Students may choose from the following programs of study:
The two paths to an Associate of Science Degree in Nursing, summarized below, follow the same Nursing Program Plan, listed above.
Generic 2-Year AD Program
The associate degree nurse is prepared to practice nursing in situations involving direct patient care, most frequently in the hospital or long-term care facility.
After successful completion of this program, which includes classes at RCTC and care of patients in a variety of clinical settings across the life-span, graduates are eligible to apply to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN). The RCTC AD Nursing Program has consistently met the program outcomes of NCLEX-RN first time pass rates, graduate employment, and program completion.
High School “STAT” Program
The STAT Program emerged out of a 2005 grant from the Center of Excellence in Health Care to increase diversity in nursing. Over the course of the one-year grant, which led to similar grants funded for three subsequent years, the STAT program was fine-tuned and became a post-grant, self-sustained RCTC program. The STAT program maintained this focus while expanding to all high achieving high school students in Southeastern Minnesota or border states, with priority admission given to students graduating from Rochester Public or Private Schools.
STAT students must have a minimum 3.5 GPA to be considered. Students are admitted each academic year (up to five seats in the fall and five in the spring). An individualized academic plan is developed by the nursing advisor for either fall or spring admission. The STAT program is an alternate pathway to admission. STAT Program students see no difference in the program requirements after completion of the admission process.
For more information regarding the STAT program contact Dale Amy, RCTC Director of High School Collaborations at Dale.Amy@rctc.edu/(507)285-7332, Susan Jansen, Associate Dean of Nursing at Susan.Jansen@rctc.edu/507-285-7143, or Jennifer Dahle, Nursing Advisor at Jennifer.Dahle@rctc.edu 507/280-3535.
LPN Mobility into Generic AD Program
Career mobility is available for Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) who have graduated from a state-approved school of practical nursing, have a current license from the Minnesota Board of Nursing, and meet criteria listed on the application. LPNs accepted into the program would receive advanced placement into the second semester of the four-semester program and will be awarded six (6) credits for the Semester I, NURS 1117-Fundamentals of Nursing course. You must have successfully completed ENGL 1117-Reading and Writing Critically I, BIOL 1217-Anatomy and Physiology I, and CHEM 1117-General, Organic and Biological Chemistry prior to admission into the program. This must be evident on your RCTC degree audit report (DARS). You may need to fill out credit evaluation forms in order for courses from other institutions to be considered equivalent to the RCTC general education classes. The student will then progress with the other AD Nursing Students.