Nursing Education

For application forms and instruction, please carefully review the Nursing Admission Guide. Please review information about the Nursing Assistant requirement for admission to the Nursing Program here.

Nursing Admission Guide

Please review the requirements for Nursing Assistant admission to the Nursing Program.

1. Do I need to complete the CNA requirement before I apply to the Nursing Program?
   No. You do not need to have completed your CNA coursework or have passed your licensing exam or have gotten your license before applying to the program. However, you must produce a certificate showing you passed the CNA licensing exam (both written and skills sections) or produce a CNA license prior to starting the nursing program in the fall.NOTE: It is your responsibility to speak with a Financial Aid Department counselor to find out if you are eligible to receive financial assistance for this course; however, these are some general rules/conditions that apply when considering taking this course.  The counselor will help you determine your best plan of action, providing you are eligible to take the course. Federal Financial Aid can assist with CNA Program costs under these conditions: 
   
   1. You have declared your intention to receive a nursing degree from WWCC, have been placed in the open admission Nursing Pathway, and you include other Nursing Degree Requirements with CNA credits.
   2. You are pursuing an Associate of Arts Degree and you have to take elective credit to complete your degree plan.
   3. If all Nursing Degree Requirements are completed except CNA, then Federal Financial Aid can provide assistance for CNA credits.
2. Can I take the CNA class at Walla Walla Community College?
   Yes! We offer the class every quarter. Contact our Allied Health Department for application information. In Clarkston call 509.758.1702.  In Walla Walla call 509.527.4589.
3. I had a license, but it expired. Do I need to retake the class?
   If you can produce a certificate showing you passed the CNA licensing exam (both written and skills sections), you do not need to have a license. If you have an expired CNA license, this will also meet the Nursing Program CNA requirement. NOTE: At this time there is no time limit, but if you are more than 10 years from any practice, we would encourage you to retake the class.
4. What if I passed the test, but never got a license?
   Not a problem. We are looking for successful completion of the State exam (both written and skills sections). NOTE:At this time there is no time limit, but if you are more than 10 years from any practice, we would encourage you to retake the class.
5. What if I got my license, but never worked as a CNA?
   Not a problem. We are looking for successful completion of the State exam (both written and skills sections). Providing either the certificate showing successful completion of the State exam or a CNA license will meet the Nursing Program CNA requirement. NOTE: At this time there is no time limit, but if you are more than 10 years from any practice, we would encourage you to retake the class.
6. I have a CMA certificate. Does this meet the CNA requirement?
   No. The role of the CMA and the CNA are different.
   No other certificate can be substituted to meet the CNA requirement.
   (See number 11 for possible challenge of the State exam.)
7. I am an EMT and have been working in a doctor’s office for a while. Does this meet the CNA requirement?
   No. The role of the EMT and the CNA are different.
   No other certificate can be substituted to meet the CNA requirement.
   (See number 11 for possible challenge of the State exam.)
8. I have some experience in health care. Can I skip the class and just take the State exam?
   It depends. If you have been a nursing student elsewhere; have been trained as a nurse in the past; completed the Naval Hospital Corps, Army 91-C, or Air Force Medical Services Specialist (Technician School) you are able to take the State exam. You will need to call the Department of Health at 360.236.4700 to determine what documentation is needed to accomplish this.
9. What if I took the class and have a Certificate of Completion, but never took the State exam to get my license?
   This will not satisfy the Nursing Program Requirement. You must take the State exam also called the OBRA NACEP evaluation. It validates learning and is necessary to meet the requirement.
   NOTE: If your certificate of completion is over 1 year old and you did not take the state exam, you must repeat the course in order to receive a new certificate of completion in order to take the state exam.
10. I have a CNA license from another state. Is that OK?
    Yes. A CNA license from any state is acceptable.

• NCLEX Examination Information
• State of Washington Licensure Information
• State of Idaho Licensure Information
• State of Oregon Licensure Information
• National Council of State Board of Nursing

The Associate Degree Nursing Program at WWCC is approved by the Washington State Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission: 310 Israel Rd., Tumwater, WA 98501, phone (360) 236-4700. The Associate Degree Nursing Program is also accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), formerly called the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC): 3390 Peachtree Rd NE, Suite 1400, Atlanta, Georgia 30326, phone (404) 975-5000, http://www.acenursing.org.

Letter of ACEN Accreditation

RN to BSN Articulation: Associate in Nursing DTA/MRP Degree

Nursing DTA/MRP (RN-BSN) also accepted by the following schools since the original signature document:
• UW Tacoma
• UW Bothell
• WSU
• WWU
• Saint Martin’s
• WGU
• Bellevue College
• Olympic College
• Columbia Basin College
• Wenatchee Valley College
• Heritage

RN to BSN Track of the BSN Program
Articulation Agreement Between Lewis-Clark State College and Walla Walla Community College.

• The program’s most recent annual pass rate on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) will be at least 80% for all first-time test-takers during the same 12-month period.
• Seventy percent (70%) or more of students will earn an associate level degree in nursing within two years (six quarters) of enrollment in the first nursing course.
• Ninety percent (90%) of the nursing graduates who responded to the Nursing Graduate Survey will report being employed in nursing 6-12 months after graduation.
• Forty percent (40%) of the nursing graduates who responded to the Nursing Graduate Survey will report being admitted to or having completed a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree at 6-12 months after graduation.
• Ninety percent (90%) of the nursing graduates who responded to the Nursing Graduate Survey will rate their overall nursing program satisfaction at ≥ 3 on a 1-4 point scale. (4 = Highly satisfied, 3 = Satisfied, 2 = Dissatisfied, 1 = Highly dissatisfied)
• Eighty percent (80%) of the employers of nursing program graduates who responded to the Employer Survey will rate the Overall Job Preparation of graduates 3 on a 1-4 point scale. (4 = Excellent, 3 = Good, 2 = Fair, 1 = Poor)

WWCC Nursing Program Outcomes Results

At WWCC, we’ll help you find scholarships that may be open to you. Scholarships provide money for school that you don’t have to pay back. They can be used for things like tuition, books, tools and fees. They come from sources like the WWCC Foundation, local businesses and private funds. Some WWCC programs also have scholarships for students working toward a certain certificate or degree. You might qualify based on good grades, financial need or the potential to benefit from school. The bottom line: You have options. We’ll help you explore them at WWCC.

There are lots of ways to pay for college. We will work with you to find the right mix of support so that you can go after your dreams. Talk with us to learn more about:

• Financial aid — grants, scholarships and student loans.
• Workforce Education Services — support for students on workforce training pathways.
• Warrior Pledge — covers needs not met by other financial aid.
• Flexible payment plans — low monthly payments with no interest.
• Work study — work part-time on campus while you earn your degree.
• Emergency funds — for students who are struggling to make ends meet.

You can go to college. Start exploring your options today.

Student Resources