Career-Specific Program Overview
The UACCM Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program is an Arkansas State Board of Nursing approved 12-month program and is a great opportunity for an LPN/LVN to take the next step towards advancing their career. The program consists of 33 credit hours of prerequisite courses and 33 credit hours within the program. A cohort begins each January with a December completion date. Up to 48 students may be admitted through a competitive selection process each year.
Upon successful completion of the Registered Nursing program, students may petition the Arkansas State Board of Nursing to sit for the NCLEX-RN exam. A student must pass this exam in order to receive his or her nursing license.
Graduates are employed quickly after graduation in all areas of health care, including acute care and long-term care settings. Many of these students choose to further their education and gain acceptance into BSN programs. The consortium has established agreements with many institutions within the state to seamlessly transfer to their bachelor’s degree nursing programs.
Career Opportunities
- Hospitals
- Clinics
- Nursing homes
- Home health care
- Public schools
- Mental health facilities
- Industry
- Health care departments
- Government agencies
Degree Requirements
Program Learning Outcomes
Students who successfully complete the Associate of Applied Science degree in Registered Nursing will be able to:
- Demonstrate problem-solving/critical thinking approaches by means of utilizing the nursing process to individualize patient care.
- Use ethical principles in nursing practice, conduct, and relationships with patients, families, and staff.
- Identify with the values of the profession and incorporate them into nursing practice.
- Promote a positive public image of nursing as a professional role model.
- Apply concepts from the biological and behavioral sciences to the practice of nursing.
- Utilize communication skills to establish and maintain a therapeutic relationship with patients, families, and staff.
- Execute competencies required for beginning practice as a Registered Nurse.
Technical Skills
- Demonstrate quality and safe care that supports a culture of health through evidence-based nursing.
- Apply critical thinking necessary to provide patient centered care to diverse populations.
- Collaborate with interdisciplinary team members to provide leadership in all healthcare settings.
- Integrate professional nursing practice through communication, knowledge, technology, and support of quality improvement measures.
Program Requirements
Students attempting to enter the Registered Nursing program must be admitted to UACCM, have completed or be currently enrolled in prerequisite courses and maintain a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA and be in good academic standing. Submit a Registered Nursing Program Application and all documentation by September 15. Achieving a score of 60 or higher on the Nursing Accelerated Challenge Exam (NACE) and have a minimum total of 100 when NACE score and prerequisite GPA are combined.
Students who are selected for admission into the Registered Nursing program must provide by the first day of class current proof of:
- Tuberculosis assessment and clearance
- Influenza vaccination
- Hepatitis B vaccination or titer
- Varicella vaccination or titer
- Current American Heart Association Healthcare Provider CPR certification.
All students applying to the LPN/LVN to RN program must read both Arkansas Nurse Practice Act, ACA §17-87-312 for criminal background checks and ACA §17-3-102 for licensing restrictions based on criminal records and submit a signed statement indicating that they understand and acknowledge receiving the information. All students should be aware that graduating from a nursing program in Arkansas does not assure the Arkansas State Board of Nursing’s approval to take the licensure examination. There is a possibility you could complete the nursing program, but be barred from licensure. Completion of the program does not guarantee you will be granted licensure to practice as a nurse.
Successful completion of the nursing program and receiving a license through the Arkansas State Board of Nursing does not guarantee license reciprocity in all 50 states.