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Associate of Science in Nursing

Welcome! We would like to welcome you as a potential associate degree nursing student! We appreciate your interest in the Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) program and wish you the best as you pursue your career goals. The Associate Degree Nursing program at Georgia Northwestern Technical College prepares the learner to apply the behaviors, knowledge, and skills required of a self-directed, critical-thinking, beginning nurse generalist. Upon successful completion of the program, the graduate will be able to function as a provider of care, manager of care, and member of the discipline of nursing. The program has received approval from the Georgia Board of Nursing and accreditation from the Accrediting Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).

Accreditation

Georgia Northwestern Technical College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The Associate of Science in Nursing program is approved by the Georgia Board of Nursing.

The Associate of Science in Nursing program at Georgia Northwestern Technical College at the Walker County Campus located in Rock Spring, Georgia is accredited by the: Accreditation Commission for the Education in Nursing (ACEN). ACEN, 3390 Peachtree Road NE. Suite 1400, Atlanta, Georgia, 30326.

The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissions for the Associate of Science in Nursing program is Continuing Accreditation with Conditions.

Licensure

Graduates of the ASN program will be eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN licensure exam. Once the graduate passes this national exam, he or she may be licensed by the board of nursing of the state to which the application has been made. When the graduate has been licensed, he or she may practice as a registered nurse (RN) in the state in which the license is granted. The state board of nursing may not issue a license to a graduate who has been convicted of a felony. (Please see the specific board of nursing websites for these rules).

NCLEX Pass Results

Year

Number of Students

First-Time Pass Rate

Pass Rate Within 12 Months of Graduation

2024

2023

2022

2021

16

9

22

30

100%

100%

86.36%

73.33%

100%

100%

100%

93.33%

Program Completion and Job Placement Results

Year

On-Time Program Completion Rate (4 semesters without interruption)

Job Placement Rate

2024

2023

2022

2021

33.3%

26.47%

61.76%

61.54%

100%

100%

100%

97%

 

Mission and Philosophy

Mission

The ASN program is dedicated to supporting the overall mission of GNTC, a unit of the TCSG, which is to provide quality technical education and workforce development opportunities supporting student success throughout the communities of northwest Georgia. The primary mission of the ASN program is to assist in meeting the increasing healthcare needs of North Georgia, a medically underserved area, by providing the necessary knowledge, skills, and attitudes to practice competently and safely as an entry-level nurse generalist in a variety of settings after passing the NCLEX-RN. 

Philosophy

The philosophy of the Associate of Science in Nursing program supports the mission of GNTC to provide accessible high-quality education. The nursing faculty believes that:

  • Nursing is an art, service, and applied science, evolving from a theoretical foundation in the humanities, natural and social sciences, and nursing. Nursing directs its therapeutic interventions toward helping the individual to maintain and achieve optimal well-being when possible or to die with dignity when death is inevitable. The goal of helping the individual become self-sufficient at his/her highest level of functioning is met through the integration of applied theories and models. The nursing practice encompasses the utilization of knowledge, skills, behaviors, and the nursing process. The following attributes are characteristic of the nurse: (1) technical competence, (2) accountability, (3) caring and compassion, (4) critical thinking, (5) effective communication, (6) technological literacy, (7) flexibility and adaptability, and (8) professionalism. Nursing care is accomplished by deliberate nursing interventions that occur within a dynamic and culturally diverse healthcare system. Assimilation of evidence-based practice and informatics are utilized to adapt to the evolving complexities of healthcare.
  • An individual is a unique, holistic human being who has needs that affect the mind, body, and spirit. These needs can be arranged in a hierarchical order. Those needs perceived by the individual as most basic to life must be satisfied before focusing on more complex needs. An individual is dynamic and has the potential for change through growth, development, and maturation. An individual has the ability to affect his/her health and is responsible for making choices related to his/her health.
  • Caring and compassion are integral parts of nursing. Caring includes feelings of interest, concern, sensitivity to, and respect for others as health care is provided. Compassion is an awareness of and sympathy for another’s distress combined with the desire to alleviate the distress and is used in collaboration with caring.
  • The environment is all the internal and external factors that influence the life and well-being of an individual. This includes both internal and external environments. The internal environment includes the physiological and psychological factors and processes of an individual. The external environment includes social, cultural, and spiritual influences as well as economic, political, and ecological systems. The relationship between all factors is dynamic and interactive. A change in any one factor affects all other factors.
  • Health is a dynamic process that incorporates the physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social well-being of the individual. It is more than the absence of illness. It is influenced by the individual’s values and beliefs as he/she strives to achieve the highest level of functioning.
  • Teaching-learning is a process that is interactive, dynamic, individualized, and continuous. It involves the acquisition of new knowledge, behaviors, and skills. The teaching-learning process is accomplished through stimulating intellectual curiosity, creativity, critical thinking, and professional growth. It includes selection, organization, and presentation of the curriculum as well as appropriate feedback and evaluation of the learner. This process promotes the freedom to inquire, discover, and test ideas through the integration of psychomotor, cognitive, and affective skills. The teaching-learning process is accomplished as it moves from the familiar to the unfamiliar and from simple to complex.
  • Nursing Education is the combination of selected general education and nursing courses designed to prepare graduates to assume the roles of provider of care, manager of care, and member of the discipline of nursing. Nursing education requires the collaboration of students and faculty to meet the outcomes of the nursing program. Nursing education is a lifelong learning process that encompasses interdependent/independent and self-initiated learning. Associate degree nursing education is a systematic process that prepares the graduate nurse generalist to plan and provide safe effective care utilizing critical thinking skills and evidence-based practice in caring for individuals experiencing a variety of health care needs. The associate degree provides the foundation for continued education and the development of students' potential within the profession of nursing.

In addition, the ASN faculty realizes the value of various nursing theorists and incorporates concepts of diverse theorists throughout the curriculum. The faculty also believes nursing draws from theories of other disciplines and has chosen to utilize specific theorists throughout the curriculum, which include Maslow, Erikson, Havighurst, and Piaget.

Program Admission

The selection for entrance into the nursing program is highly competitive. A point system is used based on grades, entrance exam scores, state of residence, and the number of core courses completed. Students must have a calculated GPA of 3.0 on the core courses attempted and a score of 75% or higher on each required component of the HESI Admission Assessment Exam. (See the Catalog for more information). 

Students interested in pursuing the ASN program must attend one mandatory group advisement session.  Important information and deadlines are presented during these sessions; therefore, students must attend to be considered for program admission.  Session registration is not required prior to attending. The faculty requests that students arrive on time to avoid missing important information.  

Below are the scheduled dates.

  • Saturday, October 19, 10:00 AM, WCC

  • Wednesday, November 13, 2:00 PM, WCC

  • Tuesday, December 17, 6:00 PM, Virtual

Who is My Advisor?

Students are assigned advisors based on the first letter of the student's last name:

Programs of Study

Program Documents

Instructors

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