Kapiolani Community College Nursing Program Review

While perhaps best known for its Culinary Institute of the Pacific and its extensive continuing education/non-credit classes (which enroll up to 25,000 students a year), Kapiolani Community College (KCC) in Honolulu offers many other work-training and liberal arts programs. It enrolls nearly 10,000 for-credit students, and is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Schools and Junior Colleges of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges to offer certificates and associate degrees.

Among its program offerings, Kapiolani Community College (previously Kapiolani Technical School) offers both a certificate and an associate degree in the nursing field, and provides an excellent opportunity for prospective nurses who wish to enter the nursing field quickly. These programs are accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission and the Hawaii Board of Nursing. In addition, the college offers training and continuing education for nurse aides. Here is a review of the nursing programs at Kapiolani Community College:

Long-Term Care Nurse Aide Training

Prospective Certified Nurse Aides (CNA) can enroll in Kapiolani Community College’s Long-Term Care Nurse Aide Training program. Throughout the program’s 150 hours, students will learn the basics of caring for patients, from feeding and bathing to transporting and performing simple medical procedures. The program is offered continually, year-round. Graduates earn a certificate of completion and are eligible to take the American Red Cross’s certification exam for nurse aides.

Adult Residential Care Home Operator (ARCH) Training

A CNA who wishes to advance in the field can attend a continuing education training course through Kapiolani Community College. In order to be eligible for the ARCH course, a CNA must have at least six months of full-time experience. If accepted, the CNA will spend 100 hours over the course of three weeks learning more complex medical skills such as changing dressings.

Practical Nursing Certificate

For a quick entry into the nursing profession, students at Kapiolani Community College can complete the Practical Nursing Certificate (PRCN) program. This program prepares them to work with the elderly in long-term care facilities and with children in home healthcare settings. The program consists of forty-four credits in total, and can be completed in as little as three semesters. Of the forty-four credit hours, twelve are for prerequisite classes that must be completed prior to applying to the practical nursing program. At the end of the program, if they are successful in taking the National Council Licensing Exam for Practical Nurses (NCLEX_PN), graduates may seek work as Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN). If they wish to advance in the nursing field at a later date, graduates of the practical nursing program have the option on building on their certificate by pursuing a full degree in nursing.

Associate of Science in Nursing

The Associate of Science in Nursing (ADN) program at Kapiolani Community College is competitive; approximately one-third of the program applicants are accepted. The program requires a time commitment of four semesters and a summer term, and entails completing seventy-two credit hours. Of these credit hours, thirteen are for prerequisite courses that must be completed before applying to the program. At the end of the program, students can take the National Council Licensing Exam for Registered Nurses (NCLEX_RN). If they are successful, they can begin working immediately as Registered Nurses (RN). Alternatively, students have the option of bridging into the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program at the University of Hawaii – Manoa. The ASN program at Kapiolani Community College is designed so that students can transition smoothly into the BSN program.

Associate of Science in Nursing – Licensed Practical Nurse to Registered Nurse

After completing a practical nursing certificate program, an LPN has the option of completing a full associate degree through Kapiolani Community College’s Licensed Practical Nurse to Registered Nurse (LPN to RN) track. This program takes three semesters, and consists of fifty-six credit hours. Like the traditional ADN program, it is designed to allow students to bridge into the BSN program at the University of Hawaii- Manoa, if desired. At the completion of the program, students are eligible to take the NCLEX_RN.

Contact:
Kapiʻolani Community College
4303 Diamond Head Road
Honolulu, HI 96816

[wpgmza id=”297″]