Associate of Science in Nursing
Our Program How and When to Apply Background Preparation Clinical Work Experience Faculty Job Outlook
Become a Registered Nurse. A registered nurse cares for the sick and injured and promotes wellness. Nurses balance technical skills with care and compassion. As a nurse, you empower patients to achieve or maintain good health. You give them comfort, help them reach higher levels of functioning or assist them with a peaceful end of life.
Our Program
Once you complete your ASN degree studies you’ll be eligible for the Registered Nurse licensing examination. After successful completion of the licensing exam, you will be eligible to provide entry-level, holistic nursing care for a wide range of patients, residents and clients in many different health care settings.
We have a five-semester curriculum with a total of 72 credit hours, which includes 33 credits from liberal arts and sciences and 39 credits of nursing. Our college also serves as an ASN degree program sending institution in the Iowa Board of Nursing Articulation Plan for Nursing Education. Through this plan, nursing education programs cooperate so students can learn and advance their career goals with minimal learning repetition.
Our nursing program is accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission and is approved by the Iowa Board of Nursing.
Once you successfully complete this program, you have the opportunity to advance into the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree program at Mercy College.
How and When to Apply
Because classes are ongoing, you may begin the ASN program in either the fall or spring semesters. Your admission into the program is on a competitive basis, so early application is encouraged. Application deadline for fall admission is July 20; for spring admission, application deadline is November 15.
Background Preparation
You’ll only need to complete high school (or a college equivalent) with English, biology and chemistry coursework completed before admission. In addition, you should take one year of high school algebra I or one semester of college-level pre-algebra or algebra I. We also recommend that you take high school (or college equivalent) algebra II, social sciences, foreign language, fine arts, and computer science courses before entering our program.
Clinical Work Experience
As part of your studies, you’ll receive direct patient contact through on-the-job clinical work experience (called practicums) at Mercy Medical Center. You’ll also work at Mercy affiliate locations and at many other leading health care organizations in central Iowa, to get hands-on learning throughout your course of study.
Faculty
Our dedicated instructors are totally committed to student learning. They teach critical thinking and clinical judgment and actively involve students in their studies. They develop caring relationships with students and help them with professional development. Each faculty member has a unique personality with specialized educational skills. They are professional educators and nurses with clinical practice experience which they bring to the classroom. You’ll find they continually collaborate with other nursing professionals and involve students as they serve as role models for professional practice. Meet and learn more about our nursing faculty page on our website.
Job Outlook
Once you have completed your ASN degree, you’ll have the knowledge and skills to be eligible to sit for the registered nurse licensing examination. Today’s job market for registered nurses is excellent, although opportunities may vary by geographical area and setting. As our population grows and ages, the demand for nurses is expected to grow accordingly. You can get more details and statistics about specific roles and job opportunities from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics website at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos083.htm#outlook.
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