What You Will Learn
Nursing is an essential part of today’s healthcare system. Nurses provide direct care to people in hospitals, homes and long-term care facilities; they manage groups of patients in industries and communities; they participate in and lead research projects that are helping advance nursing knowledge. Nurses today are providers, collaborators, coordinators and leaders in healthcare delivery.
CCM’s expert nursing faculty and comprehensive curriculum prepare students for entry into this most trusted profession. Through experiential learning with state-of-the-art simulators and in-person clinical experiences, students learn to integrate the science of healthcare and the art of caring into their nursing practice. Technical standards (specific functional abilities) are essential for the delivery of safe and effective nursing care during clinical training activities and in broad entry-level practice.
At CCM we prepare nurses for today, while respecting the history and traditions that make nursing unique.
Curriculum
There are two phases to the Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in Nursing program at CCM.
Pre-professional
- Includes general education and science courses
- Typically completed in two to four semesters
Professional
- 47-credit core of cutting-edge courses in foundations and fundamentals of nursing, surgical nursing, and mental health nursing
- Completed sequentially in four semesters or two years
- Requires admission by separate “professional phase” application
- Acceptance determined by grades in pre-professional phase
Careers in the Field
DID YOU KNOW?!
- Employment of registered nurses is projected to grow 6% by 2032, faster than the average for all occupations.*
- About 193,100 openings for registered nurses are projected each year, on average, over the decade.*
Registered nurses work in hospitals, physicians’ offices, home healthcare services and nursing care facilities. Others work in the following sectors:
- Armed Forces
- Behavioral Health
- Community and Public Health
- Critical Care
- Education
- Geriatrics
- Hospitals
- Industry Sales
- Informatics
- Maternal-Child Health
- Medical-Surgical
- Nurse Navigators
- Oncology
- Out-Patient Clinics
- Rehabilitation and Long-term Care
- Telehealth
The 2022 median annual wage for registered nurses was $81,220 per year and $39.05 per hour.*
*According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov.
Why Study Nursing at CCM?
CCM Prepares Nurses to Excel
Top 10% program
The Nursing Program at CCM ranks in the Top 10% of associate degree nursing programs in the nation, according to College Factual.
Best Evidence
Curriculum is reviewed and revised annually by expert faculty to ensure the most current and best evidence is the foundation for the core nursing courses.
The rigorous program at CCM is reflected in our NCLEX-RN pass rates, which consistently exceed the national average.
Compassion and Care
Compassion and care is threaded throughout the 67+ credit curriculum to remain central to the unique nature of the nursing profession.
Expert Faculty
All nursing faculty hold master’s or doctoral degrees and are prepared with extensive current and past clinical experience.
Advanced Technology
The Paragano Family Foundation Healthcare Simulation Center, a new, 13,000 square-foot state-of-the-art facility housed on campus, opened in 2023 providing real-world, hands-on training for students. High-fidelity simulators, patient monitors, ventilators and IV pumps are used, along with a full camera system to record students as they train and to share with others remotely.
Coming Soon! Most recently the college announced plans for the new 70,000 square-foot Center for Health Professions and once complete, the Simulation Center will be relocated into it.
Accreditation
The Nursing Program at CCM is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) and the New Jersey Board of Nursing which qualifies our graduates to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses, (NCLEX-RN).
Transfer Opportunities
Nurses are committed to lifelong learning, and we highly recommend graduates to pursue their Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). A BSN is not required to practice nursing in NJ, but it will lead to more opportunities for employment and growth within the profession.
Credits from the CCM Nursing Program are readily transferable towards a four-year nursing degree (BSN) at many state and private colleges and universities.
CCM proudly partners with the following programs:
- Drexel University
- Montclair State University
- Ramapo College of New Jersey
- Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey
- Saint Elizabeth University
- Thomas Edison University: W. Cary Edwards School of Nursing
- William Paterson University
Some four-year institutions may offer an accelerated path from an RN to master’s degree in nursing. This may be a good option for those who already have a bachelor’s degree in another major and an AAS in Nursing.
Paying for Your Nursing Education
Earning an associate degree in nursing is a powerful investment that will pay off over the course of your life, in both increased earnings and job satisfaction. But what is the upfront cost, and how do you afford it?
There’s good news: Money is available to help you pay for school! Through the generosity of CCM Foundation donors, the college awards approximately $50,000 in scholarships to Nursing students each academic year. Our Financial Aid staff can provide lots of information about the process of finding funds to help pay for your education.
Featured Courses
General Psychology
An introductory survey of the scientific studies of human behavior on the following topics: human development, physiology, learning, individual differences, motivation, perception, personality, abnormal and social behavior. The course is designed to prepare the student for further study of the broad spectrum of psychology.
Foundations of Nursing
This course provides the foundational concepts on which nursing education and practice are built. Students apply basic knowledge of these concepts as they begin to learn the practice of nursing. Historical, sociocultural, ethical, and legal tenets are studied. Students gain an appreciation for the profession of nursing as well as awareness of the responsibility and accountability expected.
Basic Medical/ Surgical Nursing
This course focuses on the study of adults with a variety of commonly occurring medical-surgical problems that interfere with the ability to meet basic health needs. Students utilize the nursing process to prioritize and provide appropriate nursing interventions for patients with higher acuity. Students use assessment skills to develop appropriate nursing diagnoses, outcomes and plans of care. Related theory, therapeutic communication skills and nursing care skills are employed in the provision of patient care in clinical facilities. Clinical decision-making skills are further developed.
Resources
Accreditation
The nursing program is accredited by the New Jersey Board of Nursing and the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). Complaints about the program can be sent to the Board of Nursing at the address below. This accreditation qualifies graduates of the Nursing Program to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses, (NCLEX-RN).
The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the associate nursing program is Continuing Accreditation.
View the public information disclosed by the ACEN.
Your Nursing Faculty Advisor
Dr. Vivek Agnihotri Associate Professor
Email: vagnihotri@ccm.edu
Office: Cohen Hall, CH 320
Phone: 973-328-5320
Department: Nursing
Natasha Agnihotri Instructor
Email: nagnihotri@ccm.edu
Office: Cohen Hall, CH 315
Phone: 973-328-5346
Department: Nursing
Tatiana Costa Instructor
Email: tcosta@ccm.edu
Office: Cohen Hall, CH 311
Phone: 973-328-5342
Department: Nursing
Dr. Karissa Feichtl Associate Professor
Email: KFeichtl@ccm.edu
Office: Cohen Hall, CH 300
Phone: 973-328-5353
Department: Nursing
Brittany Hagopian Instructor
Email: bhagopian@ccm.edu
Office: Cohen Hall, CH 315
Phone: 973-328-2494
Department: Nursing
Dr. Joyce Kucerovy Assistant Professor
Email: Jkucerovy@ccm.edu
Office: Cohen Hall, CH 303
Phone: 973-328-5387
Specialization: Team Leader – NUR 121
Department: Nursing
Laura Parker Professor
Email: lparker@ccm.edu
Office: Cohen Hall, CH 307
Phone: 973-328-5349
Department: Nursing
Kathleen Prokop Assistant Department Chairperson/Professor
Email: kprokop@ccm.edu
Office: Cohen Hall, CH 311
Phone: 973-328-5215
Specialization: Team Leader – NUR 123
Department: Nursing
Sharon Roche Assistant Professor
Email: sroche@ccm.edu
Office: Cohen Hall, CH 303
Phone: 973-328-5345
Specialization: Co-Team Leader – NUR 213
Department: Nursing
Samir Samour Associate Professor
Email: ssamour@ccm.edu
Office: Cohen Hall 303
Phone: 973-328-5344
Department: Nursing
Bernadette Schicho Assistant Department Chairperson/Associate Professor
Email: bschicho@ccm.edu
Office: Cohen Hall, CH 315
Phone: 973-328-5369
Department: Nursing
Dr. Jessica Shepherd Instructor
Email: jshepherd@ccm.edu
Office: Cohen Hall, CH 303
Phone: 973-328-5348
Specialization: NUR 214 Team Leader
Department: Nursing
Dr. Celeste Wayne Professor
Email: cwayne@ccm.edu
Office: Cohen Hall, CH 318
Phone: 973-328-5380
Department: Nursing
Allison Sherwood Assistant Professor
Email: asherwood@ccm.edu
Office: Cohen Hall, CH 311
Phone: 973-328-5347
Department: Nursing
