Nursing

Posted:  February 17, 2021

FALL 2021 ADMISSION CYCLE:
Deadline to apply is May 15, 2021

Applications will be accepted for the:
* RN Program
* LPN To RN Bridge Program
* PN Program
* Transition Medic To RN Program

IMPORTANT UPDATES FOR FALL 2021

1. The Pre-Admission Conference will be online so those interested may watch at a time convenient for them.  No in-person sessions will be held.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW PRE-ADMISSION CONFERENCE

2. The NLN PAX preadmission exam will only be offered in the remote online exam format at this time.  Please scroll down to the Pre-Admission Exam section on this page for a link to NLN's student registration guide.

3. ACT Requirement:  Please scroll down to the ACT Testing Requirement section for the update.

What Is Nursing?

The Hopkinsville Community College Nursing Program prepares graduates for a challenging career in health care. Both the Associate Degree in Nursing (Registered Nursing) and the diploma in Practical Nursing will open a wide array of opportunities that can lead to career advancement in acute and chronic care of patients. The goals of nursing education at HCC are to develop the ability in graduates to enhance human flourishing, demonstrate sound nursing judgment, develop professional identity and possess a spirit of inquiry in order to improve patient outcomes.

What are my career choices?

Job opportunities as a Registered Nurse include, but are not limited to:  hospitals, long-term care facilities, clinics, child care centers, educational facilities, and physician's offices.

Job opportunities as a Licensed Practical Nurse include, but are not limited to:  hospitals, long-term care facilities, physician offices, and home health care.

 

What are my degree, diploma, or certificate options?

• Registered Nursing Program (RN Program)
  • Associate of Applied Science in Nursing: 2-year program (4 semesters)
    • RN Program Admission Packet (updated 2/5/2021)
    • Traditional RN Program Curriculum Requirements (updated 2/5/2021)
    • RN Program Student Handbook (Spring_2021)
  • Admission Cycles:   each Fall (August start) and Spring (January start)
• Practical Nursing Program (PN Program)
  • Diploma: 11-month program (August-June)
    • PN Program Admission Packet (updated 2/5/2021)
    • PN Program Curriculum Requirements (updated 2/5/2021)
      
    • PN Student Handbook (Spring 2021)
      
  • Admission Cycle:  each Fall (August start), NEXT ADMISSION CYCLE - FALL 2021
• LPN To RN Bridge (3 semesters)
  • Successful completion of 3 semesters in the RN Program will result in the awarding of the Associate of Applied Science in Nursing degree
    • LPN To RN Bridge Admission Packet (updated 2/5/2021)
    • LPN To RN Bridge Curriculum Requirements (updated 2/5/2021)
    • Student Handbook - same as RN Program Student Handbook listed above
  • Admission Cycles: each Fall (August start) and Spring (January start)
• NEW FOR FALL 2021! Transition Medic To RN (4 semesters)
  • Potential student who has achieved Level 10 status as a military medic (MOS 68W) may be awarded credit for the clinical component in the 1st and 2nd semesters of the traditional RN program.
  • Successful completion of the 2-year (4 semester) program will result in the awarding of the Associate in Applied Science in Nursing degree.
    • Transition Medic To RN Admission Packet (Updated 2/5/2021)
    • Transition Medic To RN Curriculum Requirements
    • Student Handbook - same as RN Program Student Handbook listed above
  • Admission Cycles: each Fall (August start) and Spring (January start) - 1st admission cycle is for Fall 2021

Certificates

• Medicaid Nurse Assistant
• Advanced Nursing Assistant
  • Gainful Employment Disclosure Information

Diploma

• Practical Nurse
  • Gainful Employment Disclosure Information

Admissions Requirements

To be eligible for admission to the RN or PN Program, the below requirements must be met.

• Complete Pre-requisite courses - See above links for the Admission Packet and Curriculum Requirements for specific courses for each program
• Have an active status on a state nurse aide registry - This would show current certification as a Nurse Aide
• Submit ACT scores to the HCC Admissions and Records office
  • RN Eligibility Requirement: ACT composite score of 20 or higher
  • PN Eligibility Requirement: ACT composite score of 18 or higher
  • GUIDANCE FOR FALL 2021 ADMISSION ONLY:  Applicant may choose to waive this requirement.  Please scroll down to the section about the ACT for more information.
• Submit NLN pre-admission exam scores to the HCC Nursing Department
  • Applicants to the RN or PN program must take the PAX exam
    • RN Eligibility Requirement: PAX composite score of 111 or higher
    • PN Eligibility Requirement: PAX composite score of 99 or higher
  • Applicants to the LPN to RN Bridge program must take the NACE exam
    
    • NACE minimum recommended score is a composite of 76%
  • Applicants to the Transition Medic To RN program must take the PAX exam
    • Eligibility Requirement:  PAX composite score of 111 or higher
• Attend a Pre-Admission Conference (PAC) - Nursing applications distributed at this session
• Submit a Nursing application by May 15 for Fall Admission and by October 30 for Spring Admission
• Complete all HCC admission procedures, including the submission of official transcripts from any college where credit was received

Mandatory Pre-Admission Conference (PAC)

Updated:  February 17, 2021

For Fall 2021 admission, the Pre-Admission Conference will be available online so potential applicants may view the session on their own.  The link to the conference can be found near the top of this page.

For the Fall 2021 admission cycle, applications will be accepted for:

     Associate Degree Nursing Program (RN) - 2 years
     LPN to RN Bridge Program (LPN with active license) - 3 semesters
     Practical Nursing Program (PN) - 11 months
     Transition Medic to RN Program - 2 years

Information About PAX and NACE
Pre-Admission Exams

Updated:  February 5, 2021

At this time, the PAX and NACE exams are only being offered through The National League for Nursing's (NLN) remote online exam option.  NLN has created a student information sheet and guide to assist with:  account set up, exam purchase, exam prep material purchase, and exam day process.  Please carefully read these documents:

NLN HyFlex Student Information Sheet
NLN HyFlex Proctorio Student Guide (Feb. 2021)

The PAX and NACE exam portal are managed by NLN and their vendors.  Neither the HCC Nursing Department nor the HCC Workforce Assessment Center have access to the registration, payment, or exam-day components of the portal.  All questions must be directed to NLN's customer service teams.  Phone and/or email contact information for these service teams can be found in the Student Guide.

NLN PAX Information (for applicants to the traditional RN program, PN program, or Transition Medic To RN program)

• PAX must be taken prior to the application deadline for the admission cycle for which you are applying.
• The PAX exam consists of three sections:  Verbal/Reading Comprehension, Math, and Science.
• The HyFlex PAX option (exam code:  H-PAX_1) allows students to take the exam either immediately upon purchase OR at any time within 30 days of purchase.  Appointments are not required.  Students may take the exam on any day and at any time that is convenient to them.
• Students who take the HyFlex remote exam are responsible for ensuring they have a device that meets the requirements outlined by NLN, including access to a webcam, microphone, and whiteboard.  See Student Guide for specifics.
• Minimum scores for eligibility:
  • RN Program/Transition Medic To RN Program - composite of 111 or higher
  • PN Program - composite of 99 or higher

NLN NACE Information (for applicants to the LPN To RN Bridge program) 

• NACE exam must be taken prior to the application deadline for the admission cycle for which you are applying.
• The NACE I: Foundations of Nursing exam is intended to evaluate a student's knowledge of practical nursing content.
• The HyFlex NACE option (exam code:  H-NRF_1) allows students to take the exam either immediately upon purchase OR at any time within 30 days of purchase.  Appointments are not required.  Students may take the exam on any day and at any time that is convenient to them.
• Students who take the HyFlex remote exam are responsible for ensuring they have a device that meets the requirements outlined by NLN, including access to a webcam, microphone, and whiteboard.  See Student Guide for specifics.
• Minimum recommended score:  composite of 76%

ACT Testing Requirement

**ACT REQUIREMENT UPDATE:  Due to the uncertainty of the ACT test schedule and limitations of some test facilities, students who do not have the minimum ACT scores to meet the admission requirement may still be considered for Fall 2021 admission.  All other admission criteria must be met by the deadlines.  This guidance is only valid for students applying for Fall 2021 admission.  Students who do have minimum ACT scores and meet all admission requirements may receive priority admission.**

NORMAL ADMISSION REQUIREMENT:
Applicants must have their ACT scores on file by the admission cycle deadline.

For the October 30 deadline, if an applicant needs to take the ACT, we encourage him/her to test no later than the September exam date.  ACT's October exam date may not allow sufficient time for the score report to be available before the nursing application deadline.

For the May 15 deadline, if an applicant needs to take the ACT, we encourage him/her to test no later than the April exam date. 

Register at www.actstudent.org.

Other Courses Offered

• Nursing Assistant I (NAA 100)

Accreditation

The Associate Degree Nursing Program and Practical Nursing Program are approved by the Kentucky Board of Nursing.  Pursuant to the Kentucky Board of Nursing regulation 201 KAR 20:340, click here for benchmark data for nursing programs in the state of Kentucky.

The Associate Degree Nursing Program at Hopkinsville Community College located in Hopkinsville, KY is accredited by the:

Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400
Atlanta, GA  30326
(404)975-5000

The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the Associate Degree Nursing Program is Continuing Accreditation.  View the public information disclosed by the ACEN regarding this program at http://www.acenursing.us/accreditedprograms/programSearch.htm.

Licensure, Completion, and Job Placement Rates

Nursing Student Honor Society

On September 21, 2020, Hopkinsville Community College was only the second school in the state of Kentucky to be awarded a chapter in the Alpha Delta Nu Honor Society, governed by the Organization for Associate Degree in Nursing (OADN).  Students who hold a letter grade of "B" in all courses, including prerequisite courses, throughout the nursing program may be invited to be inducted into this honor society.  On December 1, 2020, HCC proudly inducted its first 6 students into the Alpha Delta Nu Honor Society.

 

Additional Information

• Kentucky Board of Nursing (KBN)
• National League for Nursing (NLN)
• National Council of State Boards of Nursing(NCSBN)
• Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
• Nursing Degree Guide

This information should not be considered a substitute for the KCTCS Catalog. You should always choose classes in cooperation with your faculty advisor to ensure that you meet all degree requirements.