Associate of Science in Nursing

Associate of Science in Nursing

72 Semester Credits
24 Months (Full-time)
48 Months (Part-time)

The program is offered as a hybrid program. Theory and general education courses are online. Lab has online components and on campus requirements and clinical courses are completed in residence in selected locations.

The Associate of Science in Nursing Program is designed to prepare graduates to become effective nurse clinicians capable of sound clinical judgment in a variety of healthcare settings. The curriculum enables students to acquire principles and knowledge from natural and behavioral sciences and blend this coursework with the art of nursing. The integration of theory and clinical practice is designed to assist the student in the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The program is designed to prepare the graduate to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) for registered nurses.

Graduates will demonstrate safe, competent care and be able to apply knowledge from the natural and behavioral sciences to inform the decision-making process regarding the clients plan of care utilizing the nursing process. Additionally, graduates will be able to develop, implement and evaluate teaching plans for individual clients, families, or groups, based on teaching-learning needs. They will be able to function with accountability and commitment to the practice of nursing in accordance with standards of practice. They will operate within legal and ethical guidelines within the scope of practice for a registered nurse. This program prepares the successful and licensed graduate for an entry level position as a registered nurse.

End of Program Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, the graduate will be able to:

• Apply the integrated process in the care of the client;
• Provide safe and effective care;
• Promote health and wellness of the client;
• Promote effective psychosocial support of the client;
• Provide care for clients with physiological integrity needs;
• Demonstrate competencies specific to entry level professional nursing.

Associate of Science in Nursing – Full-time Degree Plan

COURSES	CREDITS
GENERAL EDUCATION (total of 27 semester credits)
BSC2082C Human Anatomy and Physiology w/Lab	8
MCB2010C Microbiology w/Lab	4
MAC1105 Algebra	3
ENC1101 English Composition I	3
PSY1012 General Psychology	3
SPC1017 Fundamentals of Speech	3
Humanities Elective	3
NURSING CONCENTRATION COURSES (total of 45 semester credits)
NUR1025 Fundamentals of Nursing	9
NUR1141 Pharmacology	3
NUR1211 Medical-Surgical Nursing I	8
NUR2520 Psychiatric Nursing	4
NUR2212 Medical-Surgical Nursing II	8
NUR2261 Care of Women and Pediatric Client	4
NUR2811 Nursing Capstone	9
TOTALS	72

Essential Functional Abilities

The student’s health must enable him/her to fulfill the requirements and outcomes of the nursing program. International Colleges of Health Science’s nursing program requires the following as functional abilities for nursing students.

CATEGORY	DESCRIPTION
Gross Motor Skills	Gross motor skill sufficient to provide the full range of safe and effective nursing care activities, such as moving within confined spaces, standing, and maintaining balance, reaching above shoulders (IV poles), reaching below waist (plug electrical appliance into wall outlets).
Fine Motor Skills	Fine motor skills sufficient to perform psychomotor skills, such as picking up objects with hands, grasping small objects with hands (IV tubing, pencil), writing with pen or pencil, keying/typing (use a computer), Pinching/picking or otherwise working with fingers (manipulate a syringe, eye droppers).
Physical Endurance	Physical stamina sufficient to perform client care activities for entire length of work role, such as standing during surgical or therapeutic procedures, sustaining repetitive movements (CPR), maintaining physical tolerance (work entire shift).
Physical Strength	Physical strength sufficient to perform full range of required client care activities, such as pushing and pulling 25 pounds (position clients), supporting 25 pounds of weight (ambulate client), lifting 25 pounds (pick up a child, transfer client), moving light objects weighting up to 10 pounds (IV poles), defending self against combative client, using proper upper strength (perform CPR, physically restrain a client), squeezing with hands (operate fire extinguisher).
Mobility	Physical abilities sufficient to move from place to place in a quick manner and to maneuver by twisting, bending, Stopping/squatting, moving quickly (response to an emergency), climbing (ladders/stools/stairs), walking.
Hearing	Auditory ability sufficient for physical monitoring and assessment of client health care needs, which includes hearing normal speaking level sounds (person-to-person report), hearing faint body sounds (blood pressure sounds, assess placement of tubes), hearing in situations when not able to see lips.
Visual	Visual ability sufficient for accurate observation and performance of nursing care, which includes seeing objects up to 20 inches away (information on a computer screen, skin conditions), seeing objects up to 20 feet away (client in a room), seeing objects more than 20 feet away (client at end of hall), use depth perception, use peripheral vision, distinguish color (color codes on supplies, charts, bed), distinguish color intensity (flushed skin, skin paleness).
Tactile	Tactile ability sufficient for physical monitoring and assessment of health care needs, which includes feeling vibrations, detecting temperature, and feeling differences in surface characteristics, sizes, and shapes.
Smell	Olfactory ability sufficient to detect significant environmental and client odors.
Reading	Reading ability sufficient to comprehend the written word at a minimum of a tenth-grade level.
Arithmetic	Arithmetic ability sufficient to do computations at a minimum of an eight-grade level. It includes the following three concepts: Counting: the act of enumerating or determining the number of items in a group. Measuring: the act or process of ascertaining the extent, dimensions, or quantity of something. Computing: the act or process of performing mathematical calculations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
Emotional Stability	Emotional stability sufficient to assume responsibility/accountability for actions, which includes establishing therapeutic boundaries, dealing with the unexpected, adapting to a changing environment/stress, focusing attention on a task, performing multiple responsibilities concurrently, and handling strong emotions. Analytical/thinking/reasoning skills sufficient to perform deductive and inductive thinking necessary to make nursing decisions, which includes transferring knowledge from one situation to another, processing information, problem solving, evaluating outcomes, prioritizing tasks, and using short- term and long-term memory.
Critical Thinking Skills	Critical thinking skills sufficient to exercise sound nursing judgment, which includes identifying cause-effect relationships, planning/controlling activities for others, synthesizing knowledge and skills, and sequencing information.
Interpersonal Skills	Interpersonal abilities sufficient to interact with individuals, families, and groups respecting social, cultural, and spiritual diversity. This includes the ability to negotiate interpersonal conflict, respect differences in clients, establish rapport with clients, establish rapport with coworkers.
Communication Skills	Communication abilities sufficient for interaction with others in written and oral form, which includes teaching, explaining procedures, giving oral reports, and conveying information through writing. This includes the ability to teach (client/family about health care), explain procedures, give oral reports (report on client’s condition to others), interact with others (heath care workers), speak on the telephone, Influence people, direct activities of others, convey information through writing (progress notes).
Analytical Thinking	Reasoning skills sufficient to perform deductive/inductive thinking for nursing decisions.

This list was developed from The National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc. list of essential functional abilities.

Program Disclosures

Program Outcomes: Consumer Information 

Licensure Requirements:

ICHS (International College of Health Sciences) cannot determine whether its nursing program meets licensure requirements in each student’s state of residence; therefore, we are providing a link to the contact information for the individual state licensing boards.

Board of Nursing Contact Information by State: https://www.ncsbn.org/membership/us-members/contact-bon.page

Enhanced Nursing Licensure Compact:

The Enhanced Nursing Licensure Compact allows for nurses to have one multistate license with the ability to practice in all compact states. Health care delivery requires that nursing care, today and in the future, be fluid across state lines. The model for state licensure that we have had is not flexible or adaptable to meet this need. However, under the eNLC, nurses can provide care to patients located across the country, without having to obtain additional licenses. Some of the benefits of the eNLC include:

• Enables nurses to practice in person or provide telenursing services to patients located across the country without having to obtain additional licenses;
• Nurses can cross state borders and provide services in the event of a disaster;
• Facilitates telenursing and online nursing education;
• Decrease expense for organizations that employ nurses and may share the cost of multiple licenses.

The enhanced NLC (eNLC) increases access to care while maintaining public protection at the state level.

For current information on the status of the eNLC please go to their site: Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC).

Source: National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) 2023