Practical Nursing Admissions

Practical Nursing Fall 2024 Application Criteria

Beginning April 29, 2024 Practical Nursing will be accepting applications for alternates.

Thank you for your interest in the Practical Nursing (PN) program at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College. Please read this information thoroughly. We want to make sure you have the best possible chance of being selected by completing all processes and submitting all necessary application documents completely, correctly, and by the deadline. Please email admissions@abtech.edu if you have questions regarding enrolling at A-B Tech or email advising@abtech.edu if you have questions about applying for the Practical Nursing program.

You must be a high school graduate or have an Adult High School or High School Equivalency (HSE) diploma to be eligible to enter any Selective Programs and have self-certified this requirement on your A-B Tech College application.

The Application Period

We will begin accepting applications on April 29, 2024, for alternates for the Practical Nursing class that begins in the Fall of 2024. All deadlines and requirements in this document must be met to be eligible to apply.

Anatomy And Physiology Requirement

Successful completion of:

  • Anatomy and Physiology I (BIO-168 or acceptable substitute) taken within 5 years of the Fall 2024 term start from a regionally accredited institution with a “C” or higher is required prior to application to the program or the applicant must be on track to complete before the end of the Spring 2024 semester.
  • Anatomy and Physiology II (BIO-169 or acceptable substitute) taken within 5 years of the Fall 2024 term start from a regionally accredited institution with a “C” or higher is required prior to the Fall 2024 term start.

Note: Anatomy and Physiology I & II (BIO-168 and BIO-169 or acceptable substitutes) time out after 5 years and must be retaken and successfully completed with a “C” or higher to be considered for the Practical Nursing program. Eligibility to apply to the program will be determined by a Student Advisor.

Minimum Score Requirement For ATI TEAS Exam

Applicants will be required to score a minimum composite/total adjusted TEAS score of 62.

NAI Requirement

To be eligible for admission in Fall 2024 all Practical Nursing program applicants must document the following and provide acceptable documentation to a Student Advisor at the time of completion of the Verification/Selection Form.

Applicant must either:

  1. Hold a documented, current, unrestricted credential as a Nurse Aid I (NAI) from the North Carolina Nurse Aide Registry and the Division of Health Service Regulation. (A copy of the current listing on the NC DHSR Nurse Aide Registry website will be acceptable documentation)
  2. Show documentation of enrollment in an NAI course that will conclude by the start of the Fall 2024 term. The Nursing department will verify completion of the NAI course prior to full acceptance into the program. A skills test date must be scheduled within one month of NAI course completion.

How To Apply

  1. Complete and submit the standard A-B Tech Application. (This is not an application to a Selective Program. The application to the Practical Nursing program will be done separately after you meet with a Student Advisor and are approved as eligible to apply.)
  2. Applicants must certify on their college application that they are a high school graduate from a valid institution, an adult high school graduate from a valid institution, or have a valid high school equivalency (HSE). High school graduation or the equivalent from a regionally accredited, valid institution is generally required for Financial Aid purposes. You must have this high school equivalency by the first day of classes for the Fall 2024 term to enter the Selective program.
  3. Applicants must complete New Student Orientation prior to meeting with a Student Advisor to complete the Verification/Selection Form. Waivers may apply.
  4. Applicants must submit documentation of successful completion of Anatomy and Physiology I (or acceptable substitute) taken within 5 years of the Fall 2024 term start from a regionally accredited institution with a “C” or higher prior to application to the program.
  5. Eligible applicants must document college readiness in English and math. Visit Placement Overview for detailed information or contact a Student Advisor located in the Bailey building on the A-B Tech Asheville Campus to learn about acceptable options.
  6. Once you meet the minimum requirements to apply to the program, you will be given permission and instructions to schedule the ATI TEAS exam by a Student Advisor. You must schedule and take the ATI TEAS as soon as possible to be considered as an applicant for the program.

Important Application Information

To be eligible for admission to the Fall 2024 class, all qualified Practical Nursing applicants will be required to take the ATI TEAS (Test of Essential Academic Skills) exam. The ATI TEAS exam may only be completed at a location within the United States of America per ATI guidelines. Be aware that only one TEAS exam will be allowed during the application period for the Fall 2024 class.

The ATI TEAS exam will be paid for by the student at the time of online registration on the ATI website. Information on the ATI TEAS exam and associated costs can be found at ATI Testing. Applicants should NOT schedule the ATI TEAS until after meeting with a Student Advisor and having been approved as eligible to apply.

Applicants may select only one of the following at the time of completion of the Verification/Selection Form:

  1. Testing during the application period at the Testing Center at the A-B Tech Asheville Campus on Victoria Road in Asheville, NC.
  2. Testing at an approved testing facility in another location.
  3. Use an existing score already on file at the College provided the score is 5 years old or newer.
  4. Submit only one score report from a testing session that occurred prior to the application period at another testing facility. If multiple test scores are received on a single report (regardless of the reason for or source of the error), the earliest composite score will be used.

Please Note: Test scores will not be accepted, and applicants may not schedule the ATI TEAS exam until after the applicant has completed the Verification/Selection Form with a Student Advisor.

If an applicant does not follow through and take the ATI TEAS exam, they are disqualified from moving forward in the admission process.

Applicants in need of testing accommodations should contact Support Services at supportservices@abtech.edu at least three weeks prior to testing.

Important: Students who submit TEAS exam scores must ensure scores are received as soon as possible. It is the applicant’s responsibility to email the Testing Center at testingcenter@abtech.edu to confirm scores were received.

Admission To The Program Once Minimum Requirements Have Been Met

  1. You will receive the points of your TEAS exam composite score (adjusted individual total score). The ATI TEAS exam includes Reading, Math (including Algebra), Science, and English sections. The TEAS exam composite score will be used to rank applicants. Applicants will be required to score a minimum composite/total adjusted ATI TEAS score of 62.

    In the event of a tie score, the TEAS Reading score will be used to break the tie. If a tie remains, the TEAS Math score will be used. Both Reading and Math have been proven to predict success.

  2. Successful completion of Anatomy and Physiology II (BIO-169 or acceptable substitute) with a “C” or higher is required prior to Fall 2024 term start. Course completion will be verified by the Nursing Department prior to full acceptance into the program.
  3. All accepted and/or wait-listed students must attend the program orientation session held by the Nursing department. Program orientation details will be provided by the department after acceptance to the program or waitlist.

Please Note: Failure to attend the program orientation will result in the loss of a seat in the class.

Notice to non-U.S. Citizens

A-B Tech welcomes non-citizens with work authorization through U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to our Selective programs. Clinical site eligibility is determined by the sites themselves and can be impacted by immigration status. Non-citizens should discuss their non-citizenship status with their Selective program advisor as soon as they are accepted so that accommodations can be made for non-citizens.

Please note: Non-citizens who are eligible for the Selective programs may not be eligible for certain clinical sites. Successful completion of clinical rotations is required for program completion. If a student drops the program after being denied clinical site privileges due to non-U.S. Citizen status the college refund policy will apply. Non-citizens are encouraged to contact the appropriate licensing/certifying agency to determine if they are eligible for licensure /certification upon graduation–decisions regarding licensure/certification are solely the responsibility of the licensing/certifying agency.

Questions regarding program admission for non-citizens may be made to advising@abtech.edu.

Other Important Information – Read Carefully

Any School of Nursing student deemed to have violated the College Student Code of Conduct may not be eligible for admission or re-admission to School of Nursing and Allied Health programs.

Certain immunizations are required by the clinical agencies to participate in clinical. Please note: COVID-19 vaccination requirements are based on clinical affiliate requirements and are subject to change.

Criminal background checks and drug screenings will be required by clinical sites for students entering the selective programs. These screenings will be conducted at the student’s expense by a professional and independent vendor. Failure to achieve acceptable standards for these screenings will result in the denial of clinical privileges. Successful completion of clinical is required for program completion. The college refund policy applies if a student drops the program after being denied clinical site privileges.

Applicants should be aware that the North Carolina State Board of Nursing requires criminal background checks including fingerprints for all applicants for initial licensure and may deny licensure to individuals convicted of a misdemeanor or felony. The NC Board of Nursing does not become involved in reviewing the applicant’s conviction record until such time as the application is made to take the national examination.

Applicants for Selective Programs must demonstrate the ability, with or without reasonable accommodations, to meet certain technical standards critical to the successful completion of the program. These standards include skills and abilities essential for such things as the operation of equipment; evaluation and manipulation of patients; evaluation of microscopic components and color reactions; and communication with patients, families, and other medical personnel. For an explanation of specific physical and cognitive requirements for the Practical Nursing program, refer to the “Program Technical Standards” on the A-B Tech website. For further clarification, contact the Nursing Department chair at (828) 398-7264.

Students accepted into the Practical Nursing program will be required to obtain CPR certification from the American Heart Association or American Red Cross prior to program orientation. This CPR for the healthcare provider/professional rescuer course must include hands-on skill demonstration of one and two-rescuer adult, child, and infant CPR and the use of an AED.

If you are not selected for the Practical Nursing program beginning the Fall 2024 semester and wish to apply for the Fall 2025 class, you must re-apply.

All documents that you submit with your application for the Practical Nursing program must be true, correct, and complete. Falsification of documentation may result in denial of admission or dismissal after admission.

Admission criteria are reviewed each year and are subject to change from year to year.

Students enrolled in the Practical Nursing program must complete all pre-requisite courses before proceeding to any nursing course. All courses in the program are prerequisites for courses in subsequent semesters. Students may have to enroll in general education and related courses that are scheduled as either Day or Evening courses to be able to meet the prerequisite requirements.

School of Nursing students will be required to complete clinical rotations, which may require them to travel more than one hour from campus. Clinical rotations may be conducted during weekend and/or evening hours. Students are responsible for arranging their own transportation.

Selective Program Readmission Policy

The following readmission policy applies to students who receive an unsuccessful grade in a selective program, or who voluntarily withdraw from such a program. Unsuccessful grades are defined as “D” or “F”.

  1. If you receive an unsuccessful grade in a selective program, you may not proceed to any subsequent course, which has the course in question as a prerequisite. You must repeat the course in question before proceeding to the next higher course in the program.
  2. Due to the selective nature of the Practical Nursing Program, it will be necessary for students who have received an unsuccessful grade in a NUR-101,102, or 103 to reapply for regular admission to the program during the next application period.

Important: Admission to the Practical Nursing program is limited to two times unless granted an exception by the unanimous approvals of the Chair of the School of Nursing and the Vice President of Instructional Services.

We appreciate your interest in A-B Tech and the Practical Nursing program.

 

Student Preparation And Testing Resources Available

College Placement

Test resources are available from:

SAT or ACT study guides, which are available at various libraries and bookstores, are also good resources for testing preparation.

ATI TEAS

Test resources and online registration and payment are available at the following website:

Study guides are available for review in the Locke Library the A-B Tech Madison and the Goodwill Workforce Training Center sites. Study guides may also be purchased online from the test vendor ATI at the online store link or the A-B Tech Bookstore. Online practice assessments are also available on the vendor's website.

TEAS prep courses can be taken at A-B Tech through Continuing Education. For available courses, visit Continuing Education Online Registration.

Additional Preparation Resources

  • March2Success provides free personal assessments and preparation tools for the college placement test and the ATI TEAS exam.

For career assessments and exploration, visit Focus 2. Email careerservices@abtech.edu or call (828) 398-7581 for an individual appointment.

Updated April 17, 2024