse; the ability to practice in multiple settings; and a foundation for advanced nursing study. An essential component of nursing education is the concurrent integration of theory into the clinical practice setting. The graduate is prepared to function as a manager of care in acute and long-term settings where policies and procedures are specified and guidance is available.
Derived from the mission, philosophy, and organizing framework, program student learning outcomes are:
- Apply the nursing process in assisting the patient to meet self-care requisites.
- Integrate health-illness concepts in the provision of care.
- Synthesize concepts of the teaching/learning process in the delivery of care.
- Demonstrate accountability and professional behavior in entry-level associate degree nursing practice.
- Using the concepts of the Self-Care Deficit Theory of Nursing, formulate plans of care for patients across the life span.
- Integrate knowledge of the humanities, sciences, and nursing research to provide rationale for nursing practice.
- Demonstrate the consistent performance of safe, effective nursing skills in entry-level associate degree practice.
- Demonstrate interpersonal skills throughout nursing practice.
- Practice Christian values within the ethical, legal, and professional standards of nursing practice.
Candidates must be high school graduates with a GPA of at least 2.7 or GED recipients with a score of 570 (score of 57 prior to 2002).
Applicants must have completed and passed these high school courses, or their college equivalents:
- *Biology – one year
- *Chemistry with a lab – one year
- *Math – Algebra – one year
All courses should be completed with a grade of “C” or better; a grade of “B” or better is preferred.
*Courses must have been completed within the past seven (7) years with a grade of “C” or better.
Transfer Student Guidelines
Transfer students must be high school graduates or GED recipients and have earned a minimum of 15 credit hours of college coursework with a GPA of at least 2.7 and have completed all the necessary program prerequisite courses from an institution accredited by one of the following accrediting organizations recognized by the U.S. Department of Education: Higher Learning Commission, Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Middle States Commission on Higher Education, New England Commission of Higher Education, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. For applicants who have attended more than one college, the cumulative GPA from all colleges must equal at least 2.7. The Nursing Division AAS Program Admission Scoring Rubric is used to objectively review candidate educational records.
The AAS Nursing Pre-licensure Program Admissions Committee will not consider applicants for admission into the program if applicants have failed two or more nursing courses at another college or university or have been dismissed from another nursing program in the past five (5) years.
Students who do not meet the requirements or who need to complete the necessary program prerequisite courses should review General College Admission Requirements in the Enrollment Management section of the College Catalog.
Candidacy Review Process
All candidate information is thoroughly evaluated by the AAS Pre-licensure Nursing Program Admissions Committee using the AAS Program Admission Scoring Rubric. The scored rubric provides an objective review of candidates’ educational records. Accepted students receive a letter from the Dean of Nursing.
Criminal background checks, drug screens, health records, and titers/immunizations are required prior to the start of the clinical program. Program requirements and instructions are maintained on the College website at https://mercycollege.edu/background. The Policy can be found at https://mercycollege.edu/about/compliance-consumer-information.
To earn the Associate of Applied Science Degree in Nursing students must complete all college requirements for an Associate of Applied Science Degree including:
General Education Requirements
Complete All of the Following Courses:
Oral and Written Communication (GCOM) - 6 minimum
| Course Number | Course Name | Credit Hours |
| ENG 101 | English Composition I | 3 |
| ENG 102 | English Composition II | 3 |
Math, Statistics, and Logic (GMSL) - 3 minimum
| Course Number | Course Name | Credit Hours |
| MTH 104 | Mathematical Formulas, Models, and Probability | 3 |
| or | ||
| MTH 140 | Introduction to Statistics | 3 |
Arts, Humanities, Culture, and Diversity (including Religious Studies) (GAHD/GAHR) - 3 minimum
| Course Number | Course Name | Credit Hours |
| REL 290 | Medical Ethics | 3 |
Natural Sciences, Technology, and Innovation (GNST) - 6 minimum
| Course Number | Course Name | Credit Hours |
| BIO 210 | Microbiology | 4 |
| BIO 220 | Anatomy and Physiology I | 4 |
Additional hours from one or more of the above categories; Social and Behavioral Sciences; Arts, Humanities, Culture, and Diversity, and/or Applied General Education courses - 12 minimum
| Course Number | Course Name | Credit Hours |
| BIO 221 | Anatomy and Physiology II | 4 |
| BIO 290 | Pathophysiology | 3 |
| PSY 101 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 201 | Lifespan Psychology | 3 |
Required Nursing Program Course Requirements
Complete the Following Program/Major Course:
| Course Number | Course Name | Credit Hours |
| NUR 110 | Introduction to the Profession of Nursing | 4 |
| NUR 112 | Universal Self-Care Requisites I | 5 |
| NUR 122 | Universal Self-Care Requisites II | 3 |
| NUR 123 | Integration of Self-Care Requisites I | 3 |
| NUR 232 | Integration of Self-Care Requisites II | 5 |
| NUR 233 | Developmental Self-Care Requisites | 4 |
| NUR 239 | Integration of Self-Care Requisites III | 6 |
| NUR 243 | Transition to Practice | 1 |
| NUR 244 | Clinical Practicum | 2 |
Semester I
| Course Number | Course Name | Credit Hours |
| BIO 220 | Anatomy and Physiology I | 4 |
| ENG 101 | English Composition I | 3 |
Semester II
| Course Number | Course Name | Credit Hours |
| BIO 221 | Anatomy and Physiology II | 4 |
| ENG 102 | English Composition II | 3 |
Semester III
| Course Number | Course Name | Credit Hours |
| PSY 101 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| MTH 104 | Mathematical Formulas, Models, and Probability | 3 |
| or | ||
| MTH 140 | Introduction to Statistics | 3 |
Semester IV
| Course Number | Course Name | Credit Hours |
| NUR 110 | Introduction to the Profession of Nursing | 4 |
| PSY 201 | Lifespan Psychology | 3 |
Semester V
| Course Number | Course Name | Credit Hours |
| BIO 290 | Pathophysiology | 3 |
| NUR 112 | Universal Self-Care Requisites I | 5 |
Semester VI
| Course Number | Course Name | Credit Hours |
| NUR 123 | Integration of Self-Care Requisites I | 3 |
Semester VII
| Course Number | Course Name | Credit Hours |
| BIO 210 | Microbiology | 4 |
| NUR 122 | Universal Self-Care Requisites II | 3 |
Semester VIII
| Course Number | Course Name | Credit Hours |
| NUR 233 | Developmental Self-Care Requisites | 4 |
| REL 290 | Medical Ethics | 3 |
Semester IX
| Course Number | Course Name | Credit Hours |
| NUR 232 | Integration of Self-Care Requisites II | 5 |
Semester X
| Course Number | Course Name | Credit Hours |
| NUR 239 | Integration of Self-Care Requisites III | 6 |
| NUR 243 | Transition to Practice | 1 |
| NUR 244 | Clinical Practicum | 2 |
To develop graduates who:
- Demonstrate the necessary knowledge and skills to practice nursing with integrity and professional competence.
- Integrate critical thinking and problem solving skills during the delivery of nursing care.
- Demonstrate clear and effective written and oral communication skills.
- Understand the significance of Christian values during the delivery of professional nursing care.
- Apply knowledge of social and cultural factors that affect nursing care and enable effective delivery of nursing care in cross cultural situations.