FAQ About the Nursing Program
Where do I begin if I want to be a nurse?
- First apply to Peninsula College and declare nursing as your area of interest.
- Meet with the pre-nursing advisor that you are assigned.
- Consider volunteering or working in a related field for exposure to nursing.
How do I know I have what it takes to be a nurse?
First gain some personal exposure – volunteer, work in the field – having a parent as a nurse may not give you the insight that you have with first-hand observations, but talking to a variety of nurses can help. Nursing is a physically and emotionally demanding job. It is also very rewarding. You need to like working with people, be interested in continuous learning, don’t mind technology, have decent computer skills, and a desire to make a difference. You can also look through the Technical Standards for a better idea of the physical requirements of the job.
Do the graduates get jobs?
For the last several years all graduates have been employed if they wanted to be. They may not be employed in their first choice area of nursing, but usually once they work for awhile and gain experience they have been able to transition to other areas of nursing that interest them more. Many students stay local – some leave and get jobs elsewhere.
I hear I need a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing.
Graduates may be employed more easily if they have a Bachelor’s degree. Peninsula College’s DTA/MRP degree is a directly transferrable degree, so that PC nursing graduates have one additional year to complete their Bachelor’s degree in nursing.
What are nursing wages?
Search for Nurse here www.bls.gov/oes
I hear the nursing program is hard. How hard is it?
Every quarter is variable; however, each quarter of nursing courses include theory classes, labs, and clinical. Additionally, you need to plan on roughly 3 hours of study time per credit per week (18-36 hours of study). It is difficult for a student to work while they are in nursing school and it will be necessary to have back up plans for ill children, broken cars, etc. Attendance, timeliness, and follow-through are expectations throughout the program.
I read you are recommended not to work – what kind of financial assistance is there?
First meet with someone from the financial aid office to see what you might qualify for. There are several scholarships available for nursing students – some are for students in their second year of nursing courses. You can work summers and breaks – we encourage working in a related field if possible (CNA, medical office, etc) which helps with organization and speaking with patients.
What else can I do to prepare?
We strongly suggest meeting with a pre-nursing advisor as well as attending a Nursing Information Session. Submit transcripts for any coursework taken outside of Peninsula College for official evaluation. Knowing what courses will be accepted is important as you plan your prerequisites. You can also start getting some of the immunizations – for example the Hepatitis B series takes 7 months to complete.
I have some questions that are best answered by a nursing faculty – what do I do?
Contact the Nursing Program Director or Nursing Program Specialist, Kate Dexter, at kdexter@pencol.edu.
My Accuplacer test was waived by Student Services, do I need to complete any other college placement test?
No, you will only be required to take the TEAS test which is part of the application.
FAQs About the Application Process for the Nursing Program
What’s the best thing I can do on the application to get in?
First and foremost – follow all the directions to complete all the steps and components of the application. Do well in your pre-requisite courses, especially the weighted classes. Begin preparation for your TEAS test early, and allow ample time in case you need to retake the test. Answer the essay questions directly, succinctly and clearly. All of these things will help build a strong application. Attending an information session is a great way to learn about building a competitive application.
How many applicants do you take?
Generally we have 2-3 times the number of applicants than we accept. We accept 32 students per year. We do not keep a wait list and those students who do not get in the first time are welcome to reapply.
What if I don’t have a 4.0 average?
Overall GPA is not considered in application scoring. Refer to the Application Scoring Grid to see how each component of the application is weighted.
I failed/withdrew from a class, but passed it on the second try with a good grade - does this look bad and make my application unacceptable?
At this time the selection committee is using the highest grade the student received in a course for application scoring. Points are not affected by whether the course was taken previously.
Is a Tdap the same as a Td?
No , Tdap contains pertussis– make sure to have the exact immunizations requested. These immunizations are required by our clinical facilities. Show your provider the requirements for immunizations to ensure that you have the correct ones. Titers may be necessary to verify immunity. For example, we cannot accept, "Parent notes student had chicken pox when they were 8." We will not review immunizations in advance, but you may email questions to the program specialist.
I have childhood immunization records – are those acceptable?
Yes – as long as they are official and clear.
I took a class 15 yrs ago - does it still transfer or do I need to retake it?
In general, we do not have an expiration date on prerequisite coursework for the nursing program. All coursework taken outside of Peninsula College needs to be formally evaluated by the transcript evaluation specialist on campus to determine whether it will transfer. You can submit your official transcripts for coursework taken outside of Peninsula College to the general Peninsula College address for evaluation. We would also encourage you to meet with an advisor within Student Services and attend a nursing information session for further guidance.
I heard I have to be a CNA to get in?
This is not true at this time. CNAs receive extra points – refer to the Application Scoring Grid to see how applicants are scored. Other medically related fields may also acquire points depending on the number of skills that cross over into nursing.
When should I take the TEAS test? Also can I take it twice?
Since you have to take the TEAS before the application deadline of May 1st – most students often do take it before they have completed all prerequisites. We will use your highest scores when we calculate points on the application. It is possible to only retake one section of the TEAS if needed. The TEAS covers Reading, Math, Science (including Chemistry, A & P) and English, so the students should have had enough of their pre-requisites to be comfortable with the material. You may find the following website helpful - https://www.atitesting.com/solutions/pre-nursing-school. Additional information may be found at the PC testing center - http://pencol.edu/admissions/placement-testing-center/teas
I have an old CPR card – will that work?
For CPR you must have an American Heart Association BLS for Healthcare Provider card and it should be valid through the first year of the program. We highly recommend that you take a course over the summer before starting the program so you have valid certification throughout the program. We recognize that many students take the NAC course and have certification that will expire during the first year - we don't expect you to recertify early but do expect that you will keep track and recertify prior to expiration.
I have an HIV/AIDS 7 hour completion certificate from 2000, will that work?
HIV/AIDS certification is no longer required as it is included in our curriculum.