Henry Ford Community College

Nursing Programs Offered

ADN Program Details

Henry Ford Community College is the first Michigan associate degree nursing program and one of the first seven such programs in the nation. The program has received many awards and grants for curricula design, innovative teaching strategies, creative curriculum scheduling, and collaborative partnerships, which lead to such things as defining competencies of associate degree nursing and increasing nursing graduates.

The program of study combines 65 credits of General Education and nursing courses, using classrooms, laboratories, and clinical placements to provide learning in structured health care settings. With credit for courses taken in their prior education, Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) who choose to obtain the associate degree in nursing, enter the program at the second semester level. LPN students should make an appointment to review their status with the LPN Facilitator or nursing office, and to see the options available for them.

General Education courses must be taken before or concurrently with nursing courses, as stipulated in the curriculum. Nursing courses must be taken in consecutive semesters. All students wishing to pursue
nursing must achieve a minimum grade of "C" (no minus) in every required pre-requisite, general education or nursing course. Courses may be repeated ONLY ONCE in order to obtain a grade of "C" or better.

Applicants to the nursing program must understand that they will be involved in the direct care of clients and must not judge nor expect to choose which clients they will serve. Refusal to serve assigned patients will be grounds for dismissal. In order to be considered for admission to or retention in the program, applicants must possess:

1. Sufficient visual acuity necessary for accurate assessment and safe nursing care to clients, such as physical assessment, preparation and administration of all medications and direct observation of clients.

2. Sufficient auditory perception to receive verbal communication from clients and members of the health team and to assess client health status with such devices as cardiac monitors, stethoscopes, I.V. infusion pumps, dopplers, fire alarms, call lights and cries for help.

3. Sufficient gross/fine motor coordination to respond promptly and implement skills required in meeting health care needs of clients, including manipulation of equipment and supplies.

4. Sufficient physical abilities to move around client's rooms, work in treatment areas, and administer cardiopulmonary procedures.

5. Sufficient strength to perform physical activities frequently requiring the ability to lift, push, pull objects more than fifty pounds and transfer objects and persons of more than one hundred pounds.

6. Sufficient communication skills (speech, reading, writing) to interact with clients and communicate their health status and needs promptly and effectively.

7. Sufficient intellectual and emotional capability to plan and implement care for clients.

8. Sufficient psychological stability essential to perform at the required levels in the clinical portions of the nursing program.

9. Ability to sustain long periods of concentration to make decisions such as selecting correct techniques, equipment, and safety measures to assure maximum care and safety of clients. A person under the
influence of alcohol or consciousness-altering drugs could not meet the above criterion.

10. Sufficient physical stamina to remain standing for long periods of time.