The Nursing program is offered at two locations:
Main Campus |
Kimball Site |
Traditional Pathways
|
Traditional Pathways
|
Transition Pathways
|
Transition Pathways
|
Main Campus: (4501 Amnicola Highway, Chattanooga, TN 37406)
Kimball Site: (2100 Main Street, Kimball, TN 37347)
Clinical experiences for all Pathways are located in Chattanooga and the surrounding areas.
Both pathways include classroom/theory instruction and clinical practice components. After the summer semester:
- Day Pathway - students can expect classes and clinicals approximately four days per week.
- Night Pathway - students typically meet three evenings per week, with classes and clinicals beginning at 4:00 p.m. or later.
Due to clinical site availability, clinical experiences may occasionally be scheduled outside of posted days and hours. Every effort is made to finalize clinical schedules before the semester begins, but all schedules remain subject to change.
In the final semester, both Pathways conclude with a management rotation that includes 12-hour shifts over an approximately one-month period. During this rotation, students from either Pathway may be assigned to either daytime or nighttime schedules.
Graduates of the Nursing Program earn an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree, which fulfills the educational requirements to apply for the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). Licensure as a Registered Nurse is granted solely by the state board of nursing upon successful completion of the NCLEX-RN and satisfaction of all state-specific requirements. Completion of the AAS in Nursing degree does not guarantee eligibility for licensure. Students are responsible for reviewing the licensure requirements of the state in which they intend to practice.
General Education Requirements
See the Nursing Program Catalog Page for curriculum details, including the list of nursing program prerequisite courses and credit hours. If some of the prerequisites have not been completed at the time of admission selection decisions following the application deadline, a conditional acceptance can be awarded; however, all prerequisites must be completed with a minimum grade of “C” prior to beginning the first nursing (NRSG) course(s).
Admission Eligibility
Both Traditional and Transition Pathway students must meet the following requirements to be eligible for program admission:
- Be accepted as a credit, degree-seeking student at Chattanooga State Community College for the semester you plan to begin nursing courses
- Have a minimum institutional and inclusive college GPA of 2.0
- Have a minimum nursing GPA of 2.5 (calculated from required nursing prerequisite courses only)
- Have taken the ATI TEAS entry exam before the application deadline, but no more than two years before the application deadline
Transition Pathway students must also:
- Hold an active, unencumbered Tennessee or multi-state LPN license or Paramedic license
- Provide documentation of at least 400 hours of employment as an LPN or Paramedic within the past two years
The Nursing Program uses an objective, points-based selection process. Applicants are then ranked in order, from the highest to the lowest point total. Admission decisions are based on applicant ranking and the number of available seats for that admission cycle.
Subjective assessments, such as interviews and letters of recommendation, have no impact on the admission decision process for first-time entry students, and should not be submitted.
Meeting the minimum requirements or earning points does not guarantee admission.
Applicants may use the Nursing Points Calculator to estimate their total points prior to applying.
Course Completion Points
Awarded for each prerequisite course completed with a grade of “C” or better as of December 31 prior to the application deadline (maximum of 13 points).
- BIOL 2010 = 3 points
- BIOL 2020 = 3 points
- BIOL 2230 = 2 points
- MATH 1530 = 1 point
- ENGL 1010 = 1 point
- PSYC 1030 = 1 point
- PSYC 2130 = 1 point
- Humanities Elective = 1 point
Nursing GPA
Calculated from required nursing prerequisite courses completed with a grade of “C” or better as of December 31 prior to the application deadline, then multiplied by 10 (maximum of 40 points).
- Example: A Nursing GPA of 3.8 would result in 38 points.
TEAS Exam
Based on the overall score of a single TEAS exam attempt, divided by two (maximum of 50 points).
- Example: A TEAS overall score of 80% would result in 40 points.
Tennessee Residency
Awarded to applicants who reside in Tennessee (maximum of 0.5 point).
- Determined by an active State of Tennessee identification card or driver’s license.
- Georgia residents who receive in-state tuition are not eligible for this residency point.
Once accepted as a credit, degree-seeking student at Chattanooga State Community College, all students are assigned an academic advisor within the Advising Office. Students wishing to apply to the Nursing Program are requested to contact their academic advisor to help develop an academic plan as soon as possible after deciding to pursue nursing.
When developing an academic plan, pre-nursing students should consider the following:
- It takes a minimum of two (2) semesters to complete all eight nursing prerequisite courses if none have been completed prior to start. This time could be longer depending on full-time versus part-time status and any necessary college-level reading, writing, and math test scores and/or learning support courses.
- PSYC 1030 (General Psychology) must be completed before PSYC 2130 (Lifespan Psychology), and BIOL 2010 (Anatomy & Physiology I) must be completed before BIOL 2020 (Anatomy & Physiology II) and BIOL 2230 (Microbiology).
- A minimum grade of “C” is required for all nursing prerequisites and nursing courses, and a minimum institutional GPA of 2.0 is required to graduate.
- Anatomy & Physiology I, Anatomy & Physiology II, and Microbiology courses must have been taken within five years of enrollment in the first nursing (NRSG) course. A Request for Waiver of 5-Year Limit on Lab Science Courses can be submitted for licensed healthcare workers who currently work in a direct patient care setting. Waivers are subject to approval and are not guaranteed.
- When a course is repeated, only the most recent grade is used to determine admission eligibility. This policy applies even if the earlier grade was higher, as the most recent grade always replaces the previous one.
- Nontraditional credit earned through exams such as AP, CLEP, or IB may be applied toward prerequisite course requirements. The Chattanooga State Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) Campus Guide provides details on which assessments award course credit. For the purposes of the Nursing Points Calculator, any nontraditional credit applied will be calculated as the equivalent of a “B” grade in the corresponding course.
Students who hold prior degrees in any field do not receive advanced standing or credit toward Nursing (NRSG) program courses. All applicants are required to complete the eight prerequisite courses, regardless of previous academic degrees or coursework, in order to be eligible for admission to the Nursing Program. Acceptance of transfer credits for general education and prerequisite requirements is determined by the appropriate academic departments in consultation with the College Registrar’s Office. The Nursing Program is only involved in the evaluation and acceptance of nursing-specific course transfers. Students wishing to transfer prerequisite courses from outside institutions should contact their academic advisor directly for assistance with the transfer process. Please note that the acceptance of transfer credits does not guarantee admission to the Nursing Program.
The following requirements must be met in order to maintain enrollment and participate in clinical experiences within the Nursing Program. Please see the Nursing Program Handbook for a complete list and further information regarding requirements.
Computer Requirement
Because of the integration of technology in nursing education, all students must have access to a computer with reliable internet service to meet pathway requirements. Students are expected to log in to the eLearn course webpage at least three to four times each week to review course updates, submit assignments, and monitor examination and course grades. In addition, laptop computers are an essential part of the instructional methodology across both pathways, and students are strongly encouraged to bring a laptop for use during class sessions.
CPR Certification Requirement
Upon acceptance into the Nursing Program, students must provide proof of current American Heart Association (AHA) Basic Life Supprt (BLS) certification for healthcare providers. This certification must be maintained throughout enrollment. Please note that American Red Cross CPR courses and the AHA Basic Community CPR course do not meet program requirements.
Health Verification
As required by our clinical affiliates, all accepted students must complete a health verification form and provide documentation of required tests and/or immunizations to demonstrate they are in good health and free from communicable diseases. These can include MMR, Varicella, Tdap, TB, Hep B, and other seasonal vaccinations.
Criminal Background Check & Drug Screen
Clinical practice agencies require both a criminal background check and a drug screen for participation in clinical experiences. Following acceptance, each student must complete these requirements through a designated vendor and submit results by the specified deadline. The cost of both the background check and drug screen is the responsibility of the student. Students whose results do not meet agency standards will be unable to complete the clinical requirements of the Nursing Program. Students with concerns are encouraged to schedule an appointment with the Nursing Program Director.
Note: All Boards of Nursing require a separate background check when applying for licensure. Background checks completed at the program level do not meet this requirement. Students with concerns regarding background checks are encouraged to contact the Board of Nursing in the state where they plan to apply for licensure to discuss eligibility.
General Expectations
To help ensure a safe learning and clinical environment, students may be required at various points during enrollment to demonstrate physical and emotional fitness to meet the essential requirements of the program. These requirements may include freedom from communicable diseases, the ability to perform specific physical tasks, and evidence of appropriate emotional stability.