Nursing

GCC requires all students who enter the Associate Degree Nursing or Practical Nursing Certificate program to be and remain up to date with COVID vaccination. According to CDC guidance, that means that you have completed the primary series of vaccine (either both doses of the two-step (Moderna or Pfizer) or the one-time vaccine (Johnson & Johnson) AND have the most recent booster. Because all GCC clinical partners now require full vaccination and testing, participation in our nursing programs is not possible if you are not vaccinated. Vaccines are now readily available at most pharmacies and healthcare facilities
  • Overview
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  • Student Handbook
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Greenfield Community College's state-approved Associate Degree Registered Nursing Program was established in 1963 as the first Community College Associate Degree Nursing Program in Massachusetts. Graduates of this program earn an Associate in Science and are eligible to take the licensing exam to become registered nurses (RNs). Responsibilities of the RN include full responsibility for the quality of nursing care provided to individuals and groups; health maintenance, teaching, counseling, collaborative planning and restoration of optimal functioning and comfort; and appropriate delegation of selected nursing activities to other RNs and/or health care personnel, including practical nurses and nursing assistants in a variety of health care settings. Primary employers include hospitals, long-term-care facilities, and community health agencies.

Our program is approved by the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing and is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. Greenfield Community College is part of the Massachusetts Community College System and enjoys a strong statewide and regional reputation. All classes take place on GCC's main campus.

Nursing is a health occupations program with a special admissions process and health requirements. You must submit a separate application to this program in addition to a general application for admission to GCC. Please review all criteria prior to applying!

What You'll StudyCourse Sequencing
NUR
Curriculum Documents

To plan degree completion, see the course descriptions in the academic catalog which specify the planned semester(s) in which required classes are to be scheduled.

For a list of required courses, download the Nursing program description from our official academic catalog, or contact this program's coordinator for specific recommended course sequencing.

Program Learning Outcomes

Students completing a course of study in this program will be able to:
  • Professionalism – Demonstrate accountability for the delivery of standard based nursing care with integrity
  • Patient-Centered Care – Demonstrate recognition that every patient has individual needs and provides care based on those values, preferences and needs
  • Leadership – Model the leadership role through advocacy, communication and achievement of mutual goals
  • Systems-Based Practice – Operate within the larger context of the health care system while applying the nursing process in diverse settings
  • Informatics and Technology – Synthesize information using advanced technology to make critical decisions that optimize patient outcomes
  • Communication – Demonstrate systematic and therapeutic communication to enhance patient satisfaction and mitigate error
  • Teamwork and Collaboration – Apply principles of effective teamwork and collaboration to support achievement of quality patient care outcome
  • Safety – Calculate risk and act to minimize risk of harm to patient and providers
  • Quality Improvement – Evaluate healthcare outcomes, identify areas that need improvement, and create a plan for improvement
  • Evidence-Based Practice – Integrate the best current practices for the delivery of optimal healthcare

What's Next

Take the R.N. licensure examination, and enter the R.N. work force, and/or continue your education part-time or full-time at a Baccalaureate degree institution. We have many articulation agreements and relationships with a variety of local and national colleges and universities which support academic progression in nursing.

Graduating Class 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
First-time pass rate on National Council Licensure Exam for Nurses (NCLEX-RN) 90% 86% 89% 92% 90% 92% 97%
National pass rate 87% 88% 88% 85.2% 78.8% 80% 93%
AD program completion rate with 4 semesters (100% on track) 95% 97% 92% 92% 93% 89%
Graduates employed within 6 months for min. 16 h/wk 100% 90% 94% 100% 92% 100%

 

The Greenfield Community College Jean Simmons Nursing Endowed Chair Fund awards scholarships to GCC students and alums pursuing a nursing career. The endowment funds annual scholarships for individuals to support seamless education progression in nursing.

Individuals eligible for these scholarships are:

  • Certified Nursing Assistants/Home Health Aides who have been accepted and enrolled in the GCC Practical Nursing Certificate Program
  • Licensed Practical or Vocational Nurses or recent graduates of a practical/vocational nursing program and have been accepted and enrolled in the GCC Associate Degree Nursing Program
  • Registered Nurses who are graduating from or are graduates of the GCC Associate Degree Nursing Program.

If you are enrolled in or a graduate of this program, you may be eligible for a Jean Simmons Nursing Scholarship. 

Learn more, find deadlines and apply online at gcc.mass.edu/simmons-nursing.

  • Completion of the BSN level of nursing education provides the graduate with a much greater variety of career opportunities and eligibility for graduate education.
  • GCC offers most of the general education courses needed to transfer into any BSN program. College advisors will be happy to assist you in planning your course of study.
  • A GCC/UMass transfer advisor is available by appointment; call (413) 775-1758 for more information.
  • GCC has articulation agreements for RNs with American International College, Elms College, Framingham State and the University of Vermont. GCC ADN graduates can complete 60 non-nursing credits at GCC and transfer into the University of Massachusetts, Amherst’s RN to BSN program.  A majority of the required course work for these BSN programs can be taken at GCC.
  • More information about transfer opportunities are available from our Transfer Office.

The philosophy of the ADN program supports the mission of GCC. The following statements indicate the beliefs of the nursing faculty.

Philosophy

The nursing faculty is committed to:

  • academic excellence in entry level nursing education for the 21st century by providing an education from which students will acquire the knowledge, skills and attitudes to provide safe and quality patient-centered care;
  • support of students to be successful in their pursuit is essential in this process; and
  • support of student academic progression to continuing formal higher education to the baccalaureate level and beyond.

Concept of Nursing

  1. Nursing
    The faculty views nursing as an art and a science. The art of nursing is the expression of nurturing, caring, and comforting. The science is the application of relevant theory, practice, and principles. The nurse uses professional communication to integrate the application of knowledge and the maintenance of individuality and culture in providing services to individuals and families.
  2. Humanity
    Persons are physical, intellectual and spiritual beings. The faculty teaches this holistic approach to the person throughout the curriculum. Nursing courses emphasize assessment of individuals and their potential for growth. Liberal arts courses and the biological sciences provide the student with a foundation to understand the dimensions of the individual.
  3. Environment
    Environment includes internal and external elements that affect the individual. Nursing focuses on the person(s) in relation to their total environment. There is constant interaction between internal and external environments; it is impossible to separate the person from the environment.
  4. Health/Illness
    Health and illness are dynamic and ever changing throughout the lifespan. They are separate but co-existing, represented along a continuous line called the health-illness continuum. This continuum spans high-level wellness, common health problems, and severe illness and death.

Concept of Nursing Education

We support the GCC Principles of Education in that we value the process of learning as much as the knowledge gained. Nursing education is a life-long learning process which continually provides for the acquisition and application of knowledge, skills and attitudes. The faculty affirms the individuality of our students, the complexity of their life experiences, and their ability to actively participate in the learning process. We believe that each encounter with students in the learning environment should engage compassion and concern. (reviewed 5/08)

Rationale of the Teaching/Learning Process

The following learning principles are primarily utilized by the faculty:

  • Content is presented from the simple to the complex
  • Learning occurs best when frequent and appropriate feedback is provided
  • Learning from reading, lectures, and clinical conferences is best retained when clinical application occurs immediately after theory is presented
  • Skills are best developed through repetitive practice
  • Individual learner needs must be taken into consideration
  • Critical thinking skills are essential.

The faculty is responsible for providing a learning environment where there is a free exchange of ideas within a framework of clearly defined learning objectives, and a specific body of knowledge essential to nursing practice. Students have frequent opportunities to evaluate course management, teaching strategies, and clinical resources. Students are expected to participate actively in the learning process. The college provides support services and referrals so that students may adapt to changes at school or at home to reach their objectives, whether professional, educational, personal, social, or economic. 

Role of the Associate Degree Graduate

The faculty believes that Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) education combines general and technical educational courses to prepare nurses to provide patient/client care in various health care and community settings. Associate degree nurses deal with common responses to changes in health status. The nursing curriculum prepares associate degree nurses to utilize the nursing process to assess, plan, implement, and evaluate individual responses to changes in health status within the scope of their responsibility and educational preparation. The ADN graduate is eligible to become a licensed registered nurse whose scope of practice includes roles as a provider of care, a manager of care and a member of the discipline of nursing. The ADN is accountable for their own professional practice and for assigning, delegating, and supervising care to peers, licensed practical nurses, and ancillary nursing personnel. In settings where there are baccalaureate and graduate degree nurses practicing, ADN graduates need to recognize the wider scope of practice and deeper breath of knowledge commensurate with that educational preparation. The Greenfield Community College graduate understands that completion of the program represents the beginning of an ongoing process of continuing education and personal development.

The Associate Degree Nursing Program at Greenfield Community College located at the Greenfield campus in Greenfield, Massachusetts is accredited by ACEN. The most recent decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the GCC Associate Degree Nursing Program is "Continuing Accreditation."

View the public information regarding this program at https://www.acenursing.

Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
3390 Peachtree Rd NE Suite 1400
Atlanta, GA 30326
(404) 975-5000

Melanie Ames Zamojski MS, RN, CHSE

Dean of Nursing

Nursing Department

A.S., Greenfield Community College
B.S.N., University of Phoenix
M.S.N., Western Governor's University

E120C 1-413-775-1763

Melanie Ames Zamojski is the Dean of Nursing at Greenfield Community College. She oversees the Associate Degree and Practical Nursing Certificate Programs. Melanie has been with GCC since 2011 instructing in Fundamentals, Pediatrics, and clinicals. She has more recently coordinated the simulation and skills lab. Her experience is primarily in prehospital, critical and emergency care. Melanie is a proud graduate of the GCC Nursing Program! She lives locally with her husband, David and has 2 adult children, Meghan and Brian, and one grandchild due in 2023!

Laurie Meunier MSN, RN, CEN, CNE

Professor

Nursing

A.S., Greenfield Community College
B.A., University of Massachusetts
M.S.N., University of Phoenix

E121G 1-413-775-1760

Category: ADN

Yes.

Category: ADN

No, you must either test out of MAT 096/014 or complete the course before submitting your application.

Category: ADN

Yes.  GCC offers most of the general education courses needed to transfer into any BSN program.  GCC ADN graduates can complete 60 non-nursing credits at GCC and transfer into University of Massachusetts, Amherst’s RN to BSN program.  GCC has articulation agreements for RNs with American International College, Elms College, Framingham State and Westfield State University.

Category: ADN

GCC does not accept letters of recommendation when considering applicants for the ADN program.

Category: ADN

Yes.  We highly recommend that interested students attend one of our information meetings prior to applying to our program!  No registration is required.  Dates are posted on our website as they become available.

Category: ADN

Yes. Depending on space availability, an LPN graduate can transition in as a second semester or second year student. It takes two to three semesters of coursework in the ADN program to complete the Associate in Science and be eligible for the licensing exam for Registered Nurses. For more information about the bridge program, contact Laura Earl, Health Occupations Admission Coordinator at .

Category: ADN

Students need to complete the minimum coursework outlined on th eapplication. Because GCC has more qualified students apply than they can accept, competetive applicants have the following:

  • excellent grades in the science courses (Anatomy and Physiology I and II and Microbiology); the higher your grades, the stronger your application
  • non-nursing courses completed (English Comp II, Psychology, Human Growth and Development, Sociology, humanities elective); the more courses from the nursing curriculum completed, the stronger your application.
Category: ADN

GCC maintains a waiting list of qualified students for one year only. Students not selected from the waiting list after their first application must reapply if interested in entering in a subsequent year.

Category: ADN

Academic admission requirements can be found in our program information packet and in our program fact sheet. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED/HiSet certificate.

Category: ADN

RNs are responsible for nursing care provided to individuals and groups, including health maintenance, teaching, counseling, collaborative planning, and restoration of optimal functioning and comfort.  RNs may delegate appropriate nursing activities to other RNS, and/or health care personnel including practical nurses and nursing assistants in a variety of health care settings.  RNs are primarily employed in hospitals, long-term care facilities and community health agencies.

Category: ADN

Applications are accepted between September and February of each academic year (specific dates are outlined in the the program application). Application forms are available on this website and the website of the Admissions Office.