Nursing

Program Statement

This program prepares students for practice as entry-level staff nurses in a variety of healthcare settings. Students learn to apply the nursing process to assist patients in maintaining or regaining homeostasis when threatened with common health problems. Graduates take the National Council Licensure Examination for licensing as a Registered Nurse.

Program Accreditation

The Associate in Science in Nursing program at Bristol Community College is located at:

It is approved by the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing, 250 Washington Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02108-4619, or http://www.mass.gov/dph/boards/rn

It is fully accredited by Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), 3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400 Atlanta, GA 30326 (404) 975-5000

The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the associate nursing program is Continuing Accreditation. View the public information disclosed by the ACEN regarding this program at http://www.acenursing.com/accreditedprograms/programsearch.htm

Program Outcomes

Nursing program graduates take the NCLEX-RN examination to obtain licensure to practice as registered nurses with a passing rate for first-time test takers that is equal to or greater than the state passing rate.

Program Information

• There is one program with two curriculum delivery options:
  1. Traditional - face to face classroom learning. 
  2. eHealth - a hybrid model with online classroom learning. Exams/assessments, clinical and lab experiences remain in person.
• Both options include clinical assignments at a variety of healthcare settings in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.  Clinical hours may include days, evenings and/or weekends. 
• Computer technology is integrated into nursing courses. Computer access is required. 
• Students must achieve a minimum “C+” (77) in all nursing (NUR) courses in order to remain in the program and graduate.  Students must pass all co-requisites and electives to remain in the program and graduate.
• Applicants with nursing credits from other institutions may receive transfer credit to Bristol's Nursing program. All transfer credits must be approved by the Director of Nursing. For transfer credit evaluation, send a syllabus, catalog description, and an official college transcript for each course to the Director of Nursing.

After Bristol

• Graduates take the National Council Licensure Examination for Licensing as a Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN).
• Graduates have secured a variety of positions in healthcare settings. 
• Many graduates transfer to complete the RN-to-BSN baccalaureate degree.
• Graduates have transferred to academic institutions including, but not limited to, UMass Dartmouth, Fitchburg State, UMass Boston, and Framingham State.
• Bristol participates in the statewide MassTransfer program and has developed many program-to-program transfer articulation agreements which guarantee admission and credit transfer. For a complete listing of eligible MassTransfer programs, current Bristol articulation agreements, and to complete an A2B Program Search, visit the Transfer Services website to review which credits will be transferred and applied to your degree. 

Student Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to: 

1. Apply concepts and principles of nursing in analyzing and make judgments in the practice of nursing.
2. Provide care to patients throughout the life span by applying the nursing process in assisting the patient to maintain or regain homeostasis when threatened by common health problems.
3. Utilize verbal and nonverbal modalities to communicate with patients, families, significant others, and health team members.
4. Provide patient teaching by assessing the need for information and implementing short-range teaching plans.
5. Manage care for a group of patients in a structured setting by prioritizing care.
6. Function as a member within the discipline of nursing by practicing legally and ethically.

Nursing Student Handbook

CLICK HERE to view the Nursing Student Handbook. The purpose of this handbook is to acquaint students with policies specific to the Department of Nursing.

Admission Process

The Nursing program is a competitive program with selective admission requirements. A limited number of students are admitted each year. 

The Admissions Office reviews each applicant based on the application requirements. Meeting minimum criteria places the applicant in the selection pool but does not guarantee admission to the Nursing program. Applicants in the selection pool are ranked according to GPA (highest to lowest) on the pre-admission courses. The Admissions Office notifies the top candidates of acceptance into the program, and these candidates have until May 1st to confirm their acceptance.  

Priority is given to applications submitted by the Priority Application deadline for each applicant type:  

Completed applications received by the Priority Admissions Deadline will be considered in the initial admissions review. Applications received after this date may undergo review if all spaces have not been filled.

NOTE: This process applies to the Fall 2025 application cycle.  Beginning Fall 2026, different ranking criteria for the admission process will be in place. 

Application Requirements

There are three categories for entry into the Nursing program: General Applicant, LPN to RN Bridge Applicant, and LPN to RN Challenge Applicant.  All applicants must meet the following requirements.  Failure to comply with these requirements may result in your application not being reviewed for the program.

1. Provide documentation of a high school diploma or a state-approved high school equivalency credential.
2. Demonstrate successful completion of the following pre-admission courses with a final grade of B- or higher:
   • High School Algebra I, equivalent, or higher
   • High School Chemistry with laboratory component, equivalent, or higher
   • BIO 233: Anatomy and Physiology I or equivalent
   • ENG 101: Composition I: College Writing OR ENG 102: Composition II: Writing about Literature
   • PSY 101: General Psychology, equivalent, or higher
   • CSS 101: College Success Seminar
3. Achieve a minimum total composite score of 70% or higher on the ATI TEAS Exam. For more detailed TEAS information, please visit the Testing Center.
4. Attend one mandatory Health Science Information Session. Applicants are advised to preregister early as seating is limited.

NOTE: Applicants must have a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.2 or higher in the above pre-admission courses.  Priority is given to qualified applicants with a GPA of 3.5 or higher.

Students may retake BIO 233: Anatomy and Physiology I or equivalent once within a five-year period. The highest grade will be used in the GPA calculation.  Students must complete all pre-admission math and science courses within 5 years of the priority application deadline. 

Transcripts from attendance at other regionally accredited colleges and universities may be required with submission of your application.  Please refer to the Admissions page within this catalog for further information.  Failure to comply with these requirements may result in your application not being reviewed for the program to which you applied.  

LPN-to-RN Bridge Pathway

This pathway to entry into Bristol's Nursing program is for LPN’s who have graduated within 3 years of priority admission from an LPN program that has an articulation agreement with Bristol Community College.

Students accepted into this pathway are required to complete the summer Transition Course. This course includes a hybrid mixture of content review, dosage calculations, laboratory skills, simulation, case studies, and assessments. 

Students are also required to successfully complete the LPN-to-RN Transition Course co-requisites before enrolling in their first full-time nursing course, NUR 201: Care of the Adult I:

1. BIO 234: Human Anatomy and Physiology II or equivalent
2. PSY 252: Child Development or equivalent

Upon successful completion of the LPN-to-RN Transition Course (approximately 6 weeks), the applicant is awarded 16 credits for prior learning for NUR 101: Fundamentals of Nursing and NUR 102: Parent-Child Health Nursing, and is eligible to enroll in the third semester of the nursing program courses, NUR 201: Nursing Care of the Adult I and NUR 100: Introduction to Professional Nursing.

LPN’s who meet the LPN-to-RN Bridge Pathway criteria may be considered for the LPN-to-RN Challenge Pathway if there are no seats available in the Bridge Pathway.

LPN-to-RN Challenge Pathway

Designed for current LPN’s in good standing who have graduated from an accredited LPN program more than three years ago and are looking to challenge out of NUR 101: Fundamentals of Nursing by successful completion of the Fundamentals Challenge Course. This is offered during the Winter Session only.

Students accepted into this pathway are required to complete the Fundamentals Challenge Course. This course consists of a hybrid mixture of content review, dosage calculations, laboratory skills, simulation, case studies, and assessments.

Upon successful completion of the Fundamentals Challenge course, students are eligible to enroll in the second semester of the nursing program courses NUR 100: Introduction to Nursing and NUR 102: Parent-Child Health Nursing.

Additional Requirements Upon Admission

As a prerequisite for a clinical placement in the Nursing program, all students must undergo a Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) check and a Sex Offender Registry Information (SORI) check.  These checks are required due to potential unsupervised contact with children, the disabled, or the elderly during a clinical experience.  Students found to have certain criminal convictions or pending criminal actions will be presumed ineligible for clinical placement.  The College is authorized by the Commonwealth's Department of Criminal Justice to access CORI records.  Sex Offender checks shall be performed pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 6, Sections 178C-178P.

A ten-panel random drug screen is required upon entrance, each academic year, and/or at random. If there is a need for any re-testing, the fee is paid by the student. 

Please be advised that despite Massachusetts law that permits the use of medical marijuana and the possession, use, distribution and cultivation of marijuana in limited amounts, any possession, use, distribution or cultivation of marijuana remains prohibited under College policy pursuant to federal law. Further, any student who tests positive for marijuana will be ineligible for clinical placement. Please refer to the College's Student Handbook for the College's complete Marijuana Policy. 

Applicants must comply with Bristol Community College Health Services requirements. If under the age of 21 you must also be vaccinated for meningitis. A TB test and flu vaccine are required at the start of each academic year. COVID vaccination is a requirement of the Nursing Program and additional COVID vaccine boosters may be a requirement of a clinical provider. Additional health requirements may be required by specific clinical agencies.

All students must be Basic Life Support (BLS) CPR certified by the American Heart Association (Basic Life Support for Health Care Providers). All students upon entry to the program must show evidence of CPR certification which is valid through the completion of the program. 

Ongoing compliance with all immunization and program requirements as outlined above is a contingency for continuation in the Nursing Program and is based upon fulfillment of all requirements by specified due dates.

Additional Costs

In addition to course materials, all students are responsible for the cost of uniforms, standardized achievement testing, and the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses fees and associated costs.

Students must carry health insurance throughout their enrollment in the program.

Licensing Information

To be eligible for licensure in Massachusetts, graduates must complete all program requirements for graduation, present satisfactory evidence of “good moral character” as defined by the Board of Registration in Nursing, and pay the required licensure fees. Eligibility for licensure is decided by the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing. 

Functional Abilities Essential for Nursing Practice

Nursing practice requires specific functional abilities that are met with or without reasonable accommodation. Students will self-attest to their ability to meet the physical and mental criteria of standard professional nursing practice.

Readmission Policy

Students who leave the program prior to completion are permitted to return just once within three years of their departure.  After three years, students are only eligible to apply to the Nursing program via a different admission pathway in consultation with the Director of Nursing and/or the Dean of Health Sciences and Nursing.

Students who fail, withdraw, or do not complete NUR 101 may reapply to the program through the general admissions process.

Students who fail, withdraw, or do not complete NUR 102, 201, 202, or 203 may be readmitted to the Nursing program on a space-available and rank-ordered basis. Rank is designated by the readmission categories assigned at the time of program exit. Readmission categories can be reviewed in the Nursing Program Student Handbook. Applications must be submitted to the Admissions office no later than November 1 for a Spring semester course admission or May 1 for a Fall semester course admission.