Associate of Applied Science in Nursing (AASN)

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What Is a Nurse?

Nurses are the backbone of the modern healthcare system, working side by side with doctors, physicians, and specialists to provide care and education for patients, help them navigate their health conditions, and serve as an advisor and support to patients’ families and loved ones.

The duties of a registered nurse can include tasks like:

• Observing patients, assessing their conditions, and recording their observations
• Recording patients’ medical histories and symptoms
• Consulting and collaborating with doctors to set up, manage, and adjust patients’ treatment plans
• Operating and monitoring medical equipment, helping to perform diagnostic tests, and reporting results
• Administering medicines and treatments as prescribed by the physician
• Teaching patients and family members how to manage injuries or illnesses

All of these responsibilities can vary depending on where a nurse works and what they’re tasked with. Many nurses also choose to specialize – whether that means working with a particular patient group or a particular field of medicine. For example:

• Cardiovascular nurses, specializing in heart disease and heart conditions
• Pediatric nurses, specializing in working with children
• Critical care nurses, specializing in working in intensive-care units
• Neonatal nurses, specializing in working with premature and newborn infants
• Public health nurses, specializing in educating and treating underserved communities
• Medical-surgical nurses, specializing in taking care of post-operation patients
• And more

How Do You Become a Registered Nurse?

Because the work that nurses do is so vital, there are two components to training to become a registered nurse. Firstly, you have to attend an accredited nursing education program, like the AASN degree program through Casa Loma College. Nursing associate degrees often take up to two years to complete and include both classroom lectures, lab work, and supervised clinical studies.

Once you complete your AASN or other nursing training program, you’ll need to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN). Depending on your state, you might also have state boards or need to pass a criminal background check.

The AASN program at Casa Loma College is approved by the Tennessee Board of Nursing and the Colorado State Board of Nursing as a pre-licensure professional nursing program. Graduates are eligible to apply for a Registered Nursing (RN) license in Tennessee or Colorado. We hold our nursing students to the Code of Ethics for Nurses established by the American Nurses Association and live by the Casa Loma College mission of educating and empowering students by providing the highest standard of education and service, leading to healthcare careers that will better their lives and positively impact their communities.

How Long Does It Take to Become a Nurse?

At Casa Loma College’s Nashville campus and the Aurora campus in Colorado, the Associate of Applied Science in Nursing (AASN) program can be completed in about 20 months through five semesters of blended learning that combine classroom, lab, and clinical training.

	CIP Code	Credits	Months	Instructional Weeks	Award	Terms
Nashville	51.3801	68 semester	22 months	80 weeks	A.A.S.N. Degree	5 semesters
Aurora	51.3801	72 semester	20 months	80 weeks	A.A.S.N. Degree	5 semesters

What Will You Learn In an AASN Class?

The Associate of Applied Science in Nursing program is a blended online and in-person learning program that covers general education, nursing-focused healthcare topics, dedicated lab hours, and a clinical practicum. Students get practical, hands-on opportunities to develop comfortability and competency in their skills, all overseen by dedicated faculty with real experience in the field. We utilized national nursing competencies and standards in order to develop and build our curriculum. Our goal is to educate and empower students by providing the highest standard of nursing education and service, leading to competent nurses who deliver safe, evidence-based, patient-centered care in diverse and complex healthcare settings. Graduates are prepared to exercise ethical decision-making skills and professional behaviors that will better their lives and positively impact the health of individuals and families within our communities.

Our Associate of Applied Science in Nursing courses include:

• Human Anatomy and Physiology
• Introduction to Professional Nursing
• Health Assessment
• Fundamental Nursing Skills
• Nursing Care of Adults and Older Adults
• Mental Health Nursing
• Ethics and Medical Law
• And more

AASN graduates will be able to:

• Demonstrate current best practices and informed clinical judgment in the application of safe, evidence-based nursing care
• Collaborate with patients and the healthcare team to plan, coordinate and implement patient-centered care across the lifespan and continuum of care
• Promote patient and staff safety by engaging in processes of quality improvement within complex systems of health care
• Use healthcare technology and informatics tools to enhance communication and improve healthcare delivery for culturally and socially diverse patient populations
• Incorporate professional values, legal requirements, ethical principles, and cultural humility into nursing practice

What Is the Outlook for Nursing Careers?

The majority of nurses are employed in state, local, and private hospitals – nearly 60% – and just under 20% work at ambulatory healthcare services like physicians’ offices, home healthcare, and outpatient care centers. Jobs for registered nurses are projected to grow at 6% through 2032, twice as fast as the average for all occupations, with around 193,100 openings each year, on average. A lot of these opportunities will be due to current nurses retiring. On top of that, the large aging population in the U.S. will continue to increase demand for healthcare services, which will in turn drive up the need for skilled nurses.

Get Started With an Associate of Applied Science in Nursing Program

If you’re ready to train to become a skilled, effective nurse at medical facilities throughout the United States, Casa Loma College is here for you. Enroll in our Associate of Applied Science in Nursing degree program and be on your way to a new nursing career in a matter of months, not years.

At Casa Loma, we’re here for our students, from enrollment to graduate and beyond, with everything from assistance with financial aid to career placement and job search resources. Be a part of the community at Casa Loma and contact us today about our AASN degree program.

For Nashville AASN Students 

ACEN Candidacy Statement

Effective October 2, 2025, this nursing program is a candidate for initial accreditation by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. This candidacy status expires in Spring 2028.

ACEN Contact Information:

Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400
Atlanta, GA 30326
(404) 975-5000
https://www.acenursing.org/search-programs?status=Candidate 

Note: Upon granting of initial accreditation by the ACEN Board of Commissioners, the effective date of initial accreditation is the date on which the nursing program was approved by the ACEN as a candidate program that concluded in the Board of Commissioners granting initial accreditation. 

For Colorado AASN Students 

ACEN Candidacy Statement

Effective May 4, 2025, this nursing program is a candidate for initial accreditation by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. This candidacy status expires in Spring 2028.

ACEN Contact Information:

Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400
Atlanta, GA 30326
(404) 975-5000
https://www.acenursing.org/search-programs?status=Candidate

Note: Upon granting of initial accreditation by the ACEN Board of Commissioners, the effective date of initial accreditation is the date on which the nursing program was approved by the ACEN as a candidate program that concluded in the Board of Commissioners granting initial accreditation.