PRACTICAL NURSING LEVEL I (LPN)

CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION

Discover the positive impact you can make and the satisfaction that is yours when you choose a nursing career.

The Level I Nursing program at Kirtland is designed to prepare students for entry-level positions as practical nurses. Following successful completion of this program, graduates are eligible to take the licensure exam to practice as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). The program is also designed to provide career mobility and a foundation for continued learning by serving as the first year of the associate degree nursing program.

Each class of nursing students is considered a cohort (group), so students must consult with the health careers advisor before making any schedule changes.

HEALTH CAREER ADVISORS

Ann Essmaker 989-275-5000 ext. 372 essmakea@kirtland.edu

Jacquelyn Smith 989-275-5000 ext. 254 smithj@kirtland.edu

Beth Mogle 989-275-5000 ext. 209 mogleb@kirtland.edu

ADMISSIONS REQUREMENTS 

Applicants must be granted regular admission to Kirtland and meet the following requirements to be considered for admission to the Practical Nursing program:

• Demonstrate proficiency in basic academic skills in writing, reading, and mathematics according to the guidelines set forth in the introduction of the Kirtland Community College Catalog and Student Handbook.
• If placement testing indicates that developmental writing and/or reading courses must be taken by the student, then such courses must be completed successfully with an SC or better unless otherwise noted.
• Successfully complete all required prerequisite courses with a grade of C or better unless otherwise noted.
• Students requesting admission to either the full-time or part-time program must submit a Request for Admission to Nursing application form between January 1 and March 1 of the calendar year in which the student is requesting admission to the nursing program.
• If applicants exceed the number of available seats in the program, priority will be given to students with required prerequisites and general education courses completed, and then by date of college application indicating nursing as program of study.
• Students must maintain an active e-mail account to ensure timely communication between students, faculty, and staff.

WHY YOU SHOULD CONSIDER THE NURSING PROGRAM AT KIRTLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE

A career in nursing offers a good income, good benefits, job mobility, leadership opportunities, flexible schedule, and the opportunity to help people in times of need. The nursing profession offers a significant number of jobs anywhere you live, with a big variety. And there are more openings in college nursing programs than there are in the educational programs for most other health care professions.

Those are just a few reasons why you should consider applying to Kirtland’s nursing program. Discover the positive impact you can make when you choose a nursing career.

A QUICK LOOK AT CAREERS IN NURSING

Nurses make up the largest segment of the health care workforce. They care for the sick, injured, convalescent, and disabled. Nurses help sick people return to health and keep healthy people well.

The nursing profession is considered to be part science and part art, combining scientific knowledge and technological know-how with compassion and healing. Nurses use a holistic approach to care for all of an individual’s needs, focusing on the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual dimensions of their patients’ health and wellness, throughout the entire cycle of life.

Many people think that nurses work mainly in hospitals, but in truth they’re found in all kinds of practice settings. They may work in outpatient facilities, nursing homes, physicians’ offices, schools, public health, industrial sites, patients’ homes, clinics, the military, corporations, travel nursing, managed care, government agencies, and more.

Women and men from all walks of life have found a huge variety of job opportunities within nursing. They may care for children, adults, or the elderly; pregnant women and newborns; cancer patients; or others. They can work in an operating room, critical care area, emergency department, and elsewhere. Their interests may range anywhere from mental health to sports injuries, to hospice care and beyond.

People with a nursing background may also enter careers in medical equipment sales, health care law, or the computer business (writing software programs for the health care industry). Many become involved in the business side of health care, as managers of care services or employees of corporations engaged in health planning and development, marketing, or quality assurance. (Some of these positions require additional education and training.)

At almost any age or stage in life, a nurse can find a good-paying job with excellent benefits almost anywhere in the world. Even if one employer cuts back on staffing, others are hiring.

The elderly population, who are more likely than younger people to need medical care, is increasing rapidly. So there is a shortage of nurses, which is also expected to continue because the average age of nurses already in the workforce is rising and more are approaching retirement age. Typically, there are 2,330 jobs available in Michigan for registered nurses (RNs) and 760 for licensed practical nurses (LPNs) each year.

Rewarding in pay as well as in personal satisfaction, nursing is a worthwhile career in which you can make a positive impact on the lives of many others — whether you deliver hands-on care or perform another role.

Nursing programs prepare you to assume different roles once you graduate. While state laws govern the tasks nurses perform, often the work setting determines a nurse’s daily activities.

Most LPNs provide basic bedside care. They take vital signs; prepare and give injections; apply dressings; insert catheters; help feed, bathe, and dress patients; and observe and report on them. LPNs also collect samples for testing and perform routine tests. They may help develop patient care plans, assist RNs in giving more complex care, and perform clerical duties (making appointments or keeping records), too.

As advocates and health educators for patients and communities, RNs work to promote health, prevent disease, and help patients cope with illness. The direct patient care that RNs provide includes assessing patients, assisting physicians during exams and treatments, administering medications, and developing and managing nursing care plans. They also instruct patients and families about proper care, and help individuals and groups improve or maintain their health.

Graduates of nursing programs must pass a national licensure examination before they can practice. And in some states they must meet continuing education requirements in order to maintain their nursing license. Nurses face some hazards on the job, especially when caring for individuals with infectious diseases. They must follow rigid guidelines to guard against this and other risks. Because patients need care around the clock, a nurse may work nights, weekends, and holidays.

IS NURSING FOR YOU?

The nursing program at Kirtland Community College is for you if:

• You perform well academically.
• You possess a caring, sympathetic nature, and like working with people.
• You are committed to easing human suffering.
• You can work interdependently and independently in complex settings.
• You possess good decision-making skills and can accept responsibility.
• You want the chance to work in a diverse field that offers many job opportunities and schedules.
• You are somewhat assertive and capable of responding quickly in emergency situations.
• You can deal with occasionally stressful work that includes human suffering.

Kirtland Community College— your best bet for a great education and excellent job!

For more information about our programs, contact the M-TEC at Kirtland-Gaylord at 989-705-3600 or email us at mtec@kirtland.edu.