Option Pending Final Approval by Accrediting Body; Information Session Set for Jan. 27
MONROE, Mich. – Monroe County Community College plans to offer a practical nurse to registered nurse (P.N. to R.N.) completion program beginning as early as May, pending final approval by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing.
The option – which is for students holding an unencumbered practical nursing license – has already been approved by the college’s internal review structure and by the Michigan Board of Nursing, and the college is hopeful that it will receive ACEN approval by March, said Kim Lindquist, dean of health sciences and director of nursing. However, in the event that the option is not approved by that time, entry into the program will be delayed until 2017.
“The option is designed to support the academic progression of a licensed practical nurse to registered nurse by transitioning into the associate of applied science degree in nursing program offered by MCCC,” Lindquist said.
After meeting non-nursing prerequisite and general education application requirements, accepted students will enroll in two P.N. to R.N. transition courses that will be offered during the Spring and Summer semesters, she said. Once completed, P.N. to R.N. students will transition into the traditional R.N. program and complete the associate of applied science in nursing degree following the Fall and Winter semesters.
“Essentially, once admitted, the program will take one calendar year to complete,” Lindquist said.
Upon completion, a student will be eligible to apply for a license to practice as a registered nurse and to take the National Council Licensure Examination-Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN) examination.
The Health Sciences Division, which will house the planned new program option, will host an information session on application requirements and the option’s plan of study on Wednesday, Jan. 27 from 5-6 p.m. in the Audrey M. Warrick Student Services/Administration Building, Room A173a/b.
The Audrey M. Warrick Student Services/Administration Building is located on MCCC’s Main campus at 1555 S. Raisinville Rd. in Monroe.
The first application deadline has been set for Monday, March 14 – pending final ACEN approval of the program option – and the college plans to accept a pilot cohort of approximately eight students to begin the first P.N. to R.N. transition course during the Spring 2016 semester, which begins in May, Lindquist said.
For more information, prospective students can call the Admissions and Guidance Office at (734) 384-4104 or the Health Sciences Division at (734) 384-4102. Visit the Health Sciences Web page.
About Monroe County Community College
Founded in 1964, Monroe County Community College is a public, two-year institution supported by tax monies from Monroe County, educational funds from the State of Michigan and student tuition.
The college’s mission is to enrich and transform lives by providing opportunities and excellence in higher education. The Main Campus is located at 1555 South Raisinville Rd., Monroe, Mich., 48161, with easy access to Toledo and Detroit. The Whitman Center is located at 7777 Lewis Ave.,Temperance, Mich., 48182, near the Ohio-Michigan Border. Detailed information about MCCC is available at www.monroeccc.edu.