The Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program consists of 77 credit hours, distributed over two and a half years, comprising five levels or semesters.

Graduates from the Associate Degree in Nursing program can continue their education to obtain a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. A special bridging program has been designed to build on their previous knowledge and skills. Credit is awarded towards the Bachelor's Degree for some of the courses completed in the ADN program, allowing students to complete the Bachelor of Nursing Degree program in a shorter timeframe. The department is responsible for coordinating the courses required for the ADN programs across various departments. Courses standard for the different programs are offered together for students from multiple programs, while program-specific classes are offered separately.

Graduates of the Associate Degree in Nursing program will:

1. Combine responsibility and accountability in nursing practice to meet accepted professional standards.
2. Practice ethical and legal behavior consistent with professional nursing standards.
3. Practice nursing care for clients within the healthcare setting in accordance with the standards of care.
4. Apply strategies to promote health, prevent illness, and maintain overall well-being.
5. Apply the nursing process systematically, utilizing critical thinking and problem-solving skills, to provide holistic, competent nursing care to culturally diverse clients across their lifespan.
6. Employ effective therapeutic communication and interpersonal relationships with clients, families, and members of the healthcare team, while maintaining professional boundaries.
7. Demonstrate the ability to assume leadership roles with clients, peers, and healthcare colleagues.
8. Provide safe, competent, and knowledgeable nursing care that aligns with patient safety goals.
9. Practice principles of delegation and supervision in professional nursing practice to ensure safe and legal client care.
10. Provide care to diverse individuals and groups in various healthcare settings in collaboration with other healthcare professionals. 
11. Demonstrate personal and professional development through continued learning, evidence-based practice, and quality improvement activities.

Students will start their English language course with either EN101 or EN099 (a non-credit remedial English language course), depending on the score they achieve in the English Language Placement Test (EPT).

Graduates from the Associate Degree in Nursing program can continue their education to obtain a Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree. The Post-Basic program awards credit for students’ prior knowledge and skills, which can be applied towards the requirements of their Bachelor's degree.

Associate Degree In Nursing Major Sheet

The courses are listed in the sequence they should be taken in the major sheet.

English Language Courses (Compulsory) 

EN 099 English Language

This is an elementary (A2) level course designed to build on students' existing vocabulary and grammar knowledge while expanding their oral English skills to a level where they can confidently apply these language skills in medical settings and anticipate the communication demands of the healthcare field. Basic medical topics, including body parts, body systems, and hospital personnel, are included to enhance and develop students' English for Specific Purposes (ESP) skills. This remedial, 5-hour non-credit course is intended for students who did not pass the English Placement Test (EPT) administered upon admission to the PAAET system of colleges, including Technological, Business, Health, and Nursing studies, as well as the College of Basic Education.

EN 101 English Language (1-2-0)

This is a general English course offered at all five colleges of PAAET, which include the College of Technology, Nursing, Health, Business Studies, and the College of Basic Education. It is a pre-intermediate level course (A2-B1), which aims to build the students’ existing knowledge of vocabulary and grammar and to expand their oral/aural skills in English. The course focuses on developing the communicative skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing in real-life situations. With an emphasis on academic English skills, the course aims to develop further the application of reading strategies, including skimming and scanning, as well as basic writing skills such as paragraph organization and paragraph writing. The prerequisite for this course is either passing the EPT exam or the remedial course 099.

EN 114 English Language (1-2-0)

English 114 is a 2-credit-hour ESP course designed to introduce B1 level students to basic medical terminology, medical abbreviations, and the basic structure of medical words, including prefixes, word roots, suffixes, and combining forms. The students will be able to define, spell, and pronounce medical terminology accurately. The medical themes that will be introduced in this course include giving instructions, describing signs and symptoms, understanding medical charts, communication between nurses and patients, nursing procedures, post-operative nursing care, areas with special needs, and identifying anatomical positions and directions. This course focuses on the four language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing). Students will learn how to communicate effectively using both speaking and writing skills, as well as perform efficiently in job-related activities.

EN 213 English Language (1-2-0)

This second 2-credit ESP course is designed for B1-B2 level Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) students whose lectures and clinical training are conducted in English. It prepares students to manage medical records and communicate effectively with English-speaking patients and staff. Instruction centers on key nursing themes—family care (maternity, pediatrics, and urology), nutrition, and human growth and development—while fostering critical thinking skills such as classification, analysis, and inference. Reading and writing are integrated through comparative and contrastive texts used as models for paragraph writing based on data from tables, graphs, and illustrations. Thematic vocabulary enhances professional communication by reinforcing key terms, expressions, word forms, and grammar in context. Grammar instruction supports writing development through clarity, accuracy, and self-editing. By the end of the course, students will be able to use English confidently and critically in both academic and clinical healthcare settings.

EN 214 English Language (1-2-0)

This is the third ESP course, offering two credit hours, for B2 level students in the Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN). This course equips students with the essential skills to enhance productivity in completing their assigned duties and tasks efficiently. This mainly includes the use of the appropriate English language in the field of nursing. This course focuses on various crucial skills, including writing, reading, vocabulary, and medical terminology, particularly in the context of medical and cardiac nursing, IV solutions, and wound treatments. In addition, it focuses on enhancing and developing the communication skills of nursing students to interact effectively in real-life social situations. Apart from that, the course is designed to help students comprehend texts and formats in the relevant field of the nursing industry, including giving and receiving information, and managing and performing tasks and duties as a nurse, all while using proper English. Additionally, students will describe statistics using graphs and charts, and write compare-and-contrast paragraphs on topics in the medical field.

General Supportive Courses (Compulsory) 

ED 114 Introduction to Psychology (2-0-0)

The course focuses on the principles and concepts of psychology, as well as behavioral and physiological principles.

IS 101 Islamic Culture (2-0-0)

The course explores the concept of Islamic culture, including its sources and characteristics, the relationship between cosmos and man, the importance of Islamic legislation, social solidarity, the rights and duties of work and labor, the significance of health in Islam, and Islam’s stance on contemporary issues and global ideologies.

CP 108 Introduction to Computers (2-2-0)

The course presents the structure of personal computers, their fields of application, communication systems, and software and data processing systems.

Biomedical Supportive Courses (Compulsory)

BMS 151 Anatomy and Physiology (3-2-0)

The course introduces human morphology at the cell, tissue, organ, and system levels of organization. The course is taught through theoretical lectures and practical demonstrations.

BMS 140 Pharmacology (3-0-0)

The course deals with the interactions of drugs with living systems and their use in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease. It includes the drugs’ mechanisms of action, side effects, indications, contraindications, and some of their interactions.

BMS 105 Principles of Human Nutrition (2-0-0)

The course discusses the functions of food and its effects on human health and life; the basic nutrients with respect to their functions, sources, manifestations of reduced and excess intake, and their RDA; the types of food in the body (digestion, absorption, and metabolism), and the feeding of vulnerable groups.

GSC 155 Microbiology (2-2-0)

This course offers a comprehensive introduction to microbiology, highlighting its historical development and its pivotal role in human health and disease. Students will explore the major groups of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, protozoa, algae, and viruses, with a detailed focus on their classification, morphology, physiology, and growth characteristics. The course also provides a comparative analysis of the structures of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Core topics include microbial biochemistry and genetics, with a focus on the molecular mechanisms underlying virulence, pathogenicity, and antimicrobial resistance. In addition, the course introduces foundational principles of microbial ecology, immunology, epidemiology, and public health, offering a broad understanding of microbes in both clinical and environmental contexts.

Specialized Courses (Compulsory) 

NUR 100 Fundamentals of Nursing (4-4-4)

The course provides students with foundational knowledge about the nursing profession and the role of the professional nurse. The students are introduced to the concept of nursing as a unique art and science that utilizes the nursing process to meet the basic needs of individuals. Biological and Social Sciences are integrated within the curriculum using Neuman’s system theory, Orem’s Self-care deficit theory, and Leininger’s theory of cultural diversity with nursing theory. Stressors affecting the individual and nursing interventions are explored. A holistic approach to nursing care is emphasized to promote, maintain, and restore the client to an optimal level of health.

  NUR 110 Nursing Care of Adults (4-2-12)

This course focuses on the concepts and principles related to the nursing care of hospitalized, culturally diverse adult clients requiring support in maintaining physiological stability and homeostasis. Emphasis is placed on developing skills in holistic client assessment, addressing the physical, emotional, social, and cultural dimensions of health, while integrating nursing theory with clinical practice. Through the application of the nursing process, students learn to provide comprehensive, client-centered care that reflects both critical thinking and evidence-based decision-making in the medical-surgical setting.

NUR 120 Pathophysiology (3-0-0)

The course introduces the physiological alterations that occur when intra-, inter-, and extra-personal stressors invade the standard lines of defense. The course is divided into five basic needs: protection, nutrition, oxygen, elimination, activity and rest. Each need is subdivided into the significant alterations affecting the standard provision of that need. For each physiological disruption, the student considers the population at risk, the incidence in Kuwait, common reactions, diagnostic measures, and medical and/or surgical management.

NUR 200 Nursing Care of the Family (5-2-12)

This course focuses on nursing care for childbearing and child-rearing families, utilizing nursing theories. It integrates physiological, psychosocial, legal/ethical, cultural, and educational considerations across the continuum of pregnancy, childbirth, and pediatric care. Learning experiences include classroom instruction, skills development in simulation laboratories, and clinical practice in selected hospital settings. These include obstetric and gynecological wards, labor and delivery rooms, operating theatres, neonatal care units, and pediatric wards. Students will apply the nursing process to provide holistic, culturally competent care, focusing on primary, secondary, and tertiary levels of prevention. The course also includes experience in client education and health promotion within diverse family systems.

NUR 224 Human Growth and Development (2-0-0)

This course examines selected theories related to human growth and development, spanning from infancy through late adulthood. Emphasis is placed on the physiological, psychological, sociocultural, spiritual, and moral dimensions of development. The content is framed within the context of nursing curricula, utilizing Neuman’s Systems Model, Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Theory, and Leininger’s Theory of Cultural Care Diversity and Universality. Through these theoretical lenses, students examine developmental milestones and the factors influencing health across the lifespan. Appropriate nursing interventions are identified and applied to promote optimal growth and development at each stage.

NUR 102 First Aid (1-2-0)

The course provides basic information and skill practice to implement emergency interventions in the home, workplace, and community—safety measures to protect culturally diverse children and adults from accidents.

NUR 210 Nursing Care of Adults and Families (4-0-20)

This course examines the physiological, emotional, behavioral, and cultural responses of clients and their families to various stressors throughout the healthcare continuum. Emphasis is placed on integrating complex medical-surgical and mental health theories with evidence-based advanced nursing practices. Students apply the nursing process to assess, plan, and implement culturally sensitive primary and secondary nursing interventions that promote physical and mental health. The course prepares students to provide holistic care in diverse medical-surgical and psychiatric hospital settings, addressing individual and family needs through a lens of cultural competence and current best practices in nursing.

NUR 300 Community Health Nursing (2-0-0)

This course provides a holistic approach to culturally congruent care for populations in Kuwait, encompassing nursing care and management services. In community nursing, the emphasis is on the whole population – individuals, families, and communities. Therefore, it includes the different stages of an individual’s life. The focus of this course enables nurses to explore multiple aspects and methods for addressing actual and potential stressors in the community. These stressors affect the community from different angles, including the environment, education, social factors, healthcare, governance, partnerships, and safety, which are concepts embedded in healthy cities and sustainability. The role of a community nurse encompasses multiple responsibilities when managing community-based situations, promoting effective communication with various sectors and disciplines, which in turn aids in improving a community’s health and its sustainability.

NUR 301 Professional Issues in Nursing (2-0-0)

This course focuses on major professional issues influencing nursing practice at both national and international levels. It prepares student nurses for a smooth transition into the role of culturally competent and efficient professional nurses by fostering accountability, ethical practice, and responsiveness to the needs of diverse client populations. Students will explore the stressors associated with transitioning from student to graduate nurse, while developing leadership, management, and decision-making skills essential for effective practice in complex healthcare settings. Additionally, the course introduces foundational concepts in nursing research and evidence-based practice, offering students insight into the research process and preparing them for future participation in advancing nursing knowledge and improving patient outcomes. 

NUR 310 Nursing Practicum (0-0-28)

This course offers intensive, supervised clinical experience that enables the application of theoretical knowledge and the development of essential nursing skills in real-world healthcare settings. Emphasis is placed on delivering safe, competent, and holistic care across a variety of health care settings. Students engage in direct patient care, practice critical thinking, utilize the nursing process, and demonstrate professional behavior and effective communication within interdisciplinary teams. The practicum fosters the integration of evidence-based practice, ethical decision-making, leadership, and cultural sensitivity in patient care. Through guided reflection and continuous feedback, students enhance their clinical judgment and prepare for transition into professional nursing roles.