Registered Nurse Program Information

This program is designed to prepare graduates for Registered Nursing positions in a variety of healthcare settings. The program combines studies at Owens Community College with planned and guided experience in client care in healthcare facilities and community agencies.

Department of Nursing

Program Approval 

The Registered Nurse program is approved by the Ohio Board of Nursing with next site visit Fall 2020.

Ohio Board of Nursing
17 South High Street, Suite 660
Columbus, Ohio 43215-7410
Phone: 614-466-3947
FAX: 614-466-0388
Web address: www.nursing.ohio.gov

Accreditation

The Associate Degree nursing program at Owens Community College located in Perrysburg, Ohio is accredited by the:
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400 Atlanta, GA 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.

APPROVAL

Approved by the Ohio Board of Nursing

Professional Organizations

Selective Health Program Admission Process

Students may apply to a maximum of three selective admissions programs

Apply for Admission to Owens Community College.

Apply Online Now!

Request Evaluation for Admission to a Health Program.

Applicants must have a complete file in the Records Office by established deadline dates.   If you were previously evaluated and denied, and wish to be re-evaluated for the same program or any other health program, you must submit another Request for Health Evaluation.  To view file status, regularly check “My Required Documents” via Ozone.

- view FAQ’s for Selective Health Admission Process

- view Deadline Dates and Requirements for a Complete File

- Submit a Request for Health Program Evaluation by logging into your Ozone account. Select the Academic Info tab and navigate to the Selective Health portal and select Request a Health Evaluation.

Official transcripts are required from the applicant’s high school, college or university attended.  If you have a GED, high school, or college transcript(s), please request an official copy be sent to:

Owens Community College

Attn:  Records Office

P.O. Box 10,000

Toledo, OH 43699-1947

If you have an official, sealed copy of a transcript to drop off, visit Oserve on the Toledo or Findlay campus during regular hours, found at www.owens.edu/oserve, to submit.

Evaluation does not mean automatic admission to the program.  Results of the Health Evaluation will be sent to your Owens email account approximately 2-3 weeks after the evaluation deadline date.

For assistance with the selective health program admission process, requirements, procedures and final date for receipt of application contact the Pre-Health Advising Advisor.

Admission Requirements

The registered nurse program is a selective admissions program. Nursing program applicants must meet established minimum criteria to be considered for the nursing program. Only applicants who meet the minimum criteria in January (for fall semester entrance) and August (for spring semester entrance) will be awarded points. The potential nursing applicant needs to be aware that meeting minimum standards does not ensure admission to the nursing program. Applicants for the nursing program tend to be well qualified and only the top candidates are selected for each semester (fall or spring).

Minimum Criteria to be considered for the Registered Nurse program:

Graduation from high school or successful completion of the G. E. D. (General Education Development) test is required.High school students may apply, but acceptance into the program is contingent upon successful completion of high school and nursing program admission requirements.

1. A cumulative grade point average of 2.5 (4.0 system) will be based on the general education courses completed within the nursing program plan of study.  GPA will be determined in the following manner: 

A.  A college applicant’s GPA is based on completion of 11 college credit hours, three of which must include a required math or science course within the nursing program plan of study.

B.  If A above is not applicable, the high school grade point average (GPA) on file at Owens Community College will be used. 

2. Completion of one full year of high school level chemistry or Principles of Chemistry (CHM 095 ) at Owens Community College or a higher level college chemistry course with a grade of “C” or better.
3. Completion of one full year of high school level biology or Anatomy and Physiology I (BIO 211 ) at Owens Community College or a college biology course equivalent to BIO 211  with a grade of “C” or better.
4. The American College Test (ACT) is required of all applicants.  The minimum composite score of a 20 is recommended.
5. The first attempt, from any institution, of the most recent version of all four components of TEAS (Test of Essential Academic Skills).  A minimum score of 60 is recommended in Reading and Science and a minimum score of 70 is recommended in English and Math.
6. An Ohio Department of Health approved Nurse Assistant Training Competency Evaluation Program (NATCEP) must be completed within two years of the beginning of the first clinical course.  Documentation noting successful completion must be submitted to the Nursing Program Assistant Chair.  Students who are currently working in the role of a State Tested Nurse Assistant (STNA) may submit a letter of verification from their current employer detailing their job responsibilities. The Nursing Program Assistant Chair will determine if the student meets the criteria for the NATCEP requirement. 

Sites recommended for completion of a Nurse Assistant Training Competency Evaluation Program (NATCEP)

7. Official transcripts are required from the applicant’s high school, college or university attended (including LPN and RN programs attended, if applicable). Official high school transcripts and all other official transcripts must be sent directly to the Owens Community College Oserve Office.

8. MELAB (80 percentile) or IBN TOEFL (79-80) tests may be required to show proof of English language proficiency for individuals whose native language is not English.

Nursing Program Selection Criteria:  

Nursing applicants will be awarded points based upon the following criteria:

1. GPA calculated from courses completed in the nursing program plan of study (11 credit hours completed with at least 3 credit hours in math or science courses) or high school GPA.
2. TEAS entrance assessment.
3. Most recent ACT Composite Score.
4. Anatomy & Physiology I (BIO 211 ), Anatomy & Physiology II (BIO 212 ), and Microbiology (BIO 231 ) or the college equivalent of BIO 211 , BIO 212 , and BIO 231 .  Students will have a maximum of four opportunities to successfully complete each BIO course required by the Nursing Program.  The student may withdraw or fail the course, but must successfully complete the course on the fourth attempt.  A “withdrawal (WD)” counts as one of the four attempts in science courses.  Points for admission will only be based on the first attempt.
5. Completion of IPE 101 . (bonus points awarded)

A minimum of 15 points out of a total of 50 points must be achieved in order to be considered for RN Program Admission. 

As part of the admission criteria, the point values for all nursing applicants will be totaled. A rank ordered list of nursing applicants by point total will be developed. The applicants with the highest number of points will be admitted into the nursing program each semester. Points are calculated based upon the following criteria:

I.  Grade Point Average (GPA)

A cumulative grade point average of 2.5 (4.0 system) will be based on the general education courses completed within the nursing program plan of study.  GPA will be determined in the following manner:

A.  The college applicant’s GPA is based on completion of 11 college credit hours, three of  which must include a required math or science course within the nursing program plan of study.

B.  If “A” is not applicable, the high school grade point average (GPA) on file at Owens Community College will be used. 

II.  TEAS Entrance Assessment

These scores are calculated based on your TEAS score (from your first attempt on the most recent version of TEAS) in the four areas of English, Science, Math and Reading. Each area is worth points as listed below. A maximum of 16 points can be earned.

III.  ACT Score

These points are calculated from your most recent ACT composite score.

IV.  Anatomy and Physiology Course Completion

Students will have a maximum of four opportunities to successfully complete each BIO course required by the nursing program (BIO 211 , BIO 212 , and BIO 231 ). The student may withdraw or fail, but must successfully complete the course on the fourth attempt. A “withdraw” counts as one of the four total attempts in science courses. Students who earn a “B” or better in these courses (on the first attempt) can earn points in this category.

V.  If a student completed IPE 101 prior to the selective health admissions review, bonus points will be awarded as follows on a student’s first attempt:

*Zero points awarded if a student earns a grade of less than “B” on the first attempt in any of the BIO courses.

Criteria for a Tied Score:

The following criteria will be used to break a tie in the event of two or more students receiving the same number of points on the selection criteria tally form at the time of selection in the following order:

1. Highest GPA points.
2. Highest TEAS Entrance Assessment points.
3. Most recent ACT Composite score points.
4. Science course completion points.
5. Date of Selective Admission application to the Registered Nursing Program.

If two students are still tied after the above determinations have been made, a lottery system will be used to determine the selected candidate.

Progression/Completion Requirements:

All students entering or enrolled in the Nursing Program must achieve a “C” or better in all courses within the plan of study to progress through the program.  This includes all NUR courses and general education courses within the plan of study.  Students who fail to achieve grades of “C” or better in courses within the plan of study must see a Nursing Advisor. One 100 level nursing course may be repeated one time and one 200 level nursing course may be repeated one time. If a student is unsuccessful (earns a grade of “D” or “F”) in two 100 level Nursing courses or two 200 level Nursing courses, or earns a grade of “D” or “F” in one nursing course twice, the student is permanently dismissed from the Nursing Program and is ineligible for readmission.  All nursing courses (NUR) listed for each semester must be taken in the semester listed. Non-nursing courses listed for each semester must be taken in the semester listed or prior to the semester listed.

Academic Readmission:

A student requesting readmission due to academic reasons (“D” or “F” in a nursing course) must complete the following before being considered:

1. Complete an academic readmission form available in the Nursing Office.
2. Meet with a Nursing Program Advisor for assistance in the development of a written Academic Success Plan to resolve the academic problems.
3. Submit the plan to the Department Chair and Dean for approval. This plan must be completed and approved to continue enrollment in the Registered Nurse Program.
4. Students are readmitted on a space available basis.

Pursuant to the Ohio Revised Code 4723 and rule 4723-5-12 of the Ohio Administrative Code, students who reenter or are readmitted to an Ohio school of nursing must “meet the curriculum requirements effective at the time of readmission.”

Non-Academic Readmission:

Students who leave the program for reasons other than academic reasons may request readmission and be readmitted provided there is course seat availability.  A student who drops out of the program during the first semester will not be automatically readmitted.  The student must meet with a Nursing Advisor and  complete a non-academic readmission form. Non-academic readmission forms are available in the Nursing Office.

Pursuant to the Ohio Revised Code 4723 and rule 4723-5-12 of the Ohio Administrative Code, students who reenter or are readmitted to an Ohio school of nursing must “meet the curriculum requirements effective at the time of readmission.”

Student Advisement

All students entering or enrolled in the Nursing Program must achieve a “C” or better in all courses within the plan of study to progress through the program. Students who fail to achieve these grades must meet with a Nursing Advisor.  All Nursing (NUR) courses must be completed within a period of three (3) years.

Background Check

A BCI & I or a BCI & I and FBI criminal records check will be done prior to beginning the program.  The type of criminal records check will be determined by the State of residence and length of time of residency in the State.

Licensure/Clinical Agency Requirements

Program graduates are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). Students who plan to apply to take the NCLEX must submit fingerprints to the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation (BC I& I) and the BCI & I and FBI within six months of taking the examination. The Ohio Board of Nursing has the right to refuse to grant licensure to applicants who have been convicted of a misdemeanor, a felony or an egregious felony as described in the Ohio Revised Code (ORC): Section 4723.09. 

To meet certain clinical agency requirements, background checks will be performed prior to the first NUR course and/or clinical experience and prior to the fourth semester. Based on the results of the background check, clinical agencies may deny a student access to the clinical experience. Certain clinical agencies may require students to have a drug screen prior to attending clinical placement at their agency. The drug screen schedule will be determined by the clinical agency. A positive drug screen may prevent clinical placement at the agency in which the screen was required.

Technical Standards

Technical Standards are defined by the Owens Community College Nursing Faculty as the functional abilities determined to be essential to the practice of nursing.

The purpose of this document is to notify prospective nursing students of these technical standards to enable them to make an informed decision regarding enrollment in the nursing program at Owens Community College.

The delivery of safe, effective nursing care requires that students be able to perform functions related to the Technical Standards. The inability of a student to perform these functions may result in the student being unable to meet course objectives and to progress in the nursing program. Additionally if a student is unable to perform these required functions, the student may pose a risk of harm to the patient(s) for whom care is provided.

If you have a disability or acquire one, you may be entitled to receive individualized services and/or accommodations intended to assure you an equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from the program. To receive more information or to apply for services, please contact the Office of Disability Services in Alumni Hall 103 at (567) 661-7007 or email disability@owens.edu. English as a second language is not considered a disability and as such the student will not be given extra time for any timed activities.

All prospective and current Nursing students must be able to meet these standards, with or without reasonable accommodations.

The following chart outlines the Technical Standards and the related functions required by the Owens Community College Nursing Programs:

- View the Technical Standards Chart  

Employment Opportunities

The skills acquired through the Nursing Programs, as well as successful completion of the NCLEX-RN or NCLEX-PN, prepare graduates for positions in:

• Hospitals (Acute Care)
• Ambulatory care facilities
• Corrections facilities
• Behavioral health facilities
• Government agencies
• Home care providers
• Hospice
• Insurance Companies
• Long term care facilities
• Managed care organizations
• Pharmaceutical companies
• Physician practices
• Rehabilitation centers
• School Systems
• Skilled nursing facilities

Scholarships and Financial Aid

Owens Community College maintains an Oserve Office on each campus. Oserve is the place for you to ask questions related to financial aid. Contact: 1-800-GO OWENS ext. 2387 or (567) 661-2387 Email: oserve@owens.edu

The following scholarships are available to current nursing students:

Nurse Education Assistance Loan Program (NEALP), regents.ohio.gov/sgs/nealp/

The National Student Nurse Association (NSNA), www.nsna.org/

Transfer Information

Graduates may pursue a bachelor’s degree at many universities including:  Bowling Green State University, Lourdes University, Mercy College of Ohio, Ohio University, Spring Arbor University, Eastern Michigan University, The University of Toledo, Franklin University, Siena Heights University, and Ashland University. Meet with a Nursing Advisor for more information.

For valuable information and resources to help advance your career with a Bachelor’s in Nursing visit RN to BSN website, rntobsn.org.