Midlands Technical College Nursing Program Review

With seven campuses in the Columbia area, Midlands Technical College (MTC) serves the residents of Richland and Lexington counties. It was founded in 1974, as the result of a merger of three career-training schools. Now it enrolls over 18,000 students. From Midlands Technical College, students can move directly into careers or can transition to four-year colleges and universities.

Through its Department of Nursing on its Airport Campus in West Columbia, Midlands Technical College prepares students for careers in the field of nursing. The school’s nursing programs are approved by the South Carolina Board of Nursing and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC).

Practical Nursing Diploma Program

After three semesters of study, a student in the Practical Nursing Diploma program (PN) is prepared to take the National Council Licensing Exam for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN), and for a career as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). To complete the program, a student must earn forty-four credits over the course of the three semesters. The first semester is devoted to background courses in nutrition, pharmacology, algebra, psychology, anatomy and physiology, and nursing fundamentals. Once these are completed, a student can move on to nursing courses and clinical rotations. Upon finishing the three semesters, a graduate will receive a diploma in practical nursing. The Practical Nursing Diploma Program begins each fall and each spring.

Associate Degree Nursing

A graduate of the Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) program receives an Associate in Applied Science degree with a major in nursing. This makes him eligible to take the National Council Licensing Exam for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN), and for a career as a Registered Nurse (RN). In order to earn the degree, he must first complete the three-semester practical nursing curriculum, alongside the practical nursing students. At the end of the third semester, when the practical nursing students graduate, a student in the ADN program continues on to two additional semesters of advanced nursing coursework. In total, he must earn sixty-eight credits to complete the program. The ADN program, like the PN program, begins each fall and spring.

Associate Degree Nursing – LPN Advanced Placement (LPN to RN Program)

A graduate of a practical nursing program can become an RN by completing the ADN program through the LPN Advanced Placement track. Before beginning the LPN Advanced Placement track, however, she must take English composition, psychology, and anatomy and physiology. Once these prerequisites are completed, she can complete the remaining co-requisite coursework (a nursing transition class, a second semester of anatomy and physiology, and probability and statistics) and the last two semesters of the ADN nursing coursework. This requires two or three semesters of study. If the LPN has completed the Midlands Technical College Practical Nursing Diploma program, graduated later than 2002, and has been out of school for less than thirteen months, the nursing transition course will be waived. After completing the ADN program, an LPN will receive an associate in applied science with a major in nursing, and may take the NCLEX-RN.

Certified Nurse Assistant Program

Through its Department of Continuing Education, Midlands Technical College offers a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) program. The class takes 102 hours to complete, and includes classroom instruction and a clinical rotation in a long-term care facility. Graduates are eligible to take the Nurse Aide Competency Evaluation Services Exam.

Contact:
Midlands Technical College
Airport Campus
1260 Lexington Drive,
West Columbia, SC 29170