Advanced Placement Option

Enrollment in the Citrus College Nursing Program is open to persons regardless of sex, age, marital status, disability, ethnic group, religion or national origin. The Advanced Placement Option allows California licensed vocational nurses to be given credit in the nursing courses in the first two semesters of the Associate Degree Nursing Program.  The Advanced Placement candidate would be admitted into the VN to RN Transition course, and follow successful completion of that course into the third semester of the program. 

Students seeking admission to the Nursing Program must meet all of the following criteria:

• An overall grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 for the core science, which includes: Human Anatomy, Human Physiology, and Microbiology with no grade less than "C" for each course is required. Students may repeat only one of the core science courses one time in the last five (5) years.  Please note: a "C" in all course work will not earn a GPA of 2.5.  Also note that a 2.5 GPA is NOT competitive.
• College level, transferable English, minimum of three (3) semester units with a grade no less than "C."
• A cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 for all college course work taken.
• Hold a current California Vocational Nursing License.
• Employment as a Licensed Vocational Nurse in California for a minimum of 12 consecutive months.
• Good standing student status (academic and in-progress).
• Before beginning the ADN Program, the student must successfully pass an approved assessment readiness test. This does not have to be completed at the time of application. 
• Meet the minimum physical and mental qualifications to perform essential nursing functions.
• Pass a background check including Social Security verification and criminal history.
• High school education or equivalent.

REGISTERED NURSING PROGRAM PREREQUISITES

The following general education prerequisites must be completed with a minimum of "C" or better before application or entry into the Advanced Placement ADN Program:

Applicants who transfer completed science graduation requirements including anatomy, physiology and microbiology from another school not requiring chemistry and general biology as prerequisites will be granted science credit for graduation, see nursing counselor for additional information.

GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATION WITH AN ADN

Prior to graduation, all courses must be completed with a grade of "C" or better. General education requirements may be completed concurrently with nursing course work. Due to the intensity of the nursing program, students are encouraged to complete general education prior to admission to the program. Number of degree applicable courses completed may be considered in the admission process. Students who have completed all required degree applicable GE courses will be given preference in the admission process if the number of qualified candidates is greater than the positions available.

READING - Completion of Reading 099 with a grade of "C" or better or passing the reading competency examination.

MATH - Completion of Intermediate Algebra (Math 150 or 149) or any higher level Math or with a grade of "C" or better or two years of high school algebra with a grade of "C" or better and placement at the level of college algebra or higher on the math assessment test. Catalog rights will be honored for continuing Citrus College students.

REQUESTS FOR EQUIVALENCY

Requests for equivalency for core science courses must meet or exceed the 4.0 unit minimum with a laboratory component required by the California Community College Chancellor's Office. If you are uncertain whether a course taken inside or outside the California Community College System is equivalent to the Citrus College course, please contact the nursing counselor.

FOREIGN COURSE WORK

Course work completed in another country may be accepted to satisfy requirements for graduation. Foreign transcripts must be evaluated by a recognized foreign evaluation service. Please submit the foreign evaluation with the application. Consult the counseling department for assistance with equivalency.

HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION OR EQUIVALENT

Applicants must provide proof of graduation from:

• An accredited high school in the U.S.A. by transcript or diploma, or
• Official international evaluation, or
• Associate degree, or Baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution of higher education in the U.S.A., or
• Documentation of a passing score on the General Education Development (GED) exam.

CREDIT BY EXAMINATION

The Health Science Department follows the policy of Citrus College in allowing students to challenge classes through an examination process for equivalent nursing course content in situations where equivalent credit cannot be granted course for course. The Citrus College Policy states that a student in satisfactory scholastic standing who has completed at least 12 units at Citrus College may petition to receive Credit by Examination for coursework offered by the College.

NURSING PROGRAM TRANSFER PROCEDURE

All transfer students who have taken coursework in nursing at another nursing program will be evaluated on an individual basis. Previous nursing coursework must be no older than three years. The student must present a letter from the director of the former nursing program, stating the circumstances necessitating the transfer, and an evaluation of clinical safety. Students who are deemed unsafe in the clinical area are not eligible for transfer to the Citrus College Associate Degree Nursing Program. Transfer students must demonstrate competence in clinical skills and pass a dosage competency examination with a score of 90%, before admission to the program. Skills to be evaluated will be based on the level the student is applying to enter. Students who have not progressed in two nursing courses at another nursing program will not be eligible for entry. Students who have previously earned one non-progression will be eligible for entry but will not be allowed reentry if they do not successfully complete all courses in the Citrus program.

Note: These selection criteria have been justified by the prerequisite validation study conducted by the Center for Student Success in consultation with the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office. Community colleges were notified of the findings of the Associate Degree Nursing Model Prerequisites Validation Study and in June 2005, the stated requirements above were recommended for use by ADN programs.