Skip to main contentSkip to main navigationSkip to footer content

Program Overview

Associate of Applied Science - Nursing

Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the program, students are expected to:
  • Provide safe, quality, evidence-based, patient-centered nursing care in a variety of healthcare environments to diverse patient populations across the lifespan.
  • Use clinical reasoning when engaged in the work of a professional nurse.
  • Participate in quality improvement processes to improve patient care.
  • Engage in teamwork with members of the interprofessional team, the patient, and the patient’s support persons when managing patient care.
  • Apply management, legal, ethical, and professional guidelines in practice as a professional nurse.
  • Use information management principles, techniques, and systems, and patient care technology to communicate, manage knowledge, mitigate error, and support decision-making.
Great Basin College offers a two-year program leading to an Associate of Applied Science in Nursing. The program is approved by the Nevada State Board of Nursing and accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. (ACEN). GBC is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU).
 
The Associate of Applied Science nursing program at Great Basin College at the Elko, Winnemucca, Ely, and Pahrump, Nevada is accredited by the:
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400
Atlanta, GA 30326
404.975.5000
 
The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the Associate of Applied Science nursing program is Continuing Accreditation.
 
View the public information disclosed by the ACEN regarding this program at https://www.acenursing.org/.
 
The mission of Great Basin College’s AAS—Nursing program is to provide an accessible, student-centered, post-secondary nursing education that prepares graduates for entry level nursing practice in a variety of structured healthcare settings. The curriculum integrates courses in nursing with general education requirements. Laboratory and clinical experiences are offered at the college, local hospitals, long-term care centers, and community health facilities.
 
Enrollment in the program is limited, and students are admitted only in the fall semester. Selection is made using a point system. Additional points will be awarded for veteran applicants and students in the CTE pathway program.
 
Non-nursing and pre-nursing students may not take any of the courses that begin with the NURS designation prior to admission to the AAS degree in nursing program, with the exception of NURS 130 (Nursing Assistant), NURS 285 (Special Topics in Nursing), and NURS 140 (Medical Terminology). Students who have declared nursing as their major are designated as pre-nursing students. Students who have applied for and been accepted into the Associate of Applied Science in Nursing program are designated nursing students.
 
Students who do not have an ACT or SAT score and who have not started the English and mathematics requirements, must complete the English/Mathematics placement tests. There is no charge for this test, and it must be taken prior to enrolling in prerequisite courses. The placement tests are available at the Academic Success Center and at GBC centers. For more information and testing times, call 775.327.2247.
 
Year of admission to the Associate in Nursing program determines catalog year and course requirements.
Prerequisites to be completed prior to or during the semester in which application is made to the Associate in Nursing program include:
Prerequisites
Prerequisites to be completed prior to or during the semester in which application is made to the Associate in Nursing program include:
One course required 
Course # Course Title Credits
BIOL 100 General Biology/Non Major 3 Credits
BIOL 190 Intro Cell/Molecular Biology 4 Credits
 
All courses required
Course # Course Title Credits
BIOL 223 Human Anatomy & Physiology I 4 Credits
BIOL 224 Anatomy & Physiology II 4 Credits
BIOL 251 General Microbiology 4 Credits
PSY 101 Gen Psychology 3 Credits
 
One course required 
Course # Course Title Credits
MATH 120 Fund of College Math 3 Credits
MATH 120E Fund of College Math Expanded 3 Credits
MATH 126 Precalculus I 3 Credits
MATH 126E Precalculus I Expanded 3 Credits
STAT 152 Intro to Statistics 3 Credits
 
General Education Requirements
English/Communications (two courses required):  ENG 100 or ENG 101 and ENG 102
Course # Course Title Credits
ENG 100 Composition-Enhanced 5 Credits
ENG 101 Composition I 3 Credits
ENG 102 Composition II 3 Credits
 
Mathematics (one course required): Choose from the courses listed below or any higher-level math course.  Excludes MATH 389
Course # Course Title Credits
MATH 120 Fund of College Math 3 Credits
MATH 120E Fund of College Math Expanded 3 Credits
MATH 126 Precalculus I 3 Credits
MATH 126E Precalculus I Expanded 3 Credits
STAT 152 Intro to Statistics 3 Credits
 
Science (one course required)
Course # Course Title Credits
ANTH 102 Physical Anthropology 3 Credits
AST 101 General Astronomy 3 Credits
BIOL 100 General Biology/Non Major 3 Credits
BIOL 190 Intro Cell/Molecular Biology 4 Credits
CHEM 100 Molecules/Life Modrn Wrld 3 Credits
CHEM 121 General Chemistry I 4 Credits
ENV 100 Humans and the Environment 3 Credits
GEOG 103 Physical Geog Earth Environmnt 3 Credits
GEOL 101 Exploring Planet Earth 3-4 Credits
NUTR 121 Human Nutrition 3 Credits
PHYS 100 Introductory Physics 3 Credits
PHYS 107 Technical Physics I 3 Credits
PHYS 151 Gen Physics I 4 Credits
 
U.S. and Nevada Constitutions:  HIST 101 and HIST 102 or PSC 101
Course # Course Title Credits
HIST 101 U.S. History to 1877 3 Credits
HIST 102 U.S. History Since 1877 3 Credits
PSC 101 Intro American Politics 3 Credits
 
Social Science
Course # Course Title Credits
PSY 101 Gen Psychology 3 Credits
 
Humanities or Fine Arts (one course required)
Course # Course Title Credits
ART 100 Visual Foundations 3 Credits
ART 101 Drawing I 3 Credits
ART 107 Design Fundmntls I (2-D) 3 Credits
ART 160 Art Appreciation 3 Credits
ENG 203 Intro to Literary Study 3 Credits
ENG 205 Intro to Creative Writing 3 Credits
ENG 223 Themes of Literature 3 Credits
FIS 100 Introduction to Film 3 Credits
FREN 111 First Year French I 3-4 Credits
FREN 112 First Year French II 3-4 Credits
HIST 208 World History I 3 Credits
HIST 209 World History II 3 Credits
HUM 101 Intro to Humanities I 3 Credits
HUM 210 Communicating Diversity 3 Credits
MUS 101 Music Fundamentals 3 Credits
MUS 121 Music Appreciation 3 Credits
PHIL 101 Intro to Philosophy 3 Credits
PHIL 102 Critical Thinking 3 Credits
PHIL 135 Introduction to Ethics 3 Credits
SPAN 111 First Year Spanish I 3 Credits
SPAN 112 First Yr Spanish II 3 Credits
SPAN 211 Second Year Spanish I 3 Credits
THTR 100 Introduction to Theatre 3 Credits
THTR 105 Introduction to Acting I 3 Credits
THTR 121 Stage Makeup 3 Credits
THTR 204 Theatre Technology I 3 Credits
WELD 200 Metal Art 3 Credits
 
Technology (embedded in nursing curriculum)
 
Program Requirements
 
Course # Course Title Credits
BIOL 223 Human Anatomy & Physiology I 4 Credits
BIOL 224 Anatomy & Physiology II 4 Credits
BIOL 251 General Microbiology 4 Credits
NURS 135 Fundamental Concepts Nursing 8 Credits
NURS 154 Introduction to Pharmacology 1 Credits
NURS 155 Clinic Decisn Make Drug Therpy 1 Credits
NURS 158 Nurs Care Adult Health/Illness 5 Credits
NURS 159 Nursing Care - Mental Health 3 Credits
NURS 252 Nursing Care - Childbearing 3 Credits
NURS 253 Nursing Care Child/Adolescents 3 Credits
NURS 257 Nursing Care - Acute/Chronic 5 Credits
NURS 258 Patients Complex Hlth Problems 5 Credits
NURS 273 PD and Transition to Practice 3 Credits
 
Suggested Course Sequence

Course Credits
English/Communications* 3
NURS 135 8
NURS 154 1
TOTAL 12

*Choose with advisor

Course Credits
English/Communications* 3
NURS 155 1
NURS 158 5
NURS 159 3
TOTAL 12

*Choose with advisor

Course Credits
NURS 252 3
NURS 257 5
U.S/NV Constitution* 3
TOTAL 11

*Choose with advisor

Course Credits
NURS 258 5
NURS 253 3
NURS 273 3
Humanities/Fine Arts* 3
TOTAL 14

*Choose with advisor