Revised May 2016 THE NURSING PROGRAM. at Lake Michigan College

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1 Revised May 2016 THE NURSING PROGRAM at Lake Michigan College

2 Why Nursing at LMC? Registered Nurse Career Opportunities As a Registered Nurse (RN), you will provide primary care to clients of all ages in a variety of healthcare settings including hospitals, clinics, offices, nursing homes, home health care settings, schools, research facilities, or community agencies. You will be responsible for developing, implementing, and evaluating a plan of care for clients and assisting them in achieving their health goals through effective communication, decision-making, problem-solving, management, and technical skills. When providing direct patient care, you will observe, assess, and record symptoms, reactions, and progress; assist physicians during treatments and examinations; administer medications; and assist in health promotion, convalescence, and rehabilitation. Program Accreditation The Associate in Applied Science Nursing Program is approved by the Michigan Board of Nursing and is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), 3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 850, Atlanta, GA The ACEN phone number is The web site is This agency is a resource for information about length of programs and required tuition and fees. The Nursing Program at Lake Michigan College has been accredited since Articulation The Lake Michigan College Nursing program has agreements with several institutions that will allow graduates to complete the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree in 2 years or less following graduation from LMC. Lake Michigan College has agreements with University of Michigan-Flint, Bethel College, Chamberlain College, Western Michigan University, and Siena Heights University. How important is it to go to an accredited school? VERY! If a student wants to get their bachelor s or master s degree in Nursing, most programs (and the military) require that the student graduated from a Nursing program accredited by ACEN or CCNE. Do all of your graduates get jobs after completion of your program? YES. We have 100% placement rates following graduation for those students who desire nursing jobs. Get in touch! Nursing Program Director Kathleen Szymanski, MSN, RN would be happy to hear from you to answer your questions and help you get started. (269) or toll free (800) nursing@lakemichigancollege.edu Health Sciences Office C East Napier Avenue Benton Harbor, Michigan Revised 07/01/2016 2

3 Entrance Requirement LMC Completed via Transfer To be Completed Learn about the program Obtain and read entire Nursing Program brochure (can be found at lakemichigancollege.edu/nursing) Contact an academic advisor to discuss Nursing Program requirements Complete an LMC application for admission (lakemichigancollege.edu/apply) Have high school transcripts sent to LMC Records Office OR Have official college transcripts sent to LMC Records Office Have ACT scores sent to LMC and/or take Accuplacer Assessment to meet basic college requirements in reading, English, and math Complete Prerequisite Courses with a C or better (LMC Overall GPA must be 2.5 or greater) CHEM 104 BIOL 205 (BIOL 101 or comparable is a prerequisite for BIOL 205) *MATH 122 or 123 Apply to the program **Take and pass HESI A2 exam (study materials found at lakemichigancollege.edu/assessment) Successfully complete all paperwork, testing, and coursework prior to May 12, 2018 Submit Nursing Application to LMC Health Sciences Office - C327 by May 12, 2018 All prerequisite courses must be passed with a C or better and within 10 years of Nursing Program application deadline. *Both MATH 122 and MATH 123 are acceptable as prerequisite. MATH 123 is recommended by nursing program faculty. **Must successfully pass exam within two attempts. Revised 07/01/2016 3

4 The Nursing Application Process A student will receive an acknowledgement upon receipt of their Nursing Application. All prerequisites must be completed before an applicant can be considered for the Nursing program. All eligible applicants academic records are evaluated by using a numerical point system. Entry into the Nursing program is competitive and based on total points. Students who are not accepted into the Nursing program will be required to submit another Nursing Application if they want to be reconsidered for the nursing program for the next academic year. Students must inform Lake Michigan College of changes in address or telephone numbers. If the Health Science Office is unable to contact a student related to placement into the Nursing program, a student may have to forgo placement that year after reasonable attempts have been made to contact the student. Selection for Admission into the Nursing Program All eligible students will be ranked via a point system and selected based upon a competitive process ranking them according to their GPA in the prerequisite courses (MATH 122 or 123, BIOL 205, CHEM 104), overall LMC GPA, and HESI A2 score. Other factors that may improve a students ranking are: Completion of all prerequisite courses at Lake Michigan College Only taking prerequisite courses once in the past 10 years prior to application to the Nursing program Proof of direct patient care work experience, certification in a healthcare field, or completion of the Professional Health Careers Academy (PHCA) Previously earned Bachelor s Degree or higher NOTE: The BIOL 206 and ENGL 101 courses MUST be completed prior to entering the Nursing program. These courses may be completed during the Summer term prior to starting the Nursing program in the Fall term, but they cannot be taken concurrently with nursing courses. Admission process is nondiscriminatory in regards to age, color, height, weight, creed, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, or gender identity or expression. Does Lake Michigan College have a waiting list for Nursing program admission? NO. If the student does not get in this year, he/she may apply again for placement next year. The student may use that year to complete courses or gain work experience that may improve their consideration for admission. Am I guaranteed acceptance in the Nursing program once I complete all the prerequisites courses? NO. All eligible students are ranked using a numerical point system and accepted in descending order until the class is full. How can I improve my chances for placement if I don t get in the Nursing Program this year? Students may retake courses at LMC to improve their grade. So if a student has two Cs in the sciences and are not ranked high enough for placement this year, they may take those courses over to improve the grade and thus increase their chances for placement the following year. Students may also gain direct patient care work experience to improve their application for the next year and overall success in the Nursing program. Why doesn t the college accept more students into the Nursing program? If there is a shortage, why doesn t the school take every qualified applicant? Classroom space limitations, limited faculty resources, state regulation related to clinical placement, limited clinical sites are factors that reduce the number of Revised 07/01/ students in the Nursing program.

5 Course Sequence Before Admission Prerequisite BIOL 101 Biological Science (or comparable prerequisite for BIOL 205) Prerequisite Ranking Courses CHEM 104 Fundamentals of General, Organic, & Biochemistry (Note: CHEM 105 Fund. of Inorganic Chem., if taken prior to Fall 2010, may be substituted for CHEM 104 requirement. CHEM 111 or a transfer equivalent may also be substituted for CHEM 104) Credits Contact Hours BIOL 205 Human Anatomy 4 5 MATH 122 Intermediate Algebra or MATH 123 Quantitative Reasoning 4 4 Why can t I start the Nursing program right out of high school? On rare occasions, students take prerequisite courses during high school and are eligible to begin the Nursing program the fall semester following high school graduation. However, students need to be 18 years of age or older when they begin the Nursing program. We encourage all applicants to complete as many general education courses prior to admission to the Nursing program. This gives the student more time to focus on the rigorous nursing courses while in the Nursing program. Prior to Start of Program BIOL 206 Human Physiology 4 6 ENGL 101 English Composition 3 3 Advanced Standing Current Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) may apply for advanced standing in the Nursing Program. LPN to RN students can receive credit for most of the first year nursing courses based upon LPN licensure. Most advanced standing, LPN to RN students, are admitted into second year fall nursing classes. All advanced standing students must meet the admission requirements for the Nursing Program and complete the same core curriculum for graduation. After program completion, Advanced Standing students will earn an Associate Degree in Applied Science and be eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN (RN Licensure Examination). Am I guaranteed placement in the RN program if I am a Licensed Practical Nurse? NO. Although we try to place LPN students who want to return to an RN program, space availability is a factor that might prevent an LPN student from entering LMC s RN program any given year. Revised 07/01/2016 5

6 Course Sequence Program Fall (1st Year) Credits PSYC 201 Introduction to Psychology 3 3 NURS 180 Nursing Fundamentals 6 10 NURS 130 Pharmacology I 2 2 Spring (1st Year) Semester Total ENGL 102 English Composition 3 3 NURS 185 Women s Health 3 6 NURS 186 Medical-Surgical Nursing I 3 6 NURS 187 Medical-Surgical Nursing II 3 6 NURS 135 Pharmacology II 2 2 Fall (2nd Year) Humanities/Fine Arts Course (any 3 credits of ART, DRAM, ENGL (200-level), FORL, HUMN, MUSI, or PHIL) Semester Total NURS 280 Community Mental Health 3 6 NURS 281 Medical-Surgical Nursing III 3 6 NURS 282 Medical-Surgical Nursing IV 3 6 Spring (2nd Year) Semester Total NURS 285 Children s Health 3 6 NURS 286 Medical-Surgical Nursing V 3 6 NURS 287 Medical-Surgical Nursing VI 3 6 NURS 288 Current Issues in Nursing 1 1 Suggested Support Courses HEAL 103 Medical Terminology MATH 216 Intro to Statistics PSYC 203 Human Development BIOL 210 Microbiology Semester Total PROGRAM TOTAL Contact Hours How long does it take to get an associate degree for Registered Nurse? Usually a student takes about 1 year to get the prerequisites and some of the general education courses done and then finishes the Registered Nurse associate degree program in just less than two years after admission in the program. A Nursing student enters the program in the fall semester of year 1 and then finishes in early May of year 2. What is the difference between the AAS degree and the BS degree for Nursing students? Both degrees are considered entry level for professional Registered Nurses. Both groups of students take the same state board examination. Both graduate with what is considered a generalist registered nurse education. In this community, both groups of new graduates are given basically the same employment opportunities. Later, after the graduate has experience, the BS degree pays off with more opportunity for management placement. There are some jobs that require the BS degree. Most healthcare institutions will assist with tuition reimbursement for a BSN degree after employment. Completing the AAS degree and then continuing on for a RN-BSN degree has many financial benefits for students as you can work as an RN and earn money while completing your BSN degree. Revised 07/01/2016 6

7 Cost Estimates Tuition and Fees See class schedule for current rates. Total tuition and fees are as follows for the program (does not include prerequisite classes): In-District Out of District First Year (38 contact hours) $6,024 $8,133 Second Year (40 contact hours) $6,320 $8,540 Drug Screen and Background Check: Approximately $110 Health Insurance All Nursing students are required to have personal health insurance. Nursing Books/Lab Packs Approx. $1,100 first semester (most books purchased in the first semester are used throughout the program), less each following semester. Uniforms Approximately $150 Costs include: White duty shoes (all white) & socks or stockings, stethoscope, watch with second hand, bandage scissors, warm-up jacket, name badge (purchased first week of class for $3.00 or during nursing orientation sessions). Additional Expenses Transportation to and from clinical facilities (carpooling is not always possible), both for clinical appointments and the day previous to prepare for clinical; graduation nursing program pin (optional) $40-$200; NCLEX exam fees and licensure approximately $350; graduation fee $50. Please note that, except for tuition, the above costs are only those related to the Nursing program. There are also books and supplies to purchase for general education courses. Many students have additional expenses, such as NCLEX review courses prior to taking the NCLEX exams. Travel costs are not included. Tuition, fees, and other expenses subject to change without notice. Revised 07/01/2016 7

8 Eligibility Board of Nursing Licensure Applicants to the Nursing programs should be aware that the Michigan Board of Nursing, in its Practice Act, states that it can deny a license to an applicant if any of the following are true: 1. Has been convicted of a criminal offense in a court of competent jurisdiction. 2. Is habitually intemperate in the use of alcoholic beverages. 3. Is addicted to, or has improperly obtained, possessed, used or distributed habit-forming drugs or narcotics. 4. Is guilty of dishonesty or unethical conduct. 5. Has violated or aided or abetted others in violation of any provision of this act. The Michigan Board of Nursing requires a criminal background check prior to licensure. The state board has identified mandatory criminal record exclusions related to licensure. If you have been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor, you may be unable to be licensed. If you have questions about your particular situation, please call the Board of Nursing at Lake Michigan College Nursing Programs Criminal Background Requirements All nursing students are required to pass a criminal background check and a urine drug screen for admission into the program. Students are responsible for paying the non-refundable cost of the background search and drug screen. If a criminal record is found, the student may be asked to forfeit their seat in the nursing program. A background check and negative drug screen is required for nursing program admission and re-admission. In order to be in compliance with the policies of our clinical site partners, the Lake Michigan College Nursing Program will not allow a student into the program with a drug screen that is positive for marijuana, even if the student is in the legal possession of a medical marijuana card. Nursing Student Handbook The Nursing programs are highly technical programs and deal with the safety of patients admitted to local hospitals and nursing homes. For this reason, the Nursing student is subject to many rules not required of other College students. Most of these rules are listed in the Student Handbook. A copy of the handbook may be obtained from the Health Science Department, and will be given to accepted students at nursing program orientation. Requirements for CPR Certification CPR certification/recertification (BLS Provider or CPR for Professional Rescuer) is required and should be obtained before beginning the Nursing program (Heart Saver and Race for Life are not acceptable). All students must hold a current CPR certification to participate in the Nursing program. CPR classes may be taken at Lake Michigan College. Visit lakemichigancollege.edu/cpr for details on how to enroll for CPR classes at Lake Michigan College. Revised 07/01/2016 8

9 Physical Exam & Immunizations All Nursing students are required to have a physical exam completed prior to beginning Nursing Program classes. As part of this physical exam, it is essential to provide proof of freedom from communicable diseases. Specific vaccinations must be done or proof of antibody titer immunity provided for the following: MMR (Measles, Mumps & Rubella) Tdap (Tetanus, Diptheria, Pertussis) Varicella Hepatitis B vaccination (Injection series) Proof of freedom from Tuberculosis Flu vaccination Transportation & Attendance All Nursing students must have their own dependable transportation. Attendance rules are strict and are enforced. Children are not allowed in nursing classes, labs, clinical sites, or in the Nursing Education Center. Can I do my clinical time and classroom time for the Nursing program in the day time only? NO. Clinical time at LMC are daytime and evening shifts, including the possibility of weekends. Nursing students may follow a 12 hour shift clinical schedule. Revised 07/01/2016 9