Nursing

The philosophy of the Mendocino College Registered Nursing Program supports and implements the mission statement of Mendocino College. The faculty members believe that a sound nursing education program is built on concepts relating to the individual, the health-illness continuum, the environment, and nursing which includes nursing education and relevant knowledge derived from related disciplines. 

Nursing faculty members recognize the individual as a holistic, unique, and complex being who constantly responds to changing environments in biological, psychological, social, cultural and spiritual domains. Individuals develop and interact within the context of their family, community, and social environments. People possess dignity, self-worth, and the inherent right to assume responsibility for the development of their own potential. Additionally, individuals are entitled to information that allows them to make informed choices regarding their health care and to become active participants in decisions regarding their well-being. Individuals hold diverse values and beliefs and exist in different social and physical environments; all of which may have an impact on an individual’s state of health. 

Each learner is recognized as having unique experiences and background. Faculty members are alert to individual differences due to gender, ethnic, and cultural background, goals, learning styles, and support systems. Support services, including counseling, financial aid, and a wide variety of learning resources, are an integral part of the system available to accommodate the individual needs of the students. 

The student is considered an active participant in both the educational experience and the evaluation of the experience. The student holds the responsibility for classroom preparation and attendance, for engagement in active listening and analysis, completion of assignments and evaluation of learning experience. 

Mendocino College currently offers a 2-year Registered Nursing Program and a 3-semester LVN-to-RN Bridge Program. Students who successfully complete the program are awarded the Associate of Science Degree in Nursing and are eligible to sit for the California State Board of Registered Nursing Licensing Exam (NCLEX-RN).

A link to the California Board of Registered Nursing NCLEX First-Time Pass rates can be found here: www.rn.ca.gov/education/passrates.shtml 

Both programs offer a series of courses that combine academic classes on campus, skills practice in the nursing skills laboratory, simulation activities, and patient care experience in various hospitals and facilities primarily in the Lake-Mendocino area.

Information about applying to the RN and LVN-to-RN Bridge Programs can be found in the “Applications and Workshops” tab. 

The Mendocino College RN program was accredited in 2003 by the California State Board of Registered Nursing; 1747 N. Market Blvd., Suite 150 Sacramento, CA 95834-1924; phone (916) 322-3350; email brn.licensing@dca.ca.gov.

The most recent Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) continuing approval visit occurred in 2019. 

To contact the Director of the Nursing Program, Dr. Suzanne Hewitt, or for program specific information call Nayely Garcia at (707) 468-3099, or email nursing@mendocino.edu.​

Registered Nursing Program

The application period for the Fall 2024 Registered Nursing Program has closed. The next application period for the Fall 2025 Registered Nursing Program will begin on February 3, 2025. 

New for Spring 2024: Applicants with multiple past applications to the RN Program, and who have never been selected in the lottery, may be eligible for conditional admission to the RN Program without having to be selected in the lottery. See the RN Application Handbook during the application period.

A mandatory pre-application workshop is required for ALL applicants applying to the Registered Nursing Program. Applicants who have attended a workshop in the two years prior to the date of application do not have to attend. Dates for the 2025 RN Pre-Application Workshops will be posted here on Tuesday, January 21, 2025.

LVN-to-RN Bridge Program

The application period for the Spring 2025 LVN-to-RN Bridge Program has closed. The next application period for the Spring 2026 LVN-to-RN Bridge Program will open on September 15, 2025.

A mandatory pre-application workshop is required for ALL applicants applying to the Registered Nursing Program. Applicants who have attended a workshop in the two years prior to the date of application do not have to attend. Dates for the 2026 LVN-to-RN Bridge Pre-Application Workshops will be posted here on Tuesday, September 2, 2025.

Pre-Application Orientation Workshop

A mandatory pre-application workshop is required for ALL applicants applying to the Registered Nursing Program. Applicants must attend one workshop within two years of applying.

We will offer pre-application workshops for the RN Program in the Spring of 2025. Please check our website at the start of the Spring 2025 semester for workshop dates and reservation links.   

RN Program (click hyperlink for brochure)

This type of program consists of a two-year (four semesters) sequence of nursing coursework. Students can apply to the RN program after completing prerequisite courses and meeting other requirements. No prior nursing experience is typically needed, but some programs require a nursing assistant background for admission.

Degrees for this type of program include:

• Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) which can be obtained at the community college level
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) which requires admission to a four-year college or university
• Master’s of Science in Nursing (MSN) which requires admission to a four-year college or university.

The ADN program can be completed at the community college level and the student can choose to continue their education if desired to achieve a BSN while working as an RN. For a list of RN programs in California go to this website.

LVN-to-RN Program (click hyperlink for brochure)

This type of program is usually called a "bridge” or "career ladder" program. This program is for LVNs already licensed in California who want to continue their education in order to become RNs. These students are often given advanced placement when entering an RN program, and may be admitted either in the first or second year of courses. Often, these programs are on a space-available basis in an RN program.  For a list of LVN-to-RN programs in California visit this website.

Program of Study

Courses in both general education and nursing provide the scope of knowledge required to assure the delivery of quality nursing care. The curriculum allows students and opportunity to apply nursing skills in a variety of health care setting including acute medical/surgical, pediatric, obstetric, geriatric, psychiatric, and community-based agencies.

• Prior to applying to any nursing program, interested students should meet with an academic counselor for guidance and information about prerequisite coursework and general education requirements.
• All general education (GE) coursework, institutional requirements, and nursing prerequisites must be completed prior to the semester in which an applicant is applying.
• An application to the nursing program is required, and only complete applications are reviewed.
• A minimum GPA of 2.5 is necessary for admission into our program.
• Applications to the RN program and LVN-to-RN Bridge program are only accepted during specific application periods. Advanced Standing applications are accepted and reviewed on a continuing basis.

Nursing Application Handbooks are only available online during open application periods. You may not enroll in nursing courses unless you have been formally admitted to the nursing program. There is a specific application period for each nursing program.

Admission Process and Acceptance Criteria

• Nursing Prerequisites

Students can apply to the RN Program after completing general education, institutional requirements, and prerequisite courses, as well as meeting other requirements listed below. Registered Nursing Program major degree requirements include prerequisite courses and Nursing Program coursework. All courses required for the nursing major must be completed with a grade of “C” or better. A “C” minus in prerequisite courses will not be accepted. Courses taken credit/no credit or pass/fail will receive point value of a “C” where GPAs are calculated.

• Science Course Recency

Anatomy, physiology, and microbiology prerequisites must have been completed within the last 10 years if the student received a grade of “A” or “B” in the course. If the student received a grade of “C”, the class must have been completed within the past 5 years. There is no longer an option to waive the recency requirement for these courses.

• Orientation Workshop

The orientation workshop is a pre-application requirement for RN, LVN-to-RN Bridge, and Advanced Standing applicants. Workshops are in-person classroom learning sessions designed to familiarize applicants with the requirements and processes for submitting an application. View the Applications& Workshops tab for further information.

• TEAS Testing

Successful completion of the ATI TEAS Exam is a Nursing Program requirement. ATI TEAS testing assesses and applicant’s knowledge in the areas of Math, Science, Reading, and English. Applicants must achieve a minimum composite score of 62% to be eligible for admission into the Mendocino College Nursing Program. The latest version of the TEAS exam is ATI TEAS VII. TEAS VI results will also still be accepted at this time until further notice. Applicants must provide proof of all TEAS exams taken within the past 12 months with their application.

Applicants must have an ATI TEAS exam composite score of 62% or greater before acceptance is finalized. You do not have to have ATI TEAS results to apply to the nursing program. If an applicant has conditional acceptance status and has not taken the ATI TEAS exam prior to acceptance, they will be invited with their acceptance letter to take the ATI TEAS exam at Mendocino Community College. Applicants will be offered one opportunity to complete the exam at the Ukiah Campus. If the students cannot attend the assigned date of the exam or does not provide an ATI TEAS passing exam score by the deadline indicated in the acceptance letter, the application offer will be withdrawn. 

If an applicant who has been conditionally accepted for admission does not score at 62% or above on the ATI TEAS exam, the applicant's acceptance will be withdrawn and the applicant will be provided with resources for remediation. The applicant may reapply to the program during future application periods.

Potential students are strongly encouraged to use college resources, and their own study materials in addition to ATI prep information to prepare for the TEAS exam.

• To register for the TEAS exam, or for information and study guides go to www.atitesting.com.
• Study and testing resources are also available online through the Sonoma County Public Library (www.sonomalibrary.org). As a Lake or Mendocino County resident you may receive a free digital library card. It only takes a minute to apply and immediately receive your number. Once you have your number, you can go back to the SCL homepage, click on “Online Resources” to see all the databases. Click “Learning Express” and search for “TEAS” in the search bar. This may seem like a long process but on this website you will find practice TEAS exams to help you prepare for the test.
• An informative breakdown of the ATI TEAS test: http://www.mometrix.com/blog/ati-teas-6-test-breakdown/
• Formula for Acceptance

The initial criteria for admission in to the Nursing Program is based on the California Community College Chancellors Office Formula for Acceptance. Scoring for each applicant is based on a weighted formula that considers Science GPA, English GPA, and overall GPA. A negative calculation is scored if an applicant has repeated one of the science prerequisites (Anatomy, Physiology, ad Microbiology) due to a non-passing grade (D or F) in the previous 7 years. Applicants must score at 80% or above to be considered for acceptance. 18-21 students are accepted per year into Mendocino College's RN program. An alternate list of applicants is maintained in the event that any of the selected applicants decline admittance.  Enter your grades in the Formula for Acceptance spreadsheet to calculate your score. To access the FFA spreadsheet, you must have Microsoft Office Excel on your computer. To open and begin using the spreadsheet, click on the link to open the document, then make sure to "enable editing" by clicking the button on the yellow bar at the top of the document if it appears.

• Lottery Randomization

Applications that score at 80% or above in the Formula for Acceptance, and meet all other requirements, are chosen by a random computerized selection process, also known as a lottery. Those who are sent offers of admission will still need to meet other criteria including but not limited to: a passing score on the TEAS test (if not already taken), clear background check, clear drug screen, submission of a satisfactory physical examination by applicant's healthcare provider, submission of all required immunizations and other health requirements, proof of professional liability insurance, and proof of current American Heart CPR (Basic Life Support for Health Care Provider) certification. 

New for Spring 2024: Applicants with multiple past applications to the RN Program may be eligible for conditional admission to the RN Program without having to be selected in the lottery.

Applicants who have submitted an eligible, qualifying* application to the RN Program for the current application period, and three times in the preceding four RN Program application periods, but were not previously selected in the lottery will be offered conditional** admission to the program.

*Please refer to the information in this tab for eligibility and qualifying criteria

**Admission is conditional pending receipt of documents listed above

If the number of applicants meeting the above criteria exceeds 50% of the total number of students accepted, applicants in excess of the 50% will be placed on a waiting list for the following year. Applications will be processed in the order they are received.

• Background and Drug Screening

In accordance to the Joint Commission standard, clinical facilities may require criminal background checks and urine drug screens for all individuals providing patient care, including nursing students. The clinical affiliation agreements between the Mendocino College Registered Nursing Program and clinical agencies require that background checks be conducted and urine drug screens completed for all students prior to placement in a clinical environment. If a student cannot be cleared for clinical participation due to a background check infraction or a positive drug screen result, the student will not be able to participate in clinical, which is a program requirement. In the event that a student is found ineligible for clinical placement by the clinical facility after admission to the nursing program, they shall be subject to dismissal from the program, as they will be unable to complete the mandatory clinical course objectives.

• Updated Information Regarding Changes to California State Laws:

Despite the recent change to California State Laws regarding marijuana usage, our clinical facilities still require a clean urine drug screen from all students. Clinical agencies must uphold federal laws and therefore cannot accept a positive urine drug screen, including students with medical marijuana authorization.

What is a Registered Nurse and what do they do?

Registered Nurses (RNs) have a variety of roles in health promotion, disease prevention, and treatment of illness or injury. Primarily, RNs are patient advocates and consistently apply educational techniques in their care of others. RNs may target their education toward an individual, family, a specific group, or an entire community. RNs are directly responsible for patient observation and assessment and often lead a health care team. RNs may assist physicians during procedures, may complete procedures ordered by a physician, may administer medications, and must integrate a variety of patient information into the formulation of a nursing care plan. The job of an RN involves multi-tasking and critical thinking.

The job opportunities for RNs are varied. RNs can work in a hospital, in a clinic, in an extended care facility, as a case manager, in management positions, as a traveling nurse, as a school nurse, as a home health nurse, and as a hospice nurse. Areas of specialization in which nurses can focus include cardiac, obstetrics, emergency trauma, pediatrics, oncology, AIDS/HIV, diabetes care, surgery, general medicine, wound care, geriatrics, and air ambulance. RNs can continue their education and obtain advanced degrees that give them even more career options such as Nurse Practitioner or Nurse Educator. The current job market makes nursing a career with many opportunities and choices.

Advanced Placement Procedures

Mendocino College provides advanced placement opportunities for students who have previous education and experience relevant to course segments of the ADN curriculum. Students may apply to enter as an advanced standing student if their status is one of the following:

• Previous student who withdrew from and ADN Program
• LVN-to-RN Bridge student
• 30-unit option for LVN
• Veteran with medical experience

An applicant also may apply to challenge course(s) based on Mendocino College policy. Acceptance is on a space available basis. Attrition rates in the MCC ADN program are historically low; therefore, advanced placement options are limited.

An applicant dismissed from a previous ADN program for clinical failure due to safety considerations will not be eligible for acceptance. Applications for transfer students and advanced placement students are accepted on a continuous basis. The program Director reviews each transfer application and determines placement based on a review of the applicant’s transcripts, syllabi, and communication with the former Director or educator.

Admission to The ADN Program / Transfer Credit with Advanced Status 

Offers of admission to the Mendocino College RN Program may be granted, if space is available, after careful evaluation of the candidate’s application. This evaluation, in combination with the results of any placement exams or other requirements, will assist in determining the most appropriate semester for entrance into the Mendocino College RN Program. Most applicants join the program in the transitional semester preceding the third semester of the Mendocino College four-semester RN Program. 

Students who wish to return to the program after a period of absence, students having completed work in other nursing programs with advanced status, or veterans with medical experience are subject to the following criteria: 

• Because of limited clinical resources and student/teacher ratio, readmission/admission with advanced status will be on a space available basis only. 
• Individuals transferring nursing credit from another program for advanced placement must submit official transcripts from previous institution(s) including course descriptions and course hours to the Nursing Program Director. All materials will be evaluated to determine appropriate placement in the program. To be considered for placement, all paperwork must be complete and received at least six weeks prior to the onset of the semester for which the student is applying. Nursing course work from other schools, applicable for advanced status in the Nursing Program must be completed with a grade of “C” or greater. Advanced Status applications will only be considered if applicant’s period of absence from nursing program is 18 months or less. 
• When there are more eligible students seeking admission to a class than there are available vacancies, the position(s) will be offered to the applicants(s) based upon the date of receipt of completed paperwork. An advanced standing/alternate list is maintained by the Nursing Department. 
• Students may be required to validate current theoretical and/or clinical proficiency by assessment and/or performance testing in any activity that is mandatory for students to advance in the program or unit of material for which they received credit. 

Readmission to the Mendocino College RN Program as an Advanced Standing Student 

In limited circumstances a student who has withdrawn from the Mendocino College RN Program may return as an advanced standing student dependent on continued eligibility and available space in the program.

A student receiving a non-passing grade in nursing courses may be considered for readmission at the discretion of the program Director. The student will be required to provide written documentation outlining the factors that contributed to their lack of success as well as strategies employed for improving performance. The readmission request will be reviewed and if approved the student may reapply during the next regular application period.

Readmission must occur within 12 months of departure from the ADN program. Any student who is absent from the ADN program has the responsibility to maintain currency of knowledge and skills previously learned.

Military Personnel Policy Guidelines for Nursing Admission 

Military personnel and veterans may be eligible for enrollment into the Mendocino College Associate Degree Nursing Program based on the following requirements: 

• Relevant education and experience within the last five years prior to application is recommended. 
• Education and experience meet the basic requirements per college guidelines. 
• Honorable Discharge (DD214) or current active honorable service is required. Military records and transcripts must be reviewed by a college counselor. 
• Candidates must meet the same eligibility requirements for admission into the ADN program as other applicants, including completion of prerequisites and general education requirements. 

Pathways to assist with obtaining nursing credit for previous education and experience:

• Including but not limited to Basic Medical Technician (Navy Hospital Corpsman) or USAF Basic Medical Service Technician or Army Medical Specialist through one of the following mechanisms: 
  • Credit for previous education/knowledge in nursing: Schedule an appointment with an advisor at Mendocino College to obtain evaluation of previous education or other acquired knowledge in nursing to determine whether course credit can be awarded.
  • Challenge exam per college policy for the 1^stsemester of the AND program: Schedule an appointment with an advisor at Mendocino College to obtain evaluation of previous education or other acquired knowledge in nursing to determine whether course credit can be challenged.
    • Mendocino College has established twelve as the maximum number of units that can be challenged, also known as credit by assessment.
    • The course(s) challenged are based on the needs and prior experience of the individual requesting. Competency will be verified for each challenged course per program policy. Competency may be confirmed by successful completion of ATI testing at a level equivalent to program standards for RN students. Costs of ATI exams are the responsibility of the students.
  • Some veterans may qualify for LVN licensure. Information on LVN License application and LVN curriculum are available at www.bvnpt.ca.gov. LVN licensure may allow advanced placement entry into an RN education program at the discretion of the nursing program. Our program has an LVN-to-RN bridge course that these students may be eligible for after obtaining the LVN license.
• Including but not limited to Basic Medical Technician (Navy Hospital Corpsman) or USAF Basic Medical Services Technician or Army Medical Specialist with an active California LVN license (Licensed Vocational Nurse) either through challenge (BVNPT Method 4) or successful completion of an LVN program.
  • Admission credit may be given to applicants as an LVN-to-RN candidate per admission policies.
  • An LVN-to-RN transition course is required and must be completed with a passing grade.
  • The program shall determine which course(s) the veteran or corpsman will need to complete based on the criterion established by the program.
  • Applicants must demonstrate theory and clinical competency in Obstetrics and Pediatrics. Credit for these specialties is required to be posted on the official transcript. ATI examinations given in the LVN-to-RN transition course include Fundamentals, Maternal-Newborn, and Pediatrics. Applicants will be required to pass ATI examinations at the same level as RN students.
  • All ADN prerequisites must be completed prior to the LVN-to-RN transition course.

Contact Information

Mendocino College
Registered Nursing Program, Room 6520
1000 Hensley Creek Road
Ukiah, CA 95482
Tel:   707-468-3099
Fax:  707-467-6047