Illinois Central College Nursing Program Review

Illinois Central College (ICC) serves Peoria, Illinois and the surrounding metropolitan area, offering associate degrees, certificates, pre-baccalaureate programs, and continuing education and non-credit courses. While most classes are offered on the main campus in East Peoria, classes in the health sciences field are actually offered at Illinois Central College’s downtown location in Peoria.

Among the many available health sciences programs are several in the nursing field: a practical nursing certificate program and an associate degree in nursing, as well as a training program for nurse assistants.

Basic Nurse Assistant Training Program

Illinois Central College offers a Basic Nurse Assistant Training Program (BNATP) for prospective nurse assistants. The program takes only one semester to complete, and consists of six and a half credit hours. Students receive both classroom and clinical instruction; instruction focuses in particular on caring for patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Graduates earn a certificate and may take the Illinois Nurse Aide Competency Evaluation Program exam.

Practical Nursing Certificate

Illinois Central College’s Practical Nursing Certificate program holds accreditation from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. The program requires forty-two credit hours in total, and takes three semesters (fall, spring, and summer) to complete. Courses include both general education requirements (which may be taken before beginning the program, in order to make the program less intense) and nursing courses and clinical rotations at hospitals and nursing homes. Students must earn at least a C in every class in order to graduate.

Graduation from the Practical Nursing Certificate program enables the student to take the National Council Licensing Exam for Practical Nurses (NCLEX_PN). As a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), a graduate may care for patients under the direct supervision of a Registered Nurse (RN). Illinois Central College boasts a 100-percent job placement rate for its Practical Nursing graduates.

Associate in Applied Science in Nursing

While the Practical Nursing Certificate program is the quickest way for a prospective nurse to enter the nursing field, a student who wishes to enter the field with a higher level of responsibility should enroll in the Associate in Applied Science in Nursing (AAS in Nursing) program. This program takes four semesters to complete and consists of seventy credit hours total. Students in the AAS in Nursing program take more general education courses and more nursing courses than the Practical Nursing Certificate students.

They do have the option of completing the general education courses in English, biology, psychology, and sociology prior to beginning the program, if they wish to concentrate entirely on nursing while enrolled. Graduates of the AAS in Nursing program are eligible to take the National Council Licensing Exam for Registered Nurses (NCLEX_RN), and seek work as RNs. Alternatively, the AAS in Nursing program provides a firm foundation for further education. Graduates have the option of transferring to a four-year college and completing a full Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program through an accelerated RN-BSN track. Illinois Central College’s AAS in Nursing program is accredited by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission.

Associate in Applied Science in Nursing – LPN Advanced Placement

An LPN can earn advanced placement credit for the lower-level nursing courses by demonstrating proficiency in the nursing field. He does need to fulfill all other requirements, both general education and upper-level nursing, toward the AAS in Nursing degree. For an incoming LPN, then, the length of the program can vary based upon his demonstrated proficiency and the number of general education courses he still needs to fulfill. He will determine his course sequence in consultation with an advisor.

Contact:
Illinois Central College
1 College Drive
East Peoria
IL 61635

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