Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN)

If making a difference in the lives of your patients as a nursing professional is what you want to do with your life then, yes, this Associate Degree of Nursing is definitely worth it! For many, an ADN is the first step toward a life spent in a successful and fulfilling nursing career. 

The Department of Nursing at University of the Cumberlands believes that Nursing is a culmination of caring as both an art and a science. It is an exemplar profession for acts of service to the community. Our curriculum promotes the attainment of educational outcomes through the use of the nursing process and critical thinking to provide client-centered, evidence-based, culturally competent care. The Associate Degree in Nursing program at University of the Cumberlands is built upon the pre-licensure quality and safety competencies presented by the Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) Institute. These competencies include patient-centered care, teamwork and collaboration, evidence-based practice, quality improvement, safety, and informatics. 

Yes! University of the Cumberlands offers an RN-BSN program that allows students to complete their ADN and BSN in as little as 4 years. You can even complete your Master of Science in Nursing – Family Nurse Practitioner (MSN-FNP) at Cumberlands, should you choose to take your career even further. 

An ADN program is designed to help people enter the field of nursing quickly and professionally as an RN. ADN programs typically take two years to complete and provide students with a solid foundation in healthcare for entry-level nursing. After finishing an ADN program, students are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN exam and apply for licensure upon successful completion of the exam. 

After completion of an ADN program, you’ll have the skills and education you need to become an RN. And while nursing as a career is also a calling, you should still receive a salary in line with your expertise and efforts. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, registered nurses averaged a $77,600 salary in 2021. Registered nurses are in demand with projections to add more than 275,000 new RN positions in healthcare over the next decade. And RNs have career flexibility with the ability to pursue opportunities in outpatient clinics, hospitals, doctor offices, home healthcare, nursing care and more. Your ADN will also prepare you to pursue additional educational options, from a BSN to Master of Science in Nursing programs, such as the Family Nurse Practitioner program at University of the Cumberlands. These levels of education are often among the credentials and requirements for healthcare leadership roles, something to consider as your nursing career progresses. 

The Kentucky Board of Nursing protects the public by development and enforcement of state laws governing the safe practice of nurses, dialysis technicians, and licensed certified professional midwives. Their website provides information about a variety of topics related to nursing, nursing licensure and more in Kentucky. Learn more by visiting their website. 

The Kentucky Board of Nursing provides information on benchmarks for pre-licensure programs. View those benchmarks here.