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Nursing, Associate Degree Nursing, Associate of Applied Science

Nursing, Associate Degree Nursing

Associate of Applied Science

Program Overview

The Associate Degree Nursing (A.D.N.) Program at Laredo College consists of 60 semester credit hours(including program pre-requisites) and can be completed in 2 years or 4 semesters.  Upon completion of the program, the student is awarded an Associates of Applied Science in Nursing degree and will be eligible to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination(NCLEX).The Two-Year Program trains and prepares students to provide direct patient care in numerous settings.

Program Mission

The mission of the Associate Degree Nursing Program is to prepare individuals to become competent and safe professional nurses by providing quality nursing education with a commitment to educational excellence and promotion of student success.

Job Opportunities

Why choose a career in nursing?

Not many jobs come as flexible as nursing. You can work where and when you want. You can work full-time or part-time. Many employers offer flexible schedules that allow you to work whatever time of day you want, in 4, 8, 10, or 12-hour shifts. You can work weekdays or weekends or a combination. With over 100,000 vacant positions across the nation and an ever-growing need for healthcare workers, the career outlook is excellent for the nursing field. There are many specialties available in a variety of settings and environments for nurses to work. 

Salary/Benefits

Starting salaries will range from 86,000 (bls.gov) and above depending on geographical area (location), number of hours/ weeks, shift differential, experience, and specialize area (such as emergency room, intensive care and many more).  Many hospitals will often offer sign-up bonuses.

Program Costs  

The approximate cost of the two-year program for tuition and fees is $10,000.00, not including books and other fees that will be required throughout the program.  Please refer to the LC catalog for specifics.  Students seeking financial aid should contact the Financial Aid Center at either campus for more information.

 

Accreditation and Licensure

ACEN-accreditation.jpg 

The program is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing(ACEN) and approved by the Texas Board of Nursing. Upon completion of the program, graduates are eligible for the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).     

 

The Associate Degree Nursing Program is fully accredited by:

ACEN
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing
3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400
Atlanta, Georgia 30326
(404) 975-5000

 The Associate Degree Nursing Program is fully approved by:

Texas Board of Nursing
1801 Congress Avenue Suite 10-200
Austin, Texas 78701
(512) 305-7400

 

Statistical Data (Licensure/Exam/Retention Rates)

ASSOCIATE DEGREE NURSING DATA

 

 

2025

2024

2023

 2022

2021

National Council Licensure Examination RN (Registered Nurse)

92.59%

(50/54)

97.87%

(45/46)

100%

(53/53)

100%

(25/25)

97.92%

(47/48)

Nursing Program Graduates

54

46

53

25

48

Graduates Obtaining a job

96.22%

100%

100%

100%

100%

Completion Rates

77.63%

83.01% 

42% 

42% 

85.7% 

 *54 ADN students completed the Exit Survey.

 100% of students ranked the ADN Program at Laredo College as excellent in 2025.

Student Learning Outcomes:

  • 98.3% of students felt prepared in planning and improving patient-centered care by collaborating and communicating with patients, their families, and the interdisciplinary health care team to implement evidenced based practices.
  • 96.61% of students felt prepared in evaluating and creating opportunities for patient and family teachings that focus on the needs and preference of the individual and their family to include health promotion, maintenance, and restoration.
  • 100% of students felt prepared to simulate and justify accountability nursing care while functioning within the legal/ethical scope of practice consistent with the state and national regulations.
  • 100% of students felt prepared to evaluate and prepare for safe, compassionate nursing care using the nursing process which is achieved through critical thinking and problem solving.
  • 100% of students felt prepared to evaluate and improve patient outcomes and responses to therapeutic interventions to include pharmacological principles of safety.
  • 98.3% of students felt prepared to infer and prioritize the physiological, psychosocial, and developmental needs and preferences of culturally, ethically, and socially diverse patients and their families.
  • 100% of students felt prepared to determine, assemble evidence and report actual and potential unsafe practices to promote safety in the individual and family environment by following professional standards of nursing practice.

Marketable Skills

In addition to acquiring the knowledge and skills required to become a registered nurse, students also develop marketable skills that are valued by employers. These skills include:

  • Active Listening
  • Monitoring
  • Speaking
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Critical Thinking and Clinical Judgement

Information

The application and ATI TEAS testing process have changed. Please read the information carefully. 

Admission Information/Application Requirements

The student seeking admission to the A.D.N. Program must:

  1. Apply for admission and be accepted to Laredo College (A student must reapply if they last attended more than 1 year ago). Click here for more information.
  2. Be College Ready in Reading, Writing, and Math (TSI).
  3. Have a minimum 2.5 GPA (Pre-requisite, Institutional & Overall)
    *Courses that begin after December 1st (including flex courses) will not count toward GPA calculations for program admission purposes.
  4. If pre-requisite courses were completed at another institution, official transcripts must be submitted to the LC admission office to be added to your LC student records prior to program application submission.
  5. GPAs for: Prerequisites, Institutional, and Overall will be calculated based on a point system.
  6. Complete (A.D.N.) pre-requisite courses with a “C” or better; “D” course grades are not considered passing:
    *ENGL 1301 Composition I
    *PSYC 2314 Life Span Growth & Development or PSYC 2301 General Psychology
    *BIOL 2301 Anatomy & Physiology I
    *BIOL 2101 Anatomy & Physiology I
  7. Schedule the ATI TEAS Exam
    *Pay $15.00 exam sitting fee (Oct-Feb) at the Bursar’s Office at the LC Ft. McIntosh Campus or South Campus. The fee is non-refundable if the scheduled exam date and time are missed. A new fee is required for rescheduling the exam attempt.
    *Provide receipt to the Nursing Department at the South Campus located in the College of Health Sciences, room A221-A222, to schedule the ATI TEAS Exam or call: 956-721-5252, 956-721-5171. Additional exam instructions and an entry ticket will be given upon scheduling an exam date.
    *Only one attempt is allowed per admission cycle; scores from other schools are not accepted.
    *A score of 65% is required to be eligible to apply to the Associate Degree Nursing Program.
    *Testing dates available: November-February (Mondays only) at Laredo College, Lerma Pena Room 227, Fort McIntosh Campus, West End Washington Street.
    November: 2, 9, 16, *30
    December: 7, *14
    January: 18, *25
    February: 1, 8, 15, *22
    Please note that space is limited based on the number of testing seats available per testing day.
    *Dates with additional space for accommodations.
    *Accommodations may be provided with prior approval; contact Disability Services at (956) 721-5137 or email lcds@laredo.edu at least two weeks prior to the scheduled accommodation exam day.
    Important: If you are a new student and have not registered for Disability Services, you will need to fill out an LC Disability Services Registration and meet with the Director of Disability Services first before requesting exam accommodations to obtain an accommodation approval.
  8. Complete and submit the selected nursing program application. Click below and create an account:
                             **New Link will open here January 25, 2027**

    *NOTE: Students applying to both the A.D.N. and V.N. programs must select the ADN/VN Dual Application. Only one application is required when applying to both programs. A minimum score of 65% is required, and completion of the program's prerequisites is required when applying to both programs.
    *Applications Opens the fourth Monday in January at 9am - Applications Closes the last Friday in February at 11:59 pm
    *An LC Palomino ID# is required to apply, and your LC student email.
    *Please use your full legal name (no nicknames) as it appears on your government- issued ID. This information will be submitted to the Texas Board of Nursing for background check processing and must match your government-issued ID.
    *A status of "Application in progress" is not considered submitted; the applicant needs to complete and submit the application for consideration. Submissions are not accepted after the application cycle closes.
    *Applicants are required to provide proof of ATI TEAS exam results that meet the minimum program requirement to fully submit the application. If proof of valid ATI TEAS exam results meeting the minimum passing score is not submitted, the application is canceled and cannot be retrieved or resubmitted.
  9. Once an applicant applies, they are screened to verify they have completed the pre-requisite courses with a 2.5 GPA or better and met the minimum ATI TEAS exam score of 65% to be considered for the program
  10. Students who meet the ranking for the program are notified by May and must submit the required paperwork to register for the program in the Fall semester.

Selection Process/Competitive Ranking Process

  • Acceptance to the program is a competitive ranking process based on points awarded for designated criteria.  Meeting all of the criteria does not guarantee anyone admission to the program.

Applicant’s will be allocated points based on:

Pre-Requisite, Institutional, and Overall GPA’s

GPA Range

Points

3.6 - 4.0

3

3.1 - 3.5

2

2.5 - 3.0

1

Maximum of 9 points from GPAs

Pre-entrance standardized examination scores

Overall Score to be considered for the A.D.N. program = 65.00

ATI TEAS

Reading

Math

Science

English

Cumulative Score

Points

100 - 81

100 - 81

100 - 69

100 - 72

100 - 74

2

80.9 - 72

80.9 - 68

68.9 - 58

71.9 - 65

73.9 - 65

1

71.9 - 0

67.9 - 0

57.9 - 0

64.9 - 0

64.9 - 0

0

Maximum of 10 points from ATI TEAS Scores.

Maximum Points for each program is 19 Points.

 

Pre-Entrance Exam Information

What is on the ATI TEAS, Version 7 Exam?

  • The ATI TEAS, Version 7 Exam is comprised of four content areas: reading, math, science, and English and language usage. The TEAS 7 contains 39 reading, 34 math, 44 science, and 33 English and language usage scored items.
  • The table below displays the number of questions in each category as well as time limits for each section of the TEAS.  There are 170 total questions on the ATI TEAS, Version 7, which includes 150 scored items and 20 unscored, pretest items.  The total time limit is 209 minutes. The ATI TEAS, Version 7 Exam will introduce alternate item-type questions, questions that are not the conventional, single-answer multiple choice question. Click here for more information on alternate item-type questions.

Official TEAS Prep by ATI has been released to prepare you for the new exam.  Visit www.atitesting.com/teas-prep for more details.

Pre-Req, Background Info/Vaccines/Clinical Requirements/Etc.

Please refer to the Student Handbook for criminal background verification, vaccine requirements and additional program information.

Conditional Acceptance

A student conditionally accepted into the A.D.N. Program must attend a mandatory orientation with the nursing program's retention specialist to review the conditional acceptance requirements scheduled in May and with program faculty in August prior to the start of the fall semester. The student is responsible for all fees associated with program admission requirements. Official instructions will be sent to your student email outlining requirements for submission timelines into DISA Healthcare Technology (https://disahealthcare.com/) (previously known as Castle Branch).

  1. A negative criminal background check is required by the Texas Board of Nursing. The applicant's information will be submitted to the Texas Board of Nursing. The Texas BON will notify applicants via email to schedule an appointment with Morpho Trust or IdentoGO (https://www.identogo.com/ ). The applicant will then be able to schedule an appointment at a live scan location in Texas through online enrollment or by phone at 1-888-467-2080 to have their fingerprint scanning performed and submitted to the Texas Board of Nursing. The applicant will receive verification from the Texas Board of Nursing of the applicant's Criminal Background Status. Documentation of a negative criminal background must be submitted to complete the application and admissions process, and prior to enrolling in any nursing courses. The applicant must receive confirmation in writing that they are eligible to take the NCLEX-RN exam.
  2. Submit verification of physical examination by a U.S. physician or nurse practitioner.
  3. Submit evidence of a negative 10-panel drug screen.
  4. Submit evidence of a current American Heart Association BLS Health-Care Provider CPR
    Certification.
  5. Purchase student liability insurance fee (premium rates applicable to current academic year and paid through tuition and fees).
  6. Purchase nursing uniforms and necessary accessories (rates applicable to current academic year).
  7. Pay additional fees for standardized nursing examinations and computer programs (cost
    may vary).
  8. Computer Access & Equipment: Students admitted to the program will be notified by email on computer compatibility and specs requirement.
  9. Immunizations - documentation must be submitted to DISA Healthcare Technology according to due dates indicated:
    -Two Step TB test upon entering, and annually thereafter, or a Chest X-Ray within 2 years, or T-Spot or QuantiFERON-TB Gold serum blood test acceptable.
    -Two (2) Doses or current titer of Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) Series must be completed based on the series requirements. Students born on or after January 1, 1957, must show acceptable evidence of vaccination of two doses of measles-containing vaccine administered since January 1, 1968.
    -One dose of Tetanus-Diphtheria and Pertussis (Tdap) required within the last ten years as an adult (18 years or older).
    -Influenza vaccine annually in September for fall admission and January for Spring admission.
    -Initiation of Hepatitis B (HBV) vaccine series prior to direct patient contact, but series must be completed based on the series requirements (initial, one month, and four months) or Heplisav-B (2 dose requirement). Serologic confirmation of immunity to the hepatitis B virus is acceptable.
    -Two doses of varicella (chickenpox). Also acceptable: Titer report indicating varicella immunity.
    -Bacterial Meningitis Texas State Law Senate Bill 62, requires students who meet the criteria below, to provide proper documentation that they have received the bacterial meningitis vaccination within the last five years and at least 10 calendar days before the beginning of the semester for: All new or transfer students under age 22, all returning students under the age of 22, who have experienced a break in enrollment of a least one fall or spring term, students enrolled in online courses that physically attend classes or come to campus within the semester.
    -Recommended: Hepatitis A and COVID-19 vaccine.

    At the discretion of clinical sites, the student or nursing program may be required to provide physical or electronic documentation to clinical sites prior to the start of the clinical experience. Program Directors/Instructors will provide direction regarding submission of documents and time frames.

     The following documents may be required for submission by the student and/or faculty to the clinical site:
        -A negative criminal background check completed through the Texas Board of Nursing and the local
         sheriff’s office.
        -Negative 10-panel drug screen.
        -Immunization records.
        -Unexpired, valid government-issued identification card.


The (A.D.N.) Program adheres to the Equal Educational Opportunity Policy listed in the LC Manual of Policy FA (LEGAL).  Click here to access the policy.

*LC IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENT*

Students enrolling into Laredo College programs with external learning experiences (i.e., clinical, practicum, externship, cooperative, etc.) will be required to comply with the immunization requirements and policies of the clinical/external learning sites to engage in all clinical/external learning experiences. Vaccination requirements at clinical/external learning sites are implemented pursuant to the independent authority of such facilities and are not mandated by Laredo College. Failure to meet the immunization requirements mandated by clinical/external learning sites may limit a student's ability to complete the program and/or may delay the student's graduation date. The clinical facilities approve or deny the exemptions.

Plan of Study 

Recommended Course Sequence Semesters Offered Credit Hours
Pre-Requisites
ENGL 1301 Composition I F.SP, SSI, SSII 3
*PSYC 2314 Life Span Growth & Development  or*PSYC 2301 General Psychology F.SP, SSI, SSII 3
BIOL 2301 Anatomy & Physiology I           F.SP, SSI, SSII 3
BIOL 2101 Anatomy & Physiology I Lab F.SP, SSI, SSII 1
    10 Hours
First Semester - Fall Admission
*PSYC 2314 Life Span Growth & Development or *PSYC 2301 General Psychology Fall 3
RNSG 1205  Nursing Skills I Fall 2
RNSG 1413  Foundations of Nursing Practice Fall 4
RNSG 1260  Clinical Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse (Fundamentals) Fall 2
BIOL 2302  Anatomy and Physiology II Fall 3
BIOL 2102  Anatomy and Physiology II Lab Fall 1
    15 Hours
Second Semester – Spring
RNSG 1443 Complex Concepts of Adult Health Spring 4
RNSG 1360 Clinical Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse (Intermediate M/S) Spring 3
RNSG 1144 Nursing Skills II            Spring 1
BIOL 2320 Microbiology for Non-Science Majors (Lecture) Spring 3
BIOL 2120 Microbiology for Non-Science Majors (Laboratory) Spring 1
    12 Hours
Summer Session II  
RNSG 1201 Pharmacology      Summer Session II 2
    2 Hours
Third Semester
RNSG 2213 Mental Health Nursing Fall 2
RNSG 2162 Clinical Nursing Clinical Registered Nursing/(Mental Health) Fall 1
RNSG 1412 Nursing Care of the Childbearing & Childrearing Family Fall 4
RNSG 2261 Clinical Registered Nursing /Registered Nurse (Pediatric/Maternity) Fall 2
    9 Hours
Fourth Semester – Spring
**RNSG 2307 Adaptation to Role of Professional Nurse Spring 3
**RNSG 2331 Advanced Concepts of Adult Health Spring 3
**RNSG 2363 Clinical Nursing (R.N. Training: Advanced M/S) Spring 3
***3 Credit Hours  Language, Philosophy, and Culture/Creative Arts Spring 3
    12 Hours

SEMESTER CREDIT HOURS/PATHWAY TOTAL: 60 SEMESTER CREDIT HOURS

**Capstone courses are taught in the last semester. The learning experiences in these courses result in the consolidation of a student's educational experience. 

***Laredo College Core Curriculum