University of Hawaii Maui College Nursing School Review

The University of Hawaii Maui College (UHMC), formerly Maui Community College (MCC), has grown from its roots as a vocational school to a full college. It offers associate degrees, bachelor of applied science degrees, and certificates, as well as cooperating with other members of the University of Hawaii system to bring baccalaureate and graduate degree programs to the residents of Maui County.

Among these programs are two in the field of nursing, which build upon one another and provide a basis for students to pursue further nursing education in the future. Both programs are accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC).

Practical Nursing Certificate

The Practical Nursing Certificate program is either the first step toward a full Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) degree, or a way for a student to quickly become certified as a nurse and enter the nursing profession. The certificate requires forty-four credit hours, and includes classes in English, psychology, and zoology in addition to the core nursing classes. At the end of the program, students may take the National Council Licensing Exam for Practical Nurses (NCLEX_PN) and seek work as Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN). Alternatively, they may transition into upper-level nursing courses in the ASN program.

Associate of Science in Nursing

At Maui College, the ASN program builds on the Practical Nursing program. After completing the Practical Nursing program, ASN students go on to complete the remainder of the required seventy-three credit hours. After completing the program, students may take the National Council Licensing Exam for Registered Nurses (NCLEX_RN) or pursue the next step on Hawaii’s Nursing Career Ladder program, which is a full Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree, through another member of the University of Hawaii system.

Options for Further Nursing Education

While Maui College itself does not offer any nursing degrees higher than the ASN degree, it does open up its campus to other universities. Through the University Center at Maui, higher education options for nurses are available. Graduates of an ASN program may complete the University of Hawaii – Hilo’s RN-BSN program via distance learning classes; this requires at least fifty-four credit hours, thirty of which apply to the university’s general education requirements and twenty-four of which apply to the nursing program. Students may pursue the RN-BSN program either full-time or part-time. Since the nursing programs offered at Maui College are designed based on Hawaii’s Nursing Career Ladder curriculum, students from the ASN program at Maui College should be able to transition smoothly into the RN-BSN program without fulfilling additional prerequisites.

Nurses who wish to move beyond a BSN but do not want to leave Maui County have the option of pursuing a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree through the University of Hawaii at Manoa. There are several different tracks of this program: Nurse Practitioner, Advanced Public Health Nursing, and Nursing Administration. Although the University of Hawaii – Manoa has even more possible areas of specialization for MSN students, only these three tracks are available via distance-based learning.

Contact:
University of Hawai’i – Maui College
310 Kaahumanu Avenue
Kahului, HI 96732

[wpgmza id=”292″]