The nursing shortage continues to grow in spite of increased numbers of students entering nursing programs at colleges across the country. However, the real threat to our capacity to provide professional nursing care is the lack of qualified faculty to teach these students. The Ohio Board of Nursing requires a minimum of a Master’s Degree in Nursing, or variations of the Bachelor and Master’s degrees to teach. The National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) requires that both degrees be in nursing. Our community is very fortunate to have the ability to advance from an STNA (State Tested Nurse Aide) to a Master’s Degree in Nursing on one campus. Marion Technical College’s R.N. nursing program was the first among the four technical colleges that share a regional campus with The Ohio State University to be able to transfer credits. Consequently, the Associate Degree Registered Nurse graduate from MTC can now transfer to The Ohio State University at Marion to complete the Bachelor Degree in Nursing.

Students can earn their State-Tested Nurse Aide (STNA) certification and Associate Degree in Nursing (R.N.) at Marion Technical College, transfer to OSU Marion for their BSN, and then attend courses at MTC via distance learning to complete their Master’s Degree (MSN) from Otterbein College.

Marion’s Tri Rivers Career Center has a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) program, which articulates smoothly with Marion Technical College and enables LPN’s to complete their Associate Degree in Nursing via the Transition Program. Of course, these students may join the other MTC R.N. grads and transfer to OSUM and Otterbein to complete the BSN and MSN degrees.

Marion Technical College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, and the nursing program has been accredited by the NLNAC since shortly after the program’s inception. Accreditation enables students to transfer credits to other colleges and universities and signifies the excellence in education at MTC.

As a bonus, Marion Technical College’s nursing graduates have been in the top four schools’ pass rate for the State Board of Nursing Exam (NCLEX-RN) for the past 11 years. The Ohio Board of Nursing reported in 2006 that Marion Technical College was ranked number one in exam pass rate among all 51 associate and bachelor degree nursing programs in Ohio.

To find out more about this option, call 740-389-4636 and ask to speak to an advisor.