Manhattan Area Technical College Nursing Program Review

On its campus in Manhattan, Kansas, Manhattan Area Technical College (MATC) serves students in the surrounding ten counties. The school, which was founded in 1965, offers fifteen different programs of study. Healthcare education is a main area of focus for MATC, so several of these programs are in the nursing field.

MATC is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges; its nursing programs have additional accreditation from the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) and approval from the Kansas State Board of Nursing.

Practical Nursing Program

The Practical Nursing program takes only nine months to complete, allowing a student to enter the nursing field very quickly. Graduates of the Practical Nursing program enter the nursing profession as Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN), so they can provide basic nursing care to patients under the supervision of Registered Nurses (RN) and doctors. MATC’s Practical Nursing program starts each August, and wraps up in the following May. Over the course of these nine months (two semesters), students earn a total of thirty-two credits. This does not include credits for prerequisite classes. The Practical Nursing program has four prerequisite classes, worth a total of fourteen credits, which must be complete before the program’s August start date. The four prerequisites are anatomy and physiology, software applications, nutrition, and human growth and development. After completing the Practical Nursing program, a graduate receives a technical certificate and is eligible to sit for the National Council Licensing Exam for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN).

Associate Degree Nursing Program

The Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) program leads to an Associate of Applied Science in Nursing (AAS in Nursing) degree. Before beginning this program, however, a student must complete the Practical Nursing certificate program and pass the LPN licensing exam. (MATC does not offer a direct path to an AAS in Nursing degree for students who are not already LPNs.) In addition to all the Practical Nursing program requirements, a student must take the following prerequisite general education courses: microbiology, English composition, public speaking, nutrition, and general psychology. With these courses out of the way, she can complete the ADN program in just two semesters. She will earn twenty-four credits over the course of these two semesters. An ADN student may begin in either January or July. After completing the program, she can take the National Council Licensing Exam for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).

Certified Nurse Assistant Course

MATC offers a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) course at least twice a semester, sometimes more often. The course takes 100 hours to complete and is worth five credits. It prepares a graduate to take the CNA exam offered by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. The class schedule varies; MATC offers morning and afternoon options, and some CNA courses include weekend hours. Regardless of the class schedule, students must complete a clinical component as part of the course. Classes meet on MATC’s campus, and clinical are held at a nearby long-term care facility.

Contact:
Manhattan Area Technical College
3136 Dickens Avenue,
Manhattan, KS 66503

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