Nursing Schools in Illinois

Trinity College of Nursing & Health Sciences is a private institution in Rock Island, Illinois. The history of the college goes back over 100 years when three separate hospitals established their own schools for training nurses. Over the years, the three hospitals and their schools merged, eventually becoming Trinity College of Nursing & Health Sciences. The college began offering graduate-level degrees in 1998 after receiving accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission. The campus is in Rock Island on a 4.5-acre site and consists of one large building. Along with the classrooms, this building houses the Harriet Olson Learning Lab, which is an NLN Simulation Innovation Resource Center.

Trinity College gives students several options for earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing, including a traditional BSN program. They also offer accelerated BSN and RN to BSN programs. The accelerated BSN program is a 15-month program for students who already have a bachelor’s degree in a separate field. For those who are not ready for a four-year degree, the college also has an Associate Degree in Nursing program, which is accredited by the ACEN. Students can develop their hands-on skills through training at the Harriet Olson Learning Lab or through the college’s partnerships with local healthcare facilities, including UnityPoint Health.

Lewis University is a private university in Romeoville, Illinois. The university currently offers over 100 programs, including more than 80 undergraduate programs. Lewis University was founded in 1932 by the Archdiocese of Chicago. In recent years, the university has been recognized as a leading institution of higher learning in the region. They were recognized as one of the best colleges in the region for two consecutive years by US News and World Report and The Princeton Review. While the university is regarded as one of the top universities for aviation and transportation studies, they also offer several nursing programs.

The nursing programs available at Lewis University College of Nursing and Health Professionals include accelerated BSN, RN to BSN, and traditional BSN programs. Those who have already obtained their BSN degrees may choose to enroll in the MSN program. These programs were accredited by the CCNE in 2002 and the accreditations are still current. The nursing college has partnered with many local facilities to give students hands-on clinical experience. These partnerships include more than 54 clinical sites and 120 healthcare partners. The graduate-level programs are offered online, giving working adults more convenience for completing their studies around their busy schedules.

John A. Logan College (JALC) is located in Carterville, Illinois. This school is a public community college that is a part of the Illinois Community College System. It was originally established in 1967 and it currently serves over 4,000 students. John A. Logan College is named after a famous civil war general. This civil war hero was also a United States congressman before the war and he became a senator after returning home from the war. JALC has proven to be a very worthwhile college that is a huge benefit to the community. Many different associate’s degree programs are available to JALC students and there are also certain certificates that can be earned. The school even offers some online associate’s degree programs.

The nursing program at JALC is particularly well-known as a good option. Students who wish to pursue careers in nursing will be able to take three different paths at JALC. The three programs are Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), Practical Nursing (LPN), and Associate Degree in Nursing (RN). All courses will introduce students to the important concepts of being a nurse while teaching them the skills that they need to find success as professionals. Students in the Practical Nursing and Associate Degree in Nursing programs will have part-time options available to them as well. Any prospective nursing students who are looking for a good program to help them grow into true professionals will be impressed with the JALC nursing program options.

Southwestern Illinois College is located in Belleville, Illinois. This is a large community college that currently serves over 16,000 students. It was originally established in 1946 and has been serving the community dutifully ever since. This school offers its students a number of different academic opportunities. There are various different associate degree programs, bachelor degree programs, and certificate programs to pursue. Students will be able to find many great career paths when taking courses at this school. The school also features college athletics teams and various clubs that make college life even more entertaining.

SWIC has a great nursing program as well. This nursing program is well known for producing high-quality nurses who go on to become great professionals. The nursing education program provides a varied education that will cover all of the important things that nurses need to achieve success. The SWIC nursing program prides itself in giving nurses the most thorough education possible. Nursing students will be given the chance to learn in a classroom setting while also having many opportunities to gain practical experience. This program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) and it is approved by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.  

Kaskaskia College is located in Centralia, Illinois. The college was originally established in 1940 and it serves over 5,000 students. This school stands out as being a very good public community college in the area. It offers a large variety of different programs that will appeal to prospective students. All students will be able to work toward earning associate’s degrees and certificates in programs. Aside from this, the school is also well known as a transfer school. This school can allow students to earn credits that can easily be transferred over to a four-year college or university. 

Kaskaskia also has a nursing program that has an incredibly strong history. The nursing program at this school is one of the most popular parts of the college. This program has been helping to create successful nurses for years. Nursing students will be able to gain experience by learning from seasoned faculty members, making use of the state-of-the-art nursing education center, and using the simulation lab. This school also makes use of convenient clinical sites to provide students with experience. Students will be able to pursue becoming registered nurses through the two-year program or they can opt for the one-year practical nursing program.

McHenry County College is located in Crystal Lake, Illinois. This public community college was established in 1967. It currently serves over 8,500 students and it offers them many different academic opportunities. This college offers associate degree opportunities for students and it also has many different technical certificate courses to consider. Students at MCC will be able to find the right career path that will lead them to succeed in life. It provides students with a safe environment where they can learn and further their education. The long list of both credit and noncredit classes should appeal to any prospective students in the area.

Nursing is an important part of MCC as well. The nursing programs that are offered at the school are all very respected. Students will be able to take part in the Basic Nursing Assistant Training courses, the Nursing AAS program, and the LPN to RN bridge program. There are also transfer opportunities for those who wish to pursue RN to BSN opportunities. MCC provides nursing students with the best education and gives them all of the right opportunities to grow as professionals. Students who learn at MCC will be prepared to take all licensure examinations upon the completion of their courses. It sets students up nicely for successful careers as nurses and has proven to be a very popular part of the school over the years. 

Methodist College is a small, private institution in Peoria, Illinois. Nursing has always been the focus of this college. Methodist College was founded in 1900 as a nurse training institute and is now a four-year college with several different nursing programs. For the fall 2017 school year, 674 students were accepted with 528 of those students enrolling in the traditional BSN program. While nursing programs are the core of the curriculum at Methodist College, they also offer programs for degrees in social work, gerontology, and other health sciences and human services.

Methodist College offers several paths for students who want to earn their Bachelor of Science degrees in Nursing. This includes a traditional BSN program along with RN to BSN and accelerated BSN options. These programs are accredited by the CCNE. The college is affiliated with UnityPoint Health in Peoria, which provides clinical experience at the UnityPoint Health hospitals and clinics in the region. Students receive more one-on-one time with professors as the school has a low 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio. The requirements for enrolling in the traditional BSN program include a minimum 2.5 high school grade point average along with an SAT score of 980 or an ACT score of 19.

Illinois State University (ISU) was founded in 1857, making it the oldest public university in Illinois. The main campus is in the twin cities of Bloomington and Normal in the middle of the state. The university was founded as a training school for teachers, which is still a major focus of the university. The various graduate and undergraduate programs are offered through six colleges that are part of the ISU system, including the Mennonite College of Nursing. The university is also home to one of the largest libraries in the state. The Milner Library houses over 1.5 million volumes.

ISU nursing programs are offered through the Mennonite College of Nursing, which was founded in 1919. The college offers accelerated BSN, RN to BSN, and traditional BSN programs. They also provide graduate-level programs, including an MSN and PhD program. These programs are all accredited by the CCNE. The traditional BSN program is intended for students who are entering the university as freshmen or transferring from another college without a degree. Registered nurses who are interested in obtaining a BSN can apply for the RN to BSN program, which is offered entirely online with either a full-time or part-time plan of study.

Bradley University is a private university in Peoria, Illinois, which is about three hours from Chicago or St. Louis. The university was founded in 1897 and they currently offer over 100 undergrad programs and more than 30 graduate-level programs through their five colleges. The campus is located on the west side of the city of Peoria and is just a few minutes from the downtown area. The campus is also compact, ensuring that students can walk from one part of the campus to any other part within 10 minutes or less. Bradley University has also received many awards and honors, including ranking sixth nationally for producing Fulbright students.

The nursing programs offered at BU include the traditional BSN and MSN programs. Registered nurses and licensed nursing practitioners may enroll in the RN to BSN or LPN to BSN programs to earn their degrees. Each of the nursing programs is accredited by the relevant body, including the CCNE and ACEN. Students have access to hands-on training at two major hospital systems along with several public health facilities and nursing homes in the area. The clinical experience starts during the sophomore year of the BSN programs. The university also boasts one of the highest pass rates in the nation for the NCLEX-RN exam.

Joliet Junior College (JJC) is located in Joliet, Illinois. This is a very old school that was founded way back in 1901. It has the distinction of being the first public community college that was founded in the United States. This school is famous as an option for students that are seeking pre-baccalaureate programs that will transfer over to a four-year university. It also has many occupation-based education programs that can help people to find lucrative new careers. JJC serves over 15,000 students and is popular for both its variety of academic programs and its helpful non-credit programs that can lead to new career opportunities.

The nursing program at JJC has been around for quite a long time too. This is a program that helps prospective nurses to learn all of the necessary skills to achieve success in their field. It currently offers two programs. There is the NU500 program that allows students to earn an Associate in Applied Science degrees as well as the NU060: Nursing (PN) program that allows students to pursue becoming LPNs. This school graduates more than 100 nurses annually from their registered nurse and practical nursing programs. This school also boasts a 95% success rate for students taking the NCLEX-RN licensure examination in 2017. It is a great school for students who want to prepare themselves for future success.