ADN Programs in Arkansas
There are over 20 programs offered at a number of different community/junior colleges and universities in Arkansas. There are also several options at career colleges.
What are the types of nurses recognized in Arkansas?
The following types of nurses are required to be licensed through the State Board of Nursing in order to practice in Arkansas: registered nurses, advanced practice nurses and registered nurse practitioner. In addition, the Arkansas Board of Nursing supervises and licenses practical nurses and psychiatric technicians.
What is a Registered Nurse in Arkansas?
A registered nurse first of all is a nurse who has completed the necessary educational requirements, which includes ADN programs approved by the Arkansas State Board of nursing, passed the requisite national licensing exam and been accepted for licensure by the appropriate state board, in this case the Arkansas Board of Nursing.
How long does it take to obtain your ADN in Arkansas?
As the shortage of registered nurses has become more critical, nursing boards have recognized that two year ADN programs provide the necessary background to enable a person to become a registered nurse. ADN programs in Arkansas take between 2 and 3 years to complete, after which the nurse candidate will take his or her licensing exam. Arkansas will grant nurses a temporary license that will allow them to practice in the time period between graduation and receipt of their examination results.
What does a Registered Nurse in Arkansas Do?
A registered nurse provides hands-on care to patients in various settings throughout the State of Arkansas. These settings can include hospital settings, clinical settings or home health care settings, just to name a few. While a licensed practical care nurse in Arkansas also provides hands-on care to patients, the registered nurse has more career options available to him or her. There are many different types of specialized registered nurses in Arkansas such as a surgical nurse, critical care nurse or certified rehab registered nurse that require a person to be a registered nurse before the specialization credentials can be acquired. In addition, if a person is interested in furthering his or her career in Arkansas by becoming a nurse practitioner or an advanced practice nurse, the first stepping stone is the status of registered nurse.
Why Go Through an ADN program to be a Registered Nurse in Arkansas If I Don’t Want Do Anything But Nursing?
Admittedly, you may have no desire to further your career beyond the status of registered nurse, but as a registered nurse in Arkansas complete with your ADN, you have one of the more prestigious careers in the health care field. You also will be in very high demand – currently, there is a nursing shortage in Arkansas which is only expected to get worse as the population ages. Nursing is highly satisfying if you are someone who cares about helping others and alleviating suffering; a registered nurse is on the front lines when it comes to caring for patients.
Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) Training Schools: 2 Year Nursing Programs in Arkansas
Arkansas Northeastern College (ANC) – Blytheville
Department of Nursing
P. O. Box 1109 Blytheville, AR 72316
Phone: (870) 780-1247
ANC’s ADN nursing program is offered at the Burdette Campus in Blytheville, and at its Paragould campus in Paragould, Arkansas through distance learning options. The program is not only approved by the Arkansas Board of Education, but also accredited by the National League for Nursing Accreditation Commission. The program has two separate tracks – a traditional ADN option as well as an LPN-RN option. One class is selected for the traditional program each fall and Licesned Practical Nurses are eligible to apply for it, or LPN’s can choose to apply for admission into an accelerated program which begins in the spring of each year.
Arkansas Rural Nursing Education Consortium (ARNEC)
P. O. Box 10
Melbourne, AR 72556
Phone: (870) 368-2058 X-2223
ARNEC is an association of eight community/technical colleges that service rural areas in Arkansas from north to south and east to west. ARNEC is specifically designed to allow LPN’s who work in the rural areas of the state and who wish to obtain their RN licensing to do so without having to quit their jobs and travel to other locations. ARNEC takes advantage of available technology in order to accomplish this task. Nursing lectures are delivered by real-time two-way television two afternoons or evenings per week, classroom materials are delivered via Internet, including tests and coursework, and whenever possible, clinical practice for the RN program is scheduled for weekends. ARNEC’s LPN-RN program lasts one year exactly – classes begin in January, with graduation in December of the same year. Application packets are available either through ARNEC’s website, or at any one of the ARNEC colleges. The application deadline is normally August 31 for the following January. The eight member institutions of ARNEC are the following:
-ASU – Newport
7648 Victory Boulevard
Newport, Arkansas 72112
Phone: (870) 512-7842
-Black River Technical College – Pocahontas
Post Office Box 468
Pocahontas, Arkansas 72455
Phone: (870) 248-4000, X 4150
-Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas – Nashville
1558 Highway 371 West
Nashville, Arkansas 71852
Phone (870) 845-2454, X 239
-Ozarka College – Melbourne
218 College Drive
Melbourne, Arkansas 72556
Phone: (870) 368-7371
-Rich Mountain Community College – Mena
1100 College Drive
Mena, Arkansas 71953
Phone: (479) 394-7622 X 1366
-Southwest Arkansas Community College – El Dorado
300 South West Avenue
El Dorado, Arkansas 71730
Phone: (870) 864-7136
-University of Arkansas Community College – Hope
2500 South Main
Hope, Arkansas 71801
Phone: (870) 722-8224
-University of Arkansas Community College – Morrilton
1537 University Boulevard
Morrilton, Arkansas 72110
Phone: (501) 977-2152
Arkansas State University
School of Nursing
P. O. Box 910
State University, AR 72467
Phone: (870) 972-3074
The traditional two year nursing program at this college requires as a prerequisite that students obtain their nursing assistant certification (CNA). This two year curriculum is designed for those students who have no previous experiences as a licensed practical nurse. The program is offered at three of ASU’s campuses – ASU Beebe in Beebe, Arkansas, ASU Mountain Home in Mountain Home, Arkansas and Mid-South Community College in West Memphis, Arkansas.
College of the Ouachitas
One College Circle
Malvern, AR 72104
The Ouachitas are a mountain range that extends through west central Arkansas and southeastern Oklahoma, and the Ouachitas River runs through the area. The College of the Ouachitas in Malvern is only minutes away from the Ouachitas River, and 20 miles away from one of the doorways to the mountain range, Hot Springs, Arkansas. The College of the Ouachitas offers a 12 month Associates Degree Nursing degree for individuals who are already licensed paramedics and licensed practical nurses only.
East Arkansas Community College
Department of Nursing
1700 New Castle Road
Forrest City, AR 72335-9598
Phone: (870) 633-4480
Forrest City is located on Crowley’s Ridge, a geological formation that overlooks the flatlands of the Mississippi River delta, which is why Forrest City refers to itself as the “Jewel of the Delta.” East Arkansas offers a two year, traditional track Associate of Applied Science in Nursing. In order to be admitted to the nursing program, a student must complete any prerequisite courses by May 31 of the year preceding the student’s start of the nursing program, have a minimum 2.8 grade point average also by May 31, and take the pre-entrance nursing exams and provide the scores to the nursing department. The pre-entrance nursing exams are a critical thinking entrance exam and the PSB-nursing school aptitude exam (RN).
National Park Community College
101 College Drive
Hot Springs, AR 71913
Phone: (501) 760-4222; (501) 760-4288
Unlike its neighbor 20 miles away in Malvern, National Park College offers a traditional 2 year applied science degree in nursing that will allow traditional students to prepare for the NCLEX-RN nursing examination and to apply to for their license as a registered nurse. Essentially, admission to the program is based upon an applicant’s TEAS-V scores and grade point average, with preference given to those students who have at least 20 hours of college credits, but a more detailed summary of the selection process is given at information meetings and admission meetings for prospective students.
North Arkansas College
Department of Nursing
1515 Pioneer Dr.
Harrison, AR 72601
Phone: (870) 391-3262
This college offers a traditional two year AAS registered nursing program as well as other tracks. Because of the rigorous nature of the program, the nursing program faculty and staff strongly discourage students from obtaining full-time or part-time employment. All registered nursing programs are approved by the Arkansas State Board of Nursing and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission.
Northwest Arkansas Community College
Department of Nursing
One College Drive
Bentonville, AR 72712
Phone: (479) 619-4255
Located in the same town that houses Wal-Mart’s home office and headquarters, Northwest’s nursing program is contained within the Department of Health Professions, which also offers courses for other types of health careers, such as LPN and paramedic. The AAS nursing program at Northwest is designed to provide students with two options upon graduation – pass the licensing exam and begin working as an RN at beginning staff level positions or to continue their education by obtaining a Bachelor’s degree in nursing at a transfer school.
Phillips Community College
Of The University Of Arkansas
Department of Nursing
P. O. Box 785
Helena-West Helena, AR 72342
Phone: (870) 338-6474, X1371
The Phillips Community College ADN program offers a diverse curriculum which includes courses from both general studies and nursing courses. Out of the 72 total program hours, 42 hours come from nursing courses, while the other 30 are general education courses. The general education courses are spread among several different areas, including computer technology, social science, math, science which emphasizes anatomy and physiology and microbiology and English.
Southeast Arkansas College
Nursing and Allied Health Technologies Division
1900 Hazel Street Pine Bluff, AR 71603
Phone: (870) 543-5929
Southeast’s Associates Degree Nursing program has two tracks: the generic option, which is a two year program for all students, and an LPN/Paramedic RN Transition option. All classes are admitted in August. As with most nursing programs, class sizes are limited, so admission is a competitive process for which the student must apply. Once a student is selected for admission, he or she must notify the nursing department that they intend to register by picking up their acceptance packet within the period of time set by the university. Before beginning class, the student must provide the school as well with documentation of the CPR certification from the American Heart Association, the student’s signed acknowledgement of “Functional Abilities Requirements,” documentation that the student has had either a TB skin test or a chest x-ray and proof that the student has either received the Hepatitis B series of vaccines or is claiming a waiver.
Southern Arkansas University
Department of Nursing
100 E. University Magnolia, AR 71753-5000
Phone: (870) 235-4331
Southern Arkansas University is a university that sponsors three types of degrees: associate’s degrees in a few limited fields, including nursing, bachelor’s degrees and some graduate degrees. Accordingly, the ADN nursing student who chooses to attend Southern Arkansas has the advantage of receiving his or her two year degree, but in a four year university environment. In order to be admitted to the ADN program, the student must go through two admissions processes. First, he or she must be admitted to SAU with either regular or conditional admission statute. Second, the nursing student must also apply to the College of Nursing for admission as well.
University Of Arkansas at Fort Smith
Carolyn McKelvey Moore School of Nursing
P. O. Box 3649
Fort Smith, AR 72913-3649
Phone: (479) 788-7844
This nursing school offers nursing programs for various levels, including a 12 month practical nursing course of study, the two year ADN program for registered nursing, a traditional 4 year B.S. program and an RN-BSN online completion program. As with most nursing programs, the two year ADN program is a combination of classroom instruction and clinical experiences. The clinical experiences for the Moore School occur at health care facilities through Fort Smith and the surrounding communities.
University Of Arkansas at Little Rock
Department of Nursing
2801 South University Little Rock, AR 72204
Phone: (501) 569-8081; (501) 683-7315
The Department of Nursing at this university offers an Associate Science Degree in Nursing. As do many schools, it has both a regular two year track and an accelerated one year track. Admission to the one year track is much more highly competitive than admission to the two year track is. This campus does not offer evening classes; instead, nursing classes generally meet two mornings a week. Clinical rotations, also, are usually during the day, although there are a few evening clinicals.
University Of Arkansas at Monticello
Division of Nursing
P. O. Box 3606
Monticello, AR 71656-3606
Phone: (870) 460-1069
The Associate of Applied Science for Nursing program at this school is a one year fast track program limited to licensed LPN’s who can provide evidence that they have worked at least 2000 hours in an acute care setting. Applicants must be admitted both to the University as well as the nursing department program. Applications are due to the school by March 1.
University Of Arkansas Community College at Batesville
P. O. Box 3350
Batesville, AR 72503
Phone: (870) 612-2070
This campus offers an AAS degree that allows the recipient to take the national RN licensing exam and apply to receive his or her registered nursing license. This college is unique in that it offers three AASN tracks instead of simply two. The first track is the generic two year option, which all students interested in nursing, regardless of licensing or experience, may apply for, and an LPN-RN track for persons possessing a valid LIPN license and who reside in Arkansas. The third track is also an LPN-RN track but it is offered on-line. This distance learning option also requires proof of residency in Arkansas and a valid LPN license, as well as reliable internet access for the duration of the program.
