Nursing Frequently Asked Questions
Please find below the most frequently asked questions we receive for the Nursing program.
1. How do I get started?
- Meet with a CCC Academic Advisor: Call 928-226-4323 or visit the advising page for a full advising appointment. Be prepared with your CCC @ID number. Meeting with an advisor ensures you understand course criteria, the fingerprinting process, program admission process, LNA guidance, and GPA expectations. Nursing admission criteria is subject to change, so students encouraged to see an advisor every term to make sure they are on track.
- Attend a Nursing 101 info session offered by Student Affairs.
2. How often are students admitted to the Nursing Program? How many students will be selected?
The nursing programs admits up to 30 students to begin each Fall semester.
3. How long is the nursing program?
The nursing program is 4 semesters. Upon successful completion of the Nursing Program, a student will earn an Associate of Applied Science in Nursing degree and will be eligible to apply for a Registered Nurse license and take the NCLEX-RN, which is the national licensure examination.
4. What is considered as “ready to apply” to your nursing program?
The following courses must be completed prior to applying to the nursing program (prerequisite courses). A Pathway is available through advising to help you map out what courses are required prior to applying to the nursing program.
- ENG 101, ENG 102, BIO 201 (pre-requisite to this class is BIO 181), BIO 202, MAT 140 (or higher), CHM 130
- NUR 110/111 (co-requisite for these classes is AHS 131) must also be completed if the applicant does not have an Arizona LNA license.
PSY 240, BIO 205, BIO 218, NTR 135, and an Arts/Humanities elective are considered co-requisites and are strongly encouraged to be completed prior to starting the nursing program. Please review the Nursing Tip Sheet on the Nursing Program Information page for more information.
The science classes must be completed within 10 years of applying to the nursing program: BIO 201, BIO 202, CHM 130, BIO 205, BIO 218, and NTR 135.
5. Other than pre-requisite courses, are there other requirements to apply to the nursing program?
The following must be completed in order to apply to the nursing program:
- Completion of a nursing program application (available in October yearly)
- Grade of “C” or higher in all required prerequisite courses
- Cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a four-point scale or higher on prerequisite courses
- Current Arizona Nursing Assistant (LNA) license
- Arizona DPS fingerprint card
- Completion of the ATI TEAS exam with a minimum score of 66.1%
6. What semester will I need to be finished with all the admission criteria?
Applications for the Nursing Program are due each Spring, and all pre-requisite courses must be completed by the end of the Fall semester before applications are due. No pre-requisite courses are allowed to be “in progress” at the time of application. Full-time students could be ready to apply to the nursing program after taking 3 semesters of pre-requisite courses.
7. How do you determine acceptance to the nursing program?
Points are awarded based on the following 6 categories. The points are totaled and ranked from highest to lowest, and the top students will be accepted into the program (up to 30 students). Entrance into the nursing program is competitive, and there is no waiting list. Applicants who are not selected must reapply for admission. Please see the Selection Criteria Grid on the Nursing Information page.
- GPA in pre-requisite courses
- ATI TEAS score
- Total pre-requisite credits that have been taken at CCC
- Total general education credits completed at the time of application
- Current employment in healthcare
- Qualified applicant the previous year
8. What is the ATI TEAS exam? Do I have to take this specific exam?
CCC’s nursing program requires that applicants take the ATI TEAS exam before applying to the nursing program.
The test will be offered in January and February before the Nursing Program’s application deadline, and students are offered the chance to retest in person before the application deadline. Please see the Nursing Information Webpage for ATI TEAS testing dates. ATI TEAS scores from other institutions are also accepted with the nursing program application. Students can take the TEAS test as many times as they wish online in addition to/in lieu of the two in person attempts on campus. However, this is a separate registration process through the ATI TEAS website and must be scheduled at the ATI Testing Webpage . Please head to the website for fees and additional information.
Testing Fees: The test fee for ATI TEAS for the Fall 2023 application period will be $85.
Test Prep: Materials are available to prepare for the exam. Those items can be found by visiting the ATI TEAS Test Prep Webpage .
To Register: Registration for the TEAS test will available starting October 3, 2022. Students can register for the test by selecting a date and paying the fee online. Registration links can be found in the Nursing Entrance Exam section.
Students are allowed to take the exam twice in person on campus. You can register to take it once in person during January testing dates, and are allowed one retake in person for the February dates. The same fee scale applies to retake exams. Students will be required to wait until February to retake the test, no exceptions. Students must retake the entire exam; retesting for individual sections is not available. Students who missed January testing may take the exam in February, but will only be able to take the test once in person. Any additional testing attempts can be completed at other locations or can be completed online. More information on this can be found at the ATI TEAS Registration Page .
Please contact the Nursing Department if there are any questions regarding TEAS testing.
Visit our Nursing Information page for information on the Nursing Program requirements and prerequisites, the application process and the application deadline.
9. How do to I obtain an Arizona DPS Fingerprint Clearance Card?
Visit the AZ DPS website. Click on “Apply For a Card” and choose either Online Application or Paper Application and follow the directions. The local police department can provide fingerprinting services, and other locations can be found by visiting the Arizona LiveScan Site.
10. What are the health requirements for nursing students?
It is essential that nursing students be able to perform a number of physical activities in the clinical setting. Minimum standards have been established for mobility, dexterity, vision, hearing, and prevention of spread of infectious disease. These standards are consistent with the healthcare facilities in which students will participate. Technical standards and functional abilities of CCC nursing students are available in the Nursing Student Handbook on the Nursing Program Information page , Appendix D.
Documentation of the following health requirements is required after acceptance to the nursing program. Please be advised that immunization requirements are guided by the clinical facilities and are subject to change at any point. All health requirements must be kept up-to-date by the student and a copy provided to the nursing department.
- Confidential Medical History Form
- Negative TB skin test (must be current for the entire academic year) or a chest x-ray/other testing if skin test was positive
- Evidence of two (2) measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccines OR blood titer (must be read by physician), which shows immunity *NOTE: rubella vaccine cannot be given to pregnant women
- Evidence of two (2) varicella vaccines OR blood titer, which shows immunity (must be read by physician)
- Hepatitis B vaccine series (3 shots) record or signature declining this vaccine (the administrative assistant for the Nursing Department has a declination form)
- Tdap immunization within ten (10) years
- Flu vaccine (annually by November 1st)
- Evidence of full COVID Vaccination Status
- Please review the COVID vaccine statement on the Nursing Program Information page.
11. What is the time commitment for the nursing program?
It is important to know understand that the nursing program is not a part-time commitment, but many students work part-time while in the program. Nursing students are in the classroom for up to 8 hours per week and up to 12 hours per week in skills/simulation lab and/or clinical. In addition, students can expect up to 16 hours per week of study preparation. Additional class and study time are required if students have co-requisites to complete or enrolled in CEP (Concurrent Enrollment Program). Please ensure you are able to make this commitment.
12. Do clinicals require travel?
While most of the clinical facilities are located within Flagstaff, students may be required to travel to clinical sites outside Flagstaff. Expenses associated with travel are the responsibility of the student as students must provide their own transportation to clinical.
13. Do I need access to a computer and the Internet?
Yes, it is strongly encouraged to purchase a laptop computer for the nursing program as textbooks and assignments are web-based. All communication with faculty and nursing administration is required through CCC email. Microsoft Office programs (Word and PowerPoint) as well as access to Google Drive is essential.
14. What is the Concurrent Enrollment Program?
CEP allows students to take Bachelor of Nursing courses online while attending CCC’s nursing program. This allows students to earn their Bachelor of Science in Nursing either at the same time or shortly after completion of CCC’s nursing program. Currently, students have the option of Northern Arizona University, Arizona State University, or Grand Canyon University for CEP. For more information, please contact an advisor or attend a Nursing Application Session.
15. Is the COVID vaccine required for the nursing program?
Yes, evidence of full vaccination status must be provided prior to being accepted to the nursing program as this is a requirement set forth by the clinical agencies. However, there is an exemption process that students may request directly through the nursing program’s clinical partners. This is the responsibility of the student. If an exemption is not permitted, the nursing program will not be able to make other arrangements for clinical.
Can't find the answer to your question here? Please contact the Director Nursing and Allied Health at 928-526-7665 or the main Fourth Street Campus at 928-526-7600.