Degree Benefits
What can you do with an Associate Degree in Nursing?
- An associate degree (AS) from the Kaua`i Community Colleges ACEN accredited Nursing program qualifies you to take the NCLEX-RN licensing exam.
- When you pass the exam (and pay the Hawaii State Board of Nursing the licensing fee) you will be awarded a license as a Registered Nurse in the State of Hawai`i.
- Because of reciprocity agreements across the U.S. you may apply to "any" state for an RN license to work in that state.
- Upon graduation, you may also elect to continue your education by enrolling in a RN to baccalaureate in nursing (BSN) program. There are many RN-BSN programs across the US. including the Hawai`i State Nursing Consortium (HSNC) program and the Executive RN-BSN program at UH Mānoa
Once you are licensed as an RN with an Associate Degree, you can work as a:
- Staff RN in a hospital
- Staff RN in an outpatient clinical setting
- Travel nurse with short term or long term contracts around the world
- Home care nurse or case manager
- Charge nurse in a residential care facility
- School nurse
- Specialty nurse after further training
This list only represents a small portion of the possible career opportunities!
Outcomes
- Graduates' Success on the licensure (PDF)
- Completion Rates (PDF)
- Employment Survey (PDF)