66 Weeks
Available methods of delivery: Blended*
The objective of the Nursing program is to prepare the graduate to function as a member of the health care team within the scope and practice of the Registered Nurse as defined by the West Virginia State Nurse Practice Act. Students will utilize the nursing process in assessment, nursing diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation of persons, families, and communities in a diversity of health care environments. Nursing courses are taken sequentially as defined by the West Virginia Junior College Nursing Program Student Handbook. An NCLEX-RN review course is required after completion of all course work and prior to graduation. The program seeks to prepare the student with accountability for their personal and professional conduct as nursing graduates and to meet the eligibility requirements to sit for the NCLEX-RN licensing exam. Successful completion of the NCLEX-RN and application for licensure as a registered nurse in the state of their choosing is the responsibility of the graduate. The College will confirm program completion of graduates to the State of West Virginia Board of Nursing. An NCLEX-RN review course is required after completion of all course work and prior to graduation. Nursing students will take courses according to the sequence listed below.
Core Courses
General Education Courses
Supporting Courses
+This campus has entered into a Contracting Agreement with United Hospital Center (UHC) for the delivery of clinical instruction. For those students who receive clinical instruction at a UHC facility, the delivery of this instruction could be in accordance with that contractual agreement.
* This Campus has entered in a Consortium Agreement with West Virginia Junior College (WVJC), 148 Willey Street, Morgantown, WV, 26505 for the delivery of its online training. For any portion of this program that may delivered through an online format, that training will be provided by WVJC. The portion of this program that can be delivered by WVJC is limited to 75% of the total credit hours. There are no additional costs incurred to receive this training through the online delivery format.
Graduation Requirements:
This program satisfies the educational prerequisites for professional licensure in this state. Upon program completion, graduates will be eligible to take the state licensing examination for Nursing. The institution makes available and will provide to the public information regarding employment statistics, graduation statistics, and relevant state licensing requirements.
Nursing Graduation Requirements
To qualify for graduation from the nursing program, a student must:
- Pass all required courses with a “B” grade or better.
- If a student scores below a “B” grade in any course, the student will be academically dismissed from the program and be required to re-apply for admission.
- Satisfactorily complete all laboratory skill competencies in the nursing curriculum.
- Satisfactorily complete all clinical requirements in the nursing curriculum.
- Have completed all ATI testing with a proficiency level of 2 or 3, with the exception of the one ATI Proctored Exam allowed by the Program.
- Obtain at least a 90% probability of passing the NCLEX exam on the ATI Comprehensive Predictor or satisfactorily complete the Virtual-ATI Greenlight program at the student’s expense.
An Associate Degree in Nursing, ADN, will be issued to each student that has successfully completed all the requirements of the nursing program.
Licensure Requirements for Registered Nurses
In order to become licensed as a registered nurse in West Virginia, graduates must sit for the National Council of State Board of Nursing’s National Certification Licensure Exam for Registered Nursing (NCLEX-RN) and meet all state requirements.
Nursing licensure is required in each state and is governed by each state's legislature. Additional information regarding professional licensure or certification requirements can be located on the college’s website at the following link: https://www.wvjc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/BRID_Nursing-Disclosure.pdf. The graduate may obtain copies of their transcripts for submission to other state boards of nursing. Successful completion of the NCLEX-RN and application for licensure as a registered nurse in a state other than the state in which the institution is located is the responsibility of the graduate. Each state has the right to establish (and change from time to time) its own requirements. Therefore, any nursing student who may be considering practicing out of state should check with the state’s requirements before beginning classes.
Program Difficulty
Being accepted into the nursing program does not guarantee successful completion of the program. Furthermore, successfully completing the program does not guarantee that a graduate will pass the NCLEX-RN exam which is required for practice in the field of nursing. The greatest contributor to success is the effort students put into schoolwork and in preparing for the NCLEX-RN exam. Nursing programs are extremely demanding and require long hours of intense effort, including a great deal of out-of-class work and extra preparation both in school and after graduation to maximize the likelihood of passing the NCLEX-RN exam. Because of the difficulty, drop-out rates in nursing programs can exceed fifty percent.
Nursing Employment Opportunities
The US Department of Labor projects very good future employment opportunities nationwide, although demand can vary depending on location. As in all occupations, newly graduated nurses with no work experience are on the first rung of the career ladder. As associate degree prepared graduate nurses who pass the NCLEX exam and meet the other requirements to become registered nurses, our graduates are qualified to practice their profession in the state. As with any profession, the more experience and the more education a graduate obtains, (including advanced degrees and/or other certifications) the more employment opportunities will be available. Some employment opportunities may not be available to recent graduates without work experience and/or a more advanced degree or, in some cases, a specialized certification.
Course Classification Definitions
General Education – Those areas of learning which are deemed to be the common experience of all “educated” persons and include subject matter from the humanities; mathematics and the sciences; and the social sciences.
Core Courses – In a degree program, the focus of study. Also known as the major. The requirements for the major or area of concentration are based upon clearly defined and articulated learning objectives, including a mastery of the knowledge, methods, and theories pertinent to a particular area of inquiry, discipline, or field.
Supporting Courses - Any course not considered a general/applied general education or core course. Supporting courses enhance learning by providing necessary foundational and fundamental skills training.