Description
The Associate in Science Degree Program is for those students who want to become Registered Nurses. Students will be taught to demonstrate professional and caring behaviors, utilize therapeutic communication techniques, perform a holistic assessment, assess the strengths and resources of patients and families, coordinate care for patients and families, teach necessary health information to consumers of health, apply mathematical calculations to safely administer medications, collaborate with members of the healthcare team and apply critical thinking and the nursing process consistently.

Students who have successfully met all educational and institutional requirements for the Associate Degree in Professional Nurse Program from Keiser Career College are eligible to have their names submitted to the Florida Board of Nursing to be considered as a candidate for the NCLEX-RN. The Florida Board of Nursing is the state agency authorized to determine if the applicant qualifies to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) for licensure as a Registered Nurse.

Objectives
This program prepares students for an entry-level position as a Registered Nurse. Students will be exposed to professional nursing encompassing legal and ethical decision-making in the promotion of health in the community. Students will demonstrate the use of the nursing process to meet multiple health needs for adults and children in a variety of health care settings, communicate therapeutically with families, groups, and individuals, synthesize and communicate relevant data effectively and concisely, and utilize management skills and concepts to plan and coordinate patient care. Students will assume the role of the associate degree nurse as a member of the health care team and will integrate theoretical content of general education classes with nursing theory and practice.

Prerequisites

• Submit Application
• Pass Nursing Pre-entrance exam
• Submit Written Essay
• Submit current resume
• Interview with Nursing Program Panel
• Provide documentation of health examination
• Provide TB Test and/or Chest X-Ray Documentation
• Provide current immunization documentation
• Abuse Registry clearance
• 10 Panel drug Screen
• Level II Background Check
• Transfer of credits may be applicable for candidates who have a current, Unrestricted Florida Practical Nurse License or Florida Paramedic Certification. Graduates of Keiser Career College’s Practical Nurse program may provide proof of an Unrestricted Florida License as a Practical Nurse within 90 days from the start of his/her first General Education Course. Failure to provide a license within 90 days will result in withdrawal of the student from the school. Students wishing to transfer in credits for holding a Paramedic Certification will need to complete a workshop prior to entry into the core nursing courses.

Admission to the Professional Nurse Core Classes
(Please note that the following requirements must all be met or maintained in order to advance to the Registered Nurse Core Nursing Classes.)

• A cumulative GPA (CGPA) of 2.75 in the General Education courses is required to enter the core Registered Nurse courses. If a candidate elects to transfer General Education course(s); those courses and the grades earned will be used to calculate the CGPA. The College will use the credit value and grade scale for current Keiser Career College General Education courses in the computation of the CGPA. The credit values at a minimum must be equivalent to current Keiser Career College General Education courses. The student may elect not to transfer in any General Education courses.
• A candidate may not have more than a combined total of four grades of D, F, W or WF in the General Education courses (either courses transferred into the College or completed at the College). 
• A 10 Panel Drug Screen and Level II Background check will be will be conducted again. If the candidate tests positive for the drug screen or items appear on the Background check that violate clinical site terms of agreement the candidate will not be allowed to proceed to the core RN courses if he/she is unable to provide corrected documentation in the event of errors.
• The currency and unrestricted nature of the practical nursing license/paramedic certification will be checked again prior to entering the core nursing classes (if applicable). If a candidate’s license is not current or unrestricted at this time and he/she is unable to provide documentation, he/she will not be permitted to enter the core nursing classes.
• Active Medical Insurance (evidence of annual renewal of medical insurance at the designated interval after the interval has started in the nursing program) will be required.

Course Outline
To receive an Associate of Science Degree in Professional Nurse, students must complete 46.0 credit hours in their major and 30.0 credit hours in General Education courses for a total of 76.0 credit hours (1942 clock hours). This degree program can be completed in 24 months for full time students.

This program is offered at the St. Petersburg Branch Campus of Greenacres Main Campus and Spring Hill Satellite location of the New Port Richey Branch Campus of the Greenacres Main Campus.