Nursing Program

Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) Board of Commissioners granted Initial Accreditation to El Camino College’s Associate Nursing Program. 

ACEN Accreditation will be in effect  from Fall 2023 - Fall 2028.

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

Enrollment in the nursing program is open to persons regardless of sex, age, marital status, disability, ethnic group, religion or national origin. Persons with previous nursing education and/or experience may be considered for advanced placement and will be evaluated on an individual basis.

The program is a two-year (four-semester) program as long as the student stays on track. Graduates of the program are eligible to take the California State Board licensure exam for Registered Nurses.

The NCLEX pass rates for our graduates are consistently above the state and national average.

Quick Links

• Information Sessions
• Nursing Program Application

The nursing program consists of the generic program, the Advanced Placement program (LVN-RN), and the 30-unit option program. Individuals entering the program as an entry level nursing student are admitted into the generic program.

The Advanced Placement track is available for individuals with a current California License Vocational Nurses (LVNs) license. Individuals eligible for admission consideration are admitted into the Upward Mobility track (LVN to RN).

The program also offers the 30-unit option track, a non-degree track. Individuals interested in exploring admission to this track of the nursing program should contact the nursing director. Additional information for either of these programs can be found under the program tabs to the left.

Nursing Student Handbook

2024-2025

Quick Links

• Advanced Standing
• 30-Unit Option
• Degree Overview
• Courses Offered

PREREQUISITES TO THE NURSING PROGRAM

• English 1A – Reading and Composition or English 1AH – Honors Reading and Composition with a grade of C or better
• Math 150 Statistics or equivalent with a minimum grade of C or better
• Anatomy 32 and Physiology 31*
• or Anatomy and Physiology 34A and 34B*
• Microbiology 33*
• MEDT 1 – Medical Terminology I
• Psychology 116 – Lifespan Development
• Nursing 143 Introduction to Nursing
• Nursing 144 Dosage Calculation
• Nursing 146 Health Assessment- taken once admitted to the program

• *Students must have a GPA of 2.5 or better in the prerequisite science courses. All these science courses must include labs. To gain admission into the program students can only repeat ONE substandard grade in the basic science prerequisites. All science courses must be completed within seven (7) years of the application-filing period. For any course in which a grade of “C” or better was earned, the FIRST grade will be used. % see catalog for prerequisite details and chemistry 4, 20, or 21A or chemistry placement test is a required prerequisite.

COREQUISITES FROM THE GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

• English 1C, 1CH, (Note: students may substitute any of the following courses to meet the English 1C requirement – Philosophy 105, 105H, 106, Psychology 103, 103H, or Communication Studies 120)
• Communication Studies 100 (Note: any 3-unit course from Communication Studies 120, 130, or 140 may be substituted for Communication Studies 100
• Psychology 101 or 101H
• Sociology 101, 101H or Anthropology 2
• Humanities: Any 3-unit course from area 3 of the A. S. Degree requirements

Listed below are courses that may be used to substitute for Psychology 116 - Life Span Development.

• Introduction to Developmental Psychology
  Topics include a variety of issues associated with developmental psychology, such as intelligence and personality, as well as social, emotional and cognitive development. Students often examine these issues in age groups ranging from infancy to advanced adulthood.
• Infant, Child and Adolescent Development
  These age groups can be addressed together as one course or in several courses that treat each group separately. Instruction in infant development examines topics such as learning, perception and personality. Issues of childhood development often include biological, social and familial influences on language, learning and emotional expression. Adolescent development topics can include social cognition, peer group relationships and the transition from childhood to adulthood.
• Issues of Adulthood and Aging
  Students examine the changing roles adults experience in their family, workplace and social groups as they reach middle age and as they proceed on to an advanced age. A course in gerontology can be offered separately to address issues specific to the elderly, such as changes in health and levels of self-sufficiency. These intermediate-level courses focus on the psychological effects these changes have during these later periods in life.
• Theories of Lifespan Development
  Instruction in current developmental psychology theories often includes an examination of how such theories have changed over time. This course is usually offered near the end of a student's studies. Students often discuss issues such as gender, cultural influences, nature vs. nurture and sexuality, as well as the effects of major life events on a person's psychological development and how these issues factor into lifespan development research.

Since many lifespan development programs focus on research career tracks, students often take a psychology course called “Research, Statistics and Analysis.”  This course focus is in research methodology, which include instruction in statistical analysis and experiment design.

Research instruction also often addresses experiment parameters, such as determining the number of experiment participants, as well as factors that affect the final analysis of the experiment's outcome, such as variance and validity. This course does not meet the requirement to substitute for Lifespan Development focus or rigor and does not meet the nursing program requirement.

El Camino College Nursing Program NCLEX Success Rate

Nursing Program Completion 

Information regarding the ECC Nursing students’ completion, success, and employment rates is found here.

The Nursing Department is located in the Math, Business and Allied Health (MBA) Building room 417.

The MBA Building is located directly behind the Police Department on the corner of Crenshaw and Redondo Beach.

The expenses for the first semester nursing student average $5000 or more.

Students in need of financial assistance should immediately contact the college Financial Aid Office at 310-660-3493 located in the Student Services Building room 248.

Scholarship information from various agencies, companies, etc., will be available for nursing students once admitted to the program.

The entire program expense is approximately $8000.

At the completion of the program, the cost for the Board of Registered Nursing application, licensure exam, interim permit, and Live Scan is approximately $500 or more.

Students enrolled in the ECC Nursing Program are required to undergo a physical exam prior to entering the first clinical course in the program and then annually while enrolled in the nursing program. Health examination forms are available in the Nursing Department Office. The purpose of this examination, by a physician, nurse practitioner, or physician’s assistant, is to verify that the student is in a state of mental and physical health compatible with the responsibilities of nursing practice.

The physical examination requirements consists of:

• health history
• physical examination
• lab work (CBC and urinalysis)
• immunizations (copy of immunization record should be submitted)

This requirement must be updated before progression to the second year of the nursing program. Student must provide evidence of immunity by submitting titers results for the following immunizations: 

Measles, Mumps, Rubella, and Varicella titers Evidence of immunization for hepatitis B (a series of three vaccines regimen) as well as evidence of immunity (titer). 2-step Tuberculous Skin Test (TST) OR QuantiFERON-TB Gold (QFT) or Interferon-Gamma elease Assays (IGRAs) blood test ANNUALLY

Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis (whooping cough)Tdap is given only once during your lifetime; a booster shot of the Td vaccine every 10 years is required thereafter.

• Influenza (flu) vaccine is an ANNUAL requirement during the flu season (September through March).

Students admitted into the nursing program are required to complete a Background Check and Drug screen upon entrance into the program and each semester thereafter.

The Joint Commission requires any health care facility that requires health care providers, students, and volunteers involved in patient care to complete a criminal background check prior to conducting patient care.

Students are required to sign a consent form each semester to release information related to the drug screen and background check.

Students arrested while enrolled in the nursing program are considered to have an open criminal court case. Individuals known as child, spouse or elder abuser, or known drug dealers will not be allowed to enroll in the nursing program.

Students convicted of a misdemeanor or felony are required to disclose this information to the Director of Nursing or the Director’s designee prior to acceptance to the nursing program as well as on the application to take the RN licensure exam. A conviction may affect eligibility for admission as well as the ability to take the NCLEX-RN exam. Students who have concerns about these circumstances should contact the Board of Registered Nursing (916-322-3350) or www.rn.ca.gov before starting the nursing program.

The California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) protects the public by screening applicants for licensure in order to identify potentially unsafe practitioners. The BRN may deny applications for permanent licensure, interim permits, and temporary licenses if the applicant has been found guilty of dishonesty; fraud or deceit; felony; child abuse; sex offender crimes; acts involving narcotics; dangerous drugs or devices; assault and/or battery; and other crimes.

Applicants who have questions regarding limitations related to licensure should contact the California Board of Registered Nursing. Applicants are advised to explore other career opportunities prior to investing substantial time in a nursing program if it appears that a prior serious act or conviction may jeopardize licensure.

The California Board of Registered Nursing is located at 1747 North Market Boulevard, Suite 150, Sacramento, CA 95834.