ADN Programs in Connecticut
The state of Connecticut needs nurses. It needs nurses so much, in fact, that many of the schools in Connecticut that offer Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN) programs also offer scholarships and grants specifically geared to the education of nurses.
Hospitals in “The Constitution State “area may also provide some incentives for individuals to obtain their nursing associates degree as well.
What can I do with an ADN Degree in Connecticut?
An ADN program approved by the State of Connecticut entitles the person graduating from it to apply for a Connecticut nursing license. You may be interested to know that 35% of the nursing graduates in Connecticut have obtained their ADN degree from a Connecticut Community College. As part of the licensing process, you will need to demonstrate to the Connecticut Board of Nursing that you have, in fact, graduated from a certified program. You also will need to fill out an application, and register to take the NCLEX-RN, the national licensing exam for registered nurses. Once you have passed your licensing examination, and your application has been approved, you will bear the proud title of registered nurse.
What if I want to nurse in another state besides Connecticut with my ADN?
Most states will allow a person who has a Registered Nurse license from another state, whether obtained through an ADN or a B.S. program, to practice in that state, providing the correct steps are followed by the nurse candidate. If you intend to obtain a nursing license through an ADN program in Connecticut, and then decide to practice in another state, you will need to check with the nursing board of the state that you are interested in to see if you meet the necessary qualifications.
What Benefits Are There To Being A Registered Nurse Instead of a Licensed Practical Nurse in Connecticut?
Both registered nurses and licensed practical nurses in Connecticut are critical to a patient’s care. However, being a registered nurse in Connecticut allows you to pursue more specialized fields or nursing, such as critical care nursing or wound care nursing. In addition, being a Connecticut registered nurse will allow you to achieve higher leadership positions then a licensed practical nurse will be offered. Finally, the status of registered nurse is the first step towards even higher skilled nursing fields in Connecticut, such as nurse practitioner or advanced practice nurse.
Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) Training Schools: 2 Year Nursing Programs in Connecticut.
Connecticut Community College Nursing Program
The CCC nursing program is a common program shared by six community colleges in Connecticut. As part of the program, the six colleges have common admission applications, admission requirements, prerequisite courses, curriculum and other basic requirements for accepted nursing students. In order to apply to a nursing program at any of the six participating colleges, a student should submit only one application to whichever college is the college they would most like to attend. The colleges do not, however, share faculty. A student is permitted, on that single application, to indicate a college of second choice to which he or she would be willing to commute if necessary. The six colleges treat transferees, transfer credits and other administrative matters in the same manner as well. At the completion of the CCC nursing program, the traditional form of which is a two year program, the graduating student will receive his or ADN-RN and be eligible to take the RN licensing exam and apply for a Connecticut nursing license. The six schools participating in the CCC-NP are the following:
– Capital Community College
950 Main Street
Hartford, CT 06103
860-906-5150
– Gateway Community College
88 Bassett Road
North Haven CT 06473
203-285-2393
– Naugatuck Valley Community College
750 Chase Parkway
Waterbury, CT 06708
203-575-8057
– Northwestern Connecticut Community College
Park Place East
Winsted, CT 06098
860-738-6372
– Norwalk Community College
188 Richards Avenue
Norwalk, CT 06854-1655
203-857-7123
– Three Rivers Community College
7 Mahan Drive
Norwich, CT 06360
860-885-2661
Three of the colleges, Capital, Gateway and Norwalk, may have evening nursing courses available as well as daytime nursing courses. Five of the programs are fully approved by the Connecticut Board of Examiners for Nursing, and have full from the NLNAC. As a new program, Northwestern has been granted initial approval by the Board of Examiners and is eligible for candidacy status by the NLNAC.
Goodwin College
1 Riverside Drive
East Hartford, CT 06118
860-528-4111
Goodwin College, a private college founded in 1999, is the second largest nursing program in Connecticut. Its ADN-RN program is designed with working students in mind, so it offers day, evening, weekend and online courses for the general education portion of the nursing curriculum. Since Goodwin offers both Associate and Bachelor’s degrees, it also has a RN-BSN program available for its graduates and other ADN students interested in furthering their education.
St. Vincent‘s College
2800 Main Street
Bridgeport, CT 06606
203-576-5556
This ADN-RN program has night and weekend classes available, along with a refresher program available for already licensed Registered Nurses. A full-time student, who is defined as someone taking between 12-17 semester hours, will complete the program in two years, which includes attending one summer session. St. Vincent’s in the process of building a new RN-BSN online program which is already approved by the Connecticut Board of Examiners for Nursing.
