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Students apply the knowledge and skills they have learned in the classroom into clinical practice.
Students apply the knowledge and skills they have learned in the classroom into clinical practice.
Students apply the knowledge and skills they have learned in the classroom into clinical practice.
The associate degree in nursing is one of the quickest routes to becoming a registered nurse. Graduates who pass the national licensure examination can enter the workforce in an entry-level position while advancing their career in a specialty area. ADN graduates also have the opportunity to continue on a streamlined pathway to earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing.
This 66-credit, concept-based curriculum includes a combination of classroom instruction, hands-on skills and simulation labs, and direct patient care clinical rotations that begin in the first semester and continue throughout. The curricular framework is based on the core concepts of safety, clinical judgment, leadership, patient-centeredness, professionalism, and health promotion.
The Associate Degree Nursing Program at Central Wyoming College located in Riverton, Wyoming, is accredited by the
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400
Atlanta, Georgia 30326
(404) 975-5000
The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the Associate Degree Nursing Program is Continuing Accreditation.
View the public information disclosed by the ACEN regarding this program at
https://www.acenursing.org/search-programs/
Additionally, the Associate Degree Nursing Program at Central Wyoming College is approved by the
Wyoming State Board of Nursing
130 Hobbs Avenue
Cheyenne, Wyoming 82002
(307) 777-7601
Further information regarding Wyoming nursing education may be found at https://wsbn.wyo.gov/education
Only graduates of state board approved nursing programs are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). A passing score must be achieved to earn the legal title of “registered nurse.” Admission to the program is not a guarantee of professional licensure.
There are a number of reasons that the Wyoming State Board of Nursing may deny, revoke, limit, or suspend a nursing license. The Board protects the public by screening candidates for licensure in order to identify potentially unsafe nurses. The law provides for denial of licensure for acts which are substantially related to nursing qualifications, duties, or abilities. The complete regulation (33-21-146) taken from The Nurse Practice Act may be viewed at https://wsbn.wyo.gov/home
Admissions occur once per year and classes begin in the fall semester. It is the applicant’s responsibility to verify that the required documentation has been received in the nursing office by the stated deadline.
Prior to applying to the nursing program, international students must contact the college International Student Services Office to review additional admission requirements and to determine their readiness to enter the nursing program. More information can be found at https://www.cwc.edu/international/.
Prerequisites must be met prior to the program start date. Students enrolled in required courses in the spring semester during the selection process may be offered conditional admission, but must demonstrate successful completion of all prerequisite courses prior to May 31.
Prerequisite courses may be from CWC or other regionally accredited institutions of higher education and include
Students who wish to transfer college credit must arrange for official transcripts to be sent by the issuing institution directly to records@cwc.edu or faxed to 1-307-855-2092. This does not include transcripts for coursework completed at CWC.
Official transcripts may also be directly mailed in a sealed envelope from the issuing institution to
Central Wyoming College
Records Office
2660 Peck Avenue
Riverton, WY 82501
Transcripts must be received no later than March 1. For courses in progress in the spring semester during the selection process, official transcripts showing course completion must be received by May 31. The college registrar and nursing director will review the transcripts to determine transfer credit eligibility. Evaluations may take several weeks to complete and results are sent to the student’s CWC email address.
Students admitted to the program must provide official documentation of each of the items listed below. All requirements must remain current throughout enrollment in the program. Detailed information is provided upon admission notification.
The Central Wyoming College Nursing Program follows the requirements established by our clinical partners, as well as Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines and recommendations for immunizations for healthcare providers. The college has no authority to override clinical agency rules and regulations, and is not obligated to provide substitute or alternate clinical placement based on a student’s request or vaccine preference. Students who decline vaccinations must provide titer lab results and sign the vaccination declination form available in the nursing office at the college.
Core Performance Standards are the required skills and abilities that are essential for safe and effective nursing care. Students admitted to the nursing program must meet the performance standards and maintain satisfactory demonstration of the standards for progression in the program. The nursing program does not base admission or continued enrollment on the Core Performance Standards. Rather, the standards are used to assist in the determination of need for related and reasonable accommodations.
Standard | Performance Requirements |
---|---|
Intellectual Ability |
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Interpersonal Skills |
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Motor Skills |
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Physical Endurance and Mobility |
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CWC provides reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities. If an otherwise qualified student believes that s/he may need assistance in meeting one or more of the Core Performance Standards, they must contact the CWC Disability Services Coordinator. Additionally, students are responsible for advising the Nursing Program Director of any conditions or limitations that may interfere with their academic or clinical progress.
Revealing a disability is voluntary and student disability information is handled in a professional and confidential manner. The student who discloses a disability and requests accommodations is responsible for providing medical and other required documentation to the designated institutional office to determine eligibility for services. Reasonable accommodation will not be implemented retroactively, so being timely in requesting accommodations is essential. The nursing program is not obligated to make modifications that would substantially alter the requirements of the program. It is incumbent on the student to renew accommodations each semester.
Applications must be received by 11:59PM (MST) on the application deadline.
Before you begin the nursing application, be sure you have reviewed the “Prerequisites and Admission Eligibility” menu above. Nursing program admission decisions are based on the fulfillment of these requirements.
Carefully read the instructions that appear throughout the application form and pay close attention to the accuracy in your online responses. Once your application is submitted, it will be held for review by the nursing selection committee. Applicants are notified of committee decisions in early April for the fall start.
Applications are Currently Closed.
To receive bonus points, you must contact the nursing director at the college and provide a valid license number. Additionally, a letter verifying current employment must be written on company letterhead and sent directly from a human resource official at the employing agency to the CWC Nursing Director at 2660 Peck Avenue, Riverton, WY 82501 by the March 1 program application deadline. Documentation must include job title, hours worked per week, date of hire, and verification of current employment. The employer’s contact information must also be included for validation purposes.
Total points are calculated using a weighted formula:Graduates complete 66 total program credits leading to an Associate Degree in Nursing. Once the prerequisite coursework requirements are met, the program is designed to be completed in two academic years (four semesters). The recommended ADN Program of Study is designed to assist students with long-range planning. Students should work with their academic advisor in planning their schedule.
Course Number | Course | Credits |
---|---|---|
BIOL 1010 | General Biology I | 4 |
MATH 1400 | College Algebra | 4 |
NURS 1100 | Professional Nursing Care in Health Promotion | 8 |
NURS 1110 | Pharmacology in Health Promotion | 1 |
NURS 1200 | Professional Nursing Care of the Patient w/Chronic Illness | 8 |
NURS 1210 | Pharmacology in Chronic Illness | 1 |
NURS 2300 | Professional Nursing Care of the Patient w/Acute Illness | 8 |
NURS 2310 | Pharmacology in Acute Illness | 1 |
NURS 2400 | Professional Nursing Care of the Patient w/Complex Illness | 8 |
NURS 2410 | Pharmacology in Complex Illness | 1 |
PSYC 1000 | General Psychology | 4 |
ZOO 2015 | Human Anatomy | 4 |
ZOO 2025 | Human Physiology | 4 |
Writing Level I (WR1) | 3 credits |
Writing Level II (WR2) | 3 credits |
American & Wyoming Government (POLS 1000) | 3 credits |
LSCI/MATH/SOC | (in program) |
UNST | 1 credits |
The on-campus nursing classroom is a state-of-the-art teaching space that is equipped for distance delivery by means of video conferencing technology allowing real-time interaction with nursing students and faculty at an outreach site in Jackson, Wyoming. All nursing courses have an online classroom to handle announcements, topic outlines, discussion boards, and other communication from the faculty. Student response systems allow for enhanced participation during class and provide instructors with instant feedback related to student understanding of content.
Active classroom learning strategies used to assist the student in meeting outcomes include team-based learning activities, case studies, group work, demonstration and return demonstration, practice worksheets, concept mapping, textbooks, mobile apps, and ATI® online learning tools and assessments.
The team-based learning strategy facilitates active learning through the use of small group classroom activities. This student-centered approach to learning fosters the development of high-level critical thinking, while enhancing professional skills in teamwork, communication, and problem-solving.
Thanks to considerable advanced technology in nursing schools, graduates are better prepared to make decisions and to face high-pressure clinical situations. The simulation and skills labs present a sophisticated and innovative learning environment in which students synthesize theoretical and clinical knowledge. Here you will apply the concepts learned in the classroom to hands-on skills practice.
The simulation lab is occupied by life-size mannequins, from infant through adult, that simulate the symptoms, diseases, and conditions that nurses are likely to see in an actual patient care setting. The labs are fully furnished with supplies and equipment to create a realistic hospital environment. High-fidelity clinical simulations are integrated throughout the curriculum, and provide challenging scenarios to assist students in developing clinical judgment and decision-making skills. These scenarios allow students to respond to patient situations and learn correct interventions in a controlled environment, thereby decreasing the risks inherent in practicing skills on live patients.
Debriefing begins immediately following a simulation session when students are provided performance feedback. Debriefing is a guided reflection process that helps students to analyze the events and scenarios following a simulated learning experience.
Clinical rotations begin in the first semester of the program. Each core nursing course has a clinical component whereby students are placed in a clinical setting and engage in learning experiences where they provide direct care to patients under the close supervision of a nursing professional. Our main objective is the careful selection of a variety of community agencies whose clinical opportunities meet the goals of the nursing program.
In the fourth semester of the program, a merit-based, preceptor-guided clinical experience may be available to qualifying students. The purpose is to provide students an opportunity to apply all elements of prior learning into an authentic clinical practice situation and to facilitate transition into practice. During the preceptorship, students will provide direct patient care under the guidance of a registered nurse preceptor.
Most testing is done is a computer laboratory to resemble the style and format of the national licensing examination. In certain situations, a secure online test proctoring service may be used. In that event, the student must have access to a computer with microphone capabilities and a webcam for test-taking purposes.
The program uses innovative and emerging teaching strategies and technologies to engage students in the learning process. Students accepted to the program must be computer literate and have high-speed internet access. Students must supply a mobile device that is small enough to fit into the uniform pocket and capable of supporting the required software products. The college uses the Canvas Learning Management System to deliver hybrid and online course content.
Technology is integrated into the nursing curriculum in a variety of ways, including
Students wishing to transfer credit into the nursing program must meet the following requirements:
Enrolled nursing students may be considered for scholarships provided they meet the criteria and complete the CWC scholarship application. The online application period is October 1 thru March 1. Most scholarships also require a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on file with the CWC financial aid office. Failure to complete this form may affect award eligibility.
The nursing scholarship committee determines program-specific awards, typically in early summer, and recipients are notified via their student email account. If you are selected to receive an award, there is time-sensitive action required on your part or the award will be revoked.
Scholarships may be renewed for subsequent semesters provided the student continues to meet the scholarship criteria, and annually completes the online scholarship application and submits a current-year FAFSA.
Check out Central Scholarships for more information.
Stacey Stanek
Nursing Director
307-855-2226
sstanek@cwc.edu
2660 Peck Avenue
Riverton, WY 82501
(307) 855 – 2000
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120 Enterprise Blvd.
Lander, WY 82520
(307) 332 – 3394
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240 S. Glenwood St #124
P.O. Box 4795
Jackson, WY 83001
(307) 733 – 7425
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302 W. Ramshorn
P.O. Box 175
Dubois, WY 82513
(307) 455 – 2625
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