Nurse Assisting

Nurse Assisting Program at SCC

Nursing Assistants (NAs) are essential members of the healthcare team providing patient- centered tasks that help patients with activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing, feeding, repositioning, and ambulating. NAs work under the supervision of licensed nurses and assist with taking vital signs, answering call lights, and measuring food and fluid consumption.

NAs make a difference by assisting nursing staff with patient care to help improve the lives of those they serve. If you are compassionate, caring, and have a passion for helping people, you may be the perfect candidate for Scottsdale Community College’s Nurse Assisting program.

The Nurse Assisting program (NUR158) is a 7-week, 4.5 credit course that includes theory, skill practice in the nursing lab, and clinical experiences in healthcare facilities that prepares students for the Arizona State Board of Nursing exam to become a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) or Licensed Nurse Assistant (LNA). In addition, NUR158, assists students to begin their careers in healthcare. The course focuses on critical thinking, communication, and team collaboration while integrating patient care skills.

Nurse Assisting Employer and Classroom Information

Healthcare icon

Potential employers include hospitals, residential care facilities, nursing homes, and patient’s homes.

In-person icon

Theory content and lab hours will occur in the classroom and nursing skill labs on campus.

nurse holding clipboard with blurred background of patient in hospital bed

Applications Due

Semester Dates To Submit Applications
Spring 2025 (January Start) 10/16/2024 – 11/25/2025
Compliance Deadline for the January session December 9 by 5 pm

Applications submitted outside the date ranges will be sent back for the student to resubmit during the time frame. Please watch the information session on-demand video. Then scroll down for Steps 1-6 on how to apply and meet the compliance deadline. Please review ALL the steps.

Virtual Information Sessions

Virtual Information Sessions

Please watch the on-demand Information Session.

Email nurse.assisting@scottsdalecc.edu for any questions.

Get Started Today

Follow these steps to enroll in the Nursing Assisting program at Scottsdale Community College.

You will need to be a Maricopa Student to apply for NUR 158. Apply for admission to Scottsdale Community College (SCC).

Criteria for applying for NUR 158 include CPR card, Fingerprint card, and Reading & Math scores.

  1. CPR card: needs to be an American Heart Association (AHA) Basic Life support card (BLS) that will not expire within the time frame of the class. SCC offers HCC 109 to meet these criteria, and you can enroll for $64.
  2. Fingerprint card: Go to AZDPS.gov and select Fingerprint Card → Apply for Card → Continue → Create an account → Apply for new card → Non IVP for the Health Sciences Student (ARS 15-1881) and Residential or Nursing Care (ARS 36-411) → schedule a time to have fingerprints completed.
  3. Reading & Math: Please refer to this information for this criteria.

    To apply to NUR 158, please visit Application Process - Nursing Assistant (NA). Under “Nursing Assistant (NA)” section → click the +Application Process → APPLY NOW button

Demonstration of readiness to enter the Nurse Assisting Program
Test Requirements
HESI A2

English Comprehensive: minimum score 70%

Math: minimum score 70%

Accuplacer

Reading (Classic): 58 or higher

Reading (Next Gen): 230 or higher

Arithmetic (Classic): 20 or higher

Arithmetic (Next Gen): 200 or higher

ACT

English and Readings Scores: 18 or higher

Math: 510 or higher (must be 2016 – current0

GED

Reasoning Through Language Arts: 165 or higher

Math: 165 or higher

EdReady

Reading: 60 or higher

Math: 55 or greater

  • High School Graduates within the last 5 years, with an overall, unweighted HS GPA of 2.6 or higher would meet the English/reading and math scores for placement in the NA program
  • AGEC: Students who have completed the AZ General Education Curriculum (AGEC) would meet the required English/reading and math scores for placement in the NA program.
  • Students who have a previous degree (to include) AAS, BS, MS, EdD, PhD, will meet the required English/reading and math scores for placement in the NA program.

You will receive an email that your application has been accepted and that you have permission to enroll.

If enrolling after the tuition deadline, tuition is due the day you enroll. If you do not make payment by the deadline, the system will automatically drop you from the class and you may lose your choice of lab section.

If you need help: (480) 423-6100 or admissions@scottsdalecc.edu.

Once you receive acceptance into NUR 158 at SCC, you will need to complete compliance items by the deadline. Gather Required Documents (see Health and Safety Requirements). The Arizona Department of Health Services Immunization Record Request Form can help provide records of immunizations.

Create an account with American DataBank (ADB).

  • Purchase the Background Check AND the 12-month Tracker for Immunizations/Compliance.
  • Do NOT purchase the Drug Screening at this time.
  • You must use your Maricopa email.
  • Upload all the Health and Safety Requirements to ADB.
  • The ADB team will approve/reject documents that do not meet the requirement and will leave comments on how to become compliant in your account. Please note the review process can take at least 3-5 business days.
  • Please follow these directions to transfer an ADB to SCC from another college

Items you will need to provide in ADB (please watch the orientation video to help with this: 

  • Immunizations (MMR, Varicella, Hep B, Tdap, Influenza, COVID)
  • Tuberculosis testing
  • CPR Card
  • Fingerprint card
  • Background Check (cannot be older than 6 months before the start of class)
  • Statement of Health Clearance (cannot be older than 6 months prior to the start of class)
  • Nursing Student Handbook
  • Photo ID
  • Photograph

Once green in all areas except the Drug Screen, email nurse.assisting@scottsdalecc.edu to inform them you are completed so we can keep track of your progress. Students who are not compliant in ADB by the deadline will be dropped from the course.

screenshot showing all green checkmarks

 

After the ADB deadline, the whole class will receive instructions to create a MyClinicalExchange (MCE) account

When prompted by email, create and pay for an account with myClinicalExchange (MCE).

Link your MCE and ADB accounts so that the approved documents in ADB transfer to MCE.

Please Note: Not all your documents will sync over; you will have to manually upload the ones that do not.

  • Once the application process closes and MCE deadline has been met, students will be placed into clinical rotations and you will receive an email through MCE. If your MCE account is not compliant by the first day of class, you will be dropped from the course due to not being able to place you in a clinical rotation
  • Be sure to use the Nursing Assistant checklist, NOT the Nursing checklist
  • For the English requirement, type yes
  • For Covid declination, type NA into the value fields
  • For the Health Insurance Company, put the name in the value box and resubmit.

When prompted by email, create and pay for an account with myClinicalExchange (MCE).

  • You must use your Maricopa email.
  • You will have 6 modules and 5 exams to complete.

MCE How to Create an Account

You will receive an email with details on how to purchase and complete the random Drug Screen that will need to be completed within 48 hours. No exceptions!

It can be sent out at any point between the ADB compliance deadline and when the class starts.

Beautiful Scottsdale Community College campus

Program Location: On the beautiful Scottsdale Community College campus located at 9000 E. Chaparral Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85256.

Program Costs: Total costs for the Nurse Assisting Certificate of Completion program are $1,248 for the 2022-2023 academic year.

Please note that these are only estimates and include textbooks, supplies, immunization fees, and nursing scrubs. The estimate may change based on tuition increases and course fees. Estimates are on tuition rates for in-county students. Additional fees may apply.

Degrees / Certificates: Nurse Assisting Certificate of Completion

Pre-Registration Requirements: Academic, health and safety requirements must be met before registering for the Nurse Assisting Program (NUR158). Please attend an information session to learn more.

More Information

If you have any questions, please email SCC Nursing Program at nurse.assisting@scottsdalecc.edu for further information.