Nursing ASN Program
Graduates of the Associate in Science in Nursing (ASN) program are prepared to become licensed as a Registered Nurse (RN). The role of a RN is to assess and evaluate clients and their healthcare needs, develop and implement plans of care, and document client responses to interventions. Nurses administer care to people who are ill, injured, convalescent, or disabled. Nurses counsel clients seeking healthier lifestyles.
The AS Nursing curriculum incorporates classroom instruction, laboratory, simulation education, and clinical practice in the care of diverse populations. Local health facilities are utilized for clinical practice, including community agencies, acute care institutions, long-term and ambulatory care facilities. Graduates of the program possess knowledge, values, skills, and compassion; all are essential for professional nursing practice in a dynamic and rapidly changing health care environment.
Current occupational employment and wages data for Registered Nurses are published by the United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics at www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes291141.htm.
Accreditation:
The Florida SouthWestern State College Associate in Science in Nursing Program is accredited by the:
Accreditation Commission on Education in Nursing, Inc.
3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 850
Atlanta, Georgia 30326
Telephone: 404-975-5000
http://acenursing.org/
Curriculum Options:
Florida SouthWestern State College offers several options for students to apply, enroll, and complete the Nursing AS degree program:
- Entry Curriculum, Full-Time, 4 semesters - for applicants entering the nursing profession who do not meet the criteria below for acceptance into the Transition Curriculum
- Entry Curriculum, Part-Time, 5 semesters - for applicants entering the nursing profession who do not meet the criteria below for acceptance into the Transition Curriculum; for applicants who would like to complete the program on a part-time basis with classes offered evening and weekend hours. The Part-Time curriculum is currently offered on the Lee Campus only.
- Transition Curriculum, Full-Time, 3 semesters - for applicants who have either:
- Completed a Licensed Practical Nursing Program in Florida and hold current Florida licensure as a Licensed Practical Nurse/LPN. Applicants must enter the AS Nursing program within five years of their program completion date.
OR
- Completed a direct patient care program in Florida, holding the related current Florida licensure: Cardiovascular Technologist/CVT, Paramedic/EMT-P, or Registered Respiratory Therapist/RRT. Applicants must enter the AS Nursing program within five years of their program completion date. These applicants must also hold current Florida licensure as a Certified Nurse Assistant/CNA, earned within five years of their program completion date.
Degree Requirements and Program Length:
A total of 72 credit hours is required to complete the AS degree in Nursing. These hours include General Education Courses (23 credit hours), Program Specific Courses (7 credit hours), and Nursing Core Courses (42 credit hours). Competitive applicants will have completed most or all of their General Education and Program Specific courses before starting the Nursing Core courses.
Minimally, students must complete the following PRIOR to admissions into each curriculum:
- ENTRY - MAC 1105 - College Algebra (or higher level MAC) or STA 2023 - Statistical Methods I and BSC 1093C - Anatomy and Physiology I
- TRANSITION - MAC 1105 - College Algebra (or higher level MAC) or STA 2023 - Statistical Methods I , BSC 1093C - Anatomy and Physiology I , BSC 1094C - Anatomy and Physiology II , and ENC 1101 - Composition I
Please note that BSC 1010 /BSC 1010L Biology with Lab (or successful CLEP Biology testing) are required prerequisites for BSC 1093C - Anatomy and Physiology I , MCB 2010C - Microbiology , and HUN 1201 - Human Nutrition .
Prior to registration for the final semester of the Nursing Program, students MUST:
- complete all pre-nursing and all previous semester nursing courses and
- complete and document sixteen (16) hours of approved community volunteer service hours.
Each curriculum option in the AS Nursing Program is offered during various terms on Florida SouthWestern State College’s three campus locations and takes various numbers of terms and calendar months to complete:
AS Nursing
Curriculum |
LEE CAMPUS
START TERM |
COLLIER CAMPUS
START TERM |
CHARLOTTE CAMPUS
START TERM |
Entry Full-Time
4 semesters
22 calendar months |
FALL |
FALL |
FALL |
Entry Full-Time
4 semesters
24 calendar months |
SPRING |
SPRING |
SPRING |
Entry Part-Time
5 semesters
21 calendar months
(includes a Summer) |
FALL |
|
|
Transition Full-Time
3 semesters
16 calendar months |
FALL |
FALL |
|
Transition Full-Time
3 semesters
16 calendar months |
SPRING |
|
SPRING |
Application Deadlines:
Fall Semester Start - Application due by May 15
Spring Semester Start - Application due by October 1
*Finalists will be notified within four weeks after application deadlines.
The Associate in Science in Nursing program has limited enrollment due to the rigorous clinical education requirements for the program. Acceptance to Florida SouthWestern State College does not imply acceptance into the AS Nursing program. Each applicant must meet specific criteria which are listed in the admission policies. The Criteria for Admission Policies are available through the School of Health Professions Nursing office on each campus. Admission information and applications are located at http://www.fsw.edu/academics/programs/asnursing.
Acceptance to the program is based on a tally of admission points using completed prenursing course GPA, pre-admission testing scores, and total number of pre-nursing courses completed. Pre-admission standardized examination includes Health Education Systems, Inc. (HESI) for Entry and Transition applicants.
After notification, finalists must complete the following:
- College-approved criminal records check and drug testing at the applicant’s expense. Note that applicants should consult Florida Board of Nursing if they have any criminal offenses, beyond minor traffic violations, which may limit RN licensure eligibility.
- Immunization and health report
- Screening for tuberculosis (TB)
- Certification in American Heart Association Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers (CPR and AED)
Baccalaureate Degree Opportunity:
Florida SouthWestern State College also offers a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) for students to advance from the AS Nursing Degree to the BS Nursing Degree. Graduates of the AS Nursing Degree program with the RN credential may enroll in this degree completion program and complete remaining courses for the baccalaureate degree. For more information, please contact the School of Health Professions BSN Program. http://www.fsw.edu/academics/programs/bsnursing
Students in the AS Nursing program, who plan to advance to the RN to BSN degree, should consider adding the AA General Studies as a secondary degree and completing the following coursework:
- Composition II
- Statistical Methods I and one other college level math
- Humanities Part A, writing intensive
- World History Part A, writing intensive
- Speech
- Foreign Language Competency
- Science - three additional credit hours from CHM, BSC, BCH, PCB, or PHY
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