Nursing (3456)

Once you pass the NCLEX® licensing exam and obtain your license, you’ll be prepared to begin an entry-level position as a registered nurse (RN) in a variety of healthcare delivery settings, such as acute-care hospitals, rehabilitation facilities and long-term care facilities, among others. Many of our graduates take positions in medical, surgical, critical-care, obstetrics, oncology, pediatrics, mental health and emergency departments.       

As an RN, you will have an influence in your community and make a difference by:

• Promoting health
• Preventing disease
• Helping patients cope with illness
• Serving as an advocate and health educator for patients, families and communities 

Students who are best suited to become an RN have:

• Empathy for others
• Emotional stability
• Organizational skills
• Attention for details
• Good communication skills
• Physical endurance
• An ability to remain calm under pressure
• Good problem-solving skills
• Flexibility in the face of change
• Positive interpersonal skills
• An ability to respond quickly
   

 

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Our Nursing program is a dynamic, concept-based nursing curriculum taught by faculty who are experts in their field. You will be able to apply your nursing knowledge in a variety of healthcare settings. In fact, our graduates are highly sought by local healthcare employers.

Throughout our program, our compassionate, empathetic professors will teach you how to:

• Get vital nursing care experience as you provide direct patient care
• Observe, assess and record symptoms, reactions and progress
• Assist physicians with treatments and examinations
• Administer medications
• Assist in convalescence and rehabilitation
• Promote wellness through health education

You will also be taught how to develop and manage nursing care plans, instruct patients and their families in proper care and help individuals take steps to improve or maintain their health. In addition, high-fidelity simulation scenarios will prepare you to handle high-risk situations that you may face when caring for patients.:*

Note*: You must be able to demonstrate competency in dosage calculations throughout our program to advance through the courses. Mathematics is considered an essential safety skill. We do offer a dosage calculations course to help you if you need to strengthen your skillset in this area.

HACC developed the following program outcomes from the four core concepts and nine key components of the Nursing program’s Conceptual Framework (pdf). The curriculum will prepare you to demonstrate:

Professionalism - Possess a sense of professional identity, a spirit of inquiry and a commitment to the profession of registered nursing.

• Demonstrate the ability to practice as a generalist, using clinical reasoning to provide safe, competent, patient-centered care to patients across the lifespan and healthcare continuum
• Provide evidence-based clinical nursing practice by using evidence to make sound clinical judgments and to deliver safe, competent excellent care
• Consistently demonstrate accountability, ethical behavior, and adhere to the standards of professional registered nursing practice

Communication - Communicate effectively, in a therapeutic way with the patient, promoting human dignity, integrity, and human flourishing across the life span

• Demonstrate the ability to utilize informatics, computer-based information management systems and patient care technology to navigate the healthcare system in the provision of patient-centered care
• Demonstrate the ability to respectfully communicate information verbally, nonverbally and in writing, while promoting an environment that supports interprofessional communication and collaboration in the provision of patient-centered care

Critical Thinking - Demonstrate the ability to recall and comprehend information to problem solve using the nursing process, evidence-based practice and concepts foundational to quality registered nursing practice

• Utilize evidence-based practice to formulate nursing judgments that include the cognitive abilities to apply and analyze data that will direct patient outcomes
• Demonstrate the ability to apply critical thinking to deliver clinically competent care regarding a clinical problem in accordance with the national patient safety initiative

Caring - Engage in caring behaviors to provide a safe, compassionate, nurturing environment that promotes human flourishing

• Provide holistic care, across the health continuum that reflects a respect of the values, cultures and lifestyles of diverse patients and families
• Provide care that is compassionate, culturally sensitive and holistic

*Adapted from Educational Competencies for Graduates of Associate Degree Nursing Programs, NLN, 2010. Bold and italicized words are concepts that thread throughout the HACC Nursing program Conceptual Framework (pdf).

Please note that our program is selective. Acceptance in to the College does not guarantee admission into the Nursing program. There are specific entry-requirements you must meet to be accepted. For  a list of those requirements, nursing application and admission cycle, please visit the Health Careers webpage or email us at start@hacc.edu.

The Associate Degree Registered Nursing Program at Harrisburg Area Community College (HACC, Central Pennsylvania's Community College), located at One HACC Drive, Harrisburg, PA 17110-2999, is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), 3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400, Atlanta GA 30326 (Phone: 404-975-5000),www.acenursing.org

• This program was initially accredited in January 1987.
• The most recent accreditation decision made by ACEN Board of Commissioners (September 2019) for the Associate Degree Registered Nursing program is Continuing Accreditation.
• You may view the public information disclosed by the ACEN regarding this program at: http://www.acenursing.us/accreditedprograms/programSearch.htm .

 

• View summaries of every course at HACC by browsing our class schedules database.

• Review our program guide (pdf) to view a list of required courses, recommended course sequencing and program competencies.

Yes! Conveniently YOURS, our degree programs are designed to be flexible enough to transfer to a wide variety of four-year colleges and universities with no loss of credit. However, each individual college has its own unique program. We encourage you to select a four-year school as soon as possible. This will allow you to learn the transfer college’s program requirements so that you can take the proper classes at HACC.

It is important to note that the current trend in nursing is to mandate that all nurses obtain a Bachelor’s of Science in nursing (BSN). At HACC, you will complete your basic education, obtain your licensure and be able to find employment so that you can work while continuing to pursue your education.

Our various transfer options for you are:

Eastern Mennonite University (Lancaster):

RN to BSN (pdf)

Elizabethtown College:

RN to BSN (pdf)

Elizabethtown College:

RN to BSN Program Highlights (pdf)

Grand Canyon University:

Nursing to BSN Concurrent Enrollment (Fall Midpoint Start) (pdf)

Grand Canyon University:

Nursing to BSN Concurrent Enrollment (Spring Midpoint Start) (pdf)

Grand Canyon University:

Nursing to MSN Concurrent Enrollment (Fall Midpoint Start) (pdf)

Grand Canyon University:

Nursing to MSN Concurrent Enrollment (Spring Midpoint Start) (pdf)

Grand Canyon University:

Nursing to BSN Concurrent Enrollment (Fall Start) (pdf)

Grand Canyon University:

Nursing to MSN Concurrent Enrollment (Fall Start) (pdf)

Grand Canyon University:

Nursing to MSN Concurrent Enrollment (Spring Start) (pdf)

Grand Canyon University:

Nursing to BSN Concurrent Enrollment (Spring Start) (pdf)

Harrisburg University of Science & Technology:

RN to BSN (pdf)

Messiah University:

Associate Degree in Nursing to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (pdf)

Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences:

RN to BSN (pdf)

Southern New Hampshire University:

Nursing (pdf)

Thomas Jefferson University:

FACT-1 Year and FACT-2 Year Programs Prerequisite Guide (Center City and Dixon Campuses) (pdf)

Thomas Jefferson University:

Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences & Biotechnology Prerequisite Checklist—BS and MS Programs (pdf)

Thomas Jefferson University:

Traditional BSN Program Prerequisite Guide Center City and Dixon Campuses (pdf)

Villanova University:

RN to BSN Program Information (pdf)

York College of Pennsylvania:

Nursing Articulation Agreement (pdf)

York College of Pennsylvania:

RN to BSN (pdf)

You may complete this program at our Gettysburg ((four-semester and eight-semester), Harrisburg ((four-semester, eight-semester and weekend), Lancaster (four-semester and eight-semester) and York campuses (eight-semester daytime and eight-semester evening) through various modalities (e.g., on-campus/in-person instruction, hybrid synchronous remote instruction and/or asynchronous instruction).  

Yes! We offer many scholarships through the HACC Foundation. Each scholarship has specific eligibility requirements. To learn how to apply, please visit hacc.edu/Scholarships.

You can enroll in HACC classes for the spring, summer and fall, and you can apply online anytime! When you submit your application to the Nursing AS, you must first enroll into the Pre-Health Professions AS degree.  Therefore, please use the unique program code 3150 on your application and then select the Nursing concentration.   

Clinical application is a separate process. Find information on applying for clinicals here.

Please remember that the program is selective. Acceptance in to the College does not guarantee admission in to the Nursing program. There are specific requirements you must meet to be accepted. For the specific requirements, nursing application and admission cycle, please visit the Health Careers Nursing webpage or please contact an Admissions Counselor, by phone at 800-ABC-HACC, or by email at start@hacc.edu.

 

Future students, we are excited to connect with you and answer your questions. Please choose the option that works best for you to meet with us.

Current HACC students, please contact our Advising Department with any questions.