Nursing: Program overview
About
Welcome to PCC and the HEP Pathway
Welcome to Portland Community College and the start of your path to a rewarding career!
The Healthcare & Emergency Professions (HEP) pathway provides opportunities for students to gain certificates, degrees, licensure, and/or credentials to further their careers in healthcare and emergency services fields. Many of our programs provide hands-on learning opportunities with advanced technology, practical training in clinical settings, and instructors with industry experience. Program graduates are in high demand in the healthcare and emergency professions industry and have the potential to earn excellent wages and benefits.
For more information about the Healthcare & Emergency Professions pathway, see the programs offered. See the Healthcare programs comparison chart to compare degrees and certificates offered, program costs, and potential salaries offered in each career path.
Welcome to Nursing
On behalf of the Portland Community College Nursing faculty and staff, I am excited to welcome you to the PCC Nursing program! We look forward to getting to know you and supporting your journey to becoming a registered nurse.
The PCC Nursing program maintains national accreditation by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) and has a rich and varied history. From its earliest years as a practical nursing program in the 1950s to establishing Oregon’s first associate degree in nursing (A.D.N.) program in 1967, PCC has been at the forefront of the profession and a leader in educating generations of nurses.
PCC endeavors to enable each graduate to put their skills and education to immediate use. Our nursing graduates are well-prepared and highly successful on the national licensing examination. They also hold many clinical and leadership positions throughout the region and are well respected in the healthcare community.
As a 2005 graduate of the PCC Nursing program, I recognize the challenge you undertake in pursuing a nursing education. We are here to help you succeed in your personal and professional goals. The PCC Nursing program and college has many resources available. We encourage you to take advantage of your recently remodeled state-of-the-art nursing department and simulation lab to challenge yourself and your skills.
Each one of you brings unique talents and strengths that will enhance the nursing profession. We are fortunate to have you a part of it.
Sincerely,
Adam Wright, MSN.L, BSN, RN
Program Dean | Nursing
Portland Community College Sylvania
About Nursing
Mission and values
We are PCC Nursing. We are an ACEN-accredited, forward-thinking, student-centered, creative, and inclusive Associate of Applied Science nursing program that prepares student nurses for the next generation of the healthcare workforce. We are rooted in best practices, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging as we foster collaboration and innovation. Our faculty is community – and relationship-oriented. We use the latest tools, technology, and best practices to prepare our students for the healthcare workforce.
Our mission is to create pathways for you to succeed academically and professionally. We strive to prepare students to be profound, critical thinkers grounded in evidence-based practice. Our program faculty and staff aim to facilitate a seamless transition into the nursing workforce and prepare those aspiring to pursue a Bachelor’s in Nursing.
Our vision: We will continue our heritage as the premier Associate Degree Nursing program in the Pacific Northwest, setting the standard for excellence. Our goal is a consistent 100% pass rate on the first attempt for all students taking the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) and consistently providing the structure and support for resilience our students need to meet the dynamic and changing needs of the healthcare workforce.
Accreditation
Portland Community College is regionally accredited through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). For more information, see the college’s Accreditation webpage.
- The Oregon State Board of Nursing (OSBN) approves the PCC Nursing program.
- The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. (ACEN) accredited the PCC Nursing program.
- Oregon Consortium for Nursing Education (OCNE)
- OCNE is a partnership of eleven Oregon community colleges and six campuses of the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) School of Nursing with a shared curriculum taught on all consortium campuses.
- The OCNE Competency-Based Curriculum and ten core competencies are the foundation for the PCC Nursing program outcomes. The OCNE Clinical Education model is designed to educate and train nurses to provide care to individuals, families, and communities in health promotion, acute or chronic illness, and at the end of life.
- In the Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree completion level, the nurse is able to integrate the competencies, as they are relevant to the situation, into his or her practice consistently, and through thoughtful self-reflection, the nurse corrects their practice.
Grievances/complaints
Costs
Beyond the costs of attending Portland Community College, students can expect to have minimal additional resource fees to help assist with successful understanding of the curriculum and completion of the program.
Leadership
Janeen Hull
PCC – Academic & Career Pathways Dean
See the PCC Organizational Guide for information about college administration.
Contacts
- Adam Wright: Program Dean
- Karen Greenleaf: Full-time Faculty and Faculty Department Chair
- Melissa Stark: Admissions Coordinator
- Madie Echols: Admissions Coordinator
- List of Faculty
Portland Community College
Sylvania Campus
12000 SW 49th Ave.
Portland, Oregon 97219
College mailing address:
PO Box 19000
Portland, Oregon 97280-0990
Advisory Committee
- PCC works with Mt. Hood Community College, Clackamas Community College, and representatives from the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) Portland undergraduate Nursing program, to collectively bring together a Portland-area nursing consortium which includes healthcare industry representatives.
- The advisory committee for PCC’s Nursing program includes representatives from local healthcare facilities, employers in the healthcare industry, the community, PCC Nursing program alumni, and nursing student representatives. The primary responsibilities of the advisory committee are to provide information about current nursing or health care trends and issues, serve as a liaison between the program and community, and make suggestions for program improvement.