UM-Helena Nursing Department

The nursing curricula prepare graduates to function as members of the health care team in various health care environments.  The curricula focus on preparedness for employment and articulation.  

 

The University of Montana – Helena College of Technology Nursing Department offers two separate nursing programs:  a Licensed Practical Nurse Certificate Program and an Associate of Science Degree Leading to Registered Nursing Program.  The Practical Nursing program is designed for completion with a terminal certificate so that the student is eligible to take the NCLEX-PN examination for licensure as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN).  The Registered Nursing Program is designed for Practical Nurses that want to continue on in nursing education.  Upon successful completion of the RN program the student is eligible to take the NCLEX-RN examination for licensure as a Registered Nurse.

 

There are two annual application processes:  one for the Practical Nursing Program (Spring Semester admission by application only) and one for Registered Nursing Program (Fall Semester admission by application only).  24 students are admitted into the Spring Semester Practical Nursing program.  16 students are admitted into the Fall Semester Registered Nursing program.  There are no waiting lists. 

 

Nursing jobs are in high demand today. UM-Helena can help you achieve a career in Nursing. Why choose UM-Helena for your nursing education?

 

• Qualified and dedicated faculty
• Low faculty to student ratio
• Small class sizes
• State-of-the-art nursing laboratory
• Strong student support systems at UM-Helena
• Diverse clinical experiences in the community

Contact Information:

Nursing Department

University of Montana – Helena College of Technology

1115 North Roberts Street, Helena, MT  59601

(406) 444-6890

 

 

The mission of the University of Montana – Helena College of Technology Department of Nursing is to provide quality nursing education, educating students for personal and professional growth, for employment, and to offer educational mobility.

 

PHILOSOPHY

 

The unique function of the nurse is to assist the individual, sick or well, in the performance of those activities contributing to health or its recovery that he would perform unaided if he had the necessary strength, will, or knowledge.  And to do this in such a way as to help him gain independence as rapidly as possible (Henderson, 1966, p.15).

 

Henderson, V.(1966).  The nature of nursing:  A definition and its implications for practice,

                research, and education.  New York:  Macmillan.

 

  

 The philosophy of the nursing faculty is based on the principles of Virginia Henderson and Jerome Bruner.  The primary concepts of Virginia Henderson revolve around establishing relationships between instructor and student.  These relationships are based on assessing and understanding the individual needs of students.  The instructor assists the student to advance in knowledge, strength and will in order to become increasingly competent, independent practitioners.  Jerome Bruner states that learning is an active process where conceptual structures are built on present and past learning.  The nursing faculty supports a constructivist approach to learning.

 

 

WHY UM-HELENA?

 

Opportunities abound for students interested in careers in the various aspects of health services.  UM-Helena’s Nursing programs offer state-of-the-art training and outstanding job placement to you, our student.  Helena’s health care facilities support our nursing programs, allowing us the opportunity to provide our students a wide variety of clinical experiences.

 

PREPARING TO BE A NURSE

 

Personal qualities that are important for individuals wanting to become a nurse include:

• Good communication skills
• Caring attitude toward patients, peers and other individuals
• Interest in working with people
• Openness to diversity and a non-judgmental attitude
• High motivation to achieve
• Ability to think and act under extreme stress
• Ability to solve problems with limited resources
• Realization that nursing and nursing education are demanding physically, mentally and emotionally

 

BEFORE YOU COMMIT

 

Each person must begin school when it is the right time for him or her.  You must be mentally and physically ready and have your life as stable as possible.  You have a lot of things to think through before you will know whether you are ready to expend the amount of energy it takes to be successful in a nursing program.

 

Nursing’s first responsibility is to the public and as a result of that, students can be sent home from clinical for unsafe behaviors in clinical settings (not being prepared to care for your patient, etc.)

 

Students can expect to spend at least 10 hours a day seven days a week either in class or studying.  We recommend that students not be employed while they are in nursing school.  In undergraduate education at any college or university, it is expected that you will spend at least 3 clock hours per week for every credit hour you are taking to study and prepare for your courses. 

 

Students often comment that nursing classes are different from other college courses or majors, requiring more work of them.  There are several reasons:  people’s lives depend on good nursing skills.  Also rules exist because of national standards for nursing education that are put into place by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission, state boards of Nursing or other bodies who govern the practice of nursing.