Associate Degree in Nursing – Requirements, Coursework, Career Outlook and Top Colleges

If you are planning to pursue your career in the field of health care and don’t want to go for a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), then you can opt for a 2-year Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN). It is specifically for the students who can’t afford and don’t have time to pursue the four-year degree program. As soon as students complete the degree of ADN, they can take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) to become a Registered Nurse (RN). After this, they can pursue BSN degree either online or on-campus.

Requirements to be Fulfilled for Enrolling in an Associate’s Degree in Nursing

According to the National Organization for Associate Degree Nursing, there are above 1000 programs all over the country that offer ADN courses. Many of the programs demand that the applicant must have studied biology, chemistry, anatomy, and physiology.

For instance, a high school coursework in the following areas is necessary for those who want to apply to the Penn State ADN (or ASN- Associate of Science in Nursing) program.

  • Maths for 2 years including algebra and an additional stream of math.
  • Science for 2 years comprising of chemistry and biology.
  • English for 4 years consisting composition and literature.
  • 5 years for any of these combinations- world languages/social studies/arts/humanities

Candidates transferring from another university must have to take additional classes in Math and Science before taking enrollment. Some colleges give preference to applicants who have already taken classes in anatomy, physiology, chemistry, social or behavioral subjects like human development, family studies, psychology or sociology.

Basic requirements to enter in an ADN program are:-

  • Grade point average of minimum 2.0 in high school and 2.5 in college.
  • Letter of Recommendation
  • Your own remark on career objectives
  • Offical transcripts from the schools or colleges you have attended
  • Submit the report of drug screen test
  • Undergo preliminary background check

Coursework of Associate’s Degree in Nursing

Other than the general subjects, coursework for associate’s degree in nursing also includes topics related to nursing. Nursing seminars, internship, and practicum are also important parts of the syllabus and train the aspirants for giving their best to serve the patients. Some important subjects of the curriculum are- anatomy and physiology, nursing basics, nutrition, pharmacology, pediatric nursing, clinical nursing, etc.

First Year Coursework

In the first year, students ideally earn 15 to 17 credits in classes. These courses set the base for nursing skills and instill knowledge of human anatomy in students and make them ready for handling the tasks related to human behavior in adverse situations. Here are some courses that a nursing student can take in the first year of the degree program:-

  • General courses for education that include one year of English Composition and minimum one humanities elective
  • Basic and introductory courses of human anatomy and physiology
  • Basic knowledge about microbiology, sociology, and developmental psychology
  • Pharmacology and nursing principles and concepts

Second Year Coursework

The second year coursework prepares the students technically and trains them to start their career. The coursework includes all the introductory tasks related to nurses. The second-year students of nursing complete about 17 credits in the classes. The syllabus includes –

  • Basic and general education that is essential to complete.
  • Psychiatric nursing
  • Nursing related to medical surgery
  • Nursing of maternity and infants
  • Parent and child nursing

What are the advantages of obtaining an Associate Degree in Nursing?

In comparison to Bachelor degree (a 4-year program), ADN completes in a shorter duration, i.e., in 2 years. It means, you can start your work and earn money faster after clearing the NCLEX-RN exam. Since the program completes in a short duration, you need to spend less money on tuition. Moreover, you can get jobs in the same settings as those holding a bachelor’s degree.

Cities that are best to work in with an ADN/ASN Degree

Though, there is a huge demand for nurses in every sate of the US, there are some cities that rank on top.

1. Austin, Texas

The low rate of unemployment, growing population, and increasing number of educated people in the capital city of Texas result into a rise in the demand for health care services and nursing. Besides this, the cost of living in Austin is also moderate.

2. Portland, Oregon

Another city that has a huge demand for skilled nursing professional is Portland. This city also offers handsome salary to the nurses.

3. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Strong economy of Philadelphia is one of the most important reasons for the high demand of health care professionals in this city. Also, in recent years, many clinical centers and pharmaceutical firms came into existence which raised the job opportunities for nurses.

4. Cincinnati, Ohio

There is a great career outlook for nurses in this city because of growth in Fortune 100 companies.

5. Nashville, Tennessee

Being a pioneer in biotechnology and healthcare, this city too has attractive career opportunities for nursing professionals. Here, cost of living is also very low.

Career Opportunities and Salary of Nurses Having an Associate Degree in Nursing

After gaining an Associates Degree in Nursing, students can become an RN after passing the NCLEX. They can work in hospitals and clinics in any state of the USA. Besides this, they can also work with nursing homes, schools, public health centers, residential care facilities, and doctor’s offices. As demand for nurses can never decrease, thus there are many career opportunities available for them.

As per indeed.com, the average annual salary of a Registered Nurse Associate Degree Nursing was $62,000 per annum (as of April 4, 2016). According to the payscale.com, hourly salary of a Registered Nurse with Associate Degree was between $20.77 and $35.66 while the median annual salary was $57,954 (as of March 27, 2016).

Top Colleges Offering Online Associate’s Degree in Nursing

The following colleges offer online ADN course:-

  • John A. Logan College
    Address – 700 Logan College Road, Carterville, Illinois 62918
    Contact No. – 618-985-3741
    Official Websitehttp://www.jalc.edu
  • Allegany College of Maryland – Bedford County Campus
    Address – 18 North River Lane, Everett, PA 15537
    Contact No. – 814-652-9528
    Official Websitehttp://www.allegany.edu
  • Allegany College of Maryland – Cumberland Campus
    Address – 12401 Willowbrook Road, Cumberland, MD 21502
    Contact No. – 301-784-5000
    Official Websitehttp://www.allegany.edu
  • Allegany College of Maryland – Somerset County Campus
    Address – 6022 Glades Pike, Suite 100, Somerset, PA 15501-4300
    Contact No. – 814-445-9848
    Official Websitehttp://www.allegany.edu
  • Hutchinson Community College
    Address – 1300 North Plum, Hutchinson, KS 67501
    Contact No. – 620-665-3500
    Official Websitehttp://www.hutchcc.edu
  • Western Iowa Tech
    Address – 4647 Stone Avenue, PO Box 5199, Sioux City, Iowa 51102-5199
    Contact No. – 800-352-4649
    Official Websitehttps://www.witcc.edu
  • Excelsior College
    Address – 7 Columbia Circle, Albany NY 12203-5159
    Contact No. – 888-647-2388
    Official Websitehttp://www.excelsior.edu
  • Pratt Community College
    Address – 348 North East SR 61, Pratt, KS 67124
    Contact No. – 620-672-9800
    Official Websitehttp://prattcc.edu
  • Northwestern Michigan College
    Address – 1701 East Front Street, Traverse City, MI 49686
    Contact No. – 800-748-0566
    Official Websitehttps://www.nmc.edu
  • Kaplan University
    Address – 9000 Keystone Crossing, Suite 800, Indianapolis, IN 46240
    Contact No. – 317-208-5311
    Official Websitehttp://www.kaplanuniversity.edu
  • Herzing University
    Address – W140N8917 Lilly Road, Menomonee Falls, WI 53051
    Contact No. – 800-596-0724
    Official Websitehttps://www.herzing.edu
  • Northern Kentucky University
    Address – Nunn Drive, Highland Heights, KY 41009
    Contact No. – 859-572-5100
    Official Websitehttps://www.nku.edu
  • Eastern Kentucky University
    Address – 521 Lancaster Avenue, Richmond, KY 40475
    Contact No. – 859-622-1000
    Official Websitehttp://www.eku.edu
  • Southwestern College
    Address – 900 Otay Lakes Road, Chula Vista, CA 91910
    Contact No. – 619-421-6700
    Official Websitehttp://www.swccd.edu
  • Louisiana Tech University
    Address – Ruston, LA 71272
    Contact No. – 318-257-2000
    Official Websitehttp://www.latech.edu
  • The University of Montana
    Address – 32 Campus Drive, Missoula, MT 59812
    Contact No. – 406-243-0211
    Official Websitehttp://www.umt.edu
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