| Please read on for answers to often-asked questions concerning
following nursing programs at Durham Technical Community College. |
| Associate Degree Nursing |
LPN to ADN course of study
|
| How do I
get started in the admissions process? |
| As health care becomes more complex and standards rise
on NCLEX (“Boards”), it has become critical that students
have a strong educational foundation before they begin nursing clinical
courses. We have collected information for several years on students
who were successful in nursing and those who were not. From these studies,
we identified factors that contribute to success in nursing courses,
and factors that contribute to the student being unsuccessful in these
courses.
We have found that a student’s success in the ADN Program at DTCC
is strongly related to the number of science and general education courses
completed, the student’s GPA in these courses, and the composite
score on the Nurse Entrance Test (NET). Students who do not meet identified
levels in these areas do not succeed in nursing. Due to the number of
students seeking a first admission, it is unlikely that a student, who
has been unsuccessful in a nursing course, will be able to repeat that
course. It is, therefore, essential that a student demonstrate the ability
to be successful in college level courses and the skills needed for
nursing courses.
Our goal is to assist students to identify any areas in which their
skills may be weak and to provide resources to assist in increasing
those abilities, so that they can be successful in nursing courses.
Because of these findings, requirements for admission to the ADN clinical
nursing courses have changed. All students including those who are on
the present wait list will need to meet the criteria in the admissions
steps and checklist before being offered a seat in nursing clinical
courses beginning in Fall 2008. There will be a change in the plan of study for ADN for those students beginning clinical courses in 2010. Please review the 2010 admissions
steps and checklist.
|
| What courses may I take while
I am waiting for admission acceptance? |
- Students must satisfy all prerequisites listed in the class schedule
OR the school catalog before registering for the non-nursing program
courses ACA 111, BIO 168, BIO 169, PSY 150, SOC 210, ENG 111, ENG
112. When all the above are completed the student must contact the
Nursing Admissions Counselor to be placed on the ADN Qualified for
Admission list. Students will be offered a seat in nursing clinical
courses in the order they qualify for admission.
- Student may then complete the remaining non-nursing courses BIO
275, PSY 281, HUM elective, and take the Computer Skills Assessment
Test OR complete CIS 110 or CIS 113.
- Students may receive transfer credit for previously taken non-science
courses. The nursing admissions counselor awards all transfer credit.
- Students may receive transfer credit for previously taken science
(Anatomy & Physiology and Microbiology) courses that are less
than 5 years old. The nursing admissions counselor awards all transfer
credit.
|
| May I work while in college? |
Managing a work and college schedule is extremely demanding.
The faculty encourage students to plan ahead, arranging work hours to
comprise no more than 20 hours per week if possible.
|
| How long will it take to complete
the course requirements for the ADN program at Durham Technical Community
College? |
Once space is available, students begin the nursing courses
in the fall semester each year. A total of five semesters (including a
summer semester) is required to complete the nursing courses. Program
graduation is in May and the NCLEX-RN examination is administered thereafter.
|
| How many days per week should
be designated for my classes, labs, and clinicals? |
You should be prepared to participate in curriculum content
at least four days per week. The schedule for class, lab, and clinicals
will be different from semester to semester. Also, if non-nursing courses
are completed at the same time, five days a week might be required.
|
| Are my courses in the ADN
program transferable to a university if I want to pursue a bachelor of
science in nursing? |
Most definitely! Mobility/articulation plans are available
for the Durham Tech's ADN graduates.
|
| Is there a waiting list for
Durham Tech's ADN program? |
Yes, there is a possibility of a wait. This period should
be used for completing non-nursing courses in the ADN plan of study.
|
| Can I receive transfer credit
at Durham Tech for college courses I have taken at other institutions
and apply these credits to the ADN plan of study? |
When you have qualified for acceptance, the admissions officers
will evaluate your prior course work and assign transfer credit, if equivalent,
to non-nursing courses.
|
| What is the salary range for
newly registered nurses in this geographic region? |
The beginning RN baseline salary range is $26,000-35,000
per year. Many agencies offer "sign-on" bonuses for new employees
because of the acute need for RNs.
|
| Do all classes, labs, and
clinicals take place during the day? |
Although most nursing activities take place during the day,
evening clinicals are a possibility in some courses, depending on clinical
availability and student interest.
|
| Is financial aid available
for ADN students? |
| Yes, information about financial
aid and scholarships may be requested to be sent with your admissions
information packet or by calling 919-536-7209. |
For admission information, call 919- 536-7202.
|
| The ADN program is a candidate for accreditation by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission. |
