EICCD - nursing - Workforce Intro

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CAMPUS FOCUS

CLINTON

SCOTT

MUSCATINE

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Eastern Iowa Community College District

Nursing Program
Welcome - Workforce Intro

Program Description
Clinton, Muscatine and Scott Community Colleges offer excellent nursing programs with state-of-the-art nursing labs and highly qualified instructors. Students can choose either the Practical Nursing Diploma program (available at all three colleges) or the Associate Degree Nursing ADN program (available at Clinton and Scott Community Colleges).

The PN (Practical Nurse) program of study is 11 months/47 credit hours. Twenty-seven of the total number of credit hours are offered in nursing. The PN cares for the sick, injured, convalescent and disabled, under the supervision of physicians and registered nurses. The ADN program is 22 months/81 credit hours. Fifty-four of the total number hours are offered in nursing. The RN works to promote health, prevent disease and help patients cope with illness.

With just one year of formal preparation in the practical nursing program, students are academically qualified to take the NCLEX (National Council Licensure Examination) for Practical Nursing. After completion of the two-year ADN program, students are academically qualified to take the NCLEX (National Council Licensure Examination) for Registered Nursing.

The clinical component of the course of study is one of the strengths of the program. There are two clinical days per week, on average, in both programs. This is a combination of direct patient care, care conferences, observational experiences and nursing laboratory experiences.

DEGREES AWARDED
Associate in Applied Science - ADN
Diploma - Practical Nurse

Job Outlook

		The largest health care occupation, with more than 2 million jobs.
		One of the 10 occupations projected to have the largest numbers of new jobs.
		Job opportunities are expected to remain strong.

As the largest healthcare occupation, registered nurses held about 2.2 million jobs in 2000. About three out of five jobs were in hospitals, in inpatient and outpatient departments. Others were mostly in offices and clinics of physicians and other health practitioners, home healthcare agencies, nursing homes, temporary help agencies, schools and government agencies. The remainder worked in residential care facilities, social service agencies, religious organizations, research facilities, management and public relations firms, insurance agencies and private households. About one out of four RNs worked part time.

Employment of registered nurses is expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations through 2010, and because the occupation is very large, many new jobs will result. Thousands of job openings also will result from the need to replace experienced nurses who leave the occupation, especially as the median age of the registered nurse population continues to rise.

LOCAL EARNINGS
Median annual earnings for a graduate RN are $36,244
Median annual earnings for a graduate PN are $24,366

Tips For Success
The Nursing curriculum is very rewarding, but it is also very challenging. A time commitment, both in an out of the classroom, is essential for your success.

The following tips are designed to help you identify barriers you may encounter as you begin the program.

	Financial Aid assistance is available: The books, uniforms and supplies required for this program can be quite expensive. By applying for financial aid, scholarships and grants in a timely manner, you can be better prepared to deal with this expense.

	Juggling your work schedule: Classroom time is only part of what it takes to be successful in this program. You will need to allow yourself enough time for studying, practicing lab skills and clinical experience. All of this can be difficult to balance with a work schedule. If at all possible, you may want to consider reducing the number of days or hours you work per week to help facilitate good time management.

	Be flexible: Clinical sites and times throughout the curriculum may vary and we cannot guarantee you will be assigned the time that is most convenient for you. This means that work and childcare schedules may have to be altered accordingly.

	Childcare issues: Attendance in the classroom, lab and clinical area are an integral part of the learning process. A lack of reliable childcare can greatly impact your success in the program. We suggest finding an alternate childcare provider who could be available for last minute, emergency situations.

	Transportation: Inability to get to class or clinical because of unreliable transportation can also be a concern for many students. Locating back-up transportation, whether through car-pooling, utilizing public transportation, or relying on a family member or friend, is also strongly encouraged.