Registered Nursing, A.S.

(72 credit hours)

The Associate in Science degree in Nursing (ASDN), a limited access program, qualifies the student to take the national licensing exam to become a registered nurse. The program is approved by the Florida Board of Nursing (1964), 4052 Bald Cypress Way, BIN C02, Tallahassee, FL 32399-3252, (850) 245-4125 and accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), formerly National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC), 3343 Peachtree Rd NE, Suite 850, Atlanta, GA 30326, (404) 975-5000, fax (404) 975-5020.

Students seeking admission to the ASDN program must:

• submit a Florida Gateway College admission application to the Admissions Office,
• have official high school transcript, GED or documentation of Home Schooling, and any transcripts from colleges other than FGC sent to the FGC Admissions Office,
• provide scores for ACT or SAT standardized testing OR register and take a college placement test prior to advisement in the nursing department,
• complete developmental education courses as required, prior to registering for the prerequisite and corequisite science courses,
• maintain minimum GPA of 2.8 and no grade below a C in all prerequisite courses and any completed corequisite courses,
• submit to nursing department by March 1:
  • current score (within past two years) of 75 or higher on the nursing entrance exam (RNET/HESI),
  • ASDN supplemental application,
  • unofficial copy of transcripts from colleges attended, including FGC,
  • two letters of reference

Prerequisite and corequisite courses completed by the end of the spring term in which you are applying are included in the required 2.8 GPA for admission to the program.

The student must provide official transcripts to the Nursing Department and the Registrar’s Office immediately following the end of Spring term for prerequisites and/or corequisites taken at a college other than FGC during the Spring term in which the student is applying. The transcripts must be received no later than May 15, to receive credit for the courses completed in Spring term.

Applicants are responsible for providing the above documentation if they wish to be considered for admission to the nursing program. Make copies of all documentation for your personal records. Failure to present proper documentation may result in non-acceptance into the program.

Meeting the above criteria does not guarantee admission to the program. Admission is competitive.

Guaranteed Admission

Any applicant who has earned a minimum grade of B+ in all prerequisite courses and any corequisite courses taken will be guaranteed admission, providing all of the above requirements are met. All pre- and corequisite courses must be taken at Florida Gateway College.

Career Pathway Admission

A number of positions will be reserved for Career Pathway students, under a Career Pathway agreement among FGC and the high schools in the service area. To be eligible for one of these positions, a Career Pathway student must meet all requirements for admission as listed above and: (1) attend Florida Gateway College for all pre- and corequisite courses, (2) have a minimum 2.75 GPA in all prerequisite and any corequisite classes taken, and (3) apply to the Nursing Program within two years of high school graduation.

Other Admission

Students who do not qualify under the Guaranteed Admission or Career Pathway Admission criteria will be admitted if space is available, with places being awarded to those individuals with the highest points using the ASDN Point System for Competitive Admission.

In depth admission information may be found in the ASDN Admission Booklet in the Nursing and Health Sciences Department, the Admissions Office, and the College Web site www.fgc.edu. Florida Gateway College reserves the right to make changes in admission criteria and program information, as circumstances require.

All applicants will be notified of their status via letter mailed June 1.

In order to meet clinical agency requirements where student training will take place, all students in the Nursing and Health Sciences Programs must now meet state and federal regulations as described by Florida Statutes S. 400.211. An in-depth background screen and drug screen is required. Further instructions regarding the background and drug screen are provided in the acceptance letter. All screening must be completed no more than six weeks prior to the first day of class. Results of screening must be available to the program coordinator by the last day of open registration as determined by the FGC Academic Calendar.

Random screening within the program may be required. Cost is the responsibility of the student for admission background and drug screening and any further random analysis.

All students who graduate from a nursing program and wish to take the registered nurse NCLEX-RN exam in Florida are subject to the licensure and screening process of the Florida Board of Nursing.

Program Readmission

A student who has been admitted into the program and withdraws or does not satisfactorily complete the requirements for a required course may be considered for readmission. A student may be readmitted no more than one time. A student who has previously been readmitted and who subsequently earns a grade of D will be dismissed from the program.

The ASDN program includes 30 credit hours of general education courses, and 42 credit hours of nursing courses. The following 13 credit hours (prerequisite courses) may be taken at the student’s own pace, but must be completed by the end of the Spring term prior to admission to the program.