Kennebec Valley Community College

Nursing Programs Offered

ADN Program Details

The Nursing Program prepares women and men for entry-level positions in the nursing profession. Successful completion of the ADN program of study qualifies graduates to receive an Associate in Science Degree in Nursing (ADN). The ADN qualifies the graduate for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) and application for state licensure as a registered nurse (RN) in the state of Maine. The program is approved by the Maine State Board of Nursing (MSBN) and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC).

The program of study combines general education and nursing studies in the classroom with selected laboratory and clinical experiences in providing nursing care to patients in a variety of health care settings. Students may be scheduled for day, evening, and weekend clinical experiences throughout the program. It is expected that students will be able to make the necessary arrangements in order to complete all scheduled rotations. Nursing courses require students to participate in approximately 18 to 24 hours per week of classroom and clinical activities. Attendance is essential. General education courses supportive to the nursing major must be taken prior to or concurrent with nursing courses as stipulated in the curriculum design. Completion of all non-nursing general education courses is strongly recommended prior to program entry. Nursing courses must be taken in consecutive semesters. Students must achieve a minimum grade of "C" in all required general education and nursing courses in order to progress through the curriculum. A course may only be repeated once in order to achieve the minimum grade.

Applicants to the Nursing Program should be aware that nursing at the Associate Degree level involves the provision of direct care to patients. A student in the Nursing Program must have the knowledge and ability to effectively assess a patient’s biopsychosocial needs. Furthermore, the student must be able to analyze data in order to state a patient’s problem, comprehensively plan independent and collaborative interventions, implement the plan of care, and evaluate the care given, as well as the patient’s response to the care. Therefore, the student must have observational, communication, motor, cognitive, psychosocial, and behavioral abilities sufficient to carry out the above responsibilities. Technological accommodation can be made available for some disabilities in some of these areas, but a student must be able to perform in a reasonably independent manner. The use of a trained intermediary is not permitted since a student’s judgment would be influenced by someone else’s observations.

In order to be considered for admission into the Nursing program, applicants must first be admitted to the College (refer to General Admission Requirements) and designate Associate Degree Nursing as their curriculum. Applicants must have a grade-point average (GPA) of 2.5 or higher in their current course of study (high school or college) in order to be admitted to the program. Computer literacy is essential. The program has a limited enrollment and only admits generic applicants for the fall semester. Admission is on a first-qualified, first-served basis. Applicants are encouraged to complete the admission requirements as early as possible. Students who wish to be matriculated while completing prerequisites should apply to the Health Science Certificate program.