Neosho County Community College Nursing Program Review

Neosho County Community College (NCCC), which began as Chanute Junior College in 1936, operates several different campuses. Students can take classes on the main campus in Chanute and on the satellite campus in Ottawa, as well as outreach centers in Neosho County, Anderson County, and Franklin County.

For prospective nurses, NCCC offers several different program options. The shortest option, the Practical Nursing (PN) program, dates back to the 1960s. The Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) program was established in 1982. Both programs, which are administered by NCCC’s Mary Grimes School of Nursing, are accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) and approved by the Kansas State Board of Nursing.

Practical Nursing Program (Level One)

NCCC’s nursing program is a bi-level program, meaning that students can finish the first level and leave the program or they can complete the first level and move on to the second level. The first level of the program leads to a practical nursing certificate, and enables the graduate to take the National Council Licensing Exam for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN). After passing this test, a graduate is a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). The first level of the nursing program requires a commitment of at least one year. Prior to beginning the program, students must take five prerequisite classes: general psychology, developmental psychology, anatomy and physiology I and II, and English composition. The program begins with two introductory nursing classes (worth three credits). The majority of the nursing coursework (twenty-five credits) is concentrated in next two semesters. The program wraps up with a three-credit pharmacology class in the next semester. On NCCC’s main campus in Chanute and on its extension center at Mercy Hospital in Independence, the level one nursing courses begin in the summer semester, and wrap up in the following summer. On the extension campus in Ottawa, the nursing courses begin in the fall and finish the following fall semester.

Associate Degree Nursing Program (Level Two)

After completing all the Level One Practical Nursing coursework, a student can move on to the ADN coursework, if he wants to be a Registered Nurse (RN) instead of an LPN. This requires a commitment of two additional semesters. After taking a five-credit nursing transition course, he must earn twenty-seven credits over the next two semesters. In Chanute, the ADN coursework begins in the fall semester. In Ottawa, the ADN coursework begins in the spring semester. NCCC also offers a hybrid format for the Level Two nursing coursework. Students in the hybrid format will travel to Chanute or Ottawa eight times over the course of six weeks for classroom instruction; the rest of the coursework can be completed online. After completing the coursework, a graduate can take the National Council Licensing Exam for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).

Associate Degree Nursing Program – LPN to RN

Most students transition directly from the PN (Level One) program to the ADN (Level Two) program, but NCCC does provide a way for LPNs to return to school after at least one year in the workforce. If an LPN has completed all the Level One requirements, he can take a bridge course and then enter Level Two along with the traditional ADN students. The bridge course is only available in the summer semester; he can begin the ADN coursework the following fall in Chanute or the following spring in Ottawa. After two semesters of coursework, he is eligible to take the NCLEX-RN.

Certified Nurse Aide Course

Through its Allied Health department, NCCC offers a Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) course for students who want to work in long-term care facilities. The course takes ninety hours to complete, and includes classroom instruction (forty-five hours) and hands-on practice (forty-five hours). The course is approved by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, and prepares the student to take the state CNA exam.

Contact:
Neosho County Community College
Chanute Campus,
800 W. 14th Street,
Chanute, KS 66720

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Other Campus:

Ottawa Campus
900 E. Logan St.
Ottawa, KS 66067

Independence Office
800 W. Myrtle
Independence, KS 67301