Salish Kootenai College Nursing Department – SKC Nursing ASN and BSN Programs

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Salish Kootenai College Nursing

Salish Kootenai College Nursing program, established in 1988, leads the nation in graduating Native American Registered Nurses. Individualized education and a supportive learning environment are hallmarks of the Salish Kootenai College Nursing program. Student success is one of the colleges primary goals.

Nursing Department Mission

The mission of the SKC Nursing Department is to provide Native American nurses with the competencies required for professional practice and leadership in rural and tribal communities. The Nursing Program promotes collaborative partnerships and relationships with individuals and communities to enhance their health, well-being, and cultural identity.

SKC will be retiring the Associate of Science Degree (ASN) in Nursing

We at Salish Kootenai College (SKC) are very excited to be moving forward to a four-year generic Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing (BSN). The BSN degree is now an industry standard, particularly among larger healthcare systems across the country including federal entities such as the Indian Health Service and Veterans Administration, SKC is committed to providing the gold standard of pre-licensure degree offerings.

SKC will be retiring the Associate of Science Degree in Nursing (ASN) with the last class graduating in Spring of 2022. The 4-year BSN degree was implemented this Fall Quarter of Academic Year 2020-21. The last cohort of the ASN program have entered Level I of the ASN program this Fall Quarter of Academic Year 2020-21; this cohort will progress to Level II in the Fall of 2021, and graduate with their RN degree June of 2022. This will be the last graduating ASN cohort.

Welcome to Salish Kootenai College Nursing Department

Chair’s Welcome

We welcome YOU to the Nursing Department at SKC!!

This nursing program was founded upon the ideal of educating nurses to serve diverse populations in rural settings. Our small class sizes and unique clinical settings prepare our graduates for the challenges of these types of locations. We have a state of the art moderate to high fidelity simulation lab, two nursing skills labs that mimic a hospital, and a year-long robust Anatomy and Physiology 3-quarter course and lab, using a synthetic human cadaver, SynDaver, the first of its kind in the state. Our nursing program embraces the Native American culture and prepares our graduates to be able to provide culturally congruent care.

The faculty and staff of this department are focused on the success of our students in both the ASN and BSN programs. The ASN program transitions seamlessly to the RN-BSN completion program. Upon completion of the ASN program, students take their licensing exam (NCLEX); once students are licensed, they are eligible to enter the RN-BSN completion program. After students earn their baccalaureate degree in nursing (BSN), many continue on to complete graduate degrees in nursing and other fields.

SKC is very excited to be offering the 4-year direct admit BSN degree, which started fall quarter of 2020! SKC is the first tribal college in the United States to offer the 4-year BSN. As many employers are now requiring the BSN, we are grateful that we can provide this degree here on the Flathead Reservation–serving Native Americans throughout the state and region, as well as non-Native students whose dream it is to earn their degrees in nursing!

On behalf of the entire faculty and staff of the Nursing Department, we want to welcome you. We look forward to the journey as you pursue your Associate or Baccalaureate degree in Nursing. We encourage you to become an active part of this program. It may be a difficult journey at times, but the rewards are great.

Kristine Hilton, PhDc, RN, CNE
Director of Nursing, Co-Chair

Heather Dawson, MSN, RN, CNE
BSN Coordinator, Co-Chair