Trocaire College Nursing Program Review

Trocaire College (TC) specializes in healthcare training. It is located in Buffalo and has around 1,300 students enrolled. The Sisters of Mercy founded the college in 1958, and at that time it was for sisters only. Other women were admitted in 1965, and the college became coeducational in 1972. It is a junior college that offers certificates, associate’s degrees, and bachelor’s degrees. Although healthcare is the main focus of Trocaire, they also have programs in Human Resource Management, and Hospitality Management. Students receive a lot of attention with a student to faculty ratio of nine to one.

Nursing Programs

Nursing PN

Trocaire College offers a Nursing Practical Nurse program. A graduates of this program is eligible to take the NCLEX-LPN exam to become a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). Applicants must have a high school diploma and a grade point average of at least 75 percent. Either high school algebra or algebra on the college level is required, as well as biology or chemistry. Candidates must take the Arnett Diagnostic Entrance Test at Trocaire. They must also have a cumulative average of 2.5 on all coursework at the college. Students are first accepted into the college into a pre-professional program and are not guaranteed admittance to the professional program. Students in the program must complete 48 credits to qualify for graduation.

Nursing AAS Day

Students who want to become Registered Nurses (RNs) may enroll in the Associate in applied Science degree program. This program trains entry-level RNs to join the workforce in hospitals, clinics, doctor’s offices, and other healthcare facilities. There are two ways to complete the program. These are either in the day program or evening program. Both of them require the same amount of credits, but the day program is completed in two years, while the evening program is planned to be completed in three years plus two summers. It is ideal for students who must work in the daytime. Students in the day program must take the pre-professional Anatomy and Physiology course before moving onto the nursing curriculum. The first semester of courses is a heavy course load consisting of 19 to 21 credits. The second and third semesters require 16 credits each, and the final fourth semester consists of 12 credits.

Nursing AAS Evening

Trocaire College’s Associate of Applied Science Evening Program requires that students complete 67 credits, the same as for the day program. Students who apply to this program must have their high school diploma and a grade point average of at least 85 percent. Math I, Biology, and Chemistry are also required before being admitted to the program. Students must also take Anatomy and Physiology I as a pre-professional course, and they must maintain at least a 2.75 in this course and all others in the program. The Accuplacer and TEAS test are also required before admission is finalized.

Nursing BS

Trocaire College also offers a Bachelor of Science (BS) program for RNs who have a diploma in nursing or an associate’s degree. RNs with a bachelor’s degree qualify for higher paying positions on nursing teams in hospitals or for jobs in other healthcare facilities. All courses for this program are offered online with a maximum of three traditional courses on campus. This allows working RNs to complete their degree according to their unique schedule. The 135 hours of clinical experience may sometimes be completed at the nurse’s current worksite, but these experiences must take place on units that are distinct from the current worksite. The BS program can be completed in as little as 16 months.

Contact:
Trocaire College
360 Choate Avenue,
Buffalo, New York 14220
(716) 826-1200