NursingThe HCC nursing program offers students an accelerated and traditional registered nurse associate degree program as well as a practical nurse certificate option. All of the nursing education programs of study are approved by the Maryland Board of Nursing and accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission.
An important consideration when designing a professional nursing curriculum within the framework of an associate degree is the concept of mobility. By this we mean that students should be able to carry forth the knowledge they've gained and the educational credits they've earned at HCC to achieve their personal goals. When developing program standards and assessing program outcomes, we have found that consistency is essential.
The associate degree in nursing directly transfers into Maryland public colleges, universities, and a number of private universities that offer a bachelor of science degree in nursing (BSN). Selected students may opt for an advanced practice degree at the masters level. The nursing program at Howard Community College encourages a philosophy of lifelong learning and career advancement through ongoing education.
The Howard Community College Nursing Program, which culminates in an associate of arts degree, is designed to prepare graduates to assume careers as registered nurses in a variety of health care settings, such as clinics, schools, hospitals, long-term care facilities, and business organizations. Our curriculum offers an integrated blend of general education and clinical nursing courses. In the traditional program, both a day option and an evening/weekend option are offered for theory and clinical coursework. The accelerated program is conducted primarily during the daytime hours, although some evening classes may be required to meet learning and clinical experiential objectives.
The core clinical nursing courses extend over a period of two years and integrate theory and practical experience into an increasingly complex set of learning outcomes. The accelerated option offers the same rigorous program of study over a period of twelve months. Since 1990, the pass rate for the National Council Licensing Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) has averaged approximately 97 percent on the first attempt.
The Howard Community College Practical Nurse Program, offered through a day or evening/weekend scheduling option, is designed to qualify students to sit for the National Council Licensing Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN). The passing rate since 1995 averages approximately 90 percent. The core clinical nursing courses extend over two semesters and a summer session. Graduates find employment in acute and long-term care settings, health maintenance organizations, psychiatric settings, and physician's offices. Many of our graduates continue their studies in HCC's registered nursing program.
The licensed practical nurse who has graduated from a program other than Howard Community College may qualify to enter our nursing program with advanced standing through an "LPN Pathway Sequence." The LPN Pathway curriculum option is a mechanism that allows the LPN who meets specified criteria to bypass the first two nursing semesters of the regular RN program, to enter a specially designed course in the summer, and upon passing that course, enter the sophomore year of the program. This accelerated option builds on the LPN's knowledge and skills, while providing the new learning needed for licensure and practice as a registered nurse.
