Hopkinsville Community College Nursing Program Review

Hopkinsville Community College (HCC) is located in Hopkinsville, KY and is one of the colleges that belong to the Kentucky Community and Technical College System. Hopkinsville was established in 1965, and today there are around 3,700 students enrolled in a variety of programs at the college.

In addition to the main campus in Hopkinsville, there is also a branch of the college located on the fort Campbell Army base. Many students come to Hopkinsville from western Kentucky and northern Tennessee. Academic and technical associate degrees, diplomas, and certificate programs are offered in various fields. The college is part of the Kentucky community and Technical College System (KCTCS). The college offers the latest technology, affordable tuition, and is close to home for many students.

Nursing Programs

Practical Nurse

Hopkinsville Community College has a Practical Nurse (PN) program that leads to licensure as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) and a diploma in nursing. LPNs work with patients of all ages in many different places, including hospitals, long-term care facilities, community agencies, and more. Many practical nurses work in patient’s homes providing care, and they work with patients of all ages from newborns to the elderly. Graduates of the program are eligible to take the NCLEX-PN, the national exam needed to obtain a license as a Licensed Practical Nurse. After passing this exam, nurses may begin working or continue their education by enrolling in an Associate in Applied Science program to become a Registered Nurse.

Admission to the PN program is limited because there are few available laboratory facilities in the community and faculty and financial resources may now allow for large classes. Students must apply to Hopkinsville Community College before they apply to the PN program. All applicants are required to attend an Informational Meeting. A minimum ACT score of 18 is required, and it is also necessary to submit a high school or GED record and transcripts from the nursing prerequisite courses. The PAX-PN Applicants must also be Kentucky Nurse Aids and have active status on the Kentucky Nurse Aide Registry. When there are more applicants than available spaces in the program, admission is granted based on the highest PAX-PN scores. A total of 62 to 65 credits are needed to graduate.

Associate of Applied Science – Associate Degree Nursing (RN Program/ADN)

Hopkinsville Community College offers an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in nursing. This associate degree in nursing (ADN) allows a student to train to become a Registered Nurse (RN) after passing the NCLEX-RN, the national exam that is required to receive licensure as an RN. Completing this degree is the basis of many other career choices in nursing. After its completion, graduates may continue to earn their Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) at a four-year college and continue after that if they want to pursue a career in an advanced nursing field such as Nurse Practitioner or Nurse Educator. With the basic RN education provided by the ADN program, graduates are able to start working and earning substantial salaries working in hospitals, clinics, schools and other community settings. Some RNs choose to attend the ADN program part-time and attend classes at Hopkinsville Community College in the evening and on weekends.

To qualify for the program, applicants must submit an application to the college and they must meet all of the admission requirements. An official transcript from any college work must also be submitted as well as a high school transcript or GED scores. The ACT is also required with a minimum score of 19, but the writing portion of the test is not required. Applicants must also submit an application to the nursing program and attend a Pre-Admission Nursing Conference. They must then take the PAX-RN and earn a composite percentile of at least 50 or higher. There are some prerequisite courses that must be completed with a grade of at least C in each course, and applicants must be registered Nurse Aides who are on the Kentucky Nurse Aide Registry. Admission is competitive, and those with the highest scores from the PAX-RN exam are chosen to enter the program.

Practical Nurses may receive credit for the first portion of beginning nursing courses for a total of nine credits. The PN must submit a copy of their LPN license, but the LPN does not need to complete the 75-hour Nurse Aide course. All of the second semester prerequisites and co-requisites must be successfully completed before entering the ADN program. Students must then complete a total of 71 credits and pass the NCLEX-RN to receive their RN licensure.

Contact:
Hopkinsville Community College
720 North Drive,
PO Box 2100,
Hopkinsville, KY 42241-2100
(270) 707-3700

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