San Joaquin Delta College Nursing Program Review

San Joaquin Delta College (SJDC) serves the Stockton, California area, in partnership with the University of the Pacific. The Health Sciences Division at San Joaquin Delta College has seven programs for certificates and degrees in health care including nursing.

Nursing Programs

Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN)

The ADN program is designed to prepare students to perform as Registered Nurses (RNs) using entry-level knowledge and skills in various patient care settings. This program is four semesters long, in the fall and spring semesters. There are no summer courses offered. Each semester, 60 to 70 students are admitted into the program.

Students are admitted based on multi-criteria entrance requirements including health care certificates and licenses, previous degrees, GPA in the science prerequisite courses, GPA in other courses, any repeats in science courses, volunteer and work experience relating to patient care, life circumstances, TEAS test score, and ability to speak a second language.

The prerequisites required for this program, with a 2.5 GPA, are Anatomy, Physiology, Microbiology, Written Communications, Nutrition, and Algebra.

Graduates who complete the program will receive an Associate of Science Degree in Nursing, and will be eligible to complete the state licensing exam, NCLEX-RN, to become an RN.

Students that already have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university may apply to the program after taking the nursing specific required courses of Fundamentals of Speech, Introduction to Psychology, and Problems of a Changing Society.

Vocational Nursing Program (VN)

The VN program gives students the entry-level skills needed to care for patients in a variety of settings. Upon completing the program, graduates will earn a completion certificate and are eligible to take the state licensing exam (NCLEX-PN) to become a Licensed Vocational Nurse. The VN program takes a calendar year to complete.

To apply for this program, students must have completed the program prerequisites of Anatomy, Psychology, Human Development, and Medical Terminology.

Due to the fact that students are in class five days a week (four days a week during the summer) and the program is 46 weeks long, students are advised not to work during the program.

Nurse Assistant Training

This program teaches students the knowledge needed to be a certified nurse assistant (CNA) in various long term care situations. Once students have completed the course, they will be able to take the state certification exam to become a California CNA.

Nurse Assistant training is a seven to eight week long program. Students will attend a combination of classes and clinical rotations.

Other Programs in the Health Sciences Division

Psychiatric Technician (PT)

Psychiatric Technicians care for patients in a variety of settings. This program will prepare students to successfully complete the state licensing exam and to become Licensed Psychiatric Technicians. This program is one year in length.

To apply for this program, students will need to take the prerequisite courses Anatomy, Psychology, Human Development, and Medical Terminology.

Radiologic Technology

The Radiologic Technology program is a certificate program that takes two years to complete. Graduates are eligible for the national and state certification exams, to become Certified Radiologic Technologists and Registered Technologists.

Students enroll at Delta College and take their courses at San Joaquin General Hospital. There are no prerequisites for this program.

Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)

Students taking the EMT program will learn the skills necessary to practice as an EMT-1 and will be prepared to complete the California certification exam for EMTs. The program is one semester long, and includes classroom study, clinical observation, and skills lab components.

There are no prerequisite courses for this program. Students enter the program by enrolling in the appropriate Health Science course.

Speech Language Pathology Assistant (SLPA)

Speech Language Pathology Assistants help patients with communication disorders and assist Speech Language Pathologists with hearing, language and speech screenings, as well as complete paperwork such as updating charts and keeping records. Graduates of the SLPA program will be able to apply for their California licensure.

There are no prerequisite courses for this two year program. Students will either be working toward the SLPA, Associate of Science Degree, or will already have a bachelor’s degree and need to finish the clinical practice to qualify for their SLPA license.