The Registered Nurse fulfills a vital role in the provision of health care and health promotion in many and varied settings in California and across the nation. Nursing meets an essential societal need which cannot be provided by other disciplines. In California, two-thirds of the registered nursing graduates are educated in Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) Programs.

The primary goal of Associated Degree Nursing program is to provide the educational preparation of registered nurses to meet the rapidly changing demands for health care in our communities. We believe the following:

• ADN programs represent an accessible avenue to an affordable and high-quality nursing education for many individuals who would not otherwise be able to pursue this goal.
• ADN program, from the perspective of the taxpayer, represent the most cost-effective educational format.
• ADN program graduates have, over time, become increasingly reflective of the diverse demographic composition of California.
• The established and proven network of seventy-one California Associate Degree Nursing programs is essential in providing an adequate supply of nurses to meet community needs.
• ADN program graduates have reliably and consistently demonstrated competence in the workplace.
• Multiple educational pathways to registered nursing education and entry-level employment are essential in order to meet the varied needs and goals of students interested in a nursing career.