Online Associate Degrees in Nursing (ADN) Programs

No two associate degrees in nursing are executed similarly by schools; there is often a crossover of topics in their curricula. Prospective students should expect a combination of nursing classes and prerequisite courses, including fundamentals of nursing, chemistry, behavioral health, English, communications, and microbiology. Programs generally focus on core classes and clinical nursing and include hands-on learning experiences. Some common courses in ADN programs are:

Foundations in Nursing

This course helps students understand how to restore health, prevent illness, promote health and wellness, and take care of chronic ailments. It teaches the principles of evidence-based care and a framework for organizing patient care.

Nursing Care of Adults

This course focuses on nurses establishing a therapeutic relationship with the older adults they care for. Students learn the skills and knowledge necessary to care for adult patients with chronic and acute physical illnesses within hospital and community settings. They are taught the fundamental principles that help them work closely with healthcare teams, including physical and occupational therapists, physicians, pharmacists, nutritionists and dieticians, and other professionals.

Nursing Skills

This course focuses on developing evidence-based physical assessments and clinical skills across the lifespan of patients. It includes teaching students about mathematic conversions and calculations related to different clinical skills. In addition, students also learn basic physical assessment skills and techniques associated with the history of health using an approach to the body system.

Nursing Pharmacology

This course introduces drug classification principles, pharmacology, and their impact on the body. Particular emphasis is placed on the components of different nursing processes while administering medications to patients.

Nursing Health Alterations

This course expands on fundamental concepts of illness and health. It applies nursing theories to care for patients using problem-solving and critical-thinking skills. It provides an opportunity to understand the conditions that affect our body systems and apply evidence-based nursing interventions.

Most programs generally require clinical work hours. Depending on the board of nursing of the state where one is pursuing the degree, completing clinical hours as part of one’s degree will be required to apply for registration or licensure as a nurse.

To learn more about associate programs, read the Guide to Associate’s Programs.