Why Carroll Nursing?

The E.L. Wiegand Nursing Simulation Center at Carroll is among the best nurse training facilities in the region. From the sophomore year on, Carroll's laboratory equipment and high-fidelity patient simulators allow students to experience the challenges nurses face in many treatment scenarios, from patient assessment to labor and delivery to emergency situations. Studies show these simulated nursing experiences make graduates of the program less likely to experience performance anxiety once they are out in the real world of nursing. Our students also excel in nursing skills performance, from inserting an IV and installing tubes to catheter care. Challenge now builds confidence when it really matters.

At Carroll, the faculty is our greatest strength, and nursing students can expect extensive personal attention and guidance from professors in the classroom, laboratory, and clinical settings. In order to ensure the best learning experience for students, Carroll maintains a low faculty-to-student ratio. A Carroll nursing education translates to an intensive internship in the profession. You will enter the profession prepared to succeed in the real world. See our list of nursing faculty and staff.

With clinical experience beginning in the 200-level nursing courses, students have the opportunity to apply the knowledge gained in the classroom to real-life situations early and consistently throughout the curriculum. Students complete approximately 850 hours of clinical/lab as preparation for entering the profession of nursing. For traditional nursing track students, this equates to 3-full years of clinical experiences beginning in the first semester of the nursing program. Clinical occurs in diverse community settings, varying from Helena’s hospitals to public health, assisted-living, long-term care, home visits, and psychiatric and school settings. Each nursing course at Carroll provides quality, personalized learning experiences and experienced faculty.

The baccalaureate degree in nursing at Carroll College is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. This accreditation guarantees you as the student that the program has to demonstrate rigorous quality indicators related to the curriculum including student success outcomes, evaluation, faculty qualifications and more. We are also fully approved by the Montana Board of Nursing, a mandatory designation if graduates want to be eligible to take the licensing examination (NCLEX-RN) to become a registered nurse. These two indicators of quality are what students should look for when choosing a program.

The results really do speak for themselves. Graduates of our nursing program achieve NCLEX pass rates above the state and national averages. 100% of our 2018 and 2020 traditional graduates, as well as 100% of our first cohort of accelerated nursing graduates in 2022, passed the NCLEX on the first try! Nearly half of Carroll’s nursing graduates have jobs lined up by the time they graduate, with the majority finding employment within a few months of graduation.

Because of our outstanding program and depth of training, Carroll nursing graduates possess the knowledge, maturity and clinical skills to be successful practitioners in a wide variety of health care settings. Graduates from a 4-year Baccalaureate nursing program have more career options upon graduation.

Our graduates are consistently looked upon as leaders, thanks to the critical thinking, communication, and positive attitudes they bring in addition to being skilled caregivers. That’s why you’ll find them being accepted into top graduate-level programs and providing the highest quality care in settings from Montana, to Washington, to Texas, to New York City.

Carroll's concentration on holistic health care means our graduates are prepared far beyond basic nursing skills. They emerge ready to take on the challenges of providing the broadest overall care for patients, with an emphasis on both prevention and treatment. Our graduates frequently enter community health professions dedicated to helping people enjoy long lifetimes of good health and shaping the future of U.S. public health policy. See what graduates are saying about the Carroll College nursing program.

Alumni surveys of our 1- and 5-year nursing alumni reveal high employer satisfaction. As one employer recently puts it, "The Carroll grads seem to transition more effectively from the student role into work role. Their ability to put into practical application the theory learned is impressive."

Or as another employer recently said, "Carroll College produces some of the best nurses I have ever had the pleasure of working with!"

See more examples of what our alumni and our graduates’ employers are saying about our program.

Because of their excellent critical thinking and communication skills honed through our broad liberal education, Carroll nursing graduates not only become top nurses but also rise to leadership and management positions in hospitals and other health care organizations. As one hospital administrator says, "I have worked with several Carroll College graduates-they seem especially prepared for roles which require additional responsibility and leadership."

Many Carroll students enjoy prestigious internships at highly competitive programs, including the Mayo Clinic. These internships often translate to jobs upon graduation. Carroll nursing graduates enter the profession in excellent health care facilities nationwide.

At the center of life and learning on the nursing floor is the Holistic Health Lab and Learning Center. This space is dedicated to the learning and practice of holistic healing modalities for self care and enhancing the wellness of others.