Nursing Program

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Direct-entry admission: Start your nursing education right away!

Carthage’s freshman direct-entry admission option is a unique opportunity for students pursuing a nursing career. High school seniors who meet specific, pre-established criteria are guaranteed admission into Carthage’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

Why freshman direct-entry at Carthage?
You don’t have to wait two years to see if you’re accepted into the Nursing Program. As a direct-entry student, you will be part of the nursing major on your first day on campus!

• You don’t have to wait until your sophomore year to apply.
• You will receive support and guidance right away from the nursing faculty.
• You can work toward achieving your goals from your first day on campus, so you can focus on advancing your nursing career.

View Admissions requirements

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Develop your skills through three years of clinical experience

Clinicals allow students to gain hands-on experience caring for patients in different settings: hospitals, homes, schools, and the community. At Carthage, nursing majors begin clinical work their sophomore year — a year earlier than at most other colleges. Because we work with more than 50+ clinical partners, students have the opportunity to network with a variety of nurse professionals.

Our clinical partners include:

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Prepare for a nursing job with our career development program

Carthage’s comprehensive career development sequence, The Aspire Program, helps students prepare for the workforce by assisting them in creating resumes, developing interview strategies, searching for open positions, and more. Our nursing graduates leave college prepared for a range of careers in the nursing field.

Carthage nursing graduates have been hired for positions at:

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Apply for a full-tuition nursing scholarship

Nursing scholarships Carthage offers a full-tuition Nursing Scholarship that will be awarded to one incoming student in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. This scholarship will be awarded to a promising student who exhibits a desire for excellence in the field and compassionate, quality patient care.

More about nursing scholarships

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Learn in state-of-the-art nursing facilities and with cutting-edge equipment

The Nursing Learning Laboratories houses a welcome center, a debriefing room, a psychomotor skills laboratory, and a simulation laboratory. The simulation laboratory has four high-fidelity human simulators (adult, child, infant, and birthing mother). Our Health Assessment Laboratory houses four examination tables, a conference table, a whiteboard, and TV monitor.

Carthage Nursing Department’s virtual reality simulation program includes 10 Meta Quest 3 headsets packed with over 145 simulated clinical scenarios. All junior and senior nursing students engage in the VR program, which bridges theory to practice with immersive simulated patient care encounters, faculty-led debriefing, and reflection activities. 

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Provide medical care abroad through study tours

Because so much of human behavior is determined by culture, nurses must strive to understand their clients, families, and communities within the context of culture. At Carthage, nursing students have the opportunity to study abroad, experience other cultures first-hand, and learn more about medical care in other countries. Opportunities include participating in Carthage’s medical mission trip to Nicaragua or Honduras, where students volunteer in medical clinics.

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Get mentoring from faculty and upperclassmen

Benefit from an assigned student mentor

Carthage recognizes the importance of a supportive and enriching environment for our nursing students. To demonstrate our commitment to their success, we have established a student mentoring program. All freshmen nursing majors are assigned an upperclassman mentor through their sophomore year. Students can ask their mentors for help with navigating college, managing their coursework, making friends, and so much more.

Learn from experienced nursing professors

With an average of 17 students in every class, Carthage provides students with an environment to form close relationships with their professors. Our nurse educators are not only experts in their field, but they also provide personalized guidance and support to students through one-on-one mentoring sessions, assisting in academic planning, and goal setting. They leverage their extensive networks within the healthcare industry to help students connect with professionals and organizations that align with their career goals.

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Participate in nursing program traditions

The Nursing Program at Carthage has grown many great traditions over the years to celebrate our students.

White Coat Ceremony

Each year, we hold a White Coat Ceremony for junior students. This ceremony formally admits students to their clinical education and emphasizes their commitment to providing compassionate and excellent nursing care.

Nurse Pinning Ceremony

As senior students near graduation time, we hold an Honors and Pinning Ceremony. This ceremony recognizes individual student excellence in academic and clinical endeavors, as well as excellence in teaching among the faculty. The faculty then bestow upon the students the Carthage Nursing Pin, a symbol of their successful completion of the program and admission to the nursing profession as colleagues.

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Give back to the community

Our nursing students are encouraged to be socially responsible. The Carthage Association for Nursing Students (CANS) engages students in various community service opportunities, such as producing Blessing Bags at Christmas for Kenosha’s homeless community, collecting clothing donations for those in need, and fundraising for school supplies.