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)
- See Admission Packet for curriculum changes effective for Fall 2019
- WE ADMIT TO THE RN PROGRAM EVERY FALL AND SPRING
- Practical Nursing Program (PN Program)
- Diploma: 11-month program (August-June)
- THE NEXT ADMISSION CYCLE WILL BE FOR FALL 2020.
- 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
- WE ADMIT TO THE LPN TO RN BRIDGE EVERY FALL AND SPRING
Certificates
- Medicaid Nurse Assistant
- Advanced Nursing Assistant
Diploma
- Practical Nurse
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 Certified Nurse Aide (CNA)
- 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
- Submit NLN pre-admission exam scores to the HCC Nursing Department
- Applicants to the RN or PN program must take the PAX-RN exam
- RN Eligibility Requirement: PAX-RN composite score of 111 or higher
- PN Eligibility Requirement: PAX-RN 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 RN or PN program must take the PAX-RN exam
- 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)
**If you are interested in Fall 2020 admission, dates for the Pre-Admission Conference sessions will be posted in early February 2020. Sessions are tentatively planned for March and April. The deadline to apply will be May 15, 2020.**
Attendance at only one session is required. Pre-registration is not needed.
- Please bring a pen/pencil to the session.
- If you already have a state certification as a Nurse Aide, please bring your active (non-expired) certification number to include on your application.
- If you are a LPN, please bring your active license number to include on your application.
For the Fall 2020 admission cycle, applications will be accepted for:
- Associate Degree Nursing Program (RN)
- LPN to RN Bridge Program (LPN with active license)
- Practical Nursing Program (PN).
Information About PAX-RN and NACE
Pre-Admission Exams
Hopkinsville Community College is a testing facility for the National League for Nursing's PAX-RN and NACE pre-admission exams. Information on how to register for the exams can be found in the below links.
NLN PAX-RN Information (for applicants to the traditional RN program or PN program)
- PAX-RN must be taken prior to the application deadline for the admission cycle for which you are applying.
- Number of seats per exam session are limited.
- Minimum scores for eligibility:
- 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.
- Number of seats per exam session are limited.
- Minimum recommended score: composite of 76%
ACT Testing 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 RN Program is nationally accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), 3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 850, Atlanta, GA 30326, (404)975-5000. www.acenursing.org.
ACEN Accreditation Status: Continuing Accreditation
Licensure, Completion, and Job Placement Rates
Additional Information
| Medicaid Nurse Aide: 3 TOTAL CREDIT HOURS | |
| Medication Aide: 5 TOTAL CREDIT HOURS | |
| Practical Nursing: 53 - 57 Total credit hours | |
| Nursing: 71 TOTAL CREDIT HOURS |
- Kentucky Board of Nursing (KBN)
- National League for Nursing (NLN)
- National Council of State Boards of Nursing(NCSBN)
- Nursing Degree Guide
- IC3 Exam- Alternative for Computer Literacy requirement
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.
