Mar 28, 2024  
2022-2023 Online Catalog 
    
2022-2023 Online Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Nursing, Trinitas School of Nursing, A.S.


Program Description


Students interested in receiving additional information about the Trinitas School of Nursing or receiving an application should contact Union County College. The Cranford campus number is 908-709-7500; the Elizabeth campus number is 908-965-6050 or email nursing@ucc.edu. Additional information is also available at www.trinitasschoolofnursing.org

Trinitas School of Nursing End of Program Student Learning Outcomes

The Graduate will: 

  • Provide compassionate and coordinated patient centered care recognizing the patient as the source of control and as a full care partner with respect to their individual preferences, values and needs.
  • Function effectively within nursing and inter-professional teams, fostering open communication, mutual respect, and shared decision-making to achieve quality patient care.
  • Integrate best current evidence with clinical expertise and patient/family preferences and values when making clinical decisions in the delivery of optimal health care.
  • Use data to monitor the outcomes of care processes and use improvement methods to design and test changes to continuously improve the quality and safety of health care systems.
  • Minimize risk of harm to patients and providers through both system effectiveness and individual performance.
  • Use information and technology to communicate, manage knowledge, mitigate error, and support decision making.

After Union County College


Graduates of this program can either work in the Nursing/Health professions or continue their educational pursuits.

General Information


Curriculum

Fully accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) and the New Jersey State Board of Nursing, the program offers a basic course of study in nursing.  The curriculum provides a sound theoretical base of knowledge in nursing, biological, behavioral and social sciences and integrates this knowledge into academic and practical experiences within the health and illness continuum of patient care. Utilization of a variety of health care agencies facilitates the application of all aspects of the students’ learning. The curriculum has two program tracks (Generic RN or LPN to RN) for prospective students to consider.

Matriculation

Students may matriculate as full-time or part-time students in the Generic RN or LPN to RN tracks. A student who pursues a minimum of 12 credit hours of academic work per semester is classified as full-time. A student who pursues less than 12 credit hours of academic work per semester is classified as part-time.

Generic students have a maximum of 7 semesters to complete the nursing program from the time of acceptance and three and one half years from the time they enroll in NURE 130. LPN to RN students have a maximum of 6 semesters to complete the program from the time they enroll in NURE 211/212.

Generic RN Program

The Generic RN track of the School of Nursing is offered with day, evening, and select weekend classes. The admission process for this track is done twice a year for the Fall and Spring semesters.

General education, science, and humanities courses may be taken at the Elizabeth, Plainfield or Cranford campuses of Union County College while nursing courses are offered at the School of Nursing on the Elizabeth campus. Transfer credits are also accepted. Students are expected to complete the Generic RN track within federal time guidelines.

LPN to RN Track for Licensed Practical Nurses

The LPN to RN track is offered with evening and select weekend classes. Admission to this track is done on an annual basis for each Fall semester.

The LPN to RN track is specifically designed for Licensed Practical Nurses who wish to further their nursing education within a realistic time frame. Custom designed courses build on existing knowledge, skills, and strengths and provide an opportunity to pursue career goals without undue repetition of previous learning. Students are expected to complete the LPN-RN track within federal time guidelines.​

Education Progression: RN-BSN/MSN

Seamless academic progression to the BSN and MSN degree is available to Trinitas graduates. St. Elizabeth University offers both a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Master of Science in Nursing program onsite at Trinitas. Trinitas School of Nursing also has a dual admissions agreement with Kean University for the BSN program, and articulation agreements with Drexel University and Thomas Edison State University for obtaining the RN-BSN degree.

Graduates of the Program

Graduates of the program are eligible to take the National Council of State Boards of Nursing Licensing Examination (NCLEX-RN) to obtain licensure as a Registered Nurse. Upon licensure, graduates may seek employment in the nursing/ health care field or continue their educational pursuits.

Admission To The School of Nursing

Individuals who are interested in the Trinitas School of Nursing Cooperative Program can apply to the Health Science program upon enrollment at Union County College until they receive formal acceptance into one of the School of Nursing’s program tracks: the generic track or the LPN to RN track.  Admission to the nursing program is selective and competitive.

NOTE: Prospective applicants with two or more nursing course failures at another college or nursing school will not be considered for admission to the Trinitas School of Nursing.

Admission to NURE 130 (Generic RN Track)

Application for admission consideration for  NURE 130 requires the following:

  • Attendance at a Trinitas Nursing Information Session.
  • A minimum cumulative score of 55% on the ATI TEAS Admission Exam.
  • Successful completion of MAT 017  and ENG 097  or placement into College level courses.
  • Cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher (High school GPA within one year of graduation or Union County College GPA).
  • Successful completion or current registration in the NURE 130  co-requisite courses (Note: all science courses require a minimum grade of C).
  • The quality points used in acceptance into the program are derived only from UCC courses that are part of the required Trinitas School of Nursing curriculum.

Admission to NURE 211/212 (LPN to RN Track)

Application for admission consideration for the LPN to RN track requires the following:

  • Current LPN license from any state or territory of the United States.
  • Attendance at a Trinitas School of Nursing Information.
  • A minimum cumulative score of 55% on the ATI TEAS Admission Exam.
  • Successful completion of MAT 017  and ENG 097  or placement into College level courses.
  • Union County College GPA of 2.5 or higher.
  • Successful completion of all LPN to RN track pre-requisite courses (all science courses require a minimum grade of C).
  • A clear or negative criminal background check and negative urine drug screen.
  • The quality points used in acceptance into the program are derived only from UCC courses that are part of the required Trinitas School of Nursing curriculum.

Additional Nursing Program Requirements

All nursing students are required to meet additional mandatory requirements prior to enrollment in clinical nursing courses (Generic Track - NURE 131 ; LPN-RN Track – NURE 212 ).

All students are required to maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5 while enrolled in nursing courses.

For additional information on the Trinitas School of Nursing, please visit the website at www.trinitasschoolofnursing.org or email trinitas@ucc.edu.

Recommended Sequence


For Full-Time Student Enrollment*

Generic Curriculum


Day and Evening Divisions

NURE 130,  NURE 131 , NURE 132 , NURE 231 , and NURE 232  are offered during the Fall and Spring semesters.

Semester Total: 15

Spring Semester


Semester Total: 15

Fall Semester


Semester Total: 15

Semester Total: 14

Semester Total: 14

Credit Allocation:


Nursing Credits: 36

General Education Credits: 37

Total Program Credits: 73

A total of 73 credits for a professional nursing program is within the standard of professional nursing programs. In NJ the range of total credits for Associate Degree and Diploma programs is 65-75 credits.

*Due to the rigorous nature of nursing curriculum courses, it is recommended that if the full-time sequence of courses is chosen, students limit outside work obligations to support student success in the program.

LPN to RN Curriculum


RN Completion Program for LPNS:

NURE courses are offered in the evening in this division.

Milestone Courses


The milestones (in bold) identify critical courses for timely progress and the semester in which the course should be completed for on-time graduation.  Milestone course grades < 2.0 should be discussed with an advisor.

Career and Transfer Information