Registration is now open for the new and much-needed Practical Nursing program at Coastal Alabama Community College’s Atmore campus. Students have until June 1 to enroll for the Fall semester, which starts in late August.
The PN program expansion is a direct result of the needs of healthcare providers in Alabama, many of which partner with the college, according to Jean Graham, dean of Nursing and Allied Health. She said there’s projected to be a 9 percent increase in the need for Licensed Practical Nurses in Alabama by 2029, which is much faster than the projected growth in other occupations. And about a quarter of the nurses currently licensed in Alabama are at or approaching retirement age.
Which is why many area providers, especially those offering long-term and outpatient care, are constantly calling the college looking for LPN graduates to employ, Graham said.
“We asked ourselves, ‘What could we do to better meet the needs of our community and the needs of our healthcare employers?” said Dr. Tiffany Scarborough, departmental director for Nursing and Allied Health.
The answer to that question resulted in renovations at the Atmore campus, which already housed the nursing simulation lab for the Monroeville, Thomasville and Brewton campuses. The expansion added a second lab which allows for more students to enter the program.
The PN program is a three-semester program that uses a point system to identify potential entrants. The points are primarily based on grades in core general education classes, so students need to complete the six core requirements before applying. Those can be completed in two semesters, which puts a possible LPN certification in reach in about five semesters.
“It’s great for those who would like to get into the workforce faster, complete the LPN program and provide for their families,” Scarborough said. And a mobility pathway is in place so, within a year, LPN graduates can obtain their associate degree from Coastal Alabama Community College and then their RN license — all while still working part-time as an LPN.
In Alabama, the average salary for an LPN is $23.19 an hour. Registered nurses earn around $25 an hour, with close to $10,000 in overtime wages per year.
Coastal Alabama Community College’s nursing programs are where a caring spirit and a strong passion for the sciences equal tremendous earning potential for students, and a chance to support community health.