Nursing

Pre-Nursing Level

New students accepted to the Northern Marianas College who declare the Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) degree as their major are first identified in the PowerCampus system as a Pre-Nursing student. Listing nursing as your major on the College application does not constitute an application to the major. All students who select nursing as their major on the College application will be automatically classified as Pre-Nursing students. A Pre-Nursing student is a student under the ASN degree Individualized Degree Plan (IDP) who is working to fulfill all prerequisite course requirements, which includes the Core Course Requirements (except SO 297) and General Education Requirements, prior to applying for admission into the Nursing Program.

Pre-Nursing students must successfully complete all Core Course Requirements (except SO 297) and General Education Requirements with a grade of “C” or higher, as stated on the ASN IDP. Students that earn a grade of “D” or “F” in any prerequisite course must repeat it to obtain a grade of “C” or higher. It is expected of all Pre-Nursing students to maintain a 3.00 and above grade point average (GPA) throughout their prerequisites.

When a Pre-Nursing student is expected to complete their prerequisites by the end of the Spring Semester that they intend to apply for admission into the Nursing Program, the student can submit an application for admission to the Nursing Department in April of that Spring Semester. The Nursing Program requires a separate application and additional admission criteria than what is required for College admission.

For more information on applying for admission into the Nursing Program, read the “Application for Admission” section of this page.

Important Note: For the science course credits listed under the General Education requirements of the ASN IDP, all science courses must be completed within five years immediately prior to applying for admission into the Nursing Program. This also applies to transfer students from off-island colleges/universities who are interested in applying for admission into the Nursing Program. Transfer students must obtain an official college transcript and mail it to the Office of Admissions and Records (OAR). 

If your transcripts are from a foreign college or university, they must be sent to a transcript evaluation service. Contact OAR via email to Isabel Matsunaga, Registrar, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call at 670-237-6771 for the address of the specific transcript evaluation service that NMC uses.

Nursing Level

A student who has met all Nursing Program admission criteria and is admitted into the program is placed into the First Year Nursing Cohort and is identified as a Nursing student. At this level, all nursing students are working on completing the Program Requirements of the ASN IDP, which are essentially the Nursing courses. The Nursing Program is four semesters in length and each nursing course is only offered once a year.

Updating the NMC Health Evaluation Form for Health Clearance

Nursing students admitted into the program are expected to complete the NMC Health Evaluation Form (obtained at the Office of Admissions and Records) to update all required vaccinations and PPD skin test, including scheduling for a physical examination and updating the immunization record by a medical provider at any of the private on-island clinics. The Health Evaluation Form can be completed by making an appointment at either the Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation (CHCC) Immunization Clinic or any private on-island clinic. Students can also request a copy of their immunization record from the CHCC Immunization Clinic to bring with them to their appointment.

Note: The Health Evaluation Form you completed when you were first admitted to NMC will not be counted.

All nursing students are responsible for updating and completing their vaccinations, as required by the CHCC’s Employee Health Department, to receive health clearance and be allowed in the hospital’s inpatient units/outpatient clinics for clinical experience/practicum. A completed and updated Health Evaluation Form must be handed in to the Nursing Department to begin the screening process for your health clearance.

Disclaimer: Any applicable fees associated with the nursing student’s health clearance, including physical examinations and PPD skin tests, are the responsibility of the student. Nursing students must ensure they have their medical insurance documentation ready when visiting a clinic for their appointment.

All nursing students are expected to follow immunization guidelines and health directives from the CHCC Employee Health Nurse before they can begin their clinical rotations at CHCC. The Nursing Department works closely with CHCC’s Employee Health Nurse to ensure our nursing students’ compliance.

All nursing students are required to wear a CHCC Student ID Badge during clinical rotations. There is a $10 fee to be paid at the CHCC Cashier before getting your Student ID Badge from the CHCC Human Resources Department. This will be arranged by the Nursing Department Chair prior to the beginning of the first day of clinical experience/practicum.

Nursing Student Dress Code and Equipment

Nursing students are expected to follow the Nursing Program Dress Code for lectures and clinical experience. You are expected to provide your own uniforms and medical equipment throughout your nursing program training. Further information regarding dress code and equipment will be provided upon official admission into the Nursing Program.

Transportation

Nursing students must provide their own transportation to and from the clinical area (either in the CHCC hospital, outpatient clinics, public health, private/government agencies, or schools).

Completion of the Nursing Program and Graduation

After completing all four semesters in the Nursing Program, the nursing student will graduate with the Associate of Science in Nursing degree at the NMC Commencement Exercise held in the Spring Semester of their graduating year. Receiving the ASN degree means that the nursing graduate is eligible to apply for the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).

All nursing graduates are expected and required to take the NCLEX-RN within three months after graduation to be licensed as Registered Nurses (RNs). 

NCLEX-RN Application Requirement for Potential Nursing Graduates

All potential nursing graduates are required to complete the Initial Application for Licensure by Examination from the Northern Mariana Islands (NMI) Board of Nursing.

In the fourth and final semester of the Nursing Program, potential nursing graduates are required to begin filling out their application forms in January of the Spring Semester and work on gathering the required documentation, per the NMI Board of Nursing’s Requirements for Licensure by Examination. Completed applications and required documents, including the initial application fees (in a U.S. postal money order), must be submitted to the Nursing Department Chair by the third week of May for review and submission to the NMI Board of Nursing.

For more information about the NCLEX-RN and requirements, read the “About the NCLEX-RN Exam” section of this page.

Overview

The Nursing Department at the Northern Marianas College is preparing to select its new cohort of students for the Fall 2024 Semester. The Application for Admission into the Nursing Program is made available in April of every Spring Semester for any potential candidates that meet all requirements. Admission into the program is once a year for every Fall Semester. 

Pre-Nursing students who are interested in applying for admission may contact their nursing advisor to determine their eligibility and progress.

Selection Criteria and Timeframe

The selection of applicants for admission into the Nursing Program will be determined based on the following criteria:

1. A cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.00 or above
2. Completion of all Core Course Requirements (except SO 297) and General Education Requirements with a grade of “C” or higher, as listed on the ASN IDP; all science courses are completed no later than five years prior to applying for admission into the Nursing Program
3. Ability to understand, speak, and write in English
4. Passing the Nursing Program Admission Test with a passing score of 70% or higher in all five (5) content areas (Math, Reading, Science, Writing, and Critical Thinking)
5. The Nursing Department having sufficient faculty to teach the nursing courses

Selection into the Nursing Program will be completed before the Fall 2024 Semester begins. After the application period closes, the Nursing Department will screen all applicants based on the Selection Criteria above. A “Status of Application” letter will be sent out using the address(es) provided on the application and will determine if the applicant is eligible to move forward and take the Nursing Program Admission Test.

Nursing Program Admission Test

For the Fall 2024 Admission period, all applicants who are applying for admission into the Nursing Program must pass the program’s Admission Test with a passing score of 70% or higher in all five (5) test content areas. These content areas are Math, Reading, Science, Writing, and Critical Thinking.

Students who are completing their remaining prerequisites this Spring 2024 Semester will take the Admission Test on June 27-28, 2024.

Important Notice for all Pre-Nursing students: Effective this Fall 2024 Admission period, the Nursing Department will no longer administer the Admission Test in August of each year. The test will now only be administered once a year in June. Students who are completing their remaining prerequisites in the Summer will need to apply the following year for admission into the Nursing Program.

Applicants who did not pass the Nursing Program Admission Test cannot retake the test the same year. If an applicant does not pass the test, they can reapply for admission into the Nursing Program the following year when the Nursing Department announces its new application for admission for the next Admission period. Only then can the applicant be allowed to retake the Nursing Program Admission Test.

There is no limit to the number of retakes for the Nursing Program Admission Test.

Class Size

Currently, the Nursing Department caps its class size for each cohort to twenty-five (25) students. If there is not enough space for all applicants, there may be a waiting list of applicants if a selected student declines admission into the program.

Pre-Nursing students are encouraged to make an appointment with their academic advisors as soon as possible to discuss their prerequisites and transcript of record to determine their current standing.

Download the Application

The Fall 2024 Application for Admission can be downloaded here. Applications will be accepted from April 22 to May 22, 2024. Applicants may submit them via email to Andrew Mendiola, Administrative Assistant, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or in person at the Nursing Department Office in Building V during regular office hours.

The National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses, or NCLEX-RN, is a computer adaptive test required for nursing graduates to successfully pass to be licensed as a Registered Nurse in the United States and Canada. In April 2023, the Next Generation NCLEX, or NGN, was implemented by the NCSBN, where the exam now includes new, long form question types that test a nursing graduate’s clinical reasoning skills.

According to National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) rules, you can take the NCLEX eight times a year with 45 days in between attempts. However, there's no limit to the number of retests overall.

Several states do not put restrictions in place on the number of times you can take the NCLEX. However, several states do place additional limitations. In some states, aspiring nurses can take the test a maximum of 3-5 times before they must enroll in a remedial course or take another course of action. For the NMI Board of Nursing, applicants can contact their office at 670-233-2263 for more information.

To learn more about the NCLEX-RN Exam and its requirements, you can visit the NMI Board of Nursing website.

• Individualized Degree Plan - Nursing

Overview

The Certificate of Nursing Assistant prepares entry-level nursing assistants to provide basic nursing care to elderly, ill, and disabled persons in long-term care, hospital, clinic, and home health settings. It is designed for any student or interested individuals who want to begin a career as a Nursing Assistant, individuals interested in taking a nursing course, but are still at developmental English and math levels, and for persons already employed as nursing assistants but who have not completed the formal coursework. The course is ten (10) weeks in length and prepares students to also take the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program (NNAAP) Competency Examination. After successfully completing the course, graduates will be eligible to take the NNAAP Competency Examination with the Northern Marianas Islands (NMI) Board of Nursing (BON), be licensed as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), be placed on the NMI BON Registry for Nursing Assistants, and practice as a CNA in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands or U.S. Mainland.

Prerequisites: Early Admission into NMC, High School Graduate or High School Equivalent. An applicant must have an English Placement Level of EN 095 and a Math Placement Level of MA 091.

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Download the Nursing Assistant Certificate Individualized Certificate Plan

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View Nursing Assistant Program Admission Guidelines and Cost Breakdown

 

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  Rosa T. Aldan, MSN, BSN, RN

  Department Chairperson, Nursing

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  Johnny Aldan, BSN, RN

  Instructor, Nursing

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• Breanna Lee, RN

  Instructor, Nursing

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• Andrew Mendiola

  Administrative Assistant III

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• Ji Hye Lee

  Associate Professor

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