Online PN to ADN

The Online PN to ADN Program is a rigorous, full-time nursing program. Students should plan to devote at least 40 hours per week to coursework, studying, assignments, testing, clinical preparation, and other program requirements.

Because much of the coursework is asynchronous, successful students must be able to manage their time effectively, maintain consistent study habits, and independently meet established deadlines.

During the fall semester, students are enrolled in four nursing courses.

During the spring semester, students are enrolled in three nursing courses.

A typical week for each course may include:

• Online lectures and course content
• Weekly assignments
• Quizzes and/or exams
• Independent study and preparation
• Clinical preparation, paperwork, and reflections during clinical weeks

Course requirements and testing schedules vary from week to week. Clinical weeks may include a lighter online course load to accommodate clinical responsibilities.

Some students may also need to complete general education coursework depending on their individual academic plan. Applicants should review the  PN to ADN Preadmission Packet for current prerequisites and degree requirements.

Before attending clinical experiences, students must demonstrate competency in required nursing skills.

Students are provided with skills rubrics, instructional resources, and have 2 hours of required  practice in the nursing lab before completing their skills validation.

Students must successfully demonstrate competency in all required skills. If a skill is not successfully completed during the scheduled validation, the student will be required to return on a separate date to complete the required validation.

Students should carefully consider travel requirements before applying to the Online PN to ADN Program.

Travel Requirements

While the majority of nursing coursework is completed online, this is not a fully remote program. Students are required to travel for orientation, skills validation, simulation, clinical experiences, and other designated program activities. Required dates are communicated in advance whenever possible to allow students time to plan for travel, employment, and other responsibilities.

Fall Semester Travel:

• July – Orientation at Trenton
• August – Beginning-of-semester activities at Savannah
• September – Skills Validation at Savannah
• September – December
  • 1 Simulation Day at Savannah
  • 7 clinical days
  • One job-shadow experience

Spring Semester Travel

Students should anticipate approximately six required on-campus days, including:

• February – NCMC Health Sciences Day at Trenton
• March–April
  • 4 Simulation Days at Savannah
  • 8 clinical days
• May – Graduation at Trenton

Clinical experiences are completed in person at NCMC-approved clinical sites in Missouri and are an essential component of the program.

Clinical experiences are generally scheduled in blocks of 2–4 days and may occur on any day of the week. Students should expect a combination of weekday, weekend, day, and night clinical assignments.

Clinical schedules are provided as early as possible each semester so students can plan for travel, employment, childcare, and other outside responsibilities.

Clinical Locations

Current clinical sites for the Online PN to ADN Program include:

• Mosaic Life Care – St. Joseph, Missouri
• University Health/Truman Medical Center – Kansas City, Missouri
• University of Missouri Hospital – Columbia, Missouri

Clinical locations are determined by the nursing program and may vary based on course requirements and clinical site availability.

Students cannot arrange clinical rotations at a facility near their home or complete clinical requirements with an individual preceptor. Students must attend clinical experiences at the locations assigned by NCMC.

Out-of-state applicants are responsible for verifying with their State Board of Nursing that the Online PN to ADN Program meets their state’s educational requirements for licensure.

Admission preference for the online program is given to applicants who reside in Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, or Nebraska due to the program’s in-person and clinical requirements.

Regardless of state of residence, all clinical experiences are completed at NCMC-approved locations in Missouri.