The Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) program at Sinclair Community College is so popular that the waitlist to enter the program is about two years, according to Nursing Chairperson Marcia Miller.
“I know why Sinclair’s nursing program is so popular,” said Assistant Professor Vivian Jackson. “I have been in the position to employ nurses and when I compare two employees, I always pick the Sinclair student because they work in real situations, their critical thinking skills have been tested and they can problem solve better than the non Sinclair student.”
Jackson said the classes are taught in a combination of lectures and hands on exercises. She also pointed out some specific characteristics a good nurse should possess.
“The qualities that would make a good nurse are a desire to care for people, not being judgmental and genuinely having a love for nursing. If you don’t have those qualities this is not the profession for you,” Jackson said.
Victor Thornburg, a thirty-nine-year-old nursing student, has worked as a paramedic for 15 years and thinks some students are going into the nursing field with the wrong intentions.
“The problem we are seeing is a lot of people are going into the nursing field for the money and that’s the wrong reason,” he said. “If you don’t have a caring and nurturing attitude, it’s going to reflect badly on your patient care.”
The ADN can be completed in 8 quarters, but Jackson estimated that it takes most students 3 years to complete. Students are required to follow a uniform policy of white tops and burgundy bottoms, according to Jackson.
Thornburg said there are some important things to know before entering the program.
“Don’t believe all the rumors about instructors and things like that. I have had an excellent experience with all my instructors and they have either met or exceeded all my needs,” he said. “If you make the commitment, just follow through and finish. If you have to repeat a class, repeat it, don’t stop. Many people have had to repeat. Don’t quit.”