Nursing courses in U.S.A

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I hope this question isn't too silly.

I was browsing through the student nursing forum last night and here I am wondering how the Nursing courses work in the U.S.A? How one goes about being accepted at the University/College? That sort of thing (I'm from Australia ;)).

I see your prereqs as subjects like A&P 1 or 2, microbiol, biochem. When I think of prereqs, I think of unit 3&4 subjects such as biology, psychology, chem, math, physics, P.E. and English - All taken in the last year of secondary/high school. Are your prereqs taken as a nursing student or at high school?

Just exceptionally curious, and thanks in advance :).

Specializes in L&D.

How is it done in Australia? :confused: Do you have Microbiology in Highschool? Some places have Anatomy and Physiology in Highschool here, (mine didn't), but these classes are taken in college. My Prereq: Biology II, General Chem, Organic Chem, Biological Chemistry, Physiology, Physiology Lab, Anatomy, Cadaver Lab, Genetics, General Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Microbiology, Microbiology Lab, Pathophysiology, a few writing classes and I know I'm missing some others, but those were my prereques. What is it like in Australia?

:cool:

Hi there road runner!

Your pre reqs tend to depend on whether or not your just out of high school and going straight into college, or if it's been a few years.

I'm at a Community College which is called a "2 year" college (but can take up to 4 years). I have to take A&P I, II, Micro, Chem, Eng 1&2, College Algebra, Philosophy, Psy, Soc, etc. They all have to be College level courses, so no classes from high school. I can then apply for the 2 year nursing program. So it takes about 1 1/2 years for pre reqs and 2 years for the nursing courses. This is an ADN (associates degree nursing)

A BSN is from a 4 year and has about the same classes except you add things like Nutrition, Statistics, Anthropology, Bio Chem, etc. There are a few more nursing coures as well.

Both programs are post high school and both are able to sit for the RN exam.

Every school here does things a little different, but the end result is the same.

So to answer your question, some schools allow you to do some of the pre reqs as a nursing student and others require pre reqs to be completed prior to apply to the nursing program.

You can also attend a community college, take the pre reqs and then apply to the 4 year university for the BSN.

Hope that helps a little, it can be pretty confusing but we are lucky here to have so many options!

Specializes in LTC, ER, ICU,.

"how one goes about being accepted at the university/college?"

there is usually not a problem getting accepted at the school itself, however, it is the school of nursing that my be extremely competitive.

where i attend, we had to take the net [nursing entrance exam], have math, biology, a&p i, and english completed before entrance to the program, and have maintained a certain gpa. there is not a waiting list where i am but one has to re-apply each year desiring to be accepted. there are only a selective number of students accepted each year, too.

waiting to hear how it works where you attend.

Hi, and thank you so much for your replies. It is interesting to learn how the nursing courses vary.

How it works in Australia-

It appears to be very different here, and from my understanding, quite different throughout the states of Australia too. I completed my prereqs for Nursing in the state of Victoria in 2002.

Our prereqs are broken up into 2yrs and are done at secondary school (or high school). The first year (year 11) students undertake Units 1&2 subjects. These Units must be completed before going on to Unit 3&4 subjects - done at year 12 level.

For instance - In year 11 my subjects included unit 1&2 biology, chemistry, physical education, psychology, English and Unit 3&4 math methods. The following year I undertook unit 3&4 biology, chemistry, psychology, English and physical education as my prereqs for entry into the nursing course. To complicate matters even more, one can complete a Unit 1&2 subject in year 10 (given their knowledge of the subject is up to par) and do Unit 3&4 in year 11. Unit 1 or 3 is done in semester 1, unit 2 or 4 is done during semester 2.

It's a lot of the science, math and occasionally the sports subjects that are requirements to get into nursing. English is a compulsory subject for all University courses these days.

Now, apart from completing prereqs at secondary school what else is required? Well it's also based on what your ENTER/ Equivalent National Tertiary Enterance Rank score is (from 0-100)and your subject study scores (ranging from 0-50). Students sit their exams in November and December the results are available - the ENTER score is calculated from the subject study scores. Selection is based on having completed the relevant Unit 3&4 subjects, the subject study score - which for most nursing courses requires one to have a study score ranging from 20-25 and ENTER of 61.10 being the lowest and 79-80 being at the top end of the scale. ENTER scores differ throughout different Universities. Double degrees, nursing science and courses in the city usually consist of the top ENTER scores, while the 3 year B.O nursing and Universities in the country typically have lower ENTER scores. These days study scores and ENTER scores are going up and up and up - a lot more difficult to get in.

Another note on prereqs, they also vary for each course. For example, one University might have its prereqs listed as: Units 3&4 a study score of 25 in English and a study score of at least 20 in any two of biology, chemistry, mathematics (any), physical education. While another University may have prereqs as: Unit 1&2 mathematics (any) and Unit 3&4 - any 2 of biology, chemistry, contemporary Australian society, health and human development, legal studies, physical education, mathematic (any) or psychology.

Students apply to the University in August through the states Admission centre (e.g. Victorian students apply through Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre while, say, Queensland students apply through Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre). Finally, it is January when students find out if they have been accepted into the nursing course. It's a very overwhelming time as we have what is known as 3 round offers. There are those who are clearly-in (for instance they have achieved an ENTER of, say 77.88) those who have to wait until second round offers (they may have an ENTER score of around 75-76 - also known as a fringe ENTER) and a very small minority who scrape in on third and final round offers. There are other ways around applying, such as a student may be given credits for doing a Certificate IV in Nursing (RN div. 2/Enrolled nurse) or may apply as a non year 12 student, in that case they are required to sit a test known as the STAT M test. I am fairly certain if this is the path a student takes then they apply through the University directly, rather than the states Admission Centre. However, I am only familiar with the year 12 route - if you like I will do a bit of research and find some more information about these entry paths.

Hope I haven't confused you all too much :).

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