Career and Program Description
Portland Community College is a member of the Oregon Consortium for Nursing Education (OCNE). This statewide consortium is composed of eleven Community College Nursing Programs and Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU) School of Nursing who have jointly developed the competency-based curriculum offered by all OCNE schools. The core competencies address the skills expected of newly graduate nurses which include:
- clinical judgment and critical thinking
- evidence-based practice
- relationship-centered care
- interprofessional collaboration
- assisting patients in self-care practices for promotion of health and management of chronic and acute illness
- end-of-life care
- teaching
- leadership
- assignment/delegation of responsibilities and supervision of assistive nursing personnel
- reflection, self-analysis, and self-care
Acceptance into the PCC program allows for non-competitive admission to OHSU School of Nursing.
The OCNE curriculum is designed as a four-year course of study. The first year is devoted to pre-admissions requisites and/or pre-program courses (45 credits) required before starting the nursing program. The second and third years of study are comprised of six terms, allowing students to complete the Associate of Applied Science degree (AAS) and be eligible to take the NCLEX-RN licensing exam. Licensure is granted through the Oregon State Board of Nursing. After licensure, students can continue on in OHSU's RN-BS nursing major program.
Applications are accepted once per year in the winter term for fall entry. PCC’s nursing program is competitive. Applications are evaluated on a point system. Minimum eligibility requirements must be met in order to apply. Contact your assigned advisor for long-term prerequisite course planning. Contact the Admissions Office for admission instructions or questions.
PCC Nursing Program Approval
Oregon State Board of Nursing
17938 SW Upper Boones Ferry Rd
Portland OR 97224
971-673-0685
PCC Nursing Program Accreditation
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
3343 Peachtree Rd Suite 850
Atlanta, Georgia 30326
Phone (404) 975-5000
www.acenursing.org
Degrees and Certificates Offered
Associate of Applied Science Degree
Nursing
Academic Prerequisites
- Prior to admission to the nursing program all prerequisite courses must be completed with a grade C or higher. Pass/No Pass courses are not accepted.
Academic Requirements
- None
Non-Academic Prerequisites
- Student Disability Information
- Nursing is a physically and mentally challenging occupation. Education related to this field is designed to prepare nurses for these challenges. Nursing students must be able to meet all established essential academic and clinical requirements to successfully complete the program. Persons with questions concerning qualifications are encouraged to contact the Admissions Office for individual consultation prior to formal application.
- Applicants with disabilities are encouraged to contact Accessible Education & Disability Resources 971-722-4341. To be eligible for a reasonable accommodation, applicants must provide clear documentation of their disability. Accessible Education & Disability Resources is responsible for determining if reasonable accommodations can be identified and ensuring that accommodations are provided for PCC students. Accessible Education & Disability Resources' services are confidential and are separate from the nursing and college application processes. Early contact with Accessible Education & Disability Resources will ensure that accommodations can be made available when students begin the program.
Non-Academic Requirements
- None
Nursing AAS Degree
Minimum 108 credits. Additionally, students must complete the 45 prerequisite credits prior to entry in program. Students must also meet Associate Degree Comprehensive Requirements and Associate of Applied Science Requirements. Students must complete a total of four courses of General Education. Some courses specified within the program may be used as General Education. In addition to required courses in the program of study, students must satisfy MTH 58/65 competency. Students should consult with program advisors for course planning.
Course of Study
The coursework listed below is required. The following is an example of a term-by-term breakdown.
| Pre-Program Requirements | Credits | |
|---|---|---|
| BI 231 | Human Anatomy & Physiology I 1 | 4 |
| BI 232 | Human Anatomy & Physiology II 1 | 4 |
| BI 233 | Human Anatomy & Physiology III 1 | 4 |
| BI 234 | Microbiology 1 | 5 |
| FN 225 | Nutrition 1 | 4 |
| MTH 95 or MTH 98 | Intermediate Algebra 1 or Math Literacy II | 4 |
| PSY 215 | Human Development 1 | 4 |
| WR 121 | Composition I (WR121=WR121Z) Z | 4 |
| WR 122 | Composition II (WR122=WR122Z) Z | 4 |
| General Education: 2 Social Science courses | 6 | |
| Any Lower Division Collegiate course | 2 | |
| First Term | ||
| NRS 110 | Foundations of Nursing- Health Promotion | 9 |
| NRS 232 | Pathophysiological Processes I | 3 |
| Second Term | ||
| NRS 111 | Foundations of Nursing in Chronic Illness I | 6 |
| NRS 230 | Clinical Pharmacology I | 3 |
| NRS 233 | Pathophysiological Processes II | 3 |
| Third Term | ||
| NRS 112 | Foundations of Nursing in Acute Care I | 6 |
| NRS 231 | Clinical Pharmacology II | 3 |
| General Education: 1 Arts and Letters course | 3 | |
| Fourth Term | ||
| NRS 221 | Chronic II | 9 |
| Fifth Term | ||
| NRS 222 | Acute Care II | 9 |
| Sixth Term | ||
| NRS 224 | Integrative Practicum I | 9 |
| Total Credits | 108 | |
- 1
These courses must be completed within seven years prior to application for the Nursing AAS program. Any MTH course for which MTH 95 or MTH 98 is a prerequisite will satisfy the MTH 95/MTH98 requirement.
- Z
This course is part of Oregon Common Course Numbering. The following courses are equivalent:
WR 121 and WR 121Z
WR 122 and WR 122Z
-------------------------------------
Additional notes:
- Students must complete at least 30 credits of the Pre-Program Requirements by the application deadline for the Nursing AAS program, including BI 231 and MTH 95 or MTH 98.
- Students must complete all 45 credits of the Pre-Program Requirements, and be accepted into the Nursing AAS program, before enrolling in any NRS course.
- All Pre-Program Requirement coursework must be completed with a grade of C or better. Pass/No Pass grades not accepted.
- The OCNE RN-BS with a major in Nursing completion option at OHSU for PCC AAS Nursing graduates has additional requirements that can be completed at PCC simultaneously with the AAS. Please consult your PCC Nursing program advisor and/or the OCNE admissions office for current requirements.
Nursing Program Electives
Any course from the General Education/Discipline Studies List.
Note: Students who plan to continue through to OHSU must be aware that to earn the bachelor’s degree they must have two years of the same high school-level language, or two terms of college-level language or pass a language proficiency examination. College-level foreign language (including American Sign Language) credits count toward degree requirements. A minimum of 9 credits of humanities is required for the OHSU degree. Students planning to earn a bachelor’s degree are encouraged to complete STAT 243Z soon after the prerequisite math course.
NRS 110. Foundations of Nursing- Health Promotion. 9 Credits.
Introduces the framework of the OCNE curriculum. Emphasizes health promotion across the life span including self health and patient health practices. Supports self and patient health practices through access to research evidence about healthy lifestyle patterns and risk factors for disease/illness, and the application of growth and development theory. Presents techniques for: interviewing patients in a culturally sensitive manner, working as members of a multidisciplinary team, giving and receiving feedback about performance, and using reflective thinking to improve practice. Covers children, adults, older adults, and families experiencing a normal pregnancy. Includes classroom and clinical learning experiences for practicing therapeutic communication skills and selected core nursing skills identified in the OCNE Core Nursing Skills document. Prerequisites: Admission to the Nursing Program.
NRS 111. Foundations of Nursing in Chronic Illness I. 6 Credits.
Expands on assessment and common interventions with the focus on patients with chronic illnesses common across the life span in multiple ethnic groups. Explores the patient’s and family’s “lived experience” of the condition. Uses clinical practice guidelines and research evidence to guide clinical judgments in the care of individuals with chronic conditions. Explores multidisciplinary team roles and responsibilities in the context of delivering safe, high-quality health care to individuals with chronic conditions (includes practical and legal aspects of delegation). Explores cultural, ethical, legal, and health care delivery issues through case scenarios and clinical practice. Includes classroom and clinical learning experiences and practice with selected core nursing skills. Prerequisite: NRS 110. Prerequisite/concurrent: (NRS 230 or NRS 231) and (NRS 232 or NRS 233).
NRS 112. Foundations of Nursing in Acute Care I. 6 Credits.
Introduces assessment and common interventions for the care of patients across the life span who require acute care, including normal childbirth. Considers disease/illness trajectories and their translation into clinical practice guidelines and/or standard procedures in relation to their impact on providing culturally sensitive, patient-centered care. Prerequisite: NRS 111. Prerequisite/concurrent: (NRS 230 or NUR 231) and (NRS 232 or NRS 233).
NRS 221. Chronic II. 9 Credits.
Expands on the major concepts of family care giving, symptom management, and end-of-life care in the context of nursing interventions with patients and families. Explores ethical issues related to advocacy, self-determination, and autonomy. Includes developing complex skills associated with the assessment and management of concurrent illnesses and conditions within the context of client and family preferences and needs. Covers skills related to enhancing communication and collaboration as a member of an inter-professional team and across healthcare settings. Exemplars include patients with chronic mental illness and addictions as well as other chronic conditions and disabilities affecting functional status and family relationships. Prerequisite: NRS 112, NRS 231 and NRS 233.
NRS 222. Acute Care II. 9 Credits.
Focuses on more complex and/or unstable patient care conditions, some of which may result in death. Covers patient care conditions which require quick attention and rapid decision making skills. Uses evidence-based research to support appropriate focused assessments, and effective and efficient nursing interventions. Addresses how life span and developmental factors, cultural variables, and legal aspects of care frame the ethical decision-making process employed in patient choices for treatment or palliative care for disorders with an acute trajectory. Incorporates case scenarios which prioritize care needs, delegation and supervision, and family and patient teaching for either discharge planning or end-of-life care. Exemplars include acute conditions affecting multiple body systems. Prerequisite: NRS 221.
NRS 224. Integrative Practicum I. 9 Credits.
Examines the clinical judgments, knowledge and skills necessary in safe, registered nurse practice. Uses a Faculty/Clinical Teaching Association/Student Triad Model to provide a context that allows the student to experience the nursing role in a selected setting, balancing demands of professional nursing and lifelong learner. Through analysis and reflection throughout the clinical experience, provides the student with evaluative criteria against which they can judge their own performance and develop a practice framework. Includes seminar, self-directed study and clinical experience. Prerequisite: NRS 222.
NRS 230. Clinical Pharmacology I. 3 Credits.
Introduces the theoretical background that enables students to provide safe and effective care related to drugs and natural products to persons throughout the lifespan. Includes the foundational concepts of principles of pharmacology, as well as numerous classes of drugs. Covers selected clinical decisions in the context of nursing regarding using current, reliable sources of information, understanding of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, developmental physiologic considerations, monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of drug therapy, teaching persons from diverse populations regarding safe and effective use of drugs and natural products, intervening to increase therapeutic benefits and reduce potential negative effects, and communicating appropriately with other health professionals regarding drug therapy. Studies drugs by therapeutic or pharmacological class using an organized framework. Prerequisite: BI 231, BI 232, BI 233, and BI 234 or equivalent.
NRS 231. Clinical Pharmacology II. 3 Credits.
Introduces the theoretical background that enables students to provide safe and effective care related to drugs and natural products to persons throughout the lifespan. Includes the foundational concepts of principles of pharmacology, as well as numerous classes of drugs. Covers selected clinical decisions in the context of nursing regarding using current, reliable sources of information, understanding of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, developmental physiologic considerations, monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of drug therapy, teaching persons from diverse populations regarding safe and effective use of drugs and natural products, intervening to increase therapeutic benefits and reduce potential negative effects, and communicating appropriately with other health professionals regarding drug therapy. Studies drugs by therapeutic or pharmacological class using an organized framework. Prerequisites: NRS 230.
NRS 232. Pathophysiological Processes I. 3 Credits.
Introduces pathophysiological processes that contribute to many different disease states across the lifespan and human responses to those processes. Includes the foundational concepts of cellular adaption, injury, and death; inflammation and tissue healing; fluid and electrolyte imbalances; and physiologic response to stressors and pain, as well as additional pathophysiological processes. Covers making selective clinical decisions in the context of nursing regarding using current, reliable sources of pathophysiology information selection and interpretation. Covers focused nursing assessments based on knowledge of pathophysiological processes, teaching persons from diverse populations regarding pathophysiological processes, and communicating with health professionals regarding pathophysiological processes. Prerequisite: BI 231, BI 232, BI 233, and BI 234 or equivalent.
NRS 233. Pathophysiological Processes II. 3 Credits.
Continues to explore pathophysiological processes that contribute to disease states across the lifespan and human responses to those processes. Covers making selected clinical decisions in the context of nursing regarding using current, reliable sources of pathophysiology information, selecting and interpreting focused nursing assessments based on knowledge of pathophysiological processes, teaching persons from diverse populations regarding pathophysiological processes, and communicating with other health professionals regarding pathophysiological processes. The course addresses additional pathophysiological processes not contained in Pathophysiological Processes I. Prerequisite: NRS 232.