Southwestern Illinois College’s Nursing Education program is ranked No. 5 for Best Value in the state, according to online magazine Nursing Explorer.
The magazine rated 1,721 nursing programs in 45 states based on information from the Department of Education and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. SWIC placed at the No. 5 spot out of 63 programs in Illinois.
“We’re very proud to offer such a high-quality program at an affordable price,” said Julie Muertz, dean of the SWIC Health Sciences and Homeland Security Division. “Our program is well-known throughout the Metro East and St. Louis for graduating qualified RNs. I’m glad we’re getting recognition at the state level too.”
The ranking scores are based on the NCLEX nursing exam pass rate and the institution’s net-price. Each school was awarded a score between 1 and 100 that reflects the quality of education offered at the school and the program’s affordability. Rankings can be viewed at https://www.nursingexplorer.com/states/illinois.
If a school has a high NCLEX pass rate and low tuition, then its ranks will be higher. Averaged over the last five years, SWIC has a 90 percent NCLEX pass rate. Tuition and fees are only $122 per semester credit, plus financial aid and scholarships.
SWIC offers a two-year Associate in Applied Science degree in Nursing Education. The program includes classroom and hands-on lab instruction, as well as clinical experience working with real patients in health care facilities.
Registered nurses provide a variety of comprehensive medical services that range from promoting good hygiene to administering medication in order to maintain or restore a patient’s good health. Nurses practice in hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, physicians’ offices, schools, industries and home-health-care settings.
For more information about the SWIC Nursing Education program, contact the Nursing Education Director Angela Gilbreth at 618-235-2700, ext. 5268 or angela.gilbreth@swic.edu, or visit swic.edu/nursing.