Nursing program proves hard to get
Assistant Dean of Health Sciences and Head of the Registered Nurse Program, Tammy Rice, guides aspiring nurses into the application process of becoming a registered nurse. (Kira Edmondson )
Tamera Rice, head of Saddleback College’s nursing program, held an informational meeting on the application process to enter Saddleback’s nursing program on Sept. 19.
Many aspiring nurses showed up to the meeting to get a clear description of what it takes to enter the program. The nursing program only accepts 60 students each semester.
There are two application deadlines each year, one for each semester. The due dates are in Feb. for spring and June for fall each year.
Future nursing students must finish a series of pre-requisites before becoming eligible for the program. Several biology classes, including BIO 11, BIO 12 and BIO 15, must be completed with a GPA of 2.8 or above.
Students must also complete English 1A with a grade of a C or better.
Eligible students must also pass the Test of Essential Academic Skills. The test must be passed with a score of 62 percent or higher.
However, even with a score of 62 percent, there is a high possibility a student may not be invited into the program. Students are encouraged to study for the TEAS and score as high as possible to increase their chances of acceptance into the program.
There is limited seating in the program and students should aim high in order to help themselves stand out among other applicants.
Along with fulfilling the pre-requisite courses and passing the TEAS test, aspiring nurses can do more to up their chances of entering the program.
For example, work or volunteer experience with direct human patient care will better the odds of being invited to the program.
Rice, who is also the assistant dean of Health Science and Human Services, advises that students also take the recommended nursing courses.
Students do not need to be in the program to take these courses but might look good on an application to the nursing program.
Proficiency in a language other than English also looks very good on a nursing program application.
Rice has scheduled an additional informational meeting for those looking into the program. The meeting is scheduled for Nov. 15 from 7-9 p.m. in the Health Science and Human Services
Building. The room number will be announced at a later date.
For additional information about curriculum and forms visit the nursing program’s website at http://www.saddleback.edu/hs/rn/.