Nursing (ADN)/Nursing Transition (LVN to ADN)

Health Education Systems, Inc. (HESI) is a company that produces tests which evaluate whether nursing applicants have the knowledge and skills to be successful in nursing school. 

Alvin Community College nursing programs require applicants to make a high enough score on the HESI Admission Assessment Exam (HESI-A2 test) in order to be considered for admission. An acceptable HESI-A2 test score is mandatory for all nursing applicants regardless of educational background, no exceptions. You may not substitute any other test scores for HESI test scores. 

HESI-A2 DATES & REGISTRATION 

• Register for HESI-A2 at ACC – go to alvincollege.edu, click on “Marketplace” at the top of the screen, click on “Testing Center” on the left side of the screen, then click on the “HESI” icon for open test dates and instructions for registering for HESI-A2. The test date you select MUST BE ON OR BEFORE THE NURSING APPLICATION DEADLINE. 
• HESI-A2 test dates at ACC - If you don't see a test date in the time range that you want at the above web page, either those dates are already full, or dates in that time range have not been opened yet. You will have to check back later to see if desired dates show up on the web page, or call the Testing Center to find out whether they will offer the HESI on desired dates 281-756-3531. 
• HESI-A2 at other locations - there is no single web page that lists all HESI dates & locations. To take the HESI-A2 elsewhere, you will have to find a testing location yourself and ask them when their test dates are. Check with colleges that have nursing programs; some of them probably offer the HESI-A2. 

HESI-A2 DEADLINE 

• If you take the HESI-A2 at ACC, the deadline to take it is the nursing application deadline. The nursing office automatically gets your scores within 2 days after you take the test. If you take the test at ACC on the deadline or close to the deadline, it is OK if your scores come back after the deadline. 
• If you take the HESI-A2 elsewhere, THE SCORE REPORT MUST REACH THE NURSING OFFICE BY THE NURSING APPLICATION DEADLINE. It could take the HESI company a week or longer to send the report, so make sure you take the HESI early enough that the report has time to reach the nursing office by the deadline. HESI TESTS TAKEN AT LOCATIONS OTHER THAN ACC ARRIVING AFTER THE NURSING APPLICATION DEADLINE WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. 

HESI-A2 TEST SCORE CRITERIA 

• You must take all of these five sections of the HESI-A2 test: Math, Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary & General Knowledge, Grammar, and Anatomy & Physiology. 
• Minimum required scores: (1) at least 78 on the Reading Comprehension section; and (2) at least 78 for the Cumulative score, which is the average of the above section scores. These minimums are ABSOLUTE CUTOFFS – we do NOT round up scores to meet these minimums. 
• The ADN department does not count any other sections and does not count the Critical Thinking test. 
• Section scores may be combined from two or more tests subject to the waiting period for any re-takes of individual sections described under "Re-Taking the HESI-A2". 
• Scores must be from HESI-A2 tests taken no more than 5 years ago as of the nursing application deadline; otherwise the scores are too old and you will have to re-take the above sections. 

RE-TAKING THE HESI-A2 

• You may re-take sections you want to improve; re-takes must be at least 90 days apart with a maximum of two tests per year total.
• HESI sections retaken 90 or more days apart, not exceeding two tests per year: the highest score of all retakes of that section will be used when we calculate your cumulative score.
• HESI sections retaken less than 90 days apart, or exceeding two tests per year: the earlier section score will be used regardless of which score is the highest.
• All retakes must comply with the "HESI-A2 deadline" and "HESI-A2 test score" paragraphs. 

COST OF THE HESI-A2 TEST 

• It costs $74 (price subject to change without notice) to take the HESI-A2 at Alvin Community College regardless of how many sections of the test you take. 
• The cost is set by each testing location, so it may cost more or less to take the HESI-A2 elsewhere. 

GETTING YOUR HESI SCORES TO THE ACC NURSING DEPARTMENT 

• If you take the HESI-A2 at ACC, the nursing department automatically gets your scores 2 days later. DO NOT PAY TO HAVE ACC SCORE REPORTS SENT because we will automatically get those. 
• If you take the HESI A2 elsewhere, you must pay a fee to have the company email the official score report (called a “HESI transcript”) to the nursing office at nursing@alvincollege.edu
• For instructions on how to do this, please visit Elsevier.com.  
• It could take two weeks or more for the company to email the score report, so be sure you request the report in time for it to get to the nursing office by the nursing application deadline. Score reports arriving after the nursing deadline will not be accepted. 
• WE DO NOT ACCEPT HESI SCORE REPORTS FROM NURSING APPLICANTS. 

PREPARING FOR THE HESI-A2 TEST 

• A good way to prepare for the HESI-A2 is to buy a study guide specifically for this exam. One such guide is HESI Admission Assessment Exam Review, 4th edition. You can buy this from the ACC book store or online at sites such as Amazon or Barnes & Noble by searching on "HESI-A2". 
• The study guide will include samples of test questions as well as information regarding test question formats. It will highlight important concepts and provide tips for studying and test-taking. 
• There are online tools available through Apple’s iTunes App Store that some people have found beneficial (such as pocketprep^TM) 
• Alvin Community College does not currently offer any HESI prep courses. You may be able to find prep courses by googling on "HESI-A2 prep course". 

OTHER HESI INFORMATION 

• To find out if there are additional HESI-A2 test dates at ACC, or whether a test date is still open, or details about HESI testing procedures, or payment/cancellation/refund procedures, call the Testing Center 281-756-3531. 
• If you have a documented disability and may need accommodations for testing, contact the Office of Disability Services 281-756-3533 BEFORE registering for or taking the HESI-A2. 
• IF YOU INTEND TO USE YOUR HESI SCORES TO APPLY TO MORE THAN ONE NURSING SCHOOL,
  • You need to find out whether the other nursing school requires the HESI to be taken on their campus (some schools will not accept HESI scores taken off-campus). 
  • If they do require HESI to be taken at their campus, you should take the HESI there and then pay to have an official score report emailed to the Alvin Community College nursing office. Then you can use your HESI scores to apply to both ACC and to the other nursing school. 

Note - if the HESI you take at the other college does not include some of the sections we require, you will have to take those sections either at ACC or another school that offers those sections.

To enter and continue in an Alvin Community College nursing program, the following immunizations and tests are required by clinical affiliates and recommended by the Center for Disease Control (CDC). Do not submit any immunizations except for Hepatitis B (vaccines/titer) until after acceptance into the ACC ADN program.

HEPATITIS-B

• EITHER submit report of blood test that states whether you are immune to Hepatitis-B ("Hepatitis-B surface antibody titer", abbreviated as “anti-HBs” or “HBsAb”).
• OR submit proof of 3 Hep-B immunizations. If you get the accelerated Hep-B immunization series, you must submit proof of a Hep-B booster one year after your 3rd Hep-B shot.
• Childhood Hep-B immunizations are acceptable. Note: it is mandatory to get a Hep-B titer done before you start your 2nd semester of the nursing program:
  • MAKE SURE YOU GET THE RIGHT HEP-B TITER DONE. It should be a "Hepatitis-B surface antibody" test (abbreviated as “anti-HBs” or “HBsAb”). Do not get “surface antigen” test or any other Hep-B test.
  • You must submit the titer report whether it is positive or negative (whether it says you are immune or not)
  • If you recently finished taking Hep-B shots, you must wait at least 2 months after the last shot before getting the titer done, otherwise it may incorrectly say you are not immune when you really are.
  • There is a 5-year time limit on the Hep-B titer - it must be current throughout the entire semester. If your titer expires before the end of a semester, you must repeat the titer and turn in the report before that semester starts.
  • If your Hep-B titer is negative (meaning you are not immune to Hep-B), you must repeat the entire 3-shot series. After that you are done, you will not have to repeat the Hep-B titer.

VARICELLA (chicken pox): (Documentation not required until after acceptance into the ACC ADN program.)

• EITHER submit report of blood test that states whether you are immune to varicella (called "varicella titer");
• OR submit proof of two varicella immunizations spaced at least 28 days apart. You may submit childhood varicella immunizations.
• Documentation of varicella illness (of having had the chicken pox as a child) is not acceptable.
• If you get a varicella titer instead of shots:
  • MAKE SURE YOU GET THE RIGHT VARICELLA TITER DONE. It should be a varicella immunity test (abbreviated "IGG"). Do not get IGM test which only checks if you are currently infected with it.
  • You must submit the titer report whether it is positive or negative (whether it says you are immune or not).
  • If your varicella titer is negative (meaning you are not immune to varicella), submit proof of 2 varicella immunizations spaced at least 28 days apart that were done after the titer. After that you are done, you will not have to repeat the varicella titer.
  • There is a 5-year time limit on the varicella titer - it must be current throughout the entire semester. If your titer expires before the end of a semester, you must repeat the titer and turn in the report before that semester starts.

MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) (Documentation not required until after acceptance into the ACC ADN program.)

• EITHER submit report of blood test that states whether you are immune to measles (rubeola) / mumps / rubella (called "MMR titer");
• OR submit proof of two MMR immunizations spaced at least 28 days apart. Childhood MMR immunizations are acceptable.
• If you get an MMR titer instead of shots:
  • MAKE SURE YOU GET THE RIGHT MMR TITER DONE. It should be an MMR immunity test (abbreviated "IGG"). Do not get IGM test which only checks if you are currently infected with it.
  • You must submit the titer report whether it is positive or negative (whether it says you are immune or not).
  • If any or all components of the MMR titer is negative (meaning you are not immune to one or more components of MMR), submit proof of 2 MMR immunizations spaced at least 28 days apart that were done after the titer. After that you are done, you will not have to repeat the MMR titer.
  • There is a 5-year time limit on the MMR titer - it must be current throughout the entire semester. If your titer expires before the end of a semester, you must repeat the titer and turn in the report before that semester starts.

TDAP (tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis) (Documentation not required until after acceptance into the ACC ADN program.)

• Submit proof of one Tdap immunization administered when you were an adult (on or after your 18th birthday).
• Childhood Tdap or Dtap immunizations (before you were 18) are not acceptable. You MUST have proof of a shot that includes pertussis as an adult.
• If your adult Tdap is more than 10 years old, submit proof a Td booster in addition to proof of the adult Tdap.
• There is a 10-year time limit on Tdap or Td booster. It must be current throughout the entire semester; if it expires before the end of a semester, you must turn in proof of Td booster before that semester starts.

FLU (Documentation not required until after acceptance into the ACC ADN program.)

• Students starting ADN program in August: you will get a seasonal flu immunization in late September. You DO NOT have to turn in flu shot proof before you start in August.
• Students starting ADN program in January: you WILL need to turn in proof of a current seasonal flu immunization before you start in January.
• All students will repeat their flu immunization in late September of their second year in the program.
• Flu documentation must show the name of the facility or healthcare provider where you got it. This is required by some of the hospitals you will attend.

TUBERCULOSIS SCREEN: (Documentation not required until after acceptance into the ACC ADN program.)

• EITHER submit report of a TB screen (two-step PPD or quantiferon) stating negative results;
• OR if you have a history of positive TB screen or TB immunization, submit report of chest x-ray showing no evidence of active lung disease. • TB screen is good for one year. Chest x-ray is good for two years.
• TB screen or chest x-ray must be current throughout the entire semester; if yours expires before the end of a semester, you must repeat the TB screen or x-ray and turn in the report before that semester starts.
• NOTE - Chest x-rays are ONLY for those with a history of positive TB screen or tuberculosis disease or had previously received tuberculosis immunization. All others must do a TB screen, not an x-ray.

MENINGITIS

• DO NOT turn in meningitis proof to nursing - turn that in to the Admissions office because it is a college requirement, not a nursing requirement.
• Ask Admissions if you have any questions about the meningitis immunization 281-756-3531.

KEEP THE ORIGINALS OF YOUR IMMUNIZATIONS & TESTS!

• DO NOT turn in original medical records to the nursing office!
• You need to keep your originals to make copies from:
  • you will have to turn in copies for a grade during your first semester.
  • you will have to give copies to your employer after you are hired.

You can either turn in photocopies to the nursing office, or email them to nursing@alvincollege.edu or fax them to 281-756-5606 attention: ADN.