Associate Degree in Nursing

The ADN program at Columbia Basin College (CBC) prepares you for a dynamic profession that encompasses compassion and caring with a scientific approach to promote optimal health for the individual, family and community. At completion of the program, you will be eligible to become a Registered Nurse (RN) through the state licensure examination.

About the Program

CBC's Nursing programs admit students once per year during fall quarter, and the program is six quarters in length. Students who successfully complete the second year of the nursing program earn an Associate in Applied Science-Transfer in Nursing degree (commonly referred to as an “ADN” degree) and are eligible to take the NCLEX-RN exam. Classroom and clinical instruction takes place at the Health Science Center in Richland and local healthcare facilities. We also have state-of-the-art simulation labs that provide a safe environment for students to practice their clinical skills.

Benefits of the Program

CBC is proud of its reputation for providing a quality nursing education. Graduates from CBC’s ADN program consistently achieve one of the highest pass rates of first-time, ADN-educated candidates on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) in Washington State. Graduates from CBC’s Nursing programs are highly regarded in the healthcare community and consistently find employment in local facilities.

After the Program

Individuals who complete an ADN program and obtain a Washington State RN license are eligible to apply to CBC’s RN-BSN program to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. The RN-BSN program can be completed in as little as four quarters. The program allows working nurses to maintain their jobs while completing most of their coursework online.

Student Achievement Data

First Time Pass Rate on National Council Licensure Exam for Nurses (NCLEX)
Program Benchmark: The program's most recent annual licensure examination pass rate will be at least 80% for all first time test takers during the same twelve month period. (January 31 - December 31)
2019 Graduates: 95.1%, national mean 87%
2020 Graduates: 85%, national mean 87%
2021 Graduates: 86%, national mean 83%

Students Completing the Program
Program Benchmark: 70% or more of students who begin NRS 111 will complete the program and earn an Associate Degree in Nursing within two years (six quarters) which is 100% of the usual time frame for the program.
2019 Graduates: 76.9%
2020 Graduates: 82.7%
2021 Graduates: 92.3%

Graduates Obtaining Jobs within Nine Months
Program Benchmark: 90% of graduates will be employed full-time or part-time within nine  months.
2019 Graduates: 90.2%
2020 Graduates: 94.3%
2021 Graduates: 90%

Information Sessions

Students should attend at least one Pre-Nursing Information Session prior to meeting with an advisor. At these sessions, you will have the opportunity to meet with the Nursing program director and CBC's pre-nursing counselors. Information is provided about required prerequisites, the application process and how to progress through the nursing curriculum.

Information sessions are open to anyone interested in a CBC Health Sciences program.

To view upcoming information sessions and register, please check our events calendar.

Prerequisite Courses

It is strongly encouraged to complete nursing prerequisites before applying to the program. These courses provide points for the Admission Index Score. Nursing support courses that may be completed prior to entry include the following:

  • Chemistry, CHEM& 121 or above
  • Human A&P 1, BIOL& 241
  • Human A&P 2, BIOL& 242
  • English Composition, ENGL& 101 or ENGL& 102
  • Lifespan Psychology, PSYC& 200
  • Microbiology, BIOL& 260
  • Introduction to Stats, MATH& 146
  • Communication Studies, CMST& 101, 210, 220, or CMST 260 (5 credits)

Obtaining a 2.0 GPA is required for major courses, major support courses and general education requirements.

Entrance Requirements

To be eligible for the CBC Nursing program, each of the following requirements must be met:

  • Must be a current student at CBC, if not, you can Apply for Admission.
  • Submission of official transcripts from all schools the student has attended; please have these sent to Student Records, not the Nursing program. It is the student's responsibility to follow-up with CBC to assure that transcripts have arrived and have been evaluated.
  • TEAS test on file (test fee is $115). Please see TEAS Testing Schedule.
  • Submit Nursing program application via NursingCAS (fee is $50) by the assigned due date for the following fall quarter program start.

Students are admitted using an admissions index system, which includes the GPA of four selected courses, the TEAS examination score, and course completion scores from all pre-nursing courses. All applications are reviewed at the close of winter quarter. Students with the highest admissions index score will be admitted first. Admission to the Nursing program is limited, and completion of entrance requirements does not ensure admission to the program.

Once accepted into the Nursing program, students will need to submit the following:

  • Required immunization records
  • Current American Heart Association BLS Provider CPR card
  • Satisfactory criminal history background check using a college approved vendor. Criminal history background information is required of all Nursing students. Information obtained will be considered in determining student eligibility to complete clinical coursework. Inability to participate in clinical experiences due to the information obtained from the background check may result in the student’s inability to satisfactorily complete program degree requirements. Any infraction while enrolled in the Nursing program should be self-reported to the coordinator/director. Questions regarding this policy should be directed to the Director for Nursing Programs at 509-544-8318.

Program Approval and Accreditation

CBC Nursing programs are approved by the:

Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission
Washington State Department of Health, Nursing Commission
Town Center 2
111 Israel Rd S.E.
Tumwater, WA 98501
360-236-4700

ACEN

The Associate Degree Nursing program is accredited by the:
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing
3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400
Atlanta, GA 30326
404-975-5000

Continuing accreditation was granted in July 2015 until Spring 2023

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Application Process and Admission Index Score

The next opportunity to apply to the Nursing program will be in January 2023.  The application process for the CBC Nursing program for Fall 2022 closed as of March 1, 2022.

*** Beginning with the 2023 Nursing application process, to gain the extra 2 points for successful completion of a Pre-Nursing program at Tri-Tech Skill Center or CBC Health Sciences certificate or degree program, students must also have current certification.

The program admits one class of approximately 50 students per school year each fall. Students will apply to the Nursing program in January and February prior to the planned entry year. You are strongly encouraged to complete nursing prerequisites before applying to the program. The prerequisite courses provide points for the Admission Index Score.

The CBC Nursing program utilizes three elements for admission. Those elements include cumulative grade point average among selected prerequisite courses, (TEAS) pre-nursing assessment score and departmental course completion score index. These three elements will be combined for a total Admission Index Score based on a total point value of 30 points.

Cumulative Grade Point

The cumulative grade point of the following courses will be calculated for the Admission Index Score:

  • Chemistry, CHEM& 121 or above: 5 credits*
  • Human A&P 1, BIOL& 241: 6 Credits
  • Introduction to Stats, MATH& 146
  • English Composition, ENGL& 101 or ENGL& 102 - 5 Credits*

*If more than one 5-credit college Chemistry 121 or higher course is taken, or if both ENGL& 101 and ENGL& 102 are taken, the Nursing program will choose the highest grade to use in calculating the Admission Index Score.

The cumulative GPA (from a total possible cumulative score of 4.0) will be multiplied by a factor of 2.5 for 10 total possible points.

Letter grades (including those received from transferring colleges or universities) will be assigned the following decimal scores according to our campus policy:
A = 4.0, A- = 3.7, B+ = 3.3, B = 3.0, B- + 2.7, C+ = 2.3, C = 2.0, C- + 1.7, D+ =1.3, D= 1.0,     D-= 0.7

Pre-Nursing Assessment Score

The Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) pre-nursing assessment score will be utilized to assess math, English, and science comprehension at the time of application. The assessment will be provided through the CBC Assessment Center based on student demand and independent scheduling. Results will be forwarded to the Student Records office for placement of score results within respective student files. The test will be provided at specific times throughout the academic year, primarily during fall quarter. Please contact the Assessment Center for test availability dates.

The Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) exam needs to be completed within two years prior to the application due date. Students may take the exam a maximum of two times per academic year. The highest test score will be used in determining the Admission Index Score.

The total pre-nursing assessment score (from a total possible score of 100) will be divided by a factor of 10 for 10 total possible points.

Departmental Course Completion Score

The departmental course completion score is a cumulative score based on the total number of non-nursing courses completed for an individual student. This score is calculated to include winter quarter classes (or fall semester classes where appropriate). The courses and their score are provided below (please note: for transfer courses, a transcript evaluation must be completed by the CBC Registrar's office prior to the calculation of the departmental course completion score. Transfer courses will not be assigned a point value until the official transcript evaluation has been completed.

Course Number Subject Points
BIOL& 241 Human A & P I 5
 BIOL& 242 Human A & P II 5
BIOL& 260 Microbiology 5
MATH& 146 Intro to Statistics 2
ENGL& 101 or 102 English Composition 1
CHEM& 121 or higher (5 cr.) Chemistry  1
PSYC& 200 Lifespan Psychology 1
CMST& 101, 210, 220 or CMST 260 (5 cr.) Communication Studies   1
Pre-Nursing Program at Tri-Tech Skill Center OR successful completion of a Health Science Certificate or degree program at CBC with certification   2

*** Beginning with the 2023 Nursing application process, to gain the extra 2 points for successful completion of a Pre-Nursing program at Tri-Tech Skill Center or CBC Health Sciences certificate or degree program, students must also have current certification.

The departmental course completion score (from a total possible score of 23) will be divided by a factor of 2.3 for 10 total possible points.

The Nursing program Admission Index Score, including the three elements outlined above will total no more than 30 points. When the student makes application to the department, the Admission Index Score will be computed and recorded for class cohort comparison. Those students with the top Admission Index Scores (based on the total number of new admissions allowed in a given year) will be admitted to the Nursing program.

Example Admission Index Score Computation

Element Raw Function Factor Total
GPA 4.0 Multiply 2.5 10
Assessment Score 100 Divide 10 10
Course Score 23 Divide 2.3 10

The Admission Index Score helps to provide equity among student applicants. Overall, the Nursing program Admission Index Score computation provides a dynamic index of comparison for students applying to the CBC Nursing program. Those students not admitted will need to reapply the following year.

Element Raw Function Factor Total
Example Student 1:        
GPA 3.76  Multiply 2.5 9.400
Assessment Score 93  Divide 10 9.300
Course Score 20 Divide 2.3 8.696
Total Admissions Index Score       27.396
Example Stuent 2:        
GPA  3.99 Multiply 2.5 9.975
Assessment Score  75 Divide 10 7.500
Course Score  22 Divide 2.3  9.565
Total Admissions Index Score       27.040


A Microsoft Excel tool has been created to help prospective students calculate their possible Admission Index Score. The Student Self-Assessment Tool was created for prospective student use and is not intended to calculate the official Admission Index Score. After you access the tool, please download the tool to your computer in order to use it. The final Admission Index Score is only valid when calculated by the CBC Student Records office and the Nursing program upon review of official transcripts and other necessary documents to support the final score. If you have problems or need assistance with the Student Self-Assessment Tool, please contact Kim Tucker, the Nursing Program Director.

Nursing Program Application

Columbia Basin College processes applications for its nursing program through NursingCAS, the centralized application service for nursing.

The application process for Fall 2022 is now closed. The next opportunity to apply to CBC's Nursing program will be January 2023.

Please visit the NursingCAS website to create an account to start an application or log into your existing account. The fee will be $50.

NursingCAS

If you need help with NursingCAS, visit the Applicant Help Center.

Help Center

Applicant Information

All students have until the end of winter quarter to complete classes that will be counted towards the Admission Index Score. For students taking classes winter quarter, there will be an Academic Update window open in NursingCAS after winter quarter grades are published. The date will be noted here. Students  will need to update their accounts to show the winter quarter class, or classes, that they took at CBC or another college. Students will need to upload official transcripts that include the winter quarter classes to NursingCAS.


NursingCAS Academic Update Information

What Happens When I Update My Coursework?

Academic Update helps ensure your programs have the most up-to-date information about your coursework. If you update your coursework during the  Academic Update window, NursingCAS verifies your new courses, calculates updated NursingCAS GPAs, and sends this information to your programs.

Since updated coursework will be verified, you must arrange for your updated official transcripts to be sent directly to NursingCAS as soon as you receive an email confirmation from NursingCAS confirming that your Academic Update was successfully submitted. Do not request that transcripts be sent to NursingCAS beforehand; they will not qualify for Academic Update and will need to be resubmitted.

Once your new transcripts are received, your new coursework is placed in line to be verified. Verifications occur in chronological order and on average take two weeks to complete. You will receive an email when your Academic Update is verified.

Note that your application status will remain as Verified throughout the Academic Update process.

Which Courses Should I Update?

You can update any coursework you initially marked as in-progress or planned, as well as add courses that are planned for the next term. You cannot update terms that are already verified or add terms from previous years (e.g., you forgot to add a term from 2014). If you are updating coursework as a re-applicant, review Use an Existing NursingCAS Account to Re-apply.

Note that you can only update your grades once during the Academic Update period. For example, if you've listed fall coursework as in-progress or planned, wait until that term is completed and you’ve received your final grades before you submit your Academic Update. Be mindful of the Academic Update deadline and submit before it closes.

How Do I Complete the Academic Update Process?

Academic Update is a three-step process:

Update Your Coursework

1. Ensure your application's status is Verified on the Check Status tab.
2. Navigate to the Academic History section.
3. Click Transcript Entry.
4. Click Edit under the school you are updating.
5. Click the blue pencil next to the term you are updating (if you need to add a new term, click Add Term).
6. Change the In Progress/Planned box to Completed.
7. Update your courses, credits, and grades.
8. Click Save All.

Submit Your Application

Click Submit My Updates to send the updated information to your programs no later than 11:59 PM ET on the last day of the academic update period (e.g., by February 21, 2022 for the 2021-2022 cycle Fall Academic Update I).

Send Your Updated, Official Transcripts to NursingCAS

Depending on the cycle you are applying in, we must receive your official transcripts by the dates below. Arrange for your updated official transcripts to be sent directly to NursingCAS as soon as they are available.


Professional Licensure Outside of Washington State

Each state, the District of Columbia and the U.S. protectorates vary in what professions they require to be licensed and the educational requirements for those licenses. It’s important to understand whether the degree or certificate you obtain from CBC will meet the educational eligibility requirements for a license in the state in which you plan to practice.

View educational licensure requirements by state.

National Background Search & Drug Screen Requirements

As part of the admission requirements for Health Science programs, applicants must successfully pass a criminal background check and drug screen prior to working with patients in clinical areas. The background check and drug screen are paid by the student and administered through a third party company, CastleBranch. In addition to the background check required by CBC, each clinical facility reserves the right to conduct its own criminal background check prior to allowing a student to enter its health care facilities for clinical participation.

Certain criminal convictions, pending charges, or negative actions may automatically disqualify a person from having unsupervised access to vulnerable adults, juveniles and children. Clinical facilities reserve the right to accept or decline a student’s placement in its facility

Nursing Program Outcomes

As a member of the nursing profession, a provider of patient-entered care, a patient safety advocate, and a member of the health care team, a graduate of the Columbia Basin College Nursing Program will demonstrate the following outcomes.

Member of the Profession

1. Demonstrates professional behavior in the clinical setting and healthcare  community.

2. Demonstrates responsibility for continued competence in nursing.

Provider of Patient-Centered Care

3. Utilizes the nursing process to manage care for patients and families across the lifespan in diverse care settings.

4. Demonstrates caring behaviors with dignity, respect and sensitivity to the needs of all patients.

Patient Safety Advocate

5. Utilizes risk reduction strategies in the delivery of safe patient care. 

6. Applies technology and information management tools to support safe processes of care.

Member of the Health Care Team

7. Interacts with members of the health care team, fostering open communication and shared decision making.

8. Utilizes the quality improvement process in their nursing practice as a member of the healthcare team.

There are two educational paths that can lead to a career as an RN: earning an Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN) or earning a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN). Both degrees allow you to take the National Council Licensure Exam—Registered Nurse (NCLEX) exam and become an RN. When choosing which track to take, it’s important to think ahead and determine what the educational preferences are for the type of work you want. Some employers (especially hospitals) require RNs to have a Bachelor’s degree. Many working RNs with an ADN opt to go back to school later to earn their Bachelor’s degree through an RN-to-BSN program.
CBC Nursing Program

Registered Nurses (RNs) assume a wide variety of roles in patient care both in and out of traditional hospitals. Specific job titles and duties will vary depending on where you work and the types of patients you care for. There are opportunities for RNs to limit their work to caring for specific patient populations such as:

  • Pediatric nursing
  • Critical care nursing
  • Neonatal nursing
  • Rehabilitation nursing

RNs might also work to promote public health, run health screenings or blood drives or staff the health clinics in schools. RNs could also become:

  • Healthcare consultants
  • Public policy advisors
  • Researchers
  • Hospital administrators
  • Salespeople for pharmaceutical and medical supply companies
  • Medical writers and editors

The next step in the career ladder for nurses is a master’s degree or Doctorate in Nursing. Master’s programs typically require candidates to first have an RN license, with most preferring a BSN degree as opposed to an ADN and an RN license. Career options for master’s prepared nurses include:

  • Nurse Practitioner
  • Nurse Educator
  • Nurse Midwife
  • Clinical Nurse Specialist
  • Nurse Anesthetist
  • Director of Nursing

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