REGISTERED NURSE (ADN)
We are pleased that you are interested in the Registered Nursing Program at College of the Desert. The program is approved by the California State Board of Nursing.
If you still have questions after reading through the materials below please feel free to contact either the Health Sciences/Nursing Office at (760) 773-2579 or the Nursing counselor, Ana Stockwell, 760-776-7380 or email her at astockwell@collegeofthedesert.edu
For specific questions about financial aid, FAFSA, BOG waivers, etc., please check with the Financial Aid Office at (760) 773-2532.
You are encouraged to attend one of the information sessions scheduled during the semester.
NURSING INFORMATION SESSIONS:
Group information sessions are offered periodically throughout the year which provide an overview of the nursing programs and a 'question and answer' time.
Session availability is contingent upon nursing advisor availability.
Come and Find Out....
- What prerequisite courses are needed
- How to apply
- Program particulars
- Job particulars
- Bring your questions!
Upcoming Nursing Info Sessions:
| Aug 15, 2019 |
5:30 PM |
Palm Desert Campus - Nursing Room 4 (N4) |
| Sep 04, 2019 |
5:00 PM |
Palm Desert Campus - Nursing Room 9 (N9) |
| Sep 09, 2019 |
1:00 PM |
Palm Desert Campus - Nursing Room 9 (N9) | |
No appointment necessary.
The admission criteria to the ADN program uses a multi-criteria screening and ranking process. Applicants must meet all eligibility requirements (GPA of at least 2.5 in the prerequisite science courses and a TEAS score of 62% or higher) before being considered for multi-criteria.
Successful TEAS completion is necessary to enter the program Sign up for TEAS at the PaCE office in the Westfield Mall or call 760-776-7420.
RN FALL 2018 Application Statistics: LVN to RN Application
FA18 & Sp19 Statistics:
- Applicants: 114 - Applicants: 31/Fa, 31/Sp
- Eligible: 105 - Eligible: 30/Fa, 30/Sp
- Highest Points Admitted: 92 - Highest Pts. Admitted 85/Fa, 77/Sp
- Lowest Point Admitted: 65 - Lowest Pts. Admitted: 78/Fa, 74/Sp
- Admitted Applicants: 27 - Admitted Applicants: 3 each Fa/Sp
All nursing and allied health students participating in a clinical rotation are required to have a clear background check. Background checks can be paid for at the COD Bursar's Office.
Drug Screening and Background Checks
The affiliation agreements with the clinical facilities regulated by the Joint Commission (TJC) require that all students have a clear drug screening and background check prior to each clinical rotation. If not, the student may not be allowed to participate in patient care at a clinical agency, which would prevent the student from completing the nursing program. Students are advised that an acceptable background check done for the clinical facilities does not guarantee the background check conducted by State Boards at the time of application for licensure or certification will be found acceptable. Background checks displaying discrepancies will be reviewed by the Nursing Director and facility assigned to determine if you are eligible to continue within the program.
In addition to screening prior to the start of each clinical rotation, students may be subject to testing for cause; such as slurred speech, impaired physical coordination, inappropriate behavior, or pupillary changes.
All students will also be medicall screened prior to the first day of clinical by the Employee Health Department of the assigned facility. Screening will include a physical elxamination, TB testing, flu shot, blood tests (titers) which show definitive immunity to communicable disease, and drug and alcohol screening.
Since students who do not clear the screening will be unable to attend clinicals, it will result in an automatic failure and a subsequent drop from the program.
Students are responsible for all associated fees.
Onboarding is normally conducted in the month prior to the clinical rotation. Students MUST be available during that time. Missing onboarding may result in being dropped from the program. Every semester of the nursing program students are required to have a new attestation form filled out by the Nursing Program Assistant.
APPLICATION INFORMATION:
The application periods for the RN Program are in March and September. The links to the packet including the application are only live during the application periods. The four prerequisite courses must be completed and grades reported on your official transcripts before applying. Prospective students not already enrolled at Colleg of the Desert DO NOT need to apply to the college until AFTER they have been accepted into a nursing program.
When submitting transcripts with an application, make sure that ALL college attended other than COD are included. Missing transcripts will result in non-acceptance to the program, and if discovered after the program entry could potentially delay or jeopardize your graduation. Please contact the Admissions and Records Office if you have questions regarding this requirement. (760-773-2516)
RN Application Packet link
Application for Spring 2020 will be available beginning September 16, 2019.
RN students accepted into the program will be automatically registed for their nursing courses. Students will need to register for any other courses according to their assigned priority level.
Please keep in mind that all clinical sections for the RN program are assigned.
Remember to contact the Counseling or Admissions office if you need to check on outstanding issues that could be a barrier to getting registered for your class.
Please pay for COD Student ID cards at the Bursar's Office and pick up completed ID cards at the ASCOD office (Student Life).
Please check your instructor's Canvass page for ongoing information and updates concerning class supplements, handouts, and announcements.
REINSTATEMENT: (link for applicable form)
View the most current guidelines/directions for submitting a request form for reinstatement to the RN program. The form is only available during the last 3-4 weeks of the semester. If the above link is not active please continue to monitor this webpage. Forms are only available as noted above.
STUDENT EMAIL ADDRESSES:
All students attending COD will obtain a COD email address upon registering. This address will be used for all official notifications. We strongly advise activating this as soon as possible.