DESCRIPTION

The Riverside Community College (RCC) Nursing Program holds 
orientations for incoming students and also regularly schedules pre-
nursing information workshops that review prerequisites and eligibility 
requirements. 

The orientation sessions deploy representatives from the program’s 
Student Nurses’ Organization (SNO) to introduce newly enrolled 
students to the program.  They cover housing, childcare and 
transportation issues, program expectations, and encourage students to 
get their lives in order before the program begins.  Incoming students 
also get a chance to meet Nursing 2 students who are assigned to 
serve as their big sisters/brothers throughout the program.  The 
orientations are led by a Nursing I instructor, so students are given 
information in advance about what they will need for the first semester 
and what readings to do ahead of time.  Faculty believes that the non-
mandatory orientations, which take place in the summer 4 weeks before 
the start of school, have helped decrease the attrition rate.  

RESOURCES FOR DOWNLOAD

• >> Health Care Initiative: Best Practices - All Cases  (MS Word, 424.50 KB)

EVIDENCE OF IMPACT/SUCCESS

In focus groups, students agreed that the orientations are “essential” 
and that “you can tell during the first weeks of classes who went to the 
orientation and who did not.” Faculty reported the sessions have helped 
decrease attrition.