Registered Nurse Preparation

ATI TEAS Exam Announcement: (updated 4/19/2022)

Effective May 31, 2022, the Kapiʻolani CC Nursing Department will NO longer allow the ATI TEAS to be proctored at home. After this date, all students must take the ATI TEAS exam at a testing center.

The nursing department will grandfather in all exams taken since March 20, 2020 when UH officially mandated the “Stay at Home” order. Effective June 1, 2022 the ATI TEAS exams must be taken in a testing center to be considered for the Kapiʻolani CC Nursing Programs.

Hawai‘i Statewide Nursing Consortium Curriculum Update

Since Fall 2012, the Kapi‘olani Community College (KCC) Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program has been aligned with the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa (UHM) Bachelor of Science Nursing (BSN) program via the Hawai‘i Statewide Nursing Consortium Curriculum, thus enabling ADN graduates to continue their nursing education in pursuit of a BSN degree at UHM. Previously, for admission into its RN-BSN Program in Fall 2019 and after, the UHM School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene required the completion of pre-nursing courses specifically in nutrition, statistics, speech, and chemistry (excluding CHEM 100) along with other general education courses, while also requiring the maintenance of a grade of “B” or higher for all math and sciences courses and a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher for all courses completed, while also having only six credits pending completion at the time of application to the UHM RN-BSN Program.

Effective for admission into its RN-BSN Program in Fall 2021 and thereafter, the UHM School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene changed the admissions requirements relative to pre-nursing courses eliminating the need for Kapi’olani CC ADN graduates to complete specific courses in chemistry, nutrition, statistics and speech. ADN graduates will no longer be required to complete a statistics course in order to enroll in the NURS 364 course (which serves as a “bridge course” between the Kapi‘olani CC ADN Program and the UHM RN-BSN Program). Additionally, ADN graduates will no longer need to maintain a grade of “B” or higher for math and sciences courses, although students must still maintain a cumulative grade point average of “C” or higher for all courses completed. The physical science requirement does not to be fulfilled via a specific chemistry course, wherein ADN graduates may choose any physical science course to fulfill the natural science requirement. The six-credit pending policy has also been eliminated. ADN graduates must still complete all other general education course requirements. Additionally, the UHM RN-BSN Program in Fall 2021 and thereafter will be offered entirely online, asynchronously for two semesters (if attending full-time) or three semesters or more (if attending part-time). Kapi‘olani CC ADN students are encouraged to meet with a Kapi‘olani CC Nursing Department counselor for advice to ensure their transfer to the UH-Mānoa RN-BSN Program.

Pilot Study for ATI-TEAS Pre-Admissions Exam for Nursing Program

Effective June 1, 2013 and as part of a pilot study to analyze the Assessment Technology Institute’s Test of Essential Academic Skills (ATI-TEAS) exam and determine if the minimum adjusted individual total score should be revised, the Nursing Department at Kapi‘olani Community College (KapCC) will accept an ATI-TEAS adjusted individual total score of 65% or higher to fulfill the pre-admissions exam requirement for the KapCC Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program and the KapCC LPN-RN Transition Program. Applicants for the KCC nursing programs must continue to fulfill all other admissions requirements and will be considered for admissions on a “best qualified” bases.

Five-Year Time Limit for Science Courses Eliminated

Effective June 2012 and thereafter, the Nursing Department at Kapi‘olani Community College (KCC) will eliminate the five-year time limit for the science prerequisite and co-requisite courses for the ADN Program and LPN-RN Transition Program. Starting with those applicants for the ADN Program and LPN-RN Transition Program in the Spring 2013 semester and thereafter, students will no longer be required to complete their science prerequisite courses and co-requisite courses within five years of their application to the nursing program. The science prerequisite and co-requisite courses include ZOOL 141-141L, ZOOL 142-142L, MICR 130, PHRM 203 and CHEM(any numeric).

The five-year time limit policy is being eliminated, since students accepted into the ADN Program in the Fall 2012 and thereafter will be required to complete the NURS 212 – Pathophysiology course, which will focus on pathophysiological concepts that are basic to understanding illness and injury and the corresponding spectrum of human responses, which serve as a foundation for the formulation of clinical decisions and care planning.

The Associate in Science in Nursing program at Kapi‘olani Community College located in Honolulu, Hawai‘i is accredited by the Accreditation Commission in Education in Nursing (ACEN), 3390 Peachtree Road, NE, Suite 1400, Atlanta, GA 30326; phone: (404) 975-5000.

The most recent accreditation decision made in 2021 by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the Kapi‘olani CC Associate in Science Degree in Nursing program is Continuing Accreditation. The next ACEN accreditation review is scheduled for 2029.

Registered Nurses work in hospitals, clinics, long-term care nursing homes, home settings, schools, and community health settings.

To learn more about nursing and other health care careers, please check the “Hawai’i Career Explorer” website

For prospective employment as a registered nurse, please check the “Hawai‘i is Hiring” website

Program Approval

The Kapiʻolani CC ADN Program is approved by the Hawai‘i State Board of Nursing and accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) (formerly known as the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission).

Hawai‘i Statewide Nursing Consortium (HSNC) Competencies

1. A competent nurse’s professional actions are based on core nursing values, professional standards of practice, and the law.
   1. Core nursing values include social justice (from the American Nurses Association statement), caring, advocacy, respect for self and others, collegiality, and ethical behavior.
   2. Ethical dilemmas are embedded in clinical practice; an obligation of nurses is to notice, interpret, respond and reflect on these dilemmas using ethical principles and frameworks as a guideline.
   3. It is essential for nurses to participate in discussions of ethical issues in health care as they affect communities, society, and health professions.
   4. Professional nursing functions within legally defined standards of practice and state specific regulations.
2. A competent nurse develops insight through reflective practice, self-analysis, and self care through the understanding that:
   1. Ongoing reflection, critical examination, and evaluation of one’s professional and personal life improves nursing practice.
   2. Reflection and self-analysis encourage self-awareness and self-care.
   3. Pursuing and advocating healthy behaviors enhance nurses’ ability to care for clients.
3. A competent nurse engages in ongoing self-directed learning and provides care based on evidence supported by research with the understanding that:
   1. Knowledge and skills are dynamic and evolving; to maintain competency, one must continuously update his/her knowledge using reliable, current sources of information from the biological, social, medical, public health, and nursing sciences.
   2. The nurse uses legitimate sources of evidence for decision-making such as research evidence, standards of care, community perspectives and practical wisdom gained from experience.
   3. As best practices are continuously modified and new interventions are constant, the nurse incorporates changes into practice.
4. A competent nurse demonstrates leadership in nursing and health care through the understanding that:
   1. An effective nurse is able to take a leadership role to meet client needs, improve the health care system and facilitate community problem solving.
   2. A competent nurse effectively uses management principles, strategies, and tools.
   3. An effective nurse works with the health care team including the delegation of responsibilities and supervision.
5. A competent nurse collaborates as part of a health care team.
   1. The client is an essential member of the healthcare team.
   2. A collegial team is essential for success in serving clients.
   3. Effective team members must be able to give and receive constructive feedback.
   4. Colleagues create a positive environment for each other that values holistic client care.
6. A competent nurse practices within, utilizes, and contributes to the broader health care system.
   1. All components of the health care system must be incorporated when providing interdisciplinary care.
   2. The effective nurse contributes to improvements of the health care system through involvement in policy, decision-making processes and political activities.
7. A competent nurse practices client-centered care.
   1. Effective care is centered around a respectful relationship with the client that is based on empathy, caring, mutual trust, and advocacy.
   2. Nursing practice should reflect the attitudes, beliefs and values of clients.
   3. An understanding of the culture and history of the community is fundamental in the practice of nursing.
8. A competent nurse communicates and uses communication technology effectively through the understanding that:
   1. Effective use of communication is an essential part of all interventions to establish caring and therapeutic relationships to educate and advocate for clients.
   2. When working with colleagues or clients, it is important to insure that accurate, timely and complete communication has occurred.
   3. Successful communication requires attention to elements of cultural influences, variations in the use of language, and a participatory approach.
   4. Information and communication technologies provide essential information delivery of effective nursing care.
9. A competent nurse demonstrates clinical judgment and critical thinking in the delivery of care of clients while maintaining safety through:
   1. Analysis and integration of available data.
   2. Implementation of prioritized care based on evaluation of data.
   3. Evaluation and analysis of the nurses’ personal clinical performance.
   4. A competent nurse engages in risk reduction activities and recognizes, communicates and intervenes to promote client safety.

Program Student Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the Associate in Nursing degree requirements, the student should be able to:

1. Evaluate nursing care based on the legal and ethical framework of the state in which they practice and the American Nurses Association Standard of Practice and Code of Ethics.
2. Describe and analyze episodes of clinical practice and self-care; and identify areas of strength and those requiring development.
3. Implement evidence-based practice by locating and evaluating the best available evidence in making clinical decisions; and engage in on-going professional growth and self-directed learning in the practice of professional nursing.
4. Employ leadership skills in implementing and/or delegating the delivery of safe nursing care to clients and client systems.
5. Collaborate with the multidisciplinary team to advocate for clients, client systems, and groups in meeting their health care needs.
6. Contribute to the improvement of the health care system through involvement in interdisciplinary activities and choose from a variety of tools in accessing, interpreting, and providing cost-effective nursing care.
7. Develop therapeutic relationships based on mutuality, respect, cultural sensitivity, caring, and the beliefs and value systems with the client, client systems and community.
8. Communicate professionally, clearly and therapeutically in all interactions.
9. Demonstrate clinical judgment in the delivery of safe, cost-effective, quality care, using information and patient care technologies to diverse clients across a wide-range of settings.
10. Utilize health promotion, disease prevention, and restorative nursing in assisting clients and client systems to maintain independence.