New Hampshire Community Technical College

Nursing Programs Offered

ADN Program Details

Accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC), the associate degree nursing program prepares the student for beginning level of practice and for National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) for Registered Nurses. Graduates are prepared to enter the nursing profession as responsible and caring individuals that can contribute value to their communities. Upon graduation, students are qualified for immediate employment. Information on program accreditation can be obtained at the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission http://www.nlnac.org/home.htm.

The nursing curriculum provides a contemporary and quality education and is fully approved by the New Hampshire Board of Nursing. Questions on State Board of Nursing requirements can be addressed to http://www.nh.gov/nursing.

Values of competence, holism and integrity give meaning and direction to the student’s developing RN role. Using the nursing process, nursing knowledge, the registered nurse role, and the wellness continuum, graduates use critical thinking to practice as a novice graduate registered nurse.

The associate degree nursing program offers four sequential clinical nursing courses which students complete over two years. Each course uses classroom learning, facilitated-lab experience and faculty supervised clinical experience to prepare students to provide holistic nursing care to individuals, families and groups. Using a model of skill acquisition researched by Patricia Benner, and a self-care framework, faculty guide students to develop the capacity to provide increasingly complex nursing care. Entering students must have completed a nurse assistant curriculum and be licensed as a Nurse Assistant within the State of NH.

Students integrate nursing knowledge with a liberal arts curriculum of life and social sciences, humanities, mathematics, and English courses to grow personally and professionally, and perform in the role of a beginning registered nurse. Students may begin the general education courses prior to acceptance in the nursing program courses. Many students complete the general education courses over a two- year period prior to acceptance into the program. Sixty – seven (67) college credits are required to meet graduation requirements in the Associate Degree in Science in Nursing.

Learning takes place in classrooms, hospital clinicals*, nursing skill/simulation lab, area agencies, long term care agencies and community settings, under supervision of nursing faculty.

After acceptance in the program, students are eligible for RN to BSN options through agreements with the University of New Hampshire, Franklin Pierce University and the University of Vermont. Further information on these programs can be obtained from the Universities or the nursing chairperson.

Students must earn a grade of B- (80%) or higher in each nursing courses to progress within the program. Sciences (Anatomy and Physiology I and II, Microbiology) and the liberal arts courses must also be completed with a minimum grade of C for successful transfer into the degree. Introduction to Psychology and science courses must be current within ten years to transfer into the degree program. Nursing program courses must be completed within five (5) years of the date of entry into the first nursing course.

Students will be required to take and pass a basic med-math exam in the first nursing course. A student who does not earn a 100% on this exam in the third attempt cannot progress in the program. Students participate in mandatory NLN Achievement and NCLEX Readiness Examinations in the program. A fee is assessed for this testing.

LPN Program Details

The Practical Nursing Program prepares students for licensure as licensed practical nurses. Upon graduation students are prepared to work as entry level members of a multidisciplinary team providing care to clients in a variety of health care settings.

The Practical Nursing Program promotes a self-directed approach to learning throughout the student's seminar, laboratory, and clinical experiences. Students participate actively in their learning process through involvement in regularly scheduled seminars, laboratory and clinical work, and ongoing self evaluation. Students are regularly involved in group work that helps them develop the collaborative skills necessary for today's nursing practice, as well as providing them with a greater sense of community. Students and faculty meet during scheduled seminars to discuss theoretical knowledge to skills and other related nursing care in the laboratory and clinical settings. Students regularly utilize faculty as resources, and mentors to assist them in their learning process.

The curriculum is based on Self-Care Theories of Nursing and includes a general education component. Nursing courses are taken sequentially and include a clinical/lab component. Students must earn a minimum grade of B- (80%) in all nursing courses. Nursing courses that do not meet this requirement must be repeated.

Clinical learning experiences may be scheduled during the day and/or evenings. Prior to all clinical affiliations, students must provide evidence of a current AHA/ARC CPR training healthcare provider level (online course not accepted), medical health insurance, and proof of certain immunization status. Specific information on these will be further discussed in the informational session.

To ensure the safety and well being of others, the expectation is that students will demonstrate honesty, maturity, emotional stability, ethical behavior and adhere to the LPN Code of Ethics during these experiences. The program values clinical and ethical competence in all learning experiences.

Admission criteria:

• Active NH LNA License (to be kept current throughout the program);
• General requirements listed in the catalog;
• Evidence of high school credits in math, English and Science with lab.
• Two letters of reference submitted on forms provided by the College
• Completion of Applicant Questionnaire
• Acceptable performance on the PN NLN pre-admission exam. Composite score of 110 or higher on National League for Nursing - PN. Preadmission Examination (NLN - PAX) with a minimum of 50th percentile in each of the three sections - Math, Verbal and Science.