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The Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program is designed to help you learn to use critical thinking, clinical reasoning and the nursing process to deliver evidence-based, patient-centered care for diverse patients in common and emerging health care settings.
American Career College’s Los Angeles campus features technologically advanced facilities specifically for the school's ADN and other nursing programs. The ADN program helps prepare students with the knowledge to use informatics to communicate, access, monitor and evaluate patient data and become well trained registered nurses.
If you are looking to earn an associate degree at a nursing school or want to train to become a Registered Nurse (RN), American Career College is the right choice for you.
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A total of 97 quarter credits are required to earn the Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), which includes completion of these courses:
The ADN program also requires clinical rotations in both inpatient and outpatient care settings.
Select courses in the Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program will be in a blended delivery format. Blended courses combine traditional or face-to-face classroom instruction with an online learning environment to optimize the learning experience of the user.
Using Dorothea Orem’s Theory of Self-Care, college students, in collaboration with interdisciplinary team members, assist patients through self-care deficits and health deviations as a part of the ADN degree program.
The Associate Degree in Nursing program is approved by the the California Board of Registered Nursing.
Board of Registered Nursing
1747 North Market Boulevard, Suite 150
Sacramento, CA 95834
Phone (916) 322-3350 / Fax (916) 574-7697
Challenge/Advanced Placement into ADN Program for Military Personnel
Individuals who have held Military Health Care Training may be eligible to receive credit for previous education training. According to the ACC Catalog, “The College will conduct an evaluation of previous education and training for all Veterans and eligible persons, grant appropriate credit, shorten training period proportionally, and notify the Veterans Administration and student accordingly.”
Challenge Credit examinations may apply and will follow the processes outlined in the ACC Catalog.
The Associate Degree in Nursing program is available at the following campus: Los Angeles Associate Degree in Nursing program.
Graduates of the Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program may pursue nursing positions such as:
These may be in a variety of health care settings. In the state of California, all applicants for RN licensure must qualify for and pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN), which relates to the practice of registered nursing in California.
Registered Nurses (RNs) provide and coordinate patient care, educate patients and the public about various health conditions, and provide advice and emotional support to patients and their family members. Here are some additional examples:
Some nurses have jobs in which they do not work directly with patients, but they must still have an active registered nurse license. For example, they may work as nurse educators, healthcare consultants, public policy advisors, researchers, hospital administrators, salespeople for pharmaceutical and medical supply companies, or as medical writers and editors.
The nursing program is divided into eight 10-week quarters and is in a blended format with each course sharing a percentage of instruction online and a percentage of instruction face-to-face. Graduates of this college program may pursue entry-level positions as Registered Nurses in a variety of health care settings. In addition to general education courses, core courses in American Career College's Associate Degree in Nursing program include:
Human Anatomy* - Provides an in-depth introduction to the physiology of the human body. Provides students an opportunity to study the functions and physiological mechanisms of several important organ systems from the molecular level to the body’s gross entirety. Organ systems are studied with respect to their interactions under normal and abnormal conditions. Major topics include cell function, tissues, organization of the human body, and physiology of all body systems.
General Microbiology* - Representative examples of bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa, and multicellular parasites are studied, with special concentration given to microorganisms that are significant to human health. Aspects of classification, metabolism, genetics, control mechanisms, chemotherapy, and antibiotic/resistance are considered. Topics covered include principles of infectious disease transmission, immunology, biotechnology, bioterrorism, and environmental remediation.
Fundamentals of Nursing* - The purpose of this course is to understand the practical science of nursing as it applies to caring for patients through the continuum from illness to wellness using Dorothea Orem’s Theory of Self-Care and the three important nursing systems: wholly compensatory, partial compensatory, and supportive-educative. The Nursing Process, legal and ethical considerations, patient rights and privacy, growth and development as related to the patient’s therapeutic self-care demands are introduced. This course also provides basic patient care skills and focuses on the essential principles and practices of safe, effective care in the multifaceted and multicultural nursing field.
Introduction to Psychology* - Introduction to scientific study of behavior, lifespan development, learning & cognition, personality, social interaction, psychotherapy, and other selected topics.
Introduction to Sociology* - This course questions basic sociological concepts, such as socialization and culture; social organizations; stability and change in societies; cooperation and conflict among human groups; religious, political, economic, technical, and scientific institutions. Sociological concepts and issues such as culture and subculture; development of the self; gender and age roles; social class and caste; groups, communities, collectives, and organizations; deviance; racism; human institutions: family, religion, education, government, economics; population change in society are discussed.
Advanced Medical/Surgical Nursing* - The purpose of this course is to present the principles of nursing care utilizing the nursing process and concepts of Orem’s Theory of Self-Care. The focus will include assessment, identifying the client’s universal self-care requisites: air, water, food, elimination, activity, social interaction, safety, and normalcy in the adult and geriatric patient. The three models of nursing systems recognized by Orem’s Nursing System Theory will be addressed: wholly compensatory, partial compensatory, and supportive-educative. Students will gain theoretical knowledge using the nursing process for patient-centered, evidence-based nursing care of adult and geriatric patients with critical health deviations related to sensory (neurological disorders, spinal cord injuries, CVA, brain tumors, and cranial surgeries) and cardiorespiratory disorders (acid-base balance, ARDS, COPD, VAP, pulmonary hypertension, tension, hemo, and pneumothorax, pulmonary edema, chest trauma, thoracic surgical, dysrhythmias, AMI, ACS, CHF, valve disease, and aneurysms), maintenance of central venous catheters and blood transfusions. Content threaded throughout the course includes cultural diversity, nutrition, pharmacology, patient advocacy, and physical, behavioral, and social aspects of human development.
Other core courses in the school's program include:
*Courses offered in a blended format, a combination of online and on ground.
Registered nurses work as part of a team with physicians and other healthcare specialists. Some registered nurses oversee licensed practical nurses, nursing assistants, and home health aides.
As a registered nurse, your responsibilities may include the following:
Registered Nurses' duties and titles often depend on where they work and the patients they work with. They can focus in the following areas:
Registered nurses may also work to promote general health, by educating the public on warning signs and symptoms of disease. They may also run general health screenings or immunization clinics, blood drives, or other outreach programs.
Ellen M. Lewis MSN/RN/FAAN
Director, Nursing, Associate Degree in Nursing Program
Ms. Ellen M. Lewis has extensive experience in nursing and hospital administration as well as health science education in complex university, county and private service and educational environments.
At the international level she has provided health services administration and education consultation to the Egyptian Military Armed Forces Medical Services, The Egyptian Ministry of Health and the Peoples Republic of China.
Ms. Lewis has a passion for innovation in patient care services and education. She currently serves on the Board of Trustees for Mission and Laguna Beach Hospital in Mission Viejo. She is President Elect of the ARCS Foundation Inc. (Orange County Chapter). She has also served as President of the Associates for the Advancement of Nursing Science & Research (AANSR).
Ms. Lewis obtained community financial support of over 2.3 million dollars to develop and launch the undergraduate Nursing Science Program at University of California, Irvine. This was the first new undergraduate nursing program to be established in the University in over 45 years.
Ms. Lewis served for 8 years as Project Director for the California Strategic Planning Committees for Nursing (CSPCN) to manage and implement the Robert Wood Johnson, Colleagues in Caring: Regional Collaborative for Nursing Work Force Development initiative. These projects lead the Nation in identifying critical nursing workforce issues.
The Nationally recognized Standardized Patient process utilized by UC Irvine Family Practice residents, medical nursing students as well as other residency and allied health programs in Southern California was established by Ms. Lewis. The program provides faculty the opportunity to assess students’ clinical skills in a controlled and safe environment.
Select campus below to view disclosures:
To view outcome information for this and ACC's other programs, and to view state disclosure information, visit: americancareercollege.edu/disclosures.
