Registered Nursing Program

The Associate of Science Nursing (ASN) program is approved by the Montana State Board of Nursing, permitting students to sit for the national licensure examination for registered nursing (NCLEX-RN) and to begin a successful career as a registered nurse. After prerequisite coursework, the ASN-Registered Nurse program consists of four consecutive semesters. The coursework for the program is competency-based and has the primary goal of preparing graduates with the knowledge, skills, and values to enter the workforce after passing the NCLEX-RN exam.

Students will need to be able to commit to a full week (Monday-Friday) while enrolled in program courses. Students are in class or at clinical for fall and spring semesters, with time off during the summer semester. This program is extremely fast-paced and challenging with multiple tests, quizzes, and assignments due each week. The majority of students will find it necessary to spend time outside of the classroom studying and practicing lab/clinical skills. A good rule of thumb is that for every class hour, at least 3 hours in preparation or in the completion of assignments will be necessary to be successful.

To be eligible to apply for admission into the ASN-Registered Nurse program, applicants must have completed the following:

• Application to Great Falls College MSU (GFC-MSU) with a complete admissions file. If you are not currently a GFC-MSU student, please Apply Now. Students must be in good academic standing at time of application to be eligible for consideration.
• Completed all prerequisite coursework with a “C” (not “C-“) grade or higher, and a minimum overall prerequisite GPA of 2.5. View Prerequisites.
• All prerequisite coursework must be completed with a minimum grade of C (not a C-) in each course and a minimum cumulative GPA in prerequisite coursework of 2.5. Grades in prerequisite courses are a major factor in ranking applications for program acceptance.
• Science courses must be completed within five (5) years of application to the program, and other courses must be completed within 15 years of applying to the program. For additional information on age of credits, contact Russell Motschenbacher (r.motschenbacher1@gfcmsu.edu) as acceptance of science courses that are older than five (5) years is at the discretion of the Program Director.
• Prerequisite coursework can be taken at other institutions but it is the applicant’s responsibility to confirm those courses are equivalent to the program’s prerequisites and are transferable to this institution prior to submitting their nursing program application. For information regarding transferable courses, please review the current listing of approved equivalent courses listed in the Transfer Guide under Student Information at: https://atlas.montana.edu:9001/pls/gfagent/hwzkxfer.p_selstate. All transfer work has to be from a Regionally Accredited Institution. For additional questions about transferability of courses, send official transcripts to GFC-MSU Registrar’s Office with a written request for evaluation. Please include appropriate course descriptions and official transcripts from former colleges with your request for evaluation.

CPR Certification:

• To be eligible to start the nursing program, a student must maintain PROVIDER CPR certification through the American Heart Association. No other forms of certification will be accepted and may make a student ineligible to start the program. Students may obtain this certification through the ECP-100 course offered at GFC-MSU.

Immunizations:

• Varicella immunity. This can be in the form of (1) 2 chickenpox/varicella vaccines or (2) positive history either documented on an immunization record or a note detailing when you remember having the chickenpox.
• Tdap vaccination within the last 10 years
• Hepatitis B immunity. This can be in the form of the 3-dose vaccine Hepatitis B series or positive antibody titer
• MMR immunity. This can in in the form of positive antibody titers or the 2-dose vaccine MMR series
• Negative tuberculin skin test (TB PPD) within the past 12 months or documentation of a positive reactor with negative x-ray. This can also be documented with a negative quantiferon gold level.
• Students will be required to receive the influenza vaccine as part of the program for each year in which they are enrolled.
• Clinical/practicum/internship sites may require other documentation/proof of vaccination besides those required by the college or this program.

Active Health Insurance:

• Nursing program students entering the clinic setting must carry medical health insurance. Health insurance is available through the college for students who do not have other health insurance. Students will be financially responsible for their health care if they become ill or are injured in the clinical setting.
• For students without coverage, GFC MSU offers a program developed especially for students by Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Montana. This plan provides coverage for injuries and illnesses on or off campus. Please contact Student Central for more information. Please see http://students.gfcmsu.edu/insurance.html for more information.

Background Check & Drug Testing:

• To promote patient safety and decrease institutional liability, clinical agencies require students to have cleared a background check and drug screening before they will permit the students in the clinical setting. To meet these requirements, the GFC-MSU requires that the check/screening be done prior to placement in any clinical agency.
• Background checks/drug screenings are done at the student’s expense. Students with background checks that reveal a finding, or positive drug tests will be evaluated individually to determine whether they will be eligible for clinical placement and state licensure for their respective degree program.
• Information about how to obtain the appropriate background check and drug testing will be provided in the acceptance letter to the nursing program.

Students previously enrolled in ANY nursing program:

• Students previously enrolled in ANY nursing program must report that enrollment and provide official transcripts. If a student were previously enrolled in ANY nursing program, but did not graduate, a written explanation for leaving AND one (1) nursing faculty reference from that program needs to be included in your application.
• All students must meet admission requirements for Great Falls College-MSU and submit an application for the ASN-Registered Nurse program
• Acceptance into the ASN-Registered Nurse program is competitive, and application does not guarantee acceptance.
• No course for transfer will be accepted unless a grade of “C” or better (not “C-“) was earned.

• All ASN RN applicants are required to take the Kaplan Admission Test PRIORto submitting their program application.
• The minimum accepted score on the Kaplan Admission Test is 65.
• The test may be taken twice between the opening of the application period (mid-February) thru program due date. You must allow at least three weeks between each attempt.
• Test scores from prior years or other institutions are not accepted.
• The Kaplan Admission Test is provided free of charge if you register through the specific URL provided for the Great Falls College Nursing Program cohort provided below and take the test at the Great Falls College Testing Center.

 

Registering for the Test (and Repeat Test)
3 Step Process both times

1. To register for the Kaplan Admission Test, students must first register with Kaplan at https://www.kaptest.com/nclex/partner/great-falls-college-msu. Follow the enrollment steps to register your account. Please disregard the "Time/Location" details on the Kaplan enrollment page.
   • NOTE: The LOGIN and PASSWORD you use when registering for your account will be the same login and password you use to get into your test, so please do whatever you need to so as to remember it.
   • REPEAT TEST: You will need to follow the link above for a second time and click on REPEAT ADMISSIONS test and follow the instructions below to set up your Date/Time for the REPEAT ADMISSIONS test.
2. Once enrolled - Follow these steps:
   • Individual testing on the Great Falls College Campus:
     • Contact Nursing Program Director Russ Motschenbacher at 406-771-4362 or r.motschenbacher1@gfcmsu.edu to arrange time frame for the test.
     • Contact the GFC MSU Testing Center at 268-3711, etesting@gfcmsu.edu or students.gfcmsu.edu/testing to make an appointment for the test.
   • Testing at a location other than at Great Falls College, please contact our Nursing Program Director
     Russ Motschenbacher 406-771-4362 r.motschenbacher1@gfcmsu.edu.
3. Nursing Program Director - Russ Motschenbacher 406-771-4362 r.motschenbacher1@gfcmsu.edu. 
   • Group testing dates and times for the Kaplan Admission Test are not available this year.
   • If you are scheduled for a test and do not arrive on time, you will be removed from the scheduled testing session and will be unable to test at that time.
   • Failure to show up for your schedule test without notifying the Nursing Program Director will result in losing one attempt at the test.

Students interested in preparing for the Kaplan Admissions Test should review the Test Outline and suggested preparatory text.

Program Admission Process

Great Falls College MSU is committed to the provision of equal opportunity for education, employment, and participation in all College programs and activities without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, creed, service in the uniformed services (as defined in state and federal law), veteran status, gender, age, political ideas, marital or family status, physical or mental disability, genetic information, gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation.

The ASN-Registered Nurse Program Admissions Committee reviews application packets and uses established admissions criteria to rank applicants for admission. The Application Evaluation form used by the committee is completed by the student as part of the application process. Criteria for selection emphasize academic performance in prerequisite courses, Kaplan Admission Test score, previous education, and healthcare work experience.

Please review the Program Technical Standards as they are considered criteria for admission to the program.

Current students may apply during the Spring semester before the Fall program intake. Applications become available the second Friday in February and must be delivered or postmarked by the end of the last week that starts in May (June 2 for 2023). Late applications will NOT be accepted. However, students can apply before finishing their prerequisites and may be considered for conditional acceptance if space is available. Final determination will be made after satisfactory completion of the prerequisite courses.

To APPLY NOW please download the application and send all application items as a completed packet. Items sent separately and at random are easily lost or misfiled. We are not responsible for any late, lost or misfiled information. Please only send required documentation as other supplemental items will be discarded. Application packets can either be mailed to the Nursing Program or hand-delivered to the Health Science Administrative Assistance at GFC-MSU.

What happens after you apply to the nursing program?

Accepted students will be notified of their acceptance into the program typically by the middle of July. The specific date by which notification is mailed is noted in the current program application. Accepted students will receive the intent to enroll form electronically from Docusign to the email that is on their application and this MUST be completed and returned to the College. If this letter of intent to enroll is not returned by the assigned date, the student’s place will be offered to another applicant.

Accepted students will be registered for classes by college staff upon receipt of their electronically signed intent to enroll form.

Students not accepted will be notified typically by mid-July, with specific date by which notification will be mailed noted in the current program application. If students are not accepted into the ASN-Registered Nursing program, we highly encourage students to consider applying for the CAS-Practical Nursing program. If space allows, applications will be considered after the submission deadline. Also, graduation from the CAS-Practical Nursing program increases the competitive score on the subsequent ASN-Registered Nursing application the following year.

What do you do with the acceptance letter?

• Read the acceptance letter and ALL documents received with it.
• Electronically sign your intent to enroll, noting if you are accepting or declining your spot in the program.
• Start working through the Acceptance Checklist as soon as possible. Some of the documentation that is required to be submitted PRIOR TO ORIENTATION can take several weeks to complete.
• Make note of the required MANDATORY orientation dates.
• Purchase clinical and lab requirements (listed on the Acceptance Checklist)

New to Great Falls College or D2L Brightspace?

New students to Great Falls College are highly encouraged to register for the non-credit course called “Tech Essentials”. This is not required but we strongly recommend you complete it to help in familiarizing yourself with D2L, as the entire nursing program utilizes this learning management system extensively. The course is designed to let you do tasks you can expect to do in your regular nursing program courses. You’ll have the opportunity to complete a practice assignment, submit a practice quiz, post and reply to a discussion message, and take a survey.

All of this information is also available on the e-learning website at: elearning.gfcmsu.edu/gettingstartedinformation.html through video tutorials and an eLearning Guide. However, practice opportunities are only available with registration for “Tech Essentials.” If interested, this will be a course you may register for at nursing program orientation.

Buy your books

You’ll need to purchase textbooks for most classes. To find out what books you need:

1. Log into Banner Web/My Info
2. Click on “Student Services”
3. Click on “Registration”
4. Click on “View All Textbooks for your Classes”

The campus bookstore will carry all of your books needed for classes (and they buy books back at a discounted price at the end of each semester). You’re also welcome to shop on-line (Amazon is a great resource) for deals on books.

https://www.thecottagebookstore.com

Get the required technology

While you are a student at GFC MSU, you can download Office 365 Pro Plus for free. You’re also licensed for up to 5 installs on a laptop, desktop, tablet, or smart phone.

Computer requirements for taking an online class:
	Required	Recommended
Operating System	Windows 8 or 10	Windows 10
	Mac OSX 10.10 or newer	Mac OSX (newest version)
Memory (RAM)	4 GB	8 GB
Storage	256 GB	500 GB
Processor	i3+	i5+
Video	SVGA Monitor	Resolution of 1024 x 768 or greater
	Minimum Resolution of 800 x 600
Internet Speed	High-speed Internet (i.e., cable, DSL, etc.)	High-speed Internet (i.e., cable, DSL, etc.)
Java Script	Enabled	Enabled
Cookies	Enabled	Enabled
3rd Party Cookies	May be required for some courses. Instructions for your current browser	Allow 3rd party cookies only for individual sites, whenever possible.
Web Browser	Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Safari (Mac only)	Google Chrome

Please note: It is not recommended that students plan to use a Chromebook, iPad, or Android tablet as their primary device for completing schoolwork.

Have a disability that may require accommodations?

GFC MSU Academic Success and Accessibility helps accommodate for disabilities you may have. Not all disabilities are visible, and a large number of students registered with Academic Success and Accessibility have disabilities such as ADD/ADHD, learning disabilities, health impairments, or psychiatric disabilities.

Important: There are differences between disability in high school and disability in college.

Disability in High School	Disability in College
The school is responsible for identifying students with disabilities	The student must self-identify or disclose his/her disability
The school must provide the assessment of the disability and classify the disability	The student must provide documentation of his/her disability to the designated office
School teachers and staff will discuss academic progress with parents or legal guardians	The student is considered an adult with privacy and confidentiality protections. Without a release of information signed by the student, faculty and staff cannot talk with parents or legal guardians about the student’s academic progress
Services include individually designed instruction, modifications, and accommodations based on the IEP (Individual Education Plan)	Reasonable accommodations may be made to provide equal access and participation
Modifications that change course outcomes may be offered based on the IEP	The college is not required to lower or effect substantial modifications to essential requirements

The first step to determine eligibility for services is to schedule a one-hour intake appointment with the Director of Academic Success and Accessibility to discuss how your disability impacts your learning and together, determine reasonable Accommodations and Services.

For more information, visit Academic Success and Accessibility.

Recognize the expectations for student performance within the nursing program

As a nursing program student, it is important to think about the elevation in expectations and be proactive to address them. See this table below for some of the major expectations.

You manage your own time.

You must balance your responsibilities and set priorities. The program is rigorous and fast-paced.

You often have hours between classes:  class times vary throughout the day and evening. Utilize this time efficiently and organize your schedule.

You spend 12 to 16 hours each week in class and you need to study at least 2 to 3 hours outside of class for each hour of class.

Faculty may not formally take roll, but they are still likely to know whether or not you attend. There is a strict attendance policy and missing more than 15% of classes may cause you to be dismissed from the nursing program.

Faculty are usually open and helpful, but most expect you to initiate contact if you need assistance.

Faculty may lecture nonstop, expecting you to identify the important points in your notes.  When professors write on the board, it may be to amplify the lecture, not to summarize it.  Good notes are a must.

Faculty expect you to read, save, and consult the course syllabus (outline); the syllabus spells out exactly what is expected of you, when it is due, and how you will be graded.

It’s up to you to read and understand the assigned material; lectures and assignments proceed from the assumption that you’ve already done so.

Testing is usually infrequent and may be cumulative, covering large amounts of material.  You, not the faculty, need to organize the material to prepare for the test.  A particular course may have only 2 or 3 tests in a semester.

Makeup tests are seldom an option; if they are, you need to request them for extenuating circumstances only.

Watch out for the first tests.  These are usually a wake-up call to let you know what is expected – but they also may account for a substantial part of your course grade.

*Table information modified from www.brookhavencollege.edu

Campus Resources

We want you to succeed! We have many great resources for students described below:

The Academic Success Center

Students are eligible for free tutoring and support, including teaching successful study skills like computer use, note taking, reading, test preparation and time management. They even offer a Google+ Hangout for students who are unable to come to campus and you can submit your papers and writing assignments by e-mail to have a tutor proof your assignment and provide feedback.

Visit students.gfcmsu.edu/asc for more information

The Weaver Library

The Weaver Library is open as your major informational resource on campus. You can find books, videos, and course reserves plus the student computer lab.

For more information, including their open hours, visit library.gfcmsu.edu