Nursing Programs

Instituto College School of Nursing program is concerned with the individual in the context of family and society. We focus our efforts on the promotion, conservation, and restoration of the individual’s patterns of health and health-seeking behavior. Nursing seeks to facilitate achievement of an optimum level of physical, social, psychological, and spiritual health.

 

Being that patient-nurse relationships are based upon mutual trust and respect and nurse’s professional competence facilitates development of trust and respect, a high level of accountability is required when the nurse assumes patient care responsibilities. The Illinois Board of Nursing assures the public of a nurse’s competence, through the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) which is administered to all nursing graduates that have successfully completed the nursing program.

 

To prepare nursing students for the NCLEX-RN and tasks of a registered nurse, Instituto College’s nursing program combines nursing theory and practice with general education. Students are provided clinical experiences through skills lab and clinical settings throughout Chicago and surrounding areas in caring for individuals of all ages. Our nursing education program follows the standards of the American Nurses Association and Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulations. Instituto College’s nursing program is dedicated to facilitating your successful completion of the Associate Degree in Nursing Program, preparation for the NCLEX-RN examination and entry into nursing practice.

 

Nursing practice for the ADN graduate consists of three basic roles; provider of care, manager of care, and member within the discipline of nursing. Nurses who have earned an Associate’s Degree use the nursing process as the primary decision making in all three roles. The program of learning prepares the ADN graduate to work in long term and acute care settings where policies and procedures are specified and guidance is available. These settings include hospitals and community healthcare settings.

 

Another core component of Instituto College includes the Basic Nursing Assistant Training Program, intended to prepare individuals to work in the healthcare industry as Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs). Through the BNATP, students are introduced to the discipline of nursing and the basic approaches of patient care. The concepts of the nursing practice, caring for the whole person in a multi-cultural society, and communication skills, are addressed as students assist the licensed nurse and other members of the healthcare team to meet the patient’s basic needs.

 

 

The Associate Degree in Nursing Program (ADN) provides students with the nursing coursework that will result in an Associate Degree in Nursing. This is a program designed to provide an opportunity for students in the healthcare field to continue their education. The ADN program prepares students to become registered nurses through licensure, which is overseen by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), meeting critical needs for nursing professionals. After successful completion of the program students are required to pass the National Council Licensure Examination to become a Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN). Upon meeting all graduation requirements, students will receive a Diploma for completion of the Associate Degree in Nursing Program. The ADN program is designed as a 2-year (24 month) program, with courses scheduled for the fall, spring and summer semesters as necessary. This program length is based on students taking a full course load throughout the two-year period. Time length for program completion may vary depending on extenuating circumstances, including but not limited to, the number of courses taken per term, developmental courses when required, transfer credit accepted or lack of continuous enrollment.

Instituto College is a non-traditional school serving predominantly non-traditional students, including but not limited to immigrants, working mothers and older generation students. Instituto’s course load and class schedule are therefore designed to better fit the needs of our diverse student body. As a result, the College utilizes summer semesters to more evenly distribute the program course load throughout the academic year. It also balances its strong relationship with the City Colleges of Chicago to design class schedules that accommodate the CCC semester schedule.

 

This Illinois Department of Public Health approved certification program, Basic Nursing Assistant Training (BNATP), prepares students to work in the health care industry as Certified Nurse Assistants (CNA). Students will be introduced to the discipline of nursing and the basic approaches to patient care. The role of the CNA as an assistant to the licensed nurse and other members of the health care team is studied and practiced in the classroom, laboratory and clinical setting. Upon successful completion of all components of the program, the graduate must pass the State competency exam to become certified as a Nursing Assistant in the State of Illinois. The BNATP is a 11-week program, offered in the fall, spring and summer semesters.