Mar 28, 2024  
2022-2023 Catalog 
    
2022-2023 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Nursing, A.S.


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The Connecticut Community College Nursing Program at Capital Community College

http://www.ct.edu/academics/nursing

The Connecticut Community College Nursing Program (CT-CCNP) is an innovative associate degree program of study offered at six Connecticut Community Colleges (Capital, Gateway, Naugatuck Valley, Northwestern CT, Norwalk and Three Rivers community colleges). The common nursing programming offers a four-semester curriculum designed to prepare registered nurses to function in the professional role utilizing current standards of nursing practice. In addition, students within the program have the same admission and policy standards, which allows for greater student flexibility.

The curriculum is built upon courses from the social and biological sciences, liberal arts, and nursing; these courses provide the foundation for the practice of nursing. The curriculum is organized by concepts that guide student learning about the nursing profession, health and illness, health care systems and patients who are the recipients of nursing care. The curriculum is guided by local, regional, and national standards and trends within healthcare, higher education, and the nursing discipline. The delivery of the curriculum is accomplished through a dynamic educational experience that involves active and diverse learning processes.

Upon successful completion of the Nursing program, the college awards the graduate an Associate in Science Degree. After the Associate in Science degree is awarded, the graduate is eligible to take the National Council Licensing Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). Graduates can apply for licensure through the Connecticut Department of Public Health or through the state within which they would like to practice. The graduate is prepared to function as a safe, competent entry-level practitioner within settings across health care systems such as acute care (general or specialty hospitals), subacute or long term care, and community based care settings such as provider offices and clinics.

Approval and Accreditation The newly revised CT-CCNP curriculum has been approved by the by the Connecticut Board of Regents for Higher Education and the Connecticut State Board of Examiners for Nursing, with the consent of the Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Public Health. Each program within the CT-CCNP approaches national accreditation through the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, ACEN, located at 3343 Peachtree Rd NE, Suite 850, Atlanta, GA 30326; Phone: 404-975-5000, Fax: 404-975-5020, Email: info@acenursing.org. The curriculum is implemented at each of six Connecticut community colleges based upon college level approval processes and the approval of ACEN.

The Nursing Program is a two-year, four-semester program which, upon successful completion, awards an Associate in Science Degree. Sixty-five credits are required for graduation. These include general education courses and nursing courses sequenced to build from fundamental skills to complex critical thinking skills. The program is challenging in nature, demanding mathematics, science, social science and English skills as building blocks to all that encompasses nursing practice.

The Role of the Associate Degree Graduate within the Scope of Nursing Practice

The Nursing program will provide the student with the knowledge and technical skills to practice in a safe, effective and competent manner within the legal and ethical framework for an entry-level Registered Nurse. The scope of practice for the Associate Degree graduate is to provide and manage care for a diverse group of individuals, families and communities in collaboration with members of the health care team.

The Associate Degree Nurse is responsible for his/her continued professional growth and development through continuing education programs and educational advancement to a higher degree level.

The course of study prepares graduates for employment in a variety of settings, extended-care facilities, acute-care hospitals, clinics, doctor’s offices, etc.

Clinical practice is offered in hospitals, extended care facilities, and community health centers during both day and evening hours. Weekend clinical practice may be required. Faculty cannot address individual student requests for clinical placements.

Students are responsible for their own transportation and must be prepared to travel to facilities a distance from their homes.

Flexibility is required to meet changing course needs.

An orientation session scheduled in the summer prior to admission is mandatory for all admitted students

Admitted students must be prepared to submit the following required health information to the Department by June 10 of the admitting year or their place in the program will be relinquished. Instructions for submission on-line will be given at the June Nursing Orientation:

  1. Physical examination done within the last year
  2. Documentation of required immunizations as described in the Nursing Admission Letter
  3. Documentation of current certification in Professional level CPR certification must remain current throughout the program
  4. Background check must be received by July 1 of freshmen year. Capital Community College is required to process criminal background checks on nursing students who affiliate at clinical sites. The purpose of the background check is to ensure a safe and protective environment for all clients, particularly populations at risk: children, the elderly, and the disabled. Students must follow the instructions for securing a background check from the Connecticut League for Nursing https://www.ctleaguefornursing.org/register.php and sign a release to allow this information to be sent to the Nursing Department. Nursing students must be prepared to pursue this cost (approximately $62.00) in order to effectively meet hospital mandates for student clinical practice. Students choosing not to consent to this procedure will be ineligible to participate in the required clinical potion of the course and will not progress in the program.​Felony Conviction: At the time of application for RN licensure an applicant will be asked the following question by the Connecticut Department of Public Health: “Have you ever been found guilty or convicted as a result of an act which constitutes a felony under the laws of this state, federal law or the laws of another jurisdiction and which, if committed within this state, would have constituted a felony under the laws of this state? If your answer is ‘yes,’ give full details, dates, etc. on a separate notarized statement and furnish a Certified Court Copy (with court seal affixed) of the original complaint, the answer, the judgment, the settlement, and/or the disposition.Students who are found guilty of committing a felony/misdemeanor may be prevented by a facility from participating in clinical experiences. If you cannot participate in a clinical rotation at an assigned facility, you may not be able to complete the objectives of the course and of the program. Here is the procedure:Should a background check reveal a student is guilty of committing a felony/misdemeanor, the Connecticut League for Nursing agrees to makes two phone calls to clinical agencies where the student will be placed. The clinical site is asked if they will accept the student given the background check found the student guilty of committing a felony/misdemeanor. The CLN does not give the college, student name or actual crime, just the category of offense. If two of the CT-CCNP at Capital Community College’s clinical sites say they will not accept the student for clinical placement, the student is not able to meet the clinical objectives and clinical outcomes of the course. The Director notifies the student and the student is terminated from the Program.
  5. Drug Screening is required by the Nursing Program and CLN requisition form must be completed by July 1 of freshmen year. This service is also provided by the Connecticut League for Nursing.  Directions on how to obtain actual drug testing will be provided at mandatory orientation. A clean screen or MD-approved screen must be obtained to be placed at the clinical sites and continue in the program.

RN Licensure: Legal Requirements

United States Department of Education Professional Nursing Licensure Statement (Regulation 34 CFR 668.43 (a) (5) (v)) The Connecticut Community College Nursing Program (CT-CCNP) at Capital Community College, Gateway Community College, Naugatuck Valley Community College, Norwalk Community College, Northwestern Connecticut Community College, and Three Rivers Community College meet the state education requirements for a Registered Nurse license in the state of Connecticut. The CT-CCNP has not determined if the associate degree registered nurse program meets the state education requirements in any other state, any U.S. Territory, or the District of Columbia. Applicants should investigate licensure requirements prior to accepting an offer of admission to any CT CCNP program. The licensure boards in each state are responsible for establishing the requirements for licensure/certification for their state. Students who intend to seek licensure in any state other than Connecticut need to consult with the state professional licensing board. The state professional licensing boards make the decision on whether an individual is eligible for licensure based on the rules and regulations in place at the time the individual submits their application for licensure. Websites for each State Regulatory Agency for Nursing can be found at this link: www.ncsbn.org/14730.htm

Program Objectives/ Learning Outcomes:

While providing nursing care to individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations within the health care system, the nursing graduate:

  1. Demonstrates communication strategies that promote accurate exchange of information, prevent and manage conflict, and establish and maintain therapeutic relationships.
  2. Integrates evidence-based practice into clinical decision-making for the provision of patient-centered care.
  3. Uses data and patient care technology to communicate, differentiate, and manage patient information to support clinical decision-making for optimal patient outcomes.
  4. Integrates leadership and priority-setting skills into the management and coordination of safe, quality, patient-centered care.
  5. Uses the nursing process to provide patient-centered care that is responsive to the patient’s physiological, psychological, cultural, and sociological preferences, values, and needs.
  6. Integrates integrity and accountability that upholds established regulatory, legal, and ethical principles into cost effective, standard-based nursing care.
  7. Uses quality improvement to promote the delivery of patient-centered care and to optimize patient outcomes.
  8. Promotes a safe culture that minimizes the risk of harm to patients, self, and others at the work unit and health care system levels.
  9. Analyzes the impact of the health care system on the provision of safe, quality patient-centered care at the level of the work unit.
  10. Collaborates with the inter-professional health care team to manage and coordinate the provision of safe, quality, patient-centered care.

Program of Study

The following program of study reflects a full-time curriculum plan that students enrolled in the nursing program are required to complete for graduation. Many students make the decision to enroll in the nursing program on a part-time basis, taking the general education courses prior to the nursing courses. Non-nursing courses must be taken in the semester indicated in the plan of study below or may be taken earlier; nursing courses must be taken in the stated sequence.

The admission and pre-requisite requirements of BIO* 211 - Anatomy and Physiology I , BIO* 212 - Anatomy and Physiology II , and ENG* 101 - Composition  are credits (11 credits) that are part of the total 65 credits required for graduation. BIO* 211  and ENG* 101 , both requiring C+ or higher, must be completed prior to submitting an application; BIO* 212  may be in progress and the applicant may be accepted pending successful completion with a grade of C+ or higher. A grade of C is required for all corequisite courses in the Nursing plan of study.

Please see Nursing Program Admissions  for a complete list of nursing admissions requirements.

Degree Requirements


Admission Requirements


Pre-Requisite Requirements


Fourth Semester


Total Credits: 65


General Education Credits = 30 credits

Nursing Credits = 35 credits

* A grade of C is required for all co-requisite courses in the nursing plan of study unless a higher grade is required for admission to the program. Co-requisite courses must be satisfactorily completed before or during the semester in which they are scheduled in the curriculum. Students who fail to complete required co-requisite courses may be dismissed from the program. Please see Course Descriptions  in this Catalog for listed co-requisites. A minimum grade of C (74 or higher) is required in all nursing courses, a C+ in all Anatomy & Physiology courses, and a C in all other science courses in order to progress from semester to semester and to complete the program.

Technical Standards for Admitted Students

Connecticut community colleges provide reasonable accommodations to students who qualify under the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) of 1990 and the ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA) of 2008. A reasonable accommodation is a modification or adjustment to an instructional activity, equipment, facility, program or service that enables a qualified student with a disability to have an equal opportunity to fulfill the requirements necessary for completing the nursing program. Reasonableness is determined by the Disability Services Coordinator in collaboration with the nursing director at the college on a case-by-case basis.

To be eligible for accommodations, a student must have a documented disability of:

  1. a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities of such individual;
  2. a record of such impairment; or,
  3. be regarded as having such a condition.

The Technical Standards reflect a sample of performance abilities and characteristics necessary to successfully complete the requirements of the nursing program; these standards are not admission requirements. The student is responsible for notifying the nursing director and the Disability Services Coordinator of conditions that may impact the student’s ability to meet the Technical Standards.

Acquiring fundamental knowledge:

  1. Ability to learn in classroom and educational settings
  2. Ability to find sources of knowledge and acquire the knowledge
  3. Ability to be a life-long learner
  4. Novel and adaptive thinking

Developing communication skills:

  1. Communication abilities for sensitive and effective interactions with patients (persons, families and/or communities)
  2. Communication abilities for effective interaction with the health care team (patients, their supports, other professional and non-professional team members)
  3. Sense-making of information gathered from communication
  4. Social intelligence

Interpreting data:

  1. Ability to observe patient conditions and responses to health and illness
  2. Ability to assess and monitor health needs
  3. Computational thinking
  4. Cognitive load management

Integrating knowledge to establish clinical judgment:

  1. Critical thinking, problem-solving and decision making ability needed to care for persons, families and/or communities across the health continuum and within (or managing or improving) their environments - in one or more environments of care
  2. Intellectual and conceptual abilities to accomplish the essential of the nursing program (i.e. CT-CCNP Student Learning Outcomes & Competencies)
  3. New-media literacy
  4. Transdisciplinarity
  5. Design mindset

Incorporating appropriate professional attitudes and behaviors into nursing practice:

  1. Concern for others, integrity, ethical conduct, accountability, interest and motivation
  2. Acquire Interpersonal skills for professional interactions with a diverse population of individuals, families and communities
  3. Acquire Interpersonal skills for professional interactions with members of the health care team including patients, their supports, other health care professionals and team members
  4. Acquire the skills necessary for promoting change for necessary quality health care
  5. Cross-cultural competency
  6. Virtual collaboration

Additional Information for accepted Nursing Students

Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification: Students are required to provide documentation of current professional level certification in Basic Life Support for adult, child, and infant. Certification can only be earned through the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross and must remain current throughout the Program. Courses meeting this requirement are: The American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers OR The American Red Cross CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer. A copy of the current certification card will be kept on file at the college which the student is attending. Failure to comply will result in exclusion from the clinical learning experience.

Clinical Sites: Clinical learning experiences are planned as an integral part of the nursing courses and are held at a variety of healthcare settings, such as hospitals, extended care facilities, and selected community health centers. Students are responsible for arranging their own transportation to and from assigned clinical sites. Clinical experiences may be assigned during daytime, evening, or weekend hours. Assignment of clinical sites is at the discretion of the nursing faculty. Clinical sites could be within an hour radius of the college, and may require a mandatory parking fee.

Health Requirements: Immunizations Requirements - Students will receive a packet of information describing current college policies. CT-CCNP Health Assessment Form - Completed forms (which document specific requirements for the nursing program) must be on file in accordance with college policy.

Advancement of Nursing Education: The Connecticut Community College Nursing Program supports advancement of nursing through education. Graduates of the CT-CCNP have the opportunity to continue their education at a number of baccalaureate and master’s degree programs throughout the state and beyond. Go to http://www.ct.edu/academics/nursing#agreements to learn more about the different agreements that are in place for CT-CCNP graduates. These agreements include State Universities within our Connecticut State Colleges and Universities System: CCSU, SCSU and WCSU.

Fees for Standardized Benchmark Testing each semester and the NCLEX Review Course for all Nursing Students are charged every semester in the nursing program.

Becoming CSCC


STUDENTS: The Community Colleges are undergoing a merger with a plan to become Connecticut State Community College in fall 2023; please work closely with your advisor/program coordinator to select your courses accordingly. See Becoming Connecticut State Community College  for more detail about this exciting transition!

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