North Idaho College Nursing Program Review

From its scenic location on Lake Coeur d’Alene, North Idaho College (NIC) serves over 12,000 students in both non-credit, continuing education classes and in for-credit, degree programs. North Idaho College is accredited by the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges to offer associate degrees and certificates; students can go from the college directly into the workforce or they can transfer as juniors into baccalaureate degree programs at other colleges and universities that are part of the Idaho university system.

Included among North Idaho College’s wide range of professional programs are two in the field of nursing, both accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission.

Practical Nursing Technical Certificate

Each fall, North Idaho College enrolls a class of students working toward a certificate in practical nursing. Enrolled students must already be Certified Nurse Assistants (CNA) and must have completed prerequisites in math, English (students can place out of this class through a North Idaho College exam), chemistry (high school chemistry is acceptable), psychology, and medical terminology. Biology is also required, although students may take this class during the first semester of the practical nursing program.

From the start of the program, students study full-time for eleven months, learning the fundamentals of caring for women, children, and the elderly, as well as the basics of surgical nursing and psychiatric nursing. At the end of the program, students are prepared to take the National Council Licensing Exam for Practical Nurses (NCLEX_PN). If they are successful, graduates earn the title of Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN).

Associate Degree Nursing

Every fall and every spring, North Idaho College begins the Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) program. This program prepares students to take the National Council Licensing Exam for Registered Nurses (NCLEX_RN) and to work as Registered Nurses (RN). Before applying to the program, students must complete CNA certification, take a class in medical terminology, and complete prerequisites. Prerequisites include algebra (if competency is demonstrated through ACT/SAT/COMPASS, this requirement is waived), English, and two biology classes.

There are additional general education requirements; a student may complete these either before enrolling in the ADN program or while enrolled in the program. Not counting the prerequisites, the ADN program takes four semesters of full-time study. After earning the ADN, students may take the National Council Licensing Exam for Registered Nurses (NCLEX_RN).

Associate Degree Nursing – LPN to RN

Licensed Practical Nurses can transition into the ADN program through the LPN to RN bridge track at North Idaho College. To be eligible, an LPN must demonstrate that she has worked 750 hours in the last three years. The medical terminology and CNA license requirements are waived in the admission process.

An LPN must complete all general education classes and prerequisites, as well as an LPN transition course, but she may skip the first two semesters worth of nursing classes in the ADN program. She begins with the upper-level nursing courses, the courses that a traditional ADN student takes in the third and fourth semesters of the program. At the end of the LPN-RN program, an LPN may take the NCLEX-RN and, if successful, begin working as an RN.

Contact:
North Idaho College
1000 West Garden Avenue
Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814

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