Nursing Program Admission Standards

State Approval and National Accreditation Information

• Colorado State Board of Nursing (SBON)
• Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)

Location

Aims Community College 
Nursing Department 
Allied Health & Sciences Building, Suite 102
5401 W. 20th St. 
Greeley, CO 80634 

About the Aims Nursing Program

The Aims Community College Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) Program provides students with the opportunity to learn skills to care for patients of all ages in a variety of healthcare settings. 

In addition to learning technical skills used in providing care, major emphasis is placed on the development of the attributes of critical thinking and professionalism. This rigorous program offers theoretical and applied instruction in classroom, simulated laboratories, and clinical settings. 

The ability to synthesize information and then coherently and succinctly communicate the information in written assignments is critical for program success. The Nursing Curriculum is a progressive sequence of nursing courses that build upon each other and build on the required general education courses. Therefore, it is important to understand that retaining knowledge gained in both, your general education courses and nursing courses, is essential for success in the Nursing Program. 

Full-Time Commitment

• The Nursing Program schedule is considered full-time.
• Due to the fast pace and heavy academic demands in the Nursing Program outside employment should be carefully considered.
• Clinical rotations vary (days, nights, and/or weekends). The student must make necessary accommodations in order to attend clinical during scheduled timeframes.
• Students are responsible for their own transportation to clinical sites.

Degree Awarded

• Graduates of the Aims Associate Degree Nursing Program earn an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree with a Nursing Major.
• Graduates are eligible to apply to take the National Council Licensure Examination Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN).

Practical Nurse (PN) Exit Option

• After successful completion of the first year of the Program, students may choose to take a summer course to earn a Practical Nurse Certificate from Aims.
• A Practical Nurse Certificate will enable the completer to apply to take the National Council Licensure Examination - Practical Nurse (NCLEX-PN).

Dual Enrollment Opportunities

The Aims Community College Nursing Program partners with multiple four-year universities to offer dual enrollment to its nursing students. These programs begin during the first semester of the Aims Nursing Program and allows students to take courses towards a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing (BSN) while completing the Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) Program at Aims. Other liberal arts core courses could be required prior to completion of the BSN degree. See the nursing website for more information. 

RN to BSN Transition

Another option for students who successfully complete the Aims Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) Program to continue their education and earn a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing (BSN) is the RN-BSN Transition option.

Aims and UNC have worked closely to develop a seamless transition into the RN-BSN program.

Aims Nursing Program Regionally Accredited Prerequisites and General Education Requirements

• BIO 2101 (formerly BIO 201) Anatomy and Physiology I (4 credits)
• BIO 2102 (formerly BIO 202) Anatomy and Physiology II (4 credits)
• ENG 1021 (formerly ENG 121) English Composition I (3 credits)
• MAT 1260 (formerly MAT 135) Statistics (3 credits)
• HWE 1050 (formerly HWE 100) Dietary Nutrition (3 credits)
• BIO 2104 (formerly BIO 204) Microbiology (4 credits)
• PSY 2440 (formerly PSY 235) Human Growth and Development (3 credits)
• Humanities or Social/Behavioral Science or Another Approved Elective (3 credits)
  (All other substitutions, please contact our nursing director)

Nursing Program Coursework

First Semester:

• NUR 1009 Fundamentals of Nursing – 6 credits
• NUR 1012 Basic Concepts of Pharmacology – 2 credits
• BIO 2104 Microbiology – 4 credits*
• PSY 2440 Human Growth and Development – 3 credits* *May be taken either during OR before the first semester.

Second Semester:

• NUR 1006 Medical Surgical Nursing Concepts – 7 credits
• NUR 1050 Maternal-Child Nursing – 6 credits

Third Semester:

• NUR 2006 Advanced Concepts of Medical Surgical Nursing I – 6.5 credits
• NUR 2011 Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing – 4 credits
• NUR 2012 Pharmacology II – 2 credits

Fourth Semester:

• NUR 2016 Advanced Concepts of Medical Surgical Nursing II – 5 credits
• NUR 2030 Transition to Professional Nursing Practice – 4 credits
• Approved Elective – 3 credits*

*May be taken either during OR before the first semester.

Courses Required to Apply to the Program

• Current non-restricted nurse aide license (can be out of state)
• BIO 2101, BIO 2102, ENG 1021, MAT 1260, and HWE 1050 are considered prerequisite coursework.
• All prerequisites must be completed with a grade of “C” or better.
• The course(s) must be eligible for transfer into Aims and demonstrate that a grade of “C” or better was earned in all prerequisite coursework in order to remain eligible for Provisional Admission.
• Students are allowed to retake courses one time and the application GPA will use the higher of the two grades.  If a course has expired (over 10 years), the student is allowed a third retake and then the highest of the last two attempts will be used for GPA calculation.  

**If a student has taken any of the prerequisites for nursing more than two times, please contact the Director of Nursing for further guidance**

Courses that may be taken during the Nursing Program

• BIO 2104 Microbiology and PSY 2440 Human Growth and Development must be completed during, or prior to the first semester of the Nursing Program. If you delay taking PSY 2440 and/or BIO 2104 until the fall semester you will need to register for an online or late afternoon/evening class because nursing courses will have a varied schedule Monday through Friday, 6:00 am – 4:00 pm. BIO 2104 fills up quickly so plan to register early.
• A grade of “C” or better is required for BIO 2104 and PSY 2440 in order to progress to the second semester of the Nursing Program.
• An approved Humanities or Social/Behavioral Sciences or another approved substitute must be completed with a grade of “C” or better prior to graduation.

(It is recommended that you take these courses prior to applying to the program)

Age Limitations for Prerequisite and General Education Coursework

• BIO 2101, BIO 2102, BIO 2104, and MAT 1260 may be no older than 10 years at the time the student begins the Nursing Program.
• HWE 1050 and PSY 2440 may be no older than 10 years at the time the student begins the Nursing Program unless the student has taken those courses as part of an earned AA/AS/AAS/BA/BS degree from a regionally accredited institution.
• ENG 1021 or an equivalent course that is older than 10 years and was taken at another college/university or Aims Community College may not be eligible for transfer credit unless the student has earned an AA/AS/AAS/BA/BS degree from a regionally accredited institution.

Age Requirement

Students must be 18 years of age at the time they begin the Nursing Program.

Clinical Site Requirements

Clinical sites retain the right to deny a student access to their facility based on the results of additional required fingerprinting, drug screens, and/or background checks. In the event a student is denied access to a clinical site, the student may be unable to complete the course requirements, successfully pass the course, and/or graduate.

Note: The cost of additional background checks, drug screens, and/or fingerprinting is typically paid for by the clinical agency. However, it is possible that the expense may be the responsibility of the student.

Note: The presence of marijuana will disqualify you from entering the Nursing Program

My Clinical Exchange is a clinical student placement platform that has been established by clinical agencies to manage student clinical rotations and compliance. It will be the students’ responsibility to register and pay for the platform once admitted into the Nursing Program. Some clinical sites may require additional documentation.

Disability Access Services

Students with a documented disability should contact Disability Access Services (DAS) at (970) 378-3680 to set up an appointment or email disabilities@aims.edu. Please be aware that before accommodations can be allowed they must be approved through the DAS Office.

STEP 1

• Apply to Aims Community College by completing an application and submitting it to Admissions, Registration, and Records.
  • Applications are only good for 12 months. If you have a prior application on file and have not attended Aims in the last year, you will need to reapply.
• You can apply to Aims online. You can review a complete list of steps to become an Aims student. Recommend declaring “Pre-Nursing” as your major.
• Apply for Financial Aid, if needed.
• Assess for college placement or provide transcripts to meet assessment requirements.
• Complete Aims Online New Student Orientation. This orientation can be found when you log in to your myAims account and click on the New Student Orientation link.
• Assess for college placement or provide transcripts to meet assessment requirements.
• If you plan to register for pre-nursing courses, schedule an advising appointment with an Allied Health Designated Advisor. The advisor will help you develop a plan for completing prerequisite coursework.
• To make an appointment with an Allied Health Designated Advisor, please telephone (970) 339-6443. If you reach voicemail, please leave your full name and telephone number and allow 24 hours for a return call.

STEP 2

• Attend an in-person information session OR read through this written admission standards packet.

STEP 3

• HESI exam scores cannot be older than 5 years by May 12th, 2024.
• Can only be taken once a year beginning Aug 1st of the application year and ending on the last day of application submission.
• You cannot combine scores from multiple reports.
• Visit the Testing Center Tests page for more details about the HESI exam.

STEP 4

• Submit official transcripts to the Aims Records Department for courses taken at an institution other than Aims for transfer evaluation.
• If you anticipate conferral of a degree (AA/AS/BA/BS) in May 2024, please denote that clearly on your application.
• For more information about Transfer Credits visit the Transfer Information page.

STEP 5

Submit Completed Application Materials electronically by clicking on link found on the Aims’ nursing website between April 8th and May 10th, 2024 by 5:00 p.m. (MST). No late submissions will be accepted. Include the following: (Nursing transfer students or LPNs will be on a case by case basis when transferring in prerequisite coursework. Contact our Nursing Director for guidance) 

1. Completed “Aims Nursing Program Application”
2. All unofficial transcripts demonstrating completion of or current enrollment in in BIO 2101, BIO 2102, ENG 1021, MAT 1260, and HWE 1050 (or approved substitutes).
   • Unofficial transcripts must demonstrate that completed courses have been completed with a grade of “C” or better.
3. Official documentation of High School GPA (only if you have completed less than 12 college credits)
4. Official, verifiable documentation of meeting the minimum required scores on the HESI A2 Admission Assessment Exam. (Current within the last 5 years of application deadline). All scores must be from the same exam.
   • HESI A2 minimum scores for admission:
   • Reading Comprehension: 75%
   • Vocabulary and General Knowledge: 75%
   • Math: 75%
5. Documentation of a current, state-issued, non-restricted Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) license. (can be out of state) 
6. Documentation of work experience as an EMT, CNA, or Paramedic (only if you have it, this is not mandatory). Experience can be either paid or volunteer. Documentation of experience should be in the form of a letter (or letters) from any current or previous employer written on company letterhead and signed by a supervisor or Human Resources representative. To earn points you need to demonstrate that you have worked a minimum of 800 hours (paid or volunteer) for that area. Note: work experience is NOT a requirement to apply for the Nursing Program but if you have it you can earn extra points. However, having a current CNA license IS a requirement to apply. (Hours cannot be combined). Medical Assisting and Phlebotomy hours do not count toward the nursing application. 

Admission Criteria are based on GPA, HESI A-2 results, academic achievement in sciences, and specific work experience. Candidates are given points according to a scale. The students with the highest points are accepted for admission according to the number of class vacancies. Only fully complete applications will be considered for admission. Incomplete applications will not be processed. It is the student’s sole responsibility to ensure that applications are complete prior to submission for consideration of admission.  Applications are only good for the current admission year. **Unofficial transcripts from all institutions are required.  Please note that if a “T” is present on any transcript as a letter grade, you must obtain the original transcripts from the institution from which that course was taken and the grade was awarded.

GPA Requirement

GPA will be calculated using the last 45 hours of college coursework (excluding developmental courses).  A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 is required for admission. Points will be designated as follows: (include all college coursework) **If a student has not earned a total of 45 hours, the GPA will be calculated based on their most recent college credits.

GPA 2.5 to 3.0 = 1 point
GPA 3.1 to 3.5 = 3 points
GPA 3.6 to 4.0 or BS/BA or AS/AA degree = 5 points
Maximum Points Possible = 5

Institutional Credits

Points will be given for students that have taken prior coursework at Aims Community College as follows:

1-15 credits taken at Aims CC = 1 point
> 15 credits taken at Aims CC = 2 points
Maximum Points Possible = 2

HESI A2 Requirements

To be considered for admission, a minimum score of 75% in Reading Comprehension, 75% in Vocabulary and General Knowledge and 75% in Math is required.  (HESI exam scores cannot be older than 5 years by May 10th, 2024.) (Can only be taken once a year and scores cannot be combined) Composite is based off minimum score of 75% in required categories.

Points will be awarded as follows:

75% Composite = 1 point
76-85% Composite = 3 points
86% or above Composite = 5 points
Maximum Points Possible = 5

Science Requirements

Supporting sciences must be completed no more than 10 years prior to course commencement in NUR 1009. Points will be awarded for each of the following supporting sciences: Anatomy & Physiology I and II, Nutrition, and Microbiology.

A = 3 points
B = 2 points
C = 1 point
Maximum Points Possible = 12

Work Experience

If you have experience working as an EMT, CNA or Paramedic you can earn points toward your application. (Hours cannot be combined)

EMT (800 hours of experience) = 1 point
Paramedic (800 hours of experience) = 2 points
Certified Nursing Assistant (800 hours of experience) = 3 points 

Total Possible Admission Points = 27

When will I know if I am accepted?

You should expect to receive an email to your Aims email from us approximately three weeks after the application deadline. Students who are accepted in the program will need to send us an email to confirm that you plan to attend. We do place students on an alternate list in case someone decides not to enroll in the program. 

Mandatory documentation verification sessions

If you are accepted into the program you will need to attend one of two documentation verification sessions during the month of July. The specific dates and times will be contained within your acceptance letter. You will need to bring the following items with you: 

1. MMR – 2 vaccines or proof of immunity via three (3) titers for Measles, Mumps, and Rubella
2. Varicella – 2 vaccines (at least 4 weeks apart) or proof of immunity via a titer. A doctor’s note attesting you have had Varicella/Chickenpox will not suffice.
3. Hepatitis B – 3 vaccines or proof of immunity via a titer or a signed Declination Form
4. Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis (Tdap) – less than 10 years old
5. Influenza – will be required during the fall semester. DO NOT receive this vaccination until instructed to do so
6. COVID-19 – proof of vaccination (CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card) – required by healthcare facility partners
7. Documentation of a negative Tuberculosis test. Options include:
   1. Tuberculosis Skin Test (TST)- must use the two-step process
   2. Interferon Gamma Release Assay (IGRA) - blood test
   3. Chest X-ray and/or a note from a physician
8. Current American Heart Association (AHA) BLS Healthcare Provider CPR card that will be valid until the following June. (Only AHA cards will be accepted)
9. Signed Program Admission Background Investigation Acknowledgement (this will be in your Acceptance letter)
10. Signed Background and Disqualifying Offenses form (this will be in your Acceptance letter)
11. Documents that establish identity and employment verification (information about this will be in your Acceptance letter)

Background Check and Drug Screens

• All applicants who receive “Provisional Admission” to the Aims Nursing Program must apply and pay for a Background Check and Drug Screens.
• If you have a Disqualifying Offense or fail to secure “Negative/Clear” Drug Screens you will be prohibited from entering the Nursing Program.
• See the list of disqualifying offenses on the “Prospective Student” link on the Nursing website under “Disqualifying Offenses.”
• DO NOT proceed with a Background Check or Drug Screens until you are instructed to do so by the Nursing Office.
• Note: Detection of marijuana is considered a disqualifier.

Mandatory new student orientation

If you are accepted into the program you will need to attend a mandatory, 2-day orientation session the first part of August before the first day of classes.