The Career
Registered nurses (RNs) are hands-on professionals who provide focused and highly personalized care. These professionals promote health, prevent disease and help patients and families cope with illness. The have a unique scope of practice, yet work corroboratively with all members of the healthcare team.
Registered nurses assess a patient’s health and help perform diagnostic tests and analyze results. They also operate medical equipment, administer a variety of treatments and medications and assist with patient follow-up/rehabilitation. In addition, these healthcare professionals develop and manage a nursing plan of care, educate people on a variety of health issues and serve as advocates for patients, families and communities.
A majority of registered nurses practice in hospitals, though a growing number are employed in longterm care settings, outpatient surgery centers or rehabilitation centers. Others work in community health, industrial or school nursing, clinics and physician offices. The field has a variety of opportunities ranging from entry-level professional to doctoral-level researcher/practitioner.
Professional Traits
Those pursuing a registered nursing career should:
- Be caring and empathetic
- Have excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
- Be dependable, supportive and detail-oriented
- Have the emotional stability to cope with human suffering, emergencies and other stresses
- Be able to direct and supervise others
Employment and Salary Information
The registered nurse profession is experiencing faster-than-average job growth, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. By 2020, the number of positions is expected to increase by 26 percent.
In May 2013, the median annual earnings of these professionals were $66,220. The middle 50 percent earned between $54,180 and $80,190. The lowest 10 percent earned $45,630, and the highest 10 percent earned $96,320.
The Program
East Central College offers two program options leading to an Associate of Applied Science degree in nursing. The main campus in Union as well as the Rolla location offer a complete pre-licensure program (generic) for those interested in becoming a registered nurse. A LPN to RN Bridge program is also available at the Rolla location for LPNs interested in becoming registered nurses.
ECC students benefit from state-of-the-art clinical labs which utilize technology and high-fidelity human patient simulators. Some distance learning options are also available to increase access and flexibility. Upon completion of either ECC nursing degree track, graduates are eligible to apply to write the NCLEX-RN exam for licensure.
Admission Requirements
To enter this course of study, students must meet these institution and program-specific criteria:
- High school diploma or the equivalent (documentation must be sent to the registration office)
- Application for admission to ECC
- A placement test as specified by the college (some coursework requires minimum placement results)
- Cumulative college GPA of 2.75 or greater (effective for admissions August 2015)
- HESI A2 Admission Test taken in the last two years with a composite greater than 75 percent.
- Completion of prerequisites with a “C” or better
- Satisfactory criminal background check and drug screening once accepted to the program
- A completed nursing application on file by the specified deadline (available on the ECC Web site under the “Academic & Degree Programs link)
Transfer Options
The AAS degree is designed for students seeking employment right after graduation. However, many of the credits, particularly the general education electives earned with this degree, are accepted as transfer credit by four-year schools. Please note that these decisions are made by the bachelor degreegranting institution, not ECC. Students wanting to transfer are advised to contact the institution of their choice before beginning a program or reviewing other ECC degree plans. The college has articulation agreements with several BSN completion programs to promote a seamless progression to the next educational level.
Accreditation
The ECC Nursing Program has the full approval of the Missouri State Board of Nursing (MSBN).
ECC is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
30 N. LaSalle St., Suite 2400
Chicago, Illinois 60602-2504
800-621-7440
Contacts
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Program Locations
ECC Union (Main Campus)
ECC Rolla Nursing
2303 N. Bishop
Rolla, MO 65401
573-426-6687
Program Director/Division Chair
Robyn Walter
636-584-6616
Robyn.Walter@eastcentral.edu
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Division
Nursing and Allied Health
636-584-6616
nursing@eastcentral.edu
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