In-depth clinical training prepares Blinn Associate Degree Nursing students for success

Students graduate with 512 hours of clinical experience in specialties ranging from emergency medicine, mental health care, and labor and delivery

March 3, 2025

When Blinn College District Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) student Gerardo Lopez-Barreto began his studies, he envisioned a career in emergency medicine. As he nears graduation, however, his surgical clinical rotation has broadened his perspective.

“I feel like the operating room (OR) is a really controlled environment and that everyone works cohesively as a team, and I like that,” Lopez-Barreto said. “I didn’t expect to consider the OR as a career option, but that’s why this program is great. Blinn has exposed me to so many different specialties and situations through my clinicals, which has helped build my confidence as I begin my nursing career.”

Blinn’s ADN students complete 512 hours of hands-on, supervised clinical training, gaining experience with patients while forming strong connections with Bryan/College Station healthcare facilities. These experiences not only enhance their skills, but can also lead to employment opportunities. Students rotate through multiple specialties, including mental health, labor and delivery, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), intensive care unit, emergency medicine, surgery, telemetry, and more.

“We want students to gain a variety of experiences,” ADN Program Director Dr. Karla Ross said. “Nursing is about knowledge and critical thinking, and our students’ clinical rotations allow them to apply what they’ve learned in a real-world setting. From administering medications and starting IVs to giving injections and communicating with patients, these are essential skills that all our students develop while being exposed to different areas of nursing.”

Blinn ADN students get clinical exposure in their first semester through health clinic settings and trips to local nursing homes, where they practice taking vitals, interviewing patients, and honing essential care skills. In their second semester, clinical hours increase to 8-10 hours per week, focusing on adult health and mental health care. Most rotations include groups of eight to 10 students, while students work in pairs for more specialized areas such as mental health, labor and delivery, and NICU rotations.

“From my first patient to my current rotation, I’ve felt supported every step of the way,”

said Levi Loya, who will graduate in May. “I remember being scared the first time I knocked on a patient’s door, but the program is designed to build confidence and connect classroom learning with hands-on experience.”

As students progress through the program, their clinical hours gradually increase, culminating in 12-hour shifts in their final semester. The program concludes with a six-week, 96-hour preceptorship aligned with each student’s chosen nursing specialty.

“One of the challenges we warn students about is that most clinical facilities start rounds early in the morning at 6 or 6:30 a.m. This can be a challenge, but it also prepares them for a real-world nursing shift,” Ross said. “Most of the time clinical rotations also match what the students are learning in the classroom or lab, which really reinforces their learning. They put into practice what they were just tested on.”

Based at the RELLIS Academic Alliance Complex at Texas A&M-RELLIS in Bryan, Blinn’s ADN Program is a two-year course of study that prepares students to serve as registered nurses. In addition to the program’s extensive clinical rotation requirements, students complete traditional lecture-style courses, labs, and gain hands-on skills utilizing the campus’s 16,000-square-foot simulation laboratories. Most students dedicate 15 to 24 hours each week to scheduled program activities and at least 30 hours per week on study and preparation.

Students who complete Blinn’s ADN Program and pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) have a job placement rate between 97 and 100% and are qualified for a wide array of nursing positions. With demand soaring in the nursing field, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that registered nurses earn a median salary of $86,070.

“At the end of the day, we want our students to feel confident and prepared to take the NCLEX and begin their careers,” Ross said. “Our faculty and clinical instructors provide support at every step, evaluating progress, offering feedback, and ensuring that students master each new skill.”

Blinn’s ADN Program offers multiple pathways, including a traditional two-year track and transition options for licensed vocational nurses and paramedics. Blinn also maintains co-enrollment partnerships with several universities, providing students with streamlined pathways to their Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). The Aggie Student-Centered Express Nursing Degree (ASCEND) Program allows Blinn students to complete their BSN from the Texas A&M University College of Nursing in just one semester after earning their associate degree.

“I’m learning the RN to BSN curriculum while earning my ADN, and I get to graduate with an Aggie ring,” said Loya, who is part of the ASCEND Program. “It’s not overwhelming and the program is a good practice in time management, which is important training for a nurse as well.”

The application cycle for fall 2025 admission into all three tracks of Blinn’s ADN Program is open until March 19. For more information, visit www.blinn.edu/adn.