Nursing Program

Students must maintain a cognitive grade of 77% or better in each nursing course and a satisfactory clinical evaluation in order to proceed to the subsequent nursing course.

CPR Certification
Submit a copy of the card (front and back) and current certification. The following two courses are the only approved courses: “American Heart Association, Healthcare Provider” or “American Red Cross, CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer and Health Care Provider.”

Drug Screening
Students are required to complete drug screening at a testing site designated by Cape Cod Community College early in the first semester of the freshman year. Drug screening may be repeated throughout the program as required by clinical settings.

Criminal Offender Record Information and Sex Offender Record Information
Please refer to the policy statement of Criminal Offender Record Information and Sex Offender Registry Information checks. CORI/SORI checks may be required throughout the program.

Good Moral Character: Standard for Licensure
Applicants who have been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor by a court of law must comply with the requirements to document "Good Moral Character" through the Massachusetts Board of Nursing before being eligible to take the NCLEX-RN examination to become licensed as a Registered Nurse. An individual who has been convicted of certain designated felonies is permanently ineligible for licensure as a Registered Nurse in Massachusetts.

Health Requirements
Nursing students must complete specific health and immunization requirements.

Nursing Student Accountability for Patient/Client Care
The Cape Cod Community College nursing student must demonstrate accountability for his/her own actions in the delivery of nursing care in a way that ensures the health and safety of patients/clients, staff and self. The student will be able to function in a manner that does not pose a direct threat as defined by the Board of Registration in Nursing (BORN) as “a significant risk to the health or safety of others that cannot be eliminated by a modification of policies, practices, or procedures or by the provision of auxiliary aids or services.”

Students who are evaluated as unable to meet the Nursing Program Technical Standards may follow the Cape Cod Community College grievance policy.

Nursing Program Technical Standards

In order to be eligible for and successfully complete the Nursing Program, certain physical and behavioral standards are required as part of the program and clinical/lab experience. These technical standards have been developed using the U.S. Department of Labor's skills and abilities for those working in a medical setting. Some cooperative work experience opportunities may have additional requirements beyond the technical standards listed here and requirements may vary by agency. Students must satisfy the program’s technical standards and the individual agency requirements before a clinical assignment is approved.

These technical standards are established in accordance with the Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the American with Disabilities Act. All students must be able to satisfy these standards with or without a reasonable accommodation. These include:

Communication (Verbal and Non-Verbal)

• Communicate effectively either independently or with corrective devices.
• Communicate in English through reading, orally and in writing to instructors, professors, clinical staff, clients, families and all members of the health care team.
• Understand oral directions/requests from health care workers, clients, voice pages and telephone messages stated in a normal tone.

Auditory Ability

• Hear all alarms on technical and supportive equipment set at a normal volume.
• Listen and respond to distress sounds from clients.
• Accurately detect audibly blood pressure readings with a stethoscope.

Visual Ability

• See and accurately read all written medical information pertaining to the client.
• See and accurately read all readings and functions of technical equipment pertaining to client care.
• See and accurately read all calibrated containers for accurate measurement of body fluids and specimens.

Physical Strength (Gross Motor Control)

• Ability to lift 25 pounds unassisted in a safe manner, thereby protecting yourself, the client, and those in close proximity to you.
• Bend and/or lift to assist client and manipulate client equipment.
• Lift to safely transfer or position all clients in various situations.
• Move, push or pull equipment, beds, stretchers, wheelchairs, etc.
• Ability to raise arms over one’s head in order to assist clients and manipulate equipment.
• Walk/ stand for extended periods and distances over an 8-hour period.

Manual Dexterity (Fine Motor Movement)

• Accurately manipulate dials, gauges, buttons and switches to set, monitor and care for client care related equipment.
• Safely and effectively perform dressing procedures without contaminating the wound.
• Successfully don and remove protective apparel (including sterile gloves) to maintain standard precautions.

Behavioral/Mental Performance

• Function safely, effectively and calmly under stressful situations.
• Prioritize and manage tasks simultaneously.
• Exhibit social skills necessary to interact therapeutically with clients, families, staff and faculty.
• Maintain personal hygiene consistent with department dress code guidelines.
• Display ethical attitudes and actions consistent with professional behavior.
• Display the social skills to behave with politeness, tact and sensitivity to others in all settings.
• Exhibit respect for cultural and ethnic differences of clients, peers and individuals.
• Remain free from alcohol and/or chemical impairment in classroom and clinical settings at all times.

Nursing Evening Option – Overview
The course sequencing is based on the term of enrollment. Nursing classes and clinical experiences are scheduled on selected evenings and alternate weekends. In addition to the prerequisites listed for NUR107-Day Option, students must complete the following course work prior to admission to the Evening Option: ENL101, PSY101, BIO108, PSY233, and ENL102 or COM103. Completion of BIO281 is strongly recommended.

Nursing Program – LPN to RN – Overview
In order to be considered for admission to this program, the applicant must have a current LPN license and have completed all prerequisites. In addition to the prerequisites listed for NUR107-Day Option, students must complete the following course work prior to admission to the transition course: ENL101, PSY101, BIO107, PSY233, and ENL102 or COM103. Completion of BIO281 is strongly recommended.

NUR132 – The LPN in Transition course is offered during the late spring. Successful completion of NUR132 admits the student to the third semester Nursing course, NUR201.

Upon completion of the Nursing Program, students are able to:

1. Synthesize knowledge of biopsychosocial sciences to provide care and promote health for patients/clients with chronic health problems.
2. Integrate the components of the nursing process to assist patient/client to move toward optimal health.
3. Integrate knowledge of the patient/client relationship to family, community and external environment while providing culturally competent nursing care.
4. Develop a therapeutic nurse patient/client relationship considering advocacy and ethical principles.
5. Synthesize concepts of stress adaptation to implement the plan of care for patient/client with chronic common health problems.
6. Demonstrate accountability and ethical principles while functioning as a member of the multidisciplinary health team.
7. Devise a plan to implement evidence-based practice in a variety of clinical settings.

Employment opportunities are available as an entry-level Registered Nurse in hospitals, long-term care facilities and other health care agencies.

This occupational profile is provided by O*NET.

See also: What can I do with this major?

The philosophy of the Nursing faculty is consistent with the values of Cape Cod Community College and is based on the principles that people are holistic beings with high value placed on the quality of human life.

We believe that the individual is endowed with free will, inherent worth, and dignity. Each individual is a unique biopsychosocial being capable of adaptation and growth. People have complex human needs which Maslow's hierarchic categorization describes as physiological, safety and security, love and belonging, self-esteem, self-actualization. These needs are common to all regardless of culture, race, gender, and age. The individual is continuously changing and communicating with the inner self and the environment.

The College's institutional mission addresses three broad areas: critical and creative thinking, communication competence, and a global multicultural perspective. We believe that society is a network of communicating individuals characterized by a variety of cultures and subcultures. The basic unit of society is the family, which transmits beliefs, values, and customs. Cultural competence is a dynamic process which involves the nurse’s self-examination regarding biases and prejudices, a knowledge base of various cultures including health variables and perspectives, and the ability to conduct culturally sensitive assessments and intervention strategies to deliver effective and culturally competent care to all clients.

Hans Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome and current neurobiological research describes the mind body response to stressors (acute, chronic, and traumatic). The individual’s adaptation to stressors influences health. Optimal health is a state of maximum physical, physiological, social, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, and environmental well-being. Personal definitions of health may vary and be influenced by ethics, morals, culture, age, economics, values, and the environment. The internal and external environments are dynamic, evolving, and changing, influenced by culture, economics, beliefs, ethics, and politics. Changes in the environment influence health. The individual has rights and responsibilities regarding health care.

We believe that nursing is a profession integrating science and the art of caring which utilizes the Nursing Process to provide evidenced-based health care to individuals, families and communities. The Nursing Program utilizes Gordon’s Functional Health Patterns as a template for organizing the nursing data base to organize and plan nursing care. In addition, critical thinking is one of the broad areas addressed in the College’s institutional mission. The capacity to communicate therapeutically and professionally, to view humanity with caring, and to appreciate the inherent dignity of people is a basis for ethical nursing practice. These characteristics are reflected in assisting individuals to adapt to their environment and in meeting their developmental patterns/needs throughout the life span when they are unable to do so. The nurse integrates biophysical principles with an understanding of human behavior for the promotion, maintenance, and restoration of health.

In keeping with the College's Mission Statement, the students' education comes first. Education, a lifelong process, is a basic right to every individual. It results in the acquisition of knowledge and facilitates behavioral changes. Education uses the teaching – learning process, a dynamic on-going art that integrates the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective domains. Learning, an active process, is enhanced by Information Literacy, and requires the internalization of knowledge. Teaching is a logical, organized, goal-directed activity. The teacher creates an environment, which allows the learner to assimilate knowledge and discover personal meaning.

Nursing education is an applied, purposeful discipline that best occurs in an institution of higher education. It is value and competency-based, integrating nursing and general education studies.

We believe that the graduate of the Nursing Program at Cape Cod Community College will be able to utilize the nursing process while exhibiting professional responsibility, accountability, and ethical behavior. He/she will be able to lead and delegate to others while promoting health and preventing common health problems. The graduate will be prepared to function in both acute and long-term care settings where policies, procedures, and guidance are available.

Full Time Faculty

Administrative Assistants

Part-Time Faculty

Part-time faculty offices are: Frank Wilkens Hall 220D, 215D, and 214E. Your individual Instructor will let you know how to best make contact.

Allison Belmonte RN, MSN, CPN
Cheryl Brennan, MSN, RN, BC
Denise Ciochini RN, MSN
Samantha Clark, RN, BSN
Elizabeth Collado, RN, BSN
Diane Cronin, RN, MSN
Elizabeth A. Davis, RN, BSN, MSN, CNE
Stephanie Delande RN, MSN, APRN, FNP-C
Amber Hand RN, BSN
Catherine Harris RN, MSN, CEN, CPEN, CNE
Joanne Hinesley, RN, BSN
Kathleen Hood, RN, BSN
Kaitlyn Kerwin RN, MS
Diane Lavallee, RN, MS, WHCNP
Alyssa McGraw, RN, MSN
Sarah Minton RN, DNP, APRN, FNP-C
Kara Moriarty RN,MS
Al Price RN, MSN
Helen Price, RN, BSN, MSN
Sarah Provencher RN, BSN
Theresa Przybylowicz RN, MS, CNE
Joan-Anne Simpkins
Tiana Wiseman RN, BSN