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If you have a passion for helping others and a desire to make a difference, you might want to consider pursuing a career in Nursing by attending Lamar Community College.
Healthcare is one of the fastest-growing industries in the United States. With nurses making up the majority of the industry, the demand for skilled Registered Nurses (RNs) is greater than ever. RNs provide and coordinate patient care, educate patients and the public about various health conditions, and provide guidance and support to patients and their family members.
As an RN, you will be making a difference in the lives of others, all while enjoying some of the highest starting salaries along with a wide range of employment locations and work schedules. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in May of 2022 the median pay for RNs was $81,220 per year (equivalent to approximately $39.05 per hour).
LCC’s program is nationally accredited through the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). The program offers a five semester Associate of Applied Science in Nursing degree (A.D.N.) which will prepare you for practice as an RN. With successful completion of program requirements, you will be eligible to apply to test for RN licensure through the NCLEX-RN exam. Students also have the option to test for a Practical Nursing license at the end of the first year of the Nursing Program to become a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN).
If you would like more information about the nursing program or have our CTE & Nursing Coordinator or Director of Nursing & Allied Health reach out to you, please click on the link below:
Lamar Community College Nursing Program Inquiry Form
Or call us at 719-336-1594 to speak with the program coordinator or director today!
Please note: The PN option is not ACEN accredited. However, it is approved by the Colorado State Board of Nursing and LCC graduates are eligible to take Practical Nursing Boards (NCLEX-PN).
Nursing Program Options
| Nursing | A.A.S. | Degree Plan |
| Nurse Aide Certificate | Certificate | Degree Plan |
| Emergency Medical Technician – Basic | Certificates | Degree Plan |
| Emergency Medical Technician – Advanced | Certificates | Degree Plan |
Associate of Applied Science in Nursing
LCC’s Nursing Program is nationally accredited and affords graduates the ability to sit for the State Board Exam for RN licensure.
Over the course of five semesters of full-time coursework, students move through a sequence of courses progressing from basic to complex. Theory classes are provided on campus as well as a significant number of lab hours in which students practice and perfect new skills for their new profession. Students are provided a large number of clinical experiences from local nursing homes and hospitals to acute care experiences at a distance in adult health, obstetrics, pediatrics and psychiatric nursing. In addition, students are also given the chance to learn more hands on clinical experience with three fidelity human patient simulators that are provided right on LCC campus in our recently updated and renovated sim lab.
The program is offered in a full-time format on the LCC campus, beginning in August and ending in May. This Associate Degree program is comprised of two levels. After successful completion of Level I, students have the option to take an additional summer course to qualify them to sit for the PN licensure exam (NCLEX-PN). Level II is the second year of the program.
Once students complete the program and become an RN, they are encouraged to continue their education to achieve a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN) and even a Master’s of Science in Nursing (MSN). Partnerships with programs that offer advanced degrees are available including some dual enrollment options for BSN completion.
Program Outcomes
By the end of the program students will be able to:
- Provide safe, quality evidence-based patient-centered nursing care in a variety of healthcare settings to diverse patient populations
- Engage in critical thinking and clinical reasoning to make patient-centered care decisions
- Implement quality measures to improve patient care
- Participate in collaborative relationships with members of the interdisciplinary team, the patient, and the patient’s support persons
- Use information management principles, techniques, and systems, and patient care technology to communicate, manage knowledge, mitigate error, and support decision-making
- Provide leadership in a variety of healthcare settings for diverse patient populations
- Assimilate professional, legal, and ethical guidelines in practice as a professional nurse
- Promote a culture of caring to provide holistic, compassionate, culturally-competent care
Licensed Practical Nurse Certificate
As an option to the two-year ladder registered nursing (R.N.) program, students may choose to obtain a Practical Nurse Certificate after successfully completing Level I.
Practical Nursing Gainful Employment Disclosure
Certified Nurse Aide & Emergency Medical Technician Certificates
Lamar Community College offers additional certificate options in the field of healthcare including Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). Learn more about these certificates by reviewing our Allied Health options.
Program Prerequisites
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Complete prerequisite coursework including: Human Anatomy & Physiology I & II (BIO 2101 & BIO 2102), English Composition I (ENG 1021), Human Nutrition (HWE 1050), or Dietary Nutrition (HPR 1010), and Human Growth and Development (PSY 2440).
- Acceptance into the Nursing Program is contingent upon attaining a minimum GPA of 2.5 or above on all prerequisite course work, with preference given to those students whose science GPA is 2.75 or higher.
- The Kaplan Admission Assessment Exam is also a pre-requirement before gaining admission to the nursing program. Students must meet or exceed benchmark on the exam, within 2 attempts.
FALL 2024 NURSING ADMISSION APPLICATION
Cost of Textbooks/Supplies
- For tuition, fees, and additional high program costs, visit the LCC Catalog.
- Additional Required Purchases
- Tuition based on total number of credits taken.
- The cost may vary from semester to semester.
Important Documents
| Graduating Class | LCC NCLEX-RN Pass Rates | CSBON NCLEX-RN Pass Rates | National NCLEX-RN Pass Rates for Associate Degree (Jan 1-Dec 31) |
| 2023 | 100% | TBA | 87.75% |
| 2022 | 83.2% | 82.35% | 77.91% |
| 2021 | 71.42% | 71.42% | 78.78% |
| 3 Year Aggregate | 84.87% | 84.59% | 79.83% |
| Graduating Class | Employment Rate, 12 Months After Graduation (June 1-May 31) |
| 2023 | 93% |
| 2022 | 94.1% |
| 2021 | 86.7% |
| Graduating Class | On time Completion* (Completion in 3 Years for years prior to 2023) | Attrition Rate |
| 2023 | 68.75% | 31.25% |
| 2022 | 88% | 41% |
| 2021 | 90% | 11.8% |
| 2020 | 50% | 50% |
- Morgan Community College
- Students from LCC who complete their AAS degree and pass NLCEX-RN can begin BSN completion in a friendly, online learning environment with courses every 7 weeks. MCC holds spots in each admission cycle for LCC alumni.
- Trinidad State College
- Students can begin BSN coursework with TSC as soon as their first semester of RN school has been completed. This dual-enrollment option allows the student to complete the AAS in one semester and the BSN in the following term if the student has kept the pace.
- University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (UCCS)
- Currently the LCC Nursing Department has an articulation agreement with UCCS. The two colleges also have a Dual Enrollment agreement that allows nursing students who complete the first year of the program to begin BSN coursework prior to entering the second year of the nursing program. This allows the student a seamless transition from finishing their Associate Degree of Nursing to completing their Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing.
- University of Phoenix
- The LCC Nursing Department has an articulation agreement with the University of Phoenix.
- As a nursing student if you are interested in discussing either of these above articulation agreements please feel free to contact any of the Nursing Department faculty.
Dr. Morgan Clark, DNP, MSN, RN
Director of Nursing and Allied Health
phone: 719.336.1597
email: morgan.clark@lamarcc.edu
It is good to be home! I am a Southeastern Colorado native and am very happy to return home to give back to the community that gave so much to me! My husband (also a SECO native) and I have one spoiled German Shorthair Pointer. We like to spend our free time outside-golfing, camping, boating in the summer. In the colder months, I enjoy reading historical non-fiction, listening to true crime podcasts, and spending time with family playing cards or board games.
I am a proud LCC alum, graduating with my Associates of Applied Science in Nursing in April 2012. Through the dual enrollment agreement with University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, I worked on BSN classes while here and completed that degree in August 2012. I have worked in long term care, med/surg, mental health, and public health areas of nursing before going into nursing education full time. I was also an adjunct nursing instructor for LCC for 4 years before becoming a full time instructor. I obtained my MSN with an emphasis in Nursing Education from Grand Canyon University in April 2020, and completed my doctoral degree from Regis College in May 2023.
The best part about being an educator, is helping students achieve those “ah ha” moments. Many think that nursing is a skill set, but in reality it is a way of thinking. So helping student master the nursing process and watching them critically think their way through complex case scenarios is so rewarding. I believe that the small class sizes here at LCC can make a significant difference in the education nursing students get and am proud to be a member of this team. Let’s go Lopes!
Mary Ann Turner, RN, MSN, NE
Nursing Instructor
phone: 719.336.1625
email: maryann.turner@lamarcc.edu
Learning is one of the most empowering and important human experiences. The ability and desire to learn are the key attributes that allow us to gain knowledge, wisdom and personal growth. The opportunity to impart knowledge through teaching is one of the most important responsibilities we have as faculty members. I believe that excellence in teaching originates from an insatiable desire to learn, and a constant pursuit to maximize one’s ability to communicate information to others.
In my educational pursuits I have utilized the ladder model in acquiring my nursing education. I received both a PN and ADN from Otero Junior College in 1992. I then completed a BSN from the University of New Mexico and most recently completed a Master’s in Nursing with an emphasis on Education from Walden University.
I joined the LCC nursing faculty team in 2004. This has enabled me to promote the nursing profession through the training and development of future nurses. I believe that aspiring to be a great teacher is one of the most noble of goals; in it is the power to impart knowledge, to influence thinking and to ultimately create positive change in the world.
I look forward to meeting and working with each and every one of you.
Jordan Mallard, RN, MSN
Nursing Instructor
phone: 719.336.1598
email: jordan.mallard@lamarcc.edu
I’m Jordan Mallard, I graduated from McClave high school and attended nursing school here at Lamar Community College! I then graduated from University of Colorado at Colorado Springs with my BSN and Aspen University with my MSN with an emphasis in nursing education. I have been a practicing nurse for almost seven years, my experience includes correctional nursing, home health, long-term care, medical surgical and labor and delivery. Labor and delivery and nursery is definitely my passion! I continue to work at Prowers Medical Center in New Beginnings Birth Center on a PRN basis. I live in Hasty with my husband, three kids and one dog. We like to go out on the lake during the summer and fish. I am excited to be back at Lamar Community College teaching, running our on-campus clinical simulation and working with the current faculty! Go Lopes!
Kara Reeder, RN, BSN
Nursing Instructor
phone: 719.336.1596
email: kara.reeder@lamarcc.edu
I’m Kara Reeder and I am a native of our area and moved back to raise my family after obtaining my BSN degree from Texas Tech and working in critical care nursing for 8 years in Amarillo and Lubbock. I have 3 children with my husband, Dustyn. I have expertise in ICU, Surgical, Chemotherapy, and Leadership Nursing areas, and was previously a clinical adjunct for our LCC program. I am happy to be part of the team and exited to help guide the next generation of health care professionals in Southeastern Colorado.
In NUR 2002, we will expand upon your existing nursing knowledge and help you grow in your healthcare career. Through both classroom and clinical experiences, you’ll learn more about:
- The roles and responsibilities of the ADN
- Nursing process
- Critical thinking
- Legal and ethical issues
- The care of special populations and
- Nursing practice issues related to specialized skills.
The clinical focus will be on the care of pediatric and obstetric patients.
NUR 2002 offer four credits (2 credits theory = 30 contact hours; 2 credits clinical = 60 contact hours.)
**All students who exited a PN program without completing NUR 1050 or equivalent course will be required to complete this course prior to entry into the third semester of the program
Lamar Community College admits new cohorts every Fall. Capacity is limited, therefore admission is competitive. Students must have all 5 pre-requisites courses completed prior to the Fall term start of NUR courses as well as successfully pass an entrance exam to be fully considered for admission into the program.
Admission Checklist:
- ASAP: Connect with LCC Nursing Program Coordinator Alma Gallegos 719-336-1594 or complete this form https://forms.gle/WSZuG7tm9vgmgvss7 (Program Inquiry Form)
- Before the anticipated Fall start: Complete Pre-requisite Courses with a C or higher in each course. GPA totaling 2.75. If course work is completed outside LCC, ensure official transcripts are sent to transcripts@lamarcc.edu
- Within 60 days of testing: Pay for Kaplan Admission Exam via Kaplan Website https://www.kaptest.com/nclex/partner/lamar-community-college
- As soon as you’ve paid for the Kaplan Admission Exam: Schedule Kaplan Admission Exam testing session via LCC Coordinator (email for link) or this link https://forms.gle/SusuGbF1enK8TPjS9 Testing occurs from March to June of each year
- Take Admission Exam on scheduled date: The Kaplan Admission Assessment Exam consists of four sections which are Reading, Math, Writing, and Science, with a total of 91 questions.
- The minimum score required is a 65 on this exam. The Kaplan company has a study guide available for purchase through online retailers. It is recommended that the most current edition be used.
- The exam may be taken before you have completed the prerequisite courses. Applicants may take the exam two times, with 14 days at least between the two attempts.
- Between March and June of anticipate start year: Apply for Admission to Nursing Program using this form https://forms.gle/Egs3k9qCyxwEdLb19 (Nursing Admissions Application) Application closes June 30.
- Prior to August:
- Anticipate a decision letter approximately 3-4 weeks after you’ve submitted the application and decision materials (transcripts for coursework and Kaplan test results).
- Begin to gather required documentation for Fall cohort start
- Immunization Records: MMR, Hep B, Td or TDaP, Varicella (or immunity via titer), annual influenza, COVID primary series
- Decision Time: Once you’ve been admitted, consider your choices and commit to the program seat saved for you at one of them. Complete pre-admission work as directed via email.
- Physical clearance form
- PPD skin test
- Uniform purchasing and embroidery
- Technological purchases based on requirements for the year
- Compliance package purchasing- background check and UA (for a list of disqualifying offenses click here)
- Acknowledgement forms and releases