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Career Ladder Nursing - Associate Degree Nursing Program

Students

Students entering the Kauai Community College Nursing Program are drawn from a multicultural pool and reflect the unique cultural mix of Kauai.  The Program strives to create classes from eligible applicants that reflect Kauai's ethnic mix. Over the last decade graduating classes have had a representative mix of male and female students with Caucasian, Hawaiian, Filipino, Chinese, Japanese, Black and persons with other ethnic/racial backgrounds.  The average age of students is about 27 years though the Nursing Program advocates for entry of gifted graduating high school students.   Many students enter the Nursing Program after raising a family; for a career change from another profession i.e...law, social work, business;  to improve work opportunities; or straight out of high school. 

Alumni Comments

Darcy Allen - RN Class of 2000            The KCC Nursing program has given me a sense of professional pride and integrity regarding the nursing profession. Additionally, the nursing program provided me with a solid knowledge base in order to build a career. The special opportunities offered such as Advanced EKG and ACLS has enabled me to attain a job in the specialty of my choice. I encourage anyone interested in nursing to consider the KCC Nursing Program.

Cashmere Lopez - RN Class of 1992
The Kauai Community College's Nursing program gave me a solid foundation which enabled me to excel in all aspects of nursing.  It also prepared me to become and active and competitive students at UH Manoa's Baccalaureate Nursing Program.  I am proud to say that I am a graduate of Kauai Community College. (Cash is now a Nursing Instructor at KCC. She completed her BSN at UH Manoa and is scheduled to complete her Master's in May 2001.)

Debra Dannog - LPN Class of 1996
Graduating from the best nursing program in the State of Hawaii gave me the opportunity to choose the different fields of nursing where I could work, get a good paying job and support my two children.

Mark Whitehill - RN Class of 1990
I entered Kauai Community College as an adult interested in becoming a nurse.  Kauai Community College, recognizing the special educational needs of adults in college, made it possible for me to earn an Associate Degree in Nursing.  Since I graduated I have helped build a home health agency staffed with a number of Kauai Community College graduates.  The Nursing Program played a major part in the development of the staff and therefore the agency.  Without Kauai Community College we wouldn't be here doing what we' re doing today.

Mary Beth Terheggen - Class of 1976
The Kauai Community college Nursing Program gave me the education and clinical training to prepare me for a broad career in nursing.  I have had many opportunities in my 20 years of practice at Wilcox Hospital which range from Medical Surgical to Emergency Room to Same Day Surgery.  I am currently training for Post Anesthesia Care.  The Kauai Community College Nursing Program is important as it provides nurses for our community.

The Kauai Community College Nursing Program Provides Graduates with Many Varied and Rich Opportunities for Practice.  

  • Graduates gain experience in Kauai's rural community hospitals where they gain the expertise to function as  "generalist" practitioners in both acute and long term care. 

 

  • Graduates also receive an extensive exposure to rural community health practice through clinical rotations in community social and health agencies as well as community based clinics.

 

  • Graduates have clinical exposure in an urban referral hospital on Oahu for pediatric rotations.

 

Placement Rates


Over the last three years graduates from the Kauai Community College's Nursing Program have  found employment in the field of nursing within 9 months of graduation at a 74% rate.  This represents both graduates seeking employment on-island, in the State of Hawaii, and on the mainland. Students have employed in a variety of settings but the majority have sought employment in acute care and outpatient clinics. 

 

Continuation into Baccalaureate Education


Graduates of the Kauai Community College Nursing Program easily transfer into Baccalaureate Education.  The content in nursing and general education courses is accepted by most upper division schools of nursing and since the Kauai Community College Nursing Program is fully National League for Nursing accredited transfer of credits is supported.

 

STUDENT COMMENTS

About the Program

Nursing school not only takes high academic levels of achievement but the love and compassion of the patients you work with. (Wendy Doronio)

Excellent program and instructors. (Leslie Saito)

KCC is the best nursing program. The instructors are excellent. (Daisy Ringor)

KCC nursing program is an A+ program with wonderful instructors.(Stacy O'Neil and Jill Alderete)

 

 

Helpful Hints for Success from Students

The #1 must prior to going to nursing school are excellent time management skills. (Wendy Doronio)

Criteria for passing includes
- Time management
- Attending class and clinical
- Coming to class/clinical prepared
- Doing all the assigned reading
(Leslie Saito)

Don't get caught up in the details and memorization of nursing, but rather understand the concepts and this will help your comprehension of nursing and further your critical thinking skills. (Darcy Allen)

Study hard and believe in yourself.

Don't plan a wedding during your last semester. (Stacy O'Neil)

Do the preceptorship in N257! It is absolutely the best experience of your entire schooling. It enables you to gain real diverse clinical experiences and gives you a feel for what the real world of nursing is all about.

Make the most of your schooling. Seek out opportunities to learn more in areas that interest you, ask questions. Be involved!

Keep a life outside of school. Take "mental time outs", keep up your exercise routine. Make time for friends and loved ones. It's easy to get wrapped up in the stress of school. Keeping a balance in your life makes school so much easier.

From the N153 Class of 1999 to the N153 Class of 2000:

Student Activities

The Nursing Club is a campus organization for pre-nursing and nursing students. The focus of the club is community service, support, and fundraising. Activities that the students have been involved in include the Womens Health Fair, blood pressure screening, Christmas celebration at the Women's shelter, and Christmas caroling at two Long Term Care facilities with the Summer Health academy Students.

Interest in Health Occupations begins early. During the summer of 2000, the Summer Health Academy began. Under a grant from AHEC (Area Health Education Council), 15 middle school students had the opportunity to explore health careers.

Summer Health Academy and Nursing Club - Christmas Party and caroling rehearsals