Health Occupations and PE

1.) Satisfactory grade point of at least 2.0 on college level work: Please note: Due to competition for admission a higher grade may be necessary to obtain enough points to be admitted.

2.) English: Must have completed ENGL& 101 (English 101) or a higher level English composition class. In addition the COMPASS English placement test is required within one year of application to the nursing program for all applicants. Placement must be into English 101 as determined by the Shoreline Testing Center.

3.) Mathematics: All applicants must have a COMPASS test score on math within one year of application to the nursing program showing achievement of competence above the intermediate algebra level. As determined by the Shoreline Testing Center. A quantitative reasoning course is required for graduation CHEM& 121 fulfills this requirement. See the SCC web site on the General Education core Curriculum /catgenedcore.aspx for additional courses meeting this requirement.

4.) Biology If taking Anatomy & Physiology at Shoreline applicants must have completed a five-credit college level general biology course such as BIOL& 211. (This course is not required for admission to the Nursing Program).

5.) Inorganic Chemistry Must have completed a five-credit college level inorganic chemistry course with lab such as CHEM& 121 within the past ten years. (Another college level chemistry course may be substituted for entry level inorganic chemistry.) CHEM& 121 can be used to meet the college level quantitative reasoning (QR) requirement for graduation from the nursing program. When Inorganic Chemistry is taught as a sequence, all courses in the sequence must be completed.

6) Ten credits of Anatomy and Physiology with supervised lab must be completed in the last five years. This is met by BIOL& 231 Anatomy 5 credits and BIOL& 232 Physiology 5 credits at Shoreline. It can also be met by Anatomy and Physiology I, 5 credits and Anatomy and Physiology II, 5 credits taught at other community colleges. Courses without supervised lab are not accepted. Any course taught as a hybrid must be evaluated.

2. Will I be admitted if I meet these minimum requirements?

Because there are always more applicants than spaces, you would not be admitted if you only met the minimum requirements. A selective admission process composed of a point system is used to select each class from among those who meet the minimum requirements (see description in the on-line Nursing Brochure). Minimum points required for admission during 2008-2009 admissions were approximately 108.

Students can expect to spend one year meeting the pre-requisites and non-nursing course requirements before entering the Nursing Program itself.

3. I have attended other colleges. Will any of my courses transfer to Shoreline?

Yes, many non-nursing courses will transfer. Compare the course description from your college with the course description for Shoreline. You may check our online catalog. Shoreline Catalog

If your courses were in semester hours, 1 semester hours equals 1.5 quarter hours for calculating equivalency. A list of known course equivalencies from Washington Community Colleges and four-year colleges is located under the "Course Equivalents" button at the top of this web page You may submit a request for unofficial transcript evaluation by completing a Transfer Credit Evaluation request form attaching unofficial transcripts and course descriptions for courses about which you have questions, or courses from schools not listed on the equivalent page. Transcript evaluations may take 4-6 weeks to complete and must be completed BEFORE the application deadline in order for the courses to be included in the point calculation. All hybrid science courses must be evaluated.

Courses in Washington Colleges that have previously been approved for transfer are found by selecting the "Course Equivalents" button at the top of the web page.

4. Where do I start in preparing for admission to the Nursing Program?

Any student may prepare for nursing admission through meeting the minimum requirements for admission outlined above and taking additional non-nursing courses that will provide points for the selective admission process. The following steps are recommended.

1.) You may take any required non-nursing course at an accredited college that offers a course that is approved to be the equivalent in credits and course content to the one taught at Shoreline (See transcript evaluation procedure). Taking courses at Shoreline is encouraged because you know that your courses meet the requirements.

2.) Take the COMPASS Test to determine placement if you have not completed college level English and Mathematics courses.

3.) Take any remedial English and/or mathematics courses needed, as determined by COMPASS.

4.) Take inorganic chemistry (CHEM& 121).

5.) Take general biology (BIOL& 211) (If you will be taking BIOL& 231, BIOL& 232 or BIOL& 260 at Shoreline).

6.) Take any of the other non-nursing courses required for graduation from the Program that provide points toward admission. Start with ENGL& 101 and Anatomy and Physiology (must be completed within five years of application). These courses may be taken at SCC, or equivalent courses may be taken at any other community college or university and transferred to SCC when you apply.

Because of the rigors of the Program and the competition for admission, applicants are encouraged to complete the non-nursing courses prior to starting Nursing. The required timeframe for completion is found in the Nursing Program Brochure. Courses that state "From approved list" are general education requirements for the college. That list is found under General Education Core Requirements in each quarterly time schedule and on the college web site General Education Requirements.

7.) Review your employment/volunteer history, and determine if your application would be improved through volunteer work or employment that provides points toward admission.

8) "Health Care Provider" or "CPR for the Professional Rescuer" --provides points for admission and is a more extensive class than the regular "Heart Saver" provided by fire stations. You can take PE 280 on the Shoreline campus, call the American Heart Association of Washington, the Red Cross or other first aid providers to see if they offer this class. The American Heart Association uses the term "Health Care Provider CPR", Red Cross uses the term "CPR for the Health Care Professional" and the National Safety Council uses the term "CPR for the Professional Rescuer". Any of these are acceptable.

5. How are these "points" for admission calculated?

Each completed pre-requisite course and each completed non-nursing course that is part of the nursing program graduation requirements provides points based on the grade received. A minimum 2.0 is required and is given the lowest number of points. The grade of 3.0 receives more points and an 4.0 the highest number of points.

Practical preparation points are awarded for having a current first aid card and for having a Health Care Provider CPR card (sometimes called CPR for the Professional Rescuer).

Practical preparation points are also awarded for job experience based on the type of job, having worked a minimum number of hours; both supported by the Employment Verification Form (see link on left) from your supervisor or manager and for volunteer in health care experience. Please click on the link at the left labeled - Admission Points for more information.

6. How long does it usually take to get enough points to be admitted?

Most individuals take courses for three or more quarters in order to have enough courses completed to have the points needed to be admitted. Part of this depends upon whether or not you have the necessary foundational courses in math and English.

7. How many points do I need to be admitted?

The exact number of points varies from quarter to quarter depending upon the qualifications of the individuals applying that quarter. For the most recent quarters, the lowest points for admission were 108.

8. I think I am ready to apply to the Nursing Program. How do I do that?

1.) If you have not attended Shoreline previously, apply for admission to the college by calling 206-546-4621 and requesting an application for admission to the college. Complete and return this form to the College admissions office. You may apply online at http://www.shoreline.edu after you apply you will be assigned a Shoreline Student Number. You must have a Shoreline Student Number in order to open the online nursing application.

2.) Check the Nursing Program web site for the online application.

3) Fill out the form carefully. You will need to print out the forms to take to your employment and volunteer supervisors. You will also need to print out and sign part of the form to send in along with your application fee.

4.) Provide a separate set of "official" transcripts for all college work taken elsewhere to EACH of the following departments: Mail one set to:

   a. Office of Admissions and Registration
         Shoreline Community College
         16101 Greenwood Ave. N.
         Seattle, 98133

(If you are already a student at Shoreline you should have had this one sent when you first started at Shoreline.)

AND

b. SUBMIT one set (in the sealed envelopes) with your nursing application materials to the nursing office.

9. If I am not accepted, can I reapply?

Yes. You may reapply for another quarter by completing and filing another application packet. All materials received for an application are kept on file for two years. If you are reapplying, you need only provide a new application form (Form A & B), transcripts showing additional courses taken since the last transcript was sent, any updated information you wish for us to consider, and the fee. A new employer recommendation is not needed. However, if you have changed your employment, you might want to submit a new employer form.

10. Are there additional requirements after acceptance?

1) The student is required to provide a self-disclosure of health status. If this disclosure reveals health problems that might interfere with meeting the objectives, the director will meet with the student to discuss the requirements. If accommodation is requested the student must meet with the disabilities counselor for the college. The student will be required to meet all of the objectives of the course in order to pass.

2) Each student must provide evidence of tuberculin testing done within two months prior to beginning client care and annually thereafter. The initial test must have been a "2-step" test with annual testes documented thereafter.

3) Each student must provide information relative to immunizations. Hepatitis B immunizations (all 3 injections in the series) are required. Information about these will be provided at the time of acceptance. These must be done at the student's own expense. Rubeola (Measles), Rubella (German Measles), mumps, chicken pox (Varicella), tetanus and diphtheria immunization or evidence of immunity (positive antibody titer) is required. Influenza immunizations for the adult are strongly recommended and required by some facilities.

4) Health insurance will be required of all students. The college does not sell Health Insurance.

5) Nursing student uniforms and name pins are required in the clinical area and are available for purchase through a designated company. Only the Shoreline Nursing student uniform is acceptable. Ordering information is provided at the time of acceptance.

6). Each student is required by the clinical agencies to complete a Criminal Background check in accordance with Child/Adult Abuse Prevention Act RCW 43.43.830-43.43.845. A student who is not cleared by this check is not allowed by law to have unsupervised contact with vulnerable children or elders in the clinical setting, and therefore will be unable to satisfactorily complete the clinical portion of the program.

7) Each student must submit documentation of having completed a CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) course designed for health care providers and that includes child, infant, and adult CPR and two-rescuer CPR plus foreign body extraction and Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) before beginning clinical practice.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Because nursing students are being prepared to do the broad range of entry-level nursing skills, nursing students must be able to do the following essential functions either without or with reasonable accommodation. If you believe that you would need accommodation to do these essential functions, please consult with the Counselor for Students With Disabilities in our Advising and Counseling Department.

1. Observation Function: Use of the senses to gather information. Examples of behaviors
- a. Assess color changes in the skin
- b. Hear heart and lung sounds through a stethoscope
- c. Palpate pulses
- d. Feel heat or cold on the skin
2. Communication Function: Use of speech, reading, and writing to communicate with clients, families, and other health care professionals. Examples of behaviors
- a. Ask clients questions to discern their concerns and problems in a way that can be comprehended by the client.
- b. Read client records and references written in English.
- c. Explain client's condition to other health care team members
- d. Document nursing care clearly and accurately in English on legal records.
3. Motor function: Provide physical care to clients and work for up to 8 hours per day when most of that time is walking, standing, and performing physical tasks. Examples of behaviors
- a. Perform CPR.
- b. Transfer incapacitated clients from chair to chair or chair to bed through lifting a minimum of 40 pounds.
- c. Manipulate equipment such as intravenous administration sets on tall poles as used for patient/client care.
- d. Work for eight hour days in a situation in which the majority of the time is spent in physical activity.

11. Are there other restrictions I should be aware of?

The Washington Nursing Commission is responsible for licensing as a registered nurse. Part of the application for licensure is a series of questions regarding health problems and criminal background. If you answer "Yes" to any of these questions, you will be required to provide the Nursing Commission with complete details in order for them to determine whether this background is a barrier to your practicing as a registered nurse. The complete text of these questions is available from the Washington Nursing Commission.

12. I have attended a university in another country. Will any of my education there count for the Nursing Program?

You will need to have both a translation of your educational documents and an evaluation of them that indicates the approximate U.S. courses, grades, and credits that would be comparable.

In general, nursing or medical courses from other countries cannot be used to substitute for Nursing courses at Shoreline. Some other courses may be acceptable.

For more information on International Transcript Evaluations please click on the link to the left labeled International Transcript Evaluation Information.

13. I have heard that the Shoreline Nursing Program is nationally accredited. What does that mean?

Since 1969 the Shoreline Nursing Program has met the standards for national accreditation. This accreditation is awarded by the National League for Nursing Accreditation Commission based on national standards. These standards are designed to examine a program to determine whether it is providing a high quality of nursing education. Further information on accreditation may be obtained by contacting the NLNAC at NLNAC at 3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 500, Atlanta, GA 30326, telephone # (404) 975-5000 fax # (404) 975-5020, www.nlnac.org.

14. How do I get written information or an application form for the Nursing Program?

You may read and download the brochure from the Nursing Program Brochure PDF file as a PDF file link. Copies are provided at all information meetings.

15. I plan to go on to get a bachelor's degree in nursing after I finish at Shoreline. What are the requirements to do that? Are there other courses I should take?

Moving on to obtain a bachelor's degree in nursing after attending the Shoreline Nursing Program is a smooth process. Programs providing bachelor's degree education for registered nurses are commonly referred to as RN-B programs. These programs are available at most of the universities in this state that have nursing departments. Each program has its own specific requirements. There are also programs providing for Associate Degree to Master's Degree progression for those with bachelor's degrees in another field as well as the A.D. in nursing.

For additional information on BSN Completion Options please click on the link to the left labeled BSN Completion Opts.

16. I will need financial aid. Where can I find out about that?

Please contact our Financial Aid Office at 206-546-4762. There are federal loan and grant programs and some scholarships. You may also want to check out the web sites below.

17. What are the differences in the employment responsibilities and salaries for a registered nurse (RN) and licensed practical nurse (LPN)?

The following link will provide information about job descriptions, requirements, salaries, and training programs for Health Career Jobs in Western Washington

http://www.wwahec.org/WWAHEC_career_job_descriptions.html