New guidelines from Michigan’s Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs and a recent executive order signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will have a big impact on Kellogg Community College Nursing students.

The recently announced regulatory changes for Nursing students include the following:

Nursing students can complete their spring clinical experiences 100% online through distance learning, as opposed to the previous requirement of 50%. This is especially important for current Nursing students who have been unable to complete their hands-on clinical requirements due to the coronavirus shutdown this semester.

Nursing students who complete their courses and are eligible to sit for the RN state NCLEX exam for licensure can work as a general nurse for up to one year prior to sitting for the exam. Before the COVID-19 outbreak, students could not work in a nursing role until after passing the state licensure exam. CORRECTION: This temporary licensure update is for RN students only; a previous draft of this report erroneously stated it applied to LPN students as well.

For more information about the changes:

KCC Director of Nursing Education Elizabeth Fluty verified the changes and their impacts on KCC’s current Nursing students.

Fluty said that despite the challenges due to campus closures and clinical site limitations earlier this semester, KCC’s Nursing Program has been able to move forward without canceling any Spring 2020 Nursing classes, and that KCC Nursing students who had planned on graduating this spring will be able to do so on time. But change can still be hard for some students, she said.

“Switching and having to adapt to online distance learning is challenging for some in regards to both technology and lack of human interaction,” Fluty said. “Students need to know KCC is here to support them every step of the way through the crisis, from the KCC Board of Directors and administrators to the classroom and clinical instructors.”

Additional online resources have been purchased for students to achieve the best class and clinical outcomes possible during this time, Fluty said, and as KCC gave instructors and students a week off from classes between closing campus and the resumption of classes online in March, the instructors had time to create a tenable plan for moving the program forward this spring.

Nursing students who are struggling with the new format who are considering withdrawing from classes or taking an incomplete in a course should reach out to their classroom instructor for guidance, Fluty said. If the student receives financial aid or scholarships, they should contact the KCC Financial Aid office at finaid@kellogg.edu about their financial aid and the KCC Foundation at kccfoundation@kellogg.edu for information about their scholarship.

Communication is key for all students, Fluty said.

“Communicate and be patient with your classroom instructor,” she said. “They are working extra hard to ensure you get what is needed to meet both the course and clinical outcomes during this time of change.”

Become a Nurse at KCC

If you want a flexible, in-demand career helping people and making a difference every day, nursing may be the career for you. Applications for KCC’s Full-Time and Part-Time Nursing programs are available now. Visit www.kellogg.edu/nursing for more information.