Nursing

Application deadlines for the Nursing Program vary from year to year. Generally applications are accepted in early spring, and the program begins in the fall.

All program application information can be found in the Nursing Bulletin. The application also shows the prerequisites and the point system.

Do not wait until the final days of the application period to begin accumulating necessary application material.

• Incomplete applications will not be processed. It is the applicant's responsibility to read all application information completely and thoroughly. It is also the sole responsibility of the applicant to verify completeness of the application and receipt of all required documentation before the application deadline.
• All applicants are notified of results approximately 4-6 weeks after the application deadline.
• After applicants are notified of acceptance, they must respond by the deadline or their position in the cohort will be given to the next eligible applicant.
• Be sure to keep the Admissions Office informed of any changes in your address, telephone, or e-mail. Call -541-917-4811 to let them know.

No, all those transcripts will be accessed through the Admission Department. Classes that are from other colleges need to be reviewed by the Transcript Evaluator in Admissions. An official transcript from any colleges outside of LBCC needs to be submitted with the required application. Transcripts for classes in progress during winter term must be submitted to Admissions at the end of winter term.

• Academic Planning and Pre-Nursing Advising: Lorraine Lara is the LBCC Academic Planning Assistant for the nursing program. Call 541-918-8907 to make an appointment to meet with Lorraine either in-person or over the phone.
• High School Counselor: Make an appointment to speak to your High School counselor to plan your program of study.

The length of time it takes to get into the program varies by individual. Prior course work at LBCC allows you to register earlier than new students. Class availability is greater for students who are returning. It may be difficult to get all of the classes you want every term. Also, depending on your College Placement Tests (CPT) score, you may need to take additional classes or in order to get to the level of class that is required in areas such as math and writing. It typically takes one to two years to get into the nursing program.

Prior to submitting your application for the Nursing Program, we advise that you meet with an advisor to ensure that all entry-level requirements have been met towards eligibility. Once you have applied and have met all minimum requirements, you will receive an email indicating the number of points you have received towards admission. After all qualified applicants' points have been evaluated and finalized, email notifications will be sent to let you know whether you have been selected for admission to the Nursing Program. Students who are admitted to the program will then be required to complete all Post-Admission Requirements by the deadlines stated in the admission materials in order to remain admitted to the program. Refer to the program's application bulletin for information regarding application/admission timelines.

You are encouraged to take any required non-nursing or corequisite courses specified in the curriculum. It will make your course load lighter when you do get into the Nursing Program. If you have completed all prerequisites consider taking additional classes that are recommended in BSN programs (public health, statistics, additional technical writing).

Specific math and science coursework that is older than 5 years may need to be retaken in order to demonstrate current competency. Refer to the program's application bulletin for information on which courses have a 5 year time limit.

Oregon law requires health profession students to complete specific administrative requirements, including a criminal background check to maintain admission and to be eligible for clinical placements. Oregon law prohibits any person with a history of felony, conspiracy to commit a felony, or some misdemeanor charges/convictions from practicing in health care. Students with felony or misdemeanor criminal records which result in the exclusion from nursing assistant certification may not be able to complete the program of study required for nursing licensure. In addition, if exclusion from a clinical site results from a criminal background check, the student may not be able to complete the requirements of the Nursing Program. Only the program approved criminal background check will be accepted. Instructions on how to complete the program approved criminal background check will be provided to admitted students.

Basic Life Support  (BLS) for the Healthcare Professional certification is required and must be current prior to the first day of classes. You will need to submit a copy of a current American Heart Association BLS CPR certification. You will need to keep the AHA BLS CPR certification current while you are in the program.

Yes, there are many scholarships available to students entering the nursing profession. Requirements vary. You should first complete the FAFSA through the Financial Aid office. Local organizations, hospitals and health care agencies, and community foundations have scholarships available to nursing students. There are additional scholarships available for students currently enrolled in nursing (NUR) courses in the Program. These are listed in the Financial Aid offices and posted in the Nursing Department. In addition, some of the local healthcare agencies may assist you with tuition reimbursement if you are currently their employee.

Clinical experiences are a required part of all nursing education programs. You will be caring for patients of all ages and in various stages of health and illness. Clinical experiences are generally scheduled for two to three 8-hour shifts or one 12-hour shift per week. Clinical times will vary by term and are conducted at local health care agencies that are generally within a 20–40 mile radius of the college. Students may request clinical placements, but many factors are taken into consideration in assigning clinical placements and the request is not guaranteed. Generally, clinicals are scheduled to coincide with varied hospital shifts, and may include 7pm–7am shifts.

Nursing students pay the same tuition rates as other students per credit hour. For all courses with clinical components, there is contact in excess of credit hour fees as delineated in the college class schedules. The cost varies year to year depending on how much tuition fees are. The initial term is the most expensive because uniforms, stethoscopes, watches, shoes, and books are all needed. Please see the Nursing Bulletin for program estimates.

Yes, once you have been accepted, there will be a scheduled orientation to the Nursing Program. This will include presentations about the philosophy and conceptual framework of the Program, the curriculum, uniforms, Nursing Policies, and course calendars.

LBCC does not have a BSN program; however, we have articulation partners: Linfield College and Bushnell University (formerly Northwest Christian University) both have RN to BSN Programs. Contact those programs for specific information on BSN completion programs in which you could enroll during or after you complete your Associate Degree and have your RN License.

Typically, a nursing student is in the classroom 5–8 hours per week. Clinical hours vary from 12 to 18 hours per week depending on the term. Other classes may be arranged to meet the full-time requirement of 12 credits.

LBCC Nursing does not have an LPN/LVN bridge program. All potential applicants must follow the same application process.

Medical terminology, computer and math skills, study skills. Depending on your area of interest, child development classes, psychology classes, administration courses.

Basic care skills are required of all nurses. These skills are best acquired in a nursing assistant program. This program allows the student to experience health care as a career choice. In addition, the body of knowledge required for nursing is increasing at an exponential level. In order to allow the student time and exposure to other more difficult areas of content, the basic skills are required for entry. CNA training is available at most long-term care facilities and most acute care facilities. However, because of the interest in health care, access to these programs is limited. An opening for a program may take you 3–4 months of waiting. Summer is the most popular time for students to enroll in the Nursing Assistant classes. We recommend you plan ahead to schedule this course earlier during the academic year.

Math 095 or College Algebra is the minimum level of math required for admission. The math must be taken within the last five years.

LBCC does not discriminate on the basis of disability in the admission to its programs. Provision of direct health care is required to meet the objectives of the core nursing courses. Some disabilities are easily accommodated and others are more difficult. A minimum standard for physical and mental requirements is available to the applicant upon request in the nursing office. Applicants are encouraged to contact the Office of Student Disabilities at 541-917-4789 for accommodation requests.

The need for nurses is projected to be sizable over the next several years. Therefore it seems logical to just increase the size of the program. However, when there is a shortage of nurses, there is also a concurrent shortage of qualified nursing faculty and nursing facility staff. Patient safety must be ensured by adequate supervision and oversight of the care the students give. Quality of the education experience must also be considered related to students we enroll. There is also a regulatory requirement that our students be supervised on a 8:1 ratio of students to staff, which makes the program expensive to run. Our policy is to admit students based on adequate funding, staff, mentors, and care facility resources.

The nursing program is a rigorous, fast-paced program. Students often find working, even part-time, difficult while enrolled in the Nursing Program. For many students, employment while attending school is necessary. Jobs with flexible schedules are desirable in these circumstances. Students must be able to adjust their work schedules to accommodate their school schedule.