Nursing

Nurses work to promote health, prevent disease and help people cope with illness. Registered nurses (RN’s) provide care, treatment, counseling and health education to individuals, families and their communities. Most registered nurses work as part of a team with physicians and other healthcare specialists.

The licensed  practical nurse (LPN) provides direct nursing care, under supervision, to individuals in a variety of healthcare settings.

Jackson College offers two nursing programs. One program prepares the student to become a registered nurse (RN) and the other prepares the student to become a licensed practical nurse (LPN).

As you contemplate whether a career in nursing is for you, consider that you would be entering the profession during a time of significant change in the health care environment. Health care providers and the systems in which they work are being held publicly accountable for the outcomes of care. Since nurses comprise the largest component of the workforce in the health care system, the quality of their work impacts not only the health and well being of people but how well the systems perform. Technological advances have changed the practice world in ways we never imagined. The nurse of today and the future is not only caring and compassionate but must have sound mathematical, scientific and technological skills in order to make responsible and ethical clinical judgments, carry out appropriate interventions and evaluate the effectiveness of care.

The goal of the nursing department is to provide a quality education preparing students for a career as a registered or practical nurse. The AAS-N, LPN to AAS-N and PN-C nursing programs have had continual approval by the Michigan Board of Nursing.

Proof of Immunizations Required for the Jackson College Nursing Program

All admitted students must be in compliance with the Center for Disease Control immunization recommendations for Health Care Personnel as well as the polices of the clinical agency that they will be assigned. The requirements are evidence of immunity to: Measles/Mumps/Rubella (MMR); Chicken Pox (Varicella Zoster); Hepatitis B; Negative 2 step-TB skin test; Tdap; Seasonal vaccine requirements.

Each program uses a second admission process rather than a wait list. For information about admission and graduation requirements, click on your program of choice.

Female nursing student at mannequin

Nursing at Jackson College

 

Get Started

An associate degree is necessary to become a registered nurse; many will continue on to complete a bachelor’s degree. Registered nurses must also be licensed. Candidates successfully completing the AAS-N program are eligible to apply for the licensing examination (NCLEX-RN) required for licensure as a registered professional nurse (RN). Nursing is a second-admit program, meaning students must take certain general studies and prerequisite class and then apply for admission to the program. Admission is based on a competitive point system. All nursing students will complete clinical experiences in area hospitals as part of their program.

Job Opportunities

Registered nurses work in a variety of settings: hospitals, physician’s offices, nursing and residential care facilities, home health care services, government agencies.

Pay

Wages begin at about $50,800, with a median wage of $71,730, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook (2018)

Career Outlook