Nursing is the largest health care profession in the United States, providing limitless and rewarding career opportunities for men and women. The Associate Degree in Nursing at KVCC prepares students to care for individuals and families, helping them attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and functioning.

The Associate Degree Nursing Program The Nursing Program prepares women and men for entry-level positions in the nursing profession. Successful completion of the ADN program of study qualifies graduates to receive an Associate in Science Degree in Nursing (ADN). The ADN qualifies the graduate for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) and application for state licensure as a registered nurse (RN) in the state of Maine. The program is approved by the Maine State Board of Nursing (MSBN) and accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).

The program of study combines general education and nursing studies in the classroom with selected laboratory, simulation, and clinical experiences in providing nursing care to patients in a variety of health care settings.

The Associate Degree Nursing Programs, both generic and LPN to ADN, at Kennebec Valley Community College (Main Campus) in Fairfield, Maine is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the Associate Degree Nursing Programs, both generic and LPN to RN, is Continuing Accreditation.

 

Admission Requirements

Program Admission Requirements

The Nursing Program has specific admission requirements.  Please refer to the following link for additional information:

Check Your Prerequisites – KVCC (me.edu)

 

 

Student Performance Requirements

Applicants to the Nursing Program should be aware that nursing at the Associate Degree level involves the provision of direct care to patients. A student in the Nursing Program must have the knowledge and ability to effectively assess a patient’s biopsychosocial needs. Furthermore, the student must be able to analyze data to state a patient’s problem, comprehensively plan independent and collaborative interventions, implement the plan of care, and evaluate the care given, as well as the patient’s response to the care. Therefore, the student must have observational, communication, motor, cognitive, psychosocial, and behavioral abilities sufficient to carry out the above responsibilities. Technological accommodation can be made available for some disabilities in some of these areas, but a student must be able to perform in a reasonably independent manner. The use of a trained intermediary is not permitted since a student’s judgment would be influenced by someone else’s observations.

In order to meet the Nursing Program Student Learning Outcomes, applicants must have the following abilities and skills:

  1. A visual acuity with corrective lenses to identify: cyanosis, absence of respiratory movement in patients; read small print on medication containers, physicians’ orders, monitors, and equipment calibrations.
  2. A hearing ability with auditory aids to: understand the normal speaking voice without viewing the speaker’s face; hear monitor alarms, emergency signals, call bells from patients and telephone orders; take/hear blood pressure, heart, lung, vascular, and abdominal sounds with stethoscope.
  3. The physical ability to stand for prolonged periods of time, perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation, transfer, move, and reposition patients, and move from room to room or maneuver in limited spaces.
  4. Effective communication in verbal and written form by speaking clearly and succinctly when explaining treatment procedures, describing patient’s conditions, and implementing health teaching. Write legibly and correctly in patient’s chart for local documentation.
  5. The manual dexterity to use sterile techniques to insert catheter, withdraw blood, and prepare medications / administer medications (oral and parenteral routes).
  6. The tactile ability to palpate pulses, determine warmth and coolness, detect enlarged nodes and lumps.
  7. The ability to function safely under stressful conditions and the ability to adapt to an ever-changing environment inherent in clinical situations involving patient care.

LPN to ADN Program Applicants

To be considered for admission into the Associate Degree Nursing program, LPN applicants must first be admitted to the College (refer to General Admission Requirements) and designate Associate Degree Nursing as their curriculum. Computer literacy is essential.

EDUCATION

LPN applicants must submit official transcripts which provide proof of the completion of a State Board of Nursing approved practical nursing program similar to practical nursing programs in the State of Maine. Applicants must have graduated with a grade-point average (GPA) of 2.5 or higher from their practical nursing program.  All LPN applicants enter the Nursing program in the second semester of the Nursing curriculum:

To enter the 2nd semester nursing course (NUR122), the Licensed Practical Nursing applicant must have completed:

* BIO213, ENG101, and MAT117 with a minimum grade of “B,” and
* Have an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher

ADMISSION TESTING

Admission testing, recommended developmental course work, and required re-testing must be completed before applicants are admitted to the Nursing Program. This requirement is met by successfully completing the ATI-TEAS Exam. The Exam may be taken a total of three (3) time (the original test session plus two (2) re-takes). Each Exam re-take includes all subtest scores and may only be taken after a 45-day waiting period. Registration is completed in the MYKV Student Portal – Admissions Tab, My Application. Free preparatory sessions are offered through the Student Success Center—453-5084 or studentsuccess@kvcc.me.edu. The minimum required composite score on the TEAS Exam is the 70th Percentile.

BASIC LIFE SUPPORT FOR HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS

LPN applicants are required to complete a current course in Basic Life Support (BLS) certification from the American Heart Association or the American Red Cross. This certification must be maintained throughout the Nursing course of study to maintain program eligibility.

IMMUNIZATIONS

LPN applicants are required to provide proof of immunization against tetanus, measles, mumps, rubella, varicella (titer) and Hepatitis B (series and titer), and a negative test for tuberculosis (TB) annually, initially using the two-step method. Flu vaccination is highly recommended.

Transfer Applicants

Transfer applicants must meet the current Nursing Program admission requirements. Additionally, they must submit a letter of reference from the Chairperson of their former nursing program. Clinical nursing credits must be approved by the Chairperson of the KVCC Nursing Program and cannot be more than one year old. Once transfer students are admitted to the Nursing Program, they have one (1) opportunity to complete the nursing curriculum. Transfer students are required to complete a minimum of two (2) academic semester at KVCC in order to meet  graduation / residency requirements.

Criminal Background Check

Applicants to certain programs should be aware that a criminal background check will be required while they are enrolled in the program or as a condition of employment in the field. Certain internship and/or practicum sites, such as health care facilities, may limit or deny clinical privileges to those who have a prior or current criminal record; and certain licensing boards may refuse to issue a license to practice based upon prior or current criminal offense(s). To learn more about whether the program or profession in which you are interested has such requirements or limitations, please see the Department Chair or Program Director.

Exposure to Infectious Disease & Latex

Applicants who consider a career in Nursing or any of the allied health professions should be aware that during the course of their education and subsequent employment, they will be working in situations where exposure to infectious diseases is probable. This is an occupational risk for all health care workers. Persons should not become health care workers unless they recognize and accept this risk. Proper education and strict adherence to well-established infection control guidelines, however, can reduce the risk to a minimum. Thorough education in infection control procedures is an integral part of each health care program.

Additionally, applicants should be aware that exposure to natural rubber latex (NRL) is possible. Individuals exposed to NRL products may develop allergic reactions such as skin rashes; hives; nasal, eyes, or sinus symptoms; and, rarely, shock.

Program Information

Accreditation

The Associate Degree Nursing Programs, both generic and LPN to ADN, at Kennebec Valley Community College (Main Campus) in Fairfield, Maine are accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the Associate Degree Nursing Programs, both generic and LPN to ADN, is Continuing Accreditation.
ACEN Contact Information:
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing
3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400
Atlanta, Georgia 30326
Phone: (404) 975-5000
Fax: (404) 975-5020
Email: info@acennursing.org
website: www.acennursing.org

The KVCC Nursing Programs have full approval from the Maine State Board of Nursing (MSBN).
MSBN Contact Information:
Mane State Board of Nursing
161 Capitol Street, 158 State House Station
Augusta, Maine 04333-0158
Phone: (207) 287-1133
Fax: (207) 287-1149
Email: www.maine.gov/boardofnursing/board-information/staff-contact.html
website: www.maine.gov/boardofnursing/index.html

Educational Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the ADN Nursing Program, the graduate is expected to:

  1. provide holistic care, utilizing the nursing process, to individuals and families across the life span and the wellness-illness continuum
  2. provide safe and ethical care based on research, using information and technology to support decision-making and improve quality
  3. demonstrate legal and ethical accountability for the delivery of caring and competent nursing care using professional communication with interdisciplinary team members.

Nursing Program Student Achievement Data

Contact

For more information, please contact:

Kristina LaChance
klachance@kvcc.me.edu
453-5173
Room 119 King Hall

Program Faculty

Kristina LaChance, Nursing Department Chair
(207) 453-5173
klachance@kvcc.me.edu
 
Ann Davis, Nursing Faculty
(207) 453-5193
adavis@kvcc.me.edu
 
Nicole Hernandez, Nursing Faculty
(207) 453-5167
nhernandez@kvcc.me.edu
 
 Stephanie Hodgdon, Nursing Faculty
(207) 453-5024
shodgdon@kvcc.me.edu
 
Therese McCarthy, Nursing Faculty 
(207) 453- 5133
tmccarthy@kvcc.me.edu
 
JaNeal Peck, Nursing Faculty 
(207) 453-5168
jpeck@kvcc.me.edu
 
Sarah Reed, Nursing Clinical and Simulation Coordinator
(207) 453-5190
sreed@kvcc.me.edu
 

Additional Nursing Information and Resources

ACEN

View the public information disclosed by the ACEN regarding this program at: http://www.acenursing.us/accreditedprograms/programSearch.htm

ACEN Contact Information:
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing
3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400
Atlanta, Georgia 30326
Phone: (404) 975-5000
Fax: (404) 975-5020
Email: info@acenursing.org
Website: www.acenursing.org

MSBN

The KVCC Nursing Programs have full approval from the Maine State Board of Nursing (MSBN).

MSBN Contact Information:
Maine State Board of Nursing
161 Capitol Street
158 State House Station
Augusta, Maine, 04333-0158
Phone: (207) 287-1133
Fax: (207) 287-1149
Email: https://www.maine.gov/boardofnursing/board-information/staff-contact.html
Website: https://www.maine.gov/boardofnursing/index.html

Additional Resources

Is Nursing Right for you?

Are you someone who:

  • enjoys working with people
  • has a strong background in math and the sciences
  • has good hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity
  • has the ability to remain calm in emergency situations
  • can deal with high levels of stress
  • can problem-solve using common sense and thinking skills
  • has very good written, oral, and computer communication skills
  • has an affinity for machines and computers
  • is patient, persistent, tolerant, and flexible
  • has confidence in decision-making skills?

Do You…    

Like a challenge, have a positive attitude, work well as a team player, demonstrate a healthy work ethic, have good organizational and observational skills, dedicated to a job well done, and most of all, ready to work hard to achieve your professional goal?

If yes…

The Associate Degree Nursing Program at KVCC might be the program for you!

Nurses help very sick people return to health and help keep people healthy by preventing disease. Nurses are concerned with the physical aspects of health and illness, as well as the psychological, social, and spiritual dimensions of people of all ages. Nurses also provide care and comfort to patients as they die.

Many RNs work in hospitals, but nurses are also employed in other practice settings such as people’s homes, clinics, nursing homes, schools, hospice, the military, and corporations/health related industries. As professionals who are responsible for coordinating patient care 7 days a week, 24 hours a day (including weekends and holidays), nurses spend much time in direct patient care. Nurses must be able to assess a patient’s condition to prevent complications, interpret laboratory findings, monitor equipment and maintain life support machinery, counsel grief-stricken families, communicate effectively with other health care professionals, and make the right decision about a patient’s situation using sound judgment, in a calm, organized manner.

For more Information on the Nursing Profession, visit:

The Maine State Board of Nursing (MSBN) protects the public’s health and welfare by assuring that safe and competent nursing care is provided by licensed nurses. The MSBN achieves this mission by outlining the standards for safe nursing care and issuing licenses to practice nursing.

The American Nurses Association (ANA) is a professional organization representing the interests of the nation’s 3.1 million registered nurses through its constituent and state nurses’ associations and its organizational affiliates. The ANA advances the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the rights of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Congress and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public.

The National Student Nurses’ Association’s (NSNA) mission is to mentor students preparing for initial licensure as registered nurses, and to convey the standards, ethics, and skills that students will need as responsible and accountable leaders and members of the profession.

The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) supports the interests of nursing education, nursing practice, and the public by the functions of accreditation. The ACEN accredits nursing education programs, both postsecondary and higher degree, which offer either a certificate, a diploma, or a recognized professional degree (clinical doctorate, master’s/post-master’s certificate, baccalaureate, associate, diploma, and practical).

Dedicated to excellence in nursing, the National League for Nursing (NLN) is the organization for nurse faculty and leaders in nursing education. The NLN offers professional development, networking opportunities, testing services, nursing research grants, and public policy initiatives to its individual and institutional members. The National League for Nursing promotes excellence in nursing education to build a strong and diverse nursing workforce to advance the health of our nation and the global community.