Program: Nursing (AAS) - Blue Mountain Community College (2024)

Health Services

(Limited-Entry Program)

Intended Program Outcomes:

This two-year AAS degree in nursing will prepare the student for eligibility for the national licensing examination and licensure as a registered nurse and to be effective in the workplace in the following areas:

• Base personal and professional actions on a set of shared core nursing values, including social justice, caring, advocacy, protection from harm, respect for self and others, collegiality, and ethical behavior; notice, interpret, respond, and reflect on ethical dilemmas using ethical principles and frameworks as a guideline.
• Develop insight through reflection, self-analysis, and self-care.
• Engage in intentional learning, developing self-awareness of learning and its effects on client care, and seeking new, relevant knowledge and skills.
• Demonstrate leadership in nursing and health care to meet client needs, improve the health care system, and facilitate community problem-solving.
• Collaborate as part of a healthcare team, receiving, using, and giving constructive feedback.
• Practice within, utilize, and contribute to the broader health care system.
• Practice relationship-centered care, based on empathy and caring, deep understanding of the care experience, and mutual trust and respect for the autonomy of the client.
• Communicate effectively and therapeutically, with attention to elements of cultural influences, and use appropriate modalities and technologies.
• Make sound clinical judgments through noticing, interpreting, and responding, using the best available evidence, frameworks, and systems to organize data and knowledge; accurately perform skills while maintaining patient and personal safety.
• Locate, evaluate, and use the best available evidence.

Registered nurses (RNs) use their knowledge, skills, and problem-solving abilities to help individuals, families, and groups with health needs. RNs care for and work with people to help them become healthier or regain health after illness or surgery. Nurses teach health practices to clients and other healthcare providers and frequently supervise the work of nursing assistants and practical nurses. RNs also administer medications and perform treatments for patients. Nurses work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, long-term care, schools, industry, clinics, and patients’ homes.

About the Program

BMCC is a member of the Oregon Consortium for Nursing Education (OCNE) and offers a competency-based curriculum jointly developed by nursing faculties from the OCNE member community colleges and Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU). The core competencies address the need for nurses to be skilled in clinical judgment and critical thinking; evidence-based practice; relationship-centered care; interdisciplinary collaboration; assisting individuals and families in self-care practices for the promotion of health and management of chronic and acute illness; end-of-life care; and teaching, delegation, leadership and supervision of caregivers.

Acceptance to the program allows for co-admission to BMCC and OHSU nursing programs. The program may be completed with four years of full-time study, with the first year devoted to prerequisite/preparatory courses required for admission to the limited-entry nursing program. The completion of the prerequisite and preparatory courses may take longer than one academic year. Successful completion of the second and third years leads to an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) Nursing degree offered by BMCC. Completion of the AAS degree at BMCC provides the educational eligibility for the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). The OCNE curriculum continues for at least three additional terms leading to a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree with a major in Nursingoffered by OHSU. See the BMCC Nursing Sample Program of Study at http://www.bluecc.edu/nursing.

As an OCNE partner graduate, students who complete the AAS degree at BMCC can seamlessly transition to the OHSU School of Nursing for the final year of nursing coursework to receive a Bachelor of Science (BS) with a major in nursing degree. The OHSU RNBS Completion Online program is available to all associate degree graduates with full-time and part-time options ranging from 9 months to 5 years.Information on baccalaureate completion can be found at https://www.ohsu.edu/school-of-nursing/admissions-requirements-and-application-instructions.

The BMCC nursing program is fully approved by the Oregon State Board of Nursing.

Entry Requirements

As part of their training, students must begin with the courses within their skill levels as determined by placement test scores. In addition, students may also be required to enroll in classes that would increase their success.

Program admission occurs once per year. The deadline for fall term admission and submission of program application materials is February 15th, or the first business day thereafter. At least one term of Anatomy and Physiology (BI231, BI232, or BI233), and MTH 095Intermediate Algebra (or higher)must be completed by the endof the fall term prior to application. Applicants must complete a minimum of 28prerequisite credits by the end of the fall term prior to applicationin order to be eligible to apply for admission to the nursing program. All prerequisite/preparatory courses must have been completed with a “C” or better. Consortium partner schools use a shared point system and a set of core criteria for the evaluation and selection of candidates to the consortium curriculum, but selection processes, acceptance decisions, and admissions occur at individual schools. Application to the nursing program requires a minimum GPA of 3.0 for all completed prerequisite/preparatory courses. Contact Admissionsor see BMCC’s nursing program website for information regarding the application and selection process.

If an applicant has taken an equivalent course elsewhere that has a course number, title, or credit hour different from the BMCC course, the applicant must contact BMCC’s Registrar’s Office for a transcript evaluation as far in advance of the application deadline as possible. To be admitted into nursing courses, students must complete all required prerequisite and preparatory courses and be accepted into the nursing program.

Accepted students must comply with the Administrative Requirements for Health Profession Student Clinical Training (OAR 409-030-0100 to 409-030-0250) prior to clinical placement. BMCC contracts with American DataBank to manage the required documentation. Information is available on the nursing program’s website and is provided to students before fall nursing classes begin.

Students should understand that although co-admitted to the OHSU School of Nursing, those who choose to transition from the BMCC Nursing Program to OHSU will have to undergo a criminal background check for OHSU at the time of transition and ability to enroll in OHSU courses may be negatively impacted by any criminal history in their background.

The Oregon State Board of Nursing has limits on eligibility for licensure of registered nurses and licensed practical nurses. Ultimately, licensure may be denied to graduates with a criminal offense and those with a major physical or mental condition that could affect the individual’s ability to practice nursing safely. See OAR 851-031 Standards for Licensure of Registered Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses, https://secure.sos.state.or.us/oard/viewSingleRule.action?ruleVrsnRsn=297953. These Standards outline the general eligibility requirements for all initial applications for license, license renewal, and license reactivation.

Internet and email access are integral parts of all nursing courses and access to a computer will be required on a daily basis.Student nursing practice includes the clinical component of the nursing program’s curriculum and occurs in a variety of settings throughout northeastern Oregon. The curriculum’s clinical component includes the modalities of direct care, simulation, and final clinical practicum. Students are responsible for travel expenses for all student nursing practice experiences. Nursing practice experiences during terms one through five consist of cohort and independent experiences, including hospitals, long-term care facilities, clinics, etc. These nursing practice experiences may begin at 6:00 a.m. and some may require students to be in the facility until 7:00 p.m. During the final clinical practicum in term six, students are paired with an RN, and nursing practice experiences are scheduled based on the RN’s work schedule. The furthest distance for a final nursing clinical practicum experience is 109 miles from the Pendleton BMCC campus.

Graduation Requirements

These requirements apply only to nursing students admitted to the program during the 2024-2025academic year. The program of study, graduation requirements, and courses are under constant review and are subject to revision. Students contemplating admission in a later year may have different requirements and must obtain the advising guide or catalog for that year. If required courses are graded only on a pass/no pass basis, a grade of “P” for these courses indicates a student earned a “C” or better grade.

Students must complete all courses on this advising guide with a grade of “C” or better to continue in and complete the program, receive their degrees, and meet the educational requirements to apply to take the NCLEX-RN. The OSBN screens all applicants for licensure and may deny licensure toapplicants with convictions for certain crimes.