The Associate Degree nursing program at the Community College of Rhode Island at the Knight, Liston, Newport and Flanagan campuses located in Warwick, Providence, Newport and Lincoln, Rhode Island, is accredited by the: Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400 Atlanta, GA 30326 (404) 975-5000   https://www.acenursing.org/

The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the Associate Degree nursing programs is Continuing Accreditation. 

Students who complete and receive an Associate of Science degree in Nursing are eligible to take the licensure examination for Registered Nursing (NCLEX-RN).

The Nursing Program is offered at the Knight (Warwick), Flanagan (Lincoln), Liston (Providence) and Newport County Campuses. An evening/weekend option is offered at the Flanagan campus. Students may apply to any campus. Once accepted, students may not transfer between campuses.

Applicants may earn credits in advance of applying for degree status, but this must be done in consultation with One Stop Student Services. Courses may be taken at the Community College of Rhode Island or at any other accredited college.

Technical Standards: The physical activity (strength) level for a registered nurse (075.364-010) is classified as “medium” by the Department of Labor in the Dictionary of Occupational Titles. CCRI Technical Standards are located in the "For Students" tab under Nursing links on the Nursing website.

Note: Many courses require prerequisites, co-requisites and/or testing. See course descriptions for details.

Important: All admission requirements must be completed satisfactorily before an applicant can be offered acceptance into the Nursing Program. At the time of admission, the student must meet the current admission requirements of the program. Students declining acceptance into the program for the semester offered must reapply to the program and meet the current admission requirements. Once accepted into Nursing, the student must attend a mandatory orientation conducted by the Nursing Department.

General Policies

See important general policies in the beginning of this section on the Performance-Based Health Sciences (PBHS) application process, academic progress, advanced placement, background check, CPR certification, health insurance, health records, reinstatement, transportation, uniforms, and equipment.

Minimum Requirements to Apply to the Nursing Program

1. CCRI Application for Enrollment in General Studies with a pre-nursing concentration
2. Official copy of a high school or GED® transcript, or baccalaureate transcript from an accredited institution, including date of graduation or completion
3. CCRI uses a multiple measures approach to determine admission into Health Science programs (For example: High School and GED® transcripts, SAT, ACT, HESI A2 or Accuplacer scores). Placement can also be determined by taking college level English and Math courses. Anyone with a degree from a regionally accredited higher education institution may have this requirement waived following submission of the official college transcript. 
4. If using the ACCUPLACER test issued by CCRI's Advising Center, the following guidelines are used:
   • Reading Comprehension Requirement: Score of 90 or above in Classic Accuplacer is required in Reading Comprehension or score of 259 or above in Next Generation Accuplacer is required in Reading Comprehension or Reading and Study Skills Program (ENGL 1002) with a grade of B- or better, or Integrated Critical Reading and Writing (ENGL 0950) with a grade of B- or better.
   • Mathematics Requirement: Score of 80 or above in Classic Accuplacer is required for Math (Arithmetic) or score of 255 in Next Generation Accuplacer is required for Math (Arithmetic) or Foundations of College Mathematics (MATH 0100) with a grade of B- or better. Note: Entry point into Foundations of College Mathematics (MATH 0100) is Developmental Mathematics Emporium (MATH 0095).
5. HESI A² Test¹
   • Reading Comprehension and Math with a score of 80 percent or better
   • Vocabulary/General Knowledge, and Grammar with a score of 75 percent or better
6. Complete the following prerequisite courses. (These courses are limited to two attempts.)
   • Option 1: Human Anatomy & Physiology I (BIOL 2201)²
   • Option 2: Human Anatomy (BIOL 1010) with a grade of C or better and Human Physiology (BIOL 1020) with a C or better
   • Composition I (ENGL 1010) with a grade of C or better
   • General Psychology (PSYC 2010) with a grade of C or better
   • Note: All attempts prior to Jan 1, 2015, including transfers, are considered one attempt regardless of the number of times the class was taken. If a student fails to meet the satisfactory grade requirements within two attempts, the student must wait five years from the last attempt to retake the course.
7. A minimum overall cumulative grade point average of 2.7 is required to apply to the program and must be maintained until enrolled in the Nursing program.
   • All above requirements must be met satisfactorily before submission of the PBHS application and do not guarantee acceptance. Students declining acceptance into the program for the semester offered must resubmit a PBHS application for the program and meet current requirements, in order to be considered for acceptance at a later date.
8. Complete and submit an online PBHS application here. Deadlines are listed on the form.
9. Conditionally accepted students are required to complete the following:

• When directed by One Stop Student Services, submit a background check through CastleBranch.com. Results of BCI may prevent admission due to clinical agencies’ requirements.
  • Submit all health care requirements to CastleBranch.com by the deadline identified. Health records must include COVID-19 vaccine documentation or completed and approved RIDOH Medical Exemption form. 
  • Final acceptance is based upon completion of the above criteria by stated deadline.

¹

HESI A²: If the student does not achieve a minimum score on one or more of the tests, the student may retake the necessary test(s) once within the next 12 months. Students are limited to two attempts within a 12-month period from the date the original test was taken. A minimum of two weeks between exams is required. Please note: HESI test scores do not expire.

²

Human Anatomy & Physiology I (BIOL 2201) is a companion course of Human Anatomy & Physiology II (BIOL 2202). Neither of these can be more than six (6) years old at the time of application. If you have taken Human Anatomy & Physiology I (BIOL 2201) (A&P1) as a prerequisite, you will have to take Human Anatomy & Physiology II (BIOL 2202) (A&P2) during semester 1 of the Nursing Program and before you begin your second semester in the Nursing program. You may choose to complete A&P2 prior to entrance into the Nursing Program, if desired. As with Human Anatomy & Physiology I (BIOL 2201), students must achieve a grade of C or better in Human Anatomy & Physiology II (BIOL 2202). If required benchmark for this course is not achieved, student may not progress in the program. Remember, though, that A&P2, like A&P1, is limited to two attempts. The transfer of Anatomy and Physiology courses is subject to approval by the CCRI Biology Department Chairperson.

Program Requirements

• A cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 is required for graduation and the awarding of an Associate of Science degree.
• Beginning spring 2022, all newly admitted and reinstated semester 1 students must maintain a passing status (77/C+or above) in the theoretical and clinical components of each Nursing course. In the event that a student fails either the theory or the clinical component of a required Nursing course, the course must be repeated in its entirety. Nursing courses are graded using a department-specific grading policy, posted in the Nursing Student Policy Manual.

Reinstatement

• Reinstatement to the Nursing Program is based on space availability. Priority is given to students in good academic standing at the time of withdrawal. Students returning to the Nursing Program must be approved by the Scholastic Standing Committee and may be required to repeat previous and/or complete additional course work.
• A student is eligible to repeat only one non-clinical Nursing course, with the exception of dropping/failing both Nursing non-clinical courses simultaneously during a single semester (Gerontological Nursing (NURS 1015) and Pharmacology 1 (NURS 1061) during Semester 1). If only one non-clinical Nursing course is dropped/failed during Semester 1, that single class will be considered their one and only repeat attempt.
• A student is eligible to repeat only one clinical Nursing course, with the exception of dropping/ failing both clinical Nursing courses simultaneously during a single semester (Medical Surgical Nursing I^ (NURS 1020) and Mental Health Nursing^ (NURS 1023) during Semester 2; Medical/Surgical Nursing II^ (NURS 2040) and Maternal and Child Health Nursing^ (NURS 2050) during Semester 3, or Medical-Surgical Nursing III (NURS 2060) and Nursing Capstone (NURS 2500) during Semester 4). If only one clinical Nursing course is dropped/failed during Semesters 2, 3, or 4, that single class will be considered their one and only repeat attempt.

LPNs interested in becoming a Registered Nurse can continue their education through the LPN-to-RN Option within the Associate Degree Nursing Program. Click here for more information.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, a student will be able to:

1. Provide safe, quality, evidence-based, patient-centered nursing care in a variety of healthcare settings to diverse patients across the lifespan.
2. Apply critical thinking and clinical reasoning to make evidence-based decisions.
3. Implement established quality measures to improve patient care.
4. Participate in collaborative relationships with members of the interprofessional team, the patient, family and/or designee to achieve quality patient-centered care.
5. Utilize information systems and patient care technology to communicate, implement best nursing practices, minimize risk, and support clinical decision making.
6. Demonstrate leadership skills in a variety of healthcare settings for diverse patients.
7. Exhibit professional behaviors within legal and ethical practice frameworks.

Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Prerequisites
BIOL 2201	Human Anatomy & Physiology I MSCI: Information Literacy; Scientific Reasoning	4
ENGL 1010	Composition I (or ENGL 1010A) HUMN; Written Communication; Information Literacy	3
PSYC 2010	General Psychology SSCI; Critical Thinking; Scientific Reasoning	4
Subtotal		11
Gen Ed Requirements
BIOL 2210	Introductory Microbiology MSCX; Written Communication; Quantitative Literacy	4
COMM 1010	Communication Fundamentals^ HUMN; Non-Written Communication; Social and Professional Responsibilities	3
PSYC 2030	Developmental Psychology SSCI; Critical Thinking; Scientific Reasoning	3
Subtotal		10
Major Requirements
BIOL 2202	Human Anatomy & Physiology II MSCI: Information Literacy; Scientific Reasoning	4
NURS 1010	Fundamentals of Nursing^	7
NURS 1015	Gerontological Nursing	2
NURS 1020	Medical Surgical Nursing I^	6
NURS 1023	Mental Health Nursing^	3
NURS 1061	Pharmacology 1	1
NURS 1062	Pharmacology II	1
NURS 1063	Pharmacology III	1
NURS 2040	Medical/Surgical Nursing II^	5
NURS 2050	Maternal and Child Health Nursing^	6
NURS 2060	Medical-Surgical Nursing III	6
NURS 2500	Nursing Capstone^	3
Subtotal		45
Total Hours		66

^

Work-based learning course

Recommended Course Sequence

Suggested course progression reflects full-time status with a minimum of 12 credits.

Plan of Study Grid

Prerequisites		Hours
BIOL 2201	Human Anatomy & Physiology I	4
ENGL 1010	Composition I (or ENGL 1010A)	3
PSYC 2010	General Psychology	4
	Hours	11
Year 1
Semester 1
NURS 1010	Fundamentals of Nursing^	7
NURS 1015	Gerontological Nursing	2
NURS 1061	Pharmacology 1	1
BIOL 2202	Human Anatomy & Physiology II	4
COMM 1010	Communication Fundamentals^	3
	Hours	17
Semester 2
NURS 1020	Medical Surgical Nursing I^	6
NURS 1023	Mental Health Nursing^	3
NURS 1062	Pharmacology II	1
PSYC 2030	Developmental Psychology	3
	Hours	13
Year 2
Semester 1
NURS 1063	Pharmacology III	1
NURS 2040	Medical/Surgical Nursing II^	5
NURS 2050	Maternal and Child Health Nursing^	6
	Hours	12
Semester 2
NURS 2060	Medical-Surgical Nursing III	6
NURS 2500	Nursing Capstone	3
BIOL 2210	Introductory Microbiology	4
	Hours	13
	Total Hours	66

^

Work-based learning course

Transfer

Please meet with an Academic Advisor/Student Success Coach if you are interested in earning a bachelor's degree. Your Academic Advisor will help you select the courses that best prepare you for transfer to a four-year college or university.

Check out the Joint Admissions Agreement if you are interested in transferring to Rhode Island College or the University of Rhode Island. The JAA program offers seamless transfer to RIC or URI with additional benefits. Transfer information, events, and articulations are available on the Transfer Center website.