Interested in becoming a registered nurse (RN)? Sandburg offers a two-year associate in applied science degree in nursing that prepares you to be an entry-level registered nurse (RN). Successful graduates are eligible to take the NCLEX-RN licensure examination.
As a registered professional nurse, you'll promote health, prevent disease and help patients recover from and cope with illness. You'll also assess, diagnose, plan, implement and evaluate patient care, assist physicians with treatments and examinations, administer medications, and assist in convalescence and rehabilitation, as well as provide patient education to clients and families to help improve or maintain the optimum level of health.
Program goals
Safety
You'll evaluate and analyze the client and family surroundings to identify potential safety concerns to establish and promote a safe environment for your patients/clients and others.
Patient-centered care
You'll analyze your client’s and family’s needs, and create a compassionate and culturally sensitive plan of care based on clients’ physiological, psychological, sociological, spiritual and cultural needs, preferences and values.
Teamwork/collaboration
You'll contribute to, function within and, when appropriate, adopt a leadership role within multidisciplinary healthcare teams to create and foster open communication, mutual respect and shared decision-making to achieve quality patient care.
Critical thinking & clinical judgment
You'll actualize critical-thinking skills (interpretation, analysis, evaluation, inference and explanation) to make professional clinical judgments regarding patient/client clinical responses.
Evidence-based practice
You'll apply and integrate strategic knowledge of best evidence-based practice and standards of care with clinical expertise for the delivery of optimal healthcare, while maintaining client choice and preferences.
Informatics
You'll effectively generate and apply current information and technology to communicate, manage knowledge, mitigate error and support decision making.
Program outcomes
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Student organizations
Associate Degree Nursing Club — First Year
This club is for first-year RN students. We will meet to keep us all informed and together on our classes’ activities, study groups and any professional medical seminars or exhibits that would benefit us as nursing students.
Associate Degree Nursing Club — Second Year
To promote and foster the future of professional nursing with visionary leadership, elevating the level of community health knowledge, and unity through social and cultural activities.
Email the club's advisor, Christina Stone, or call her at 309.341.5292.
View a list of all student organizations.
Application & admission info
Application dates
You must meet with a Sandburg nursing academic advisor before applying to the program. You can apply online between Oct. 1-March 1 for the fall semester start.
Learn how to apply to this limited-enrollment program.
Admission info
This limited-enrollment program uses a selection process for admission into the program. Refer to the eligibility & admission requirements for this program to learn more.
Your TEAS test score, SAT or ACT score contributes to eligibility for enrollment in this program. If you're interested in RN enrollment, you have the chance to join the Sandburg PATH to TEAS Excellence program. At no cost you, the Sandburg PATH to TEAS Excellence program provides access to TEAS test preparation materials. If you successfully complete the practice tests, you're eligible for reimbursement of one official TEAS test.
Potential careers in nursing
Employment
Employment opportunities include hospitals, clinics and physician offices, long-term care/rehabilitation facilities, home health agencies, public health facilities, schools, churches, informatics, correctional facilities and insurance companies. The demand for registered professional nurses is very high and is expected to increase. It's projected the employment of RNs will grow 16% from 2014 to 2024, much faster than the average for all occupations. Growth will occur for a number of reasons, including an increased emphasis on preventive care; growing rates of chronic conditions, such as diabetes and obesity; and demand for healthcare services from the baby-boom population, as they live longer and more active lives.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor.
Working conditions
Most healthcare facilities provide a safe and comfortable working environment. Care is required around the clock, often in eight- or 12-hour shifts, weekends and holidays, and may involve on-call work. Schools, offices and clinics may offer more traditional work hours. RNs provide direct patient care through knowledge (cognitive function), skills (psychomotor function) and professionalism (affective function). Refer to the essential skills & abilities of a registered nurse to determine if you're able to meet these functions with or without reasonable accommodations.
COURSE INFO
Class formats
Sandburg offers courses in a variety of formats to best fit your needs. Regardless of the format, make sure you have access to a reliable computer with high-speed internet. All courses use online resources and require you to access course information through mySandburg. The Galesburg and Carthage campuses have open computer labs for your use as a student.
Sample course schedule
View a sample course schedule.
Estimated costs
The cost for the associate degree nursing program 72 credit-hour course is approximately $22,052.75 for in-district students.
Financial aid, grants & scholarships
Learn how you can take advantage of financial aid, grants and scholarships available to Sandburg students.
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) helps job seekers access employment, education, training, and support services to succeed in the labor market and to match employers with the skilled workers they need to compete in the global economy. Learn more, and complete this form to determine your eligibility.
Career and technical programs/courses follow our equal opportunity & non-discrimination statement. For more information, email the Title IX coordinator, or call 309.341.5258 or the ADA/504 coordinator at 309.341.5262.
ACCREDITATION & LICENSURE
Accreditation
The associate degree nursing program at Sandburg, located in Galesburg, IL, holds full accreditation status 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 degree nursing program is Continuing Accreditation.
View the public information disclosed by the ACEN regarding this program.
The Illinois State Board of Nursing (ISBN) and the Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation (IDFPR) have approved the Associate Degree Nursing program.
Licensure
After graduation, you can apply to write for the National Council Licensing Examination (NCLEX-RN). Upon successful completion of this exam, you're eligible to apply for RN licensure in any state. You'll need to complete a criminal background check at the time of licensure application and be evaluated by ISBN before licensure is granted or denied. The Illinois State Board of Nursing (ISBN) can deny nursing licensure and discipline those licensed. You can access all licensing and nursing scope of practice regulations at IDFPR.
Professional licensure disclosure
Postsecondary institutions participating in federal student aid programs are required to make certain disclosures to enrolled and prospective students, parents, employees and the public. The U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (34 §C.F.R. 668.43) requires disclosures by institutions regarding educational requirements for programs leading to professional licensure or certification regardless of modality. The institution must make readily available to enrolled and prospective students information about whether programs leading to professional licensure or certification meet educational requirements.
View licensure information for nursing programs.
If Sandburg hasn't determined whether a program meets the educational requirements for licensure or certification outside the state of Illinois, contact the licensing entity to determine whether it meets the educational requirements for licensure or certification in the state you live or work.
Contact the dean of nursing with questions.
COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS
Chamberlain College of Nursing
Chamberlain College of Nursing is a not-for-profit nursing college, offering degrees ranging from bachelor’s degrees through doctoral degrees in nursing. Sandburg’s agreement offers students who receive their RN degree from Sandburg the ability to transfer into their BSN program.
Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing
Saint Francis College of Nursing offers five guaranteed seats into their BSN program after completing the RN degree meeting certain GPA requirements at Sandburg. For more info, please contact the nursing office at 309.341.5299.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville accelerated bachelor of nursing
Sandburg and the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Nursing (SON) offer an accelerated path to a bachelor in nursing (BS) that allows you to complete your general education courses at Sandburg, earning an associate degree in nursing, and completing your baccalaureate nursing coursework online through SIUE. You can take classes at Sandburg and begin a job in your profession while obtaining your BS online from SIUE.
The University of Illinois-Chicago dual-admissions pathway for RN to BSN degree
Under the agreement, the dual-admissions pathway allows you to earn an associate degree in nursing at Sandburg while enrolling in identified courses that are part of the online UIC RN to BSN degree completion program and working in your home region. Once you successfully complete Sandburg's ADN program, you'll be awarded an associate degree and continue your progress in the UIC online RN to BSN program. UIC will confer the bachelor's degree in nursing after graduation requirements are met.
Frequently asked questions
If I'm not admitted to the program or am placed on an alternative list and no spaces are available, do I have to apply again?
Yes, application files are not carried over to the next year. Each applicant needs to complete the application/admission process again for the next admission year.
How do you evaluate applications?
Only those applicants who submit the online program application by the deadline date and have met all admission requirements are considered. All qualified applicants are evaluated according to a point system that allows an objective means for selection ranking. Applicants with the highest point totals first are selected. Refer to the admission selection points worksheet for ranking criteria.
When will I know if I am accepted to the program?
Applicant acceptance status will be one of the following:
- Conditionally admitted
- Placed on the alternate list
- Denied
You'll be notified approximately two weeks after the application deadline date whether they you're accepted into the program. If you receive conditional admission or alternate status into the program you'll be notified by email. If you're denied admission, you'll be notified by mail.
How do I hold my seat if I am accepted?
If you're conditionally admitted, you'll have 14 calendar days from the date of the conditional admission email to pay the $50 seat fee (intent to enter) to the Business Office to hold your seat in the nursing program.
Will I receive credit for the $50 to hold my seat?
If you're fully or conditionally admitted to the program, the $50 seat fee is applied to your tuition. If no tuition or fee balance remains, the seat fee is refunded to you after the financial aid refund after the 100% drop date for 16-week courses. If an entity other than the student paid the seat fee, the student won't receive a refund. If you accept your seat and withdraw for any reason, you'll forfeit the seat fee. Alternates not admitted receive a refund.
I've been conditionally admitted; do I need to attend orientation?
Conditionally admitted applicants and those on the alternate list must attend the mandatory admission orientation session; information regarding registration for the orientation is provided in your admission status email. The orientation includes program information and documents to fulfill the nursing program requirements for full admission status.
Those conditionally admitted who don't register for and attend the mandatory admission orientation session forfeit their conditional admission, and your seat will be offered to an alternate. Alternates who don't register for or attend the mandatory admission orientation session will forfeit their alternate position.
I've been conditionally admitted; when will I know my full admission status?
Full admission status is provided after you attend the mandatory admission orientation session, complete all program requirements and submit all required admission documents by the designated deadline.