1. Nursing Pathways to Higher Education: High School to Associate to Bachelor Degree in Nursing
Kaycee Rump, MSN, RN Anne Arundel Community College, Arnold, Maryland
Anne Arundel Community College (AACC) believes that if the pre-nursing students maintain academic rigor from high school to their pre-nursing studies and throughout the nursing program, by close advisement to monitor and evaluate their academic progression, then the pre-nursing students will come into the nursing program academically strong and will have a smoother academic transition to baccalaureate nursing programs.
10th Grade High School Student’s Pathway AACC Prerequisites & Nursing Curriculum Plan
Fall 2019
Spring 2020
Fall 2020
Spring 2021
Summer 2021
Fall 2021
Winter 2022
Spring 2022
Summer 2022
HS coursework CAT-N courses
ECAP: AACC MAT 137
College Algebra
3 credits
ECAP: AACC ENG 101
Academic Writing & Research 1
HS: Math HS: English
CAT-N: 3 courses ECAP: AACC BIO 101
Fundamentals of Biology w/lab
4 credits
CAT-N: 3 courses (3 credits awarded for medical terminology) ECAP: AACC BIO 233
Anatomy & Physiology I w/lab
Apply for CNA certification
After high school graduation submit all high school transcripts and AP exam scores. Apply for AACC’s Nursing Program to start spring semester AACC PSY 111
Psychology
AACC BIO 234
Anatomy & Physiology II w/lab
AACC BIO 223
Microbiology w/lab
AACC SOC 111
Introduction to Sociology
3 credits AACC PSY 211
Developmental Psychology
AACC Arts/Hum1
3 credits (Recommended COM111)
AACC Arts/Hum2
3 credits (Recommended an english course)
AACC NUR 120
Foundations of Nursing
7 credits
AACC NUR 121
Basic Physical Assessment
1 credit
AACC NUR 122
Nursing Perspectives
AACC Arts/Hum3
3 credits (Recommended for online, PHI142)
AACC CHE 111
General Chemistry w/lab
AACC BIO 135
Principles of Nutrition
13 credits
12 credits
Fall 2022
Winter 2023
Spring 2023
Summer 2023
Fall 2023
Winter 2024
Spring 2024
Summer 2024
Fall 2024
AACC NUR 130
Nursing of Adult Clients in Health and Illness
5 credits
AACC NUR 131
Maternal, Newborn Nursing, and Women’s Health
AACC MAT 135
Statistics (Recommended for online)
AACC Arts/Hum4
3 credits (Recommended a fine arts course)
AACC NUR 220
AACC NUR 221
Nursing Care of Children and Families
BSN NURS300 Professional Transitions in Nursing 3 credits
BSN NURS310 Assessment, Evaluation, and Clinical Decision Making 3 credits
BSN NURS325 Integrated Pathophysiology and Clinical pharmacology 4 credits
AACC NUR 230
Nursing Mgmt of Clients with Complex Health Problems and Transition
9 credits
AACC NUR 231
Nursing Perspectives 2
A.S. Degree Awarded BSN NURS401 Caring for Today’s Veterans 3 credits
NCLEX – RN
AACC Arts/Hum5
3 credits (Recommended a history course)
Start New Grad Residency Program (start working as a nurse!) BSN NURS350 Transformational Leadership and Cultures of Safety* 3 credits
BSN NURS400 Emerging Trends and Scholarship in Nursing 3 credits
BSN NURS421 Community Health 1* 3 credits
BSN NURS340 Science of Evidence-Based Practice 3 credits
BSN NURS 498 Senior Seminar in Nursing Studies 3 credits BSN NURS422 Community Health 2* 3 credits
B.S. Degree in Nursing awarded upon completion of all degree requirements
6 credits
Graph Summary: A comparison of the frequency of pre-nursing and Associate to Bachelor Degree in Nursing advisements per student group between fall and spring semesters of academic year show a notable increase in the amount of high school students being advised in spring semester. Additionally, there were increases from the pre-nursing, incoming, and first semester groups as well. As the high school outreach becomes the norm for AACC’s nursing program, it is predicted that the frequency of advisements will be towards the high school and pre-nursing student groups to include both pre-nursing and Associate to Bachelor Degree in Nursing advisements.
High School Student Outreach Initiatives
AACC School of Health Sciences Open House
AACC Nursing Program Information Sessions
Social Media Engagement
Nursing Focus Interest Groups within the High Schools
One-on-One Meetings with Potential Students
Tailored Academic Pathways
AACC/AACPS Pathway Partnership Monthly Meetings
Updating AACC academic advisors on RN program options
Dual-enrollment/Dual-admission University Partnerships
Table Notes: Red font denotes important notes throughout the pathway. Blue font denotes courses that are NOT required for AACC’s nursing program but may be required for the BSN program (each BSN program requires different courses). Green font denotes courses that are one of AACC’s partner universities (ex. American Public University Systems) and how the courses can be started while taking AACC nursing courses (this is considered dual-enrollment). *These courses have 20 hours each of in-person components, called practicum/clinical hours (60 hours total for the whole program), the rest of the purple courses are all online. Students are encouraged during the summer following their sophomore year to apply to AACC. After they are accepted, the student will need to submit all transcripts. Students are also highly encouraged to take ACA100 Student Success Seminar (1 credit) during that summer to promote collegiate readiness.
Nursing Academic Progression Goals & Accomplishments
FY17
FY18
FY19
FY20
FY21
FY22
NSP II grant annual goal totals for students initiating dual-enrollment & RN to BSN/MSN programs per FY year 30 40 50 60 75
Nursing graduates enrolled in RN to BSN/MSN Programs after 1 year 35
18*
Nursing students that initiated dual-enrollment/dual-admission programs  4
12  9
*Only includes December graduates
Acknowledgements: The Nursing Pathways To Higher Education at Anne Arundel Community College has been made possible through the generous support of Nurse Support II Grants from the Maryland Higher Education Commission under the auspices of State of Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission.
Notice of Nondiscrimination: AACC is an equal opportunity, affirmative action, Title IX, ADA Title 504 compliant institution. Call Disability Support Services, or Maryland Relay 711, 72 hours in advance to request most accommodations. Requests for sign language interpreters, alternative format books or assistive technology require 30 days’ notice. For information on AACC’s compliance and complaints concerning sexual assault, sexual misconduct, discrimination or harassment, contact the federal compliance officer and Title IX coordinator at , or Maryland Relay 711.