Christa A. Overcash Associate Degree in Nursing

Now is the time to pursue a career in healthcare. To get started, enroll at the college, then complete a program application using the instructions on this page. Program applications are currently being accepted by email only. Admissions Specialists are available to help you by phone or by email.

What You Will Learn

Nursing is the largest healthcare occupation in the U.S., and Central Piedmont’s nursing program is the oldest of its kind in the state of North Carolina. Therefore, when you choose to enroll in our nursing program, you decide to learn at an institution that has built a reputation for producing quality healthcare practitioners for more than 50 years.

The Christa A. Overcash Associate Degree in nursing curriculum will provide you with the knowledge, skills, and strategies to:

• integrate safety and quality into nursing care
• practice in a dynamic environment
• meet an individual's needs to positively impact their health, enhance their quality of life, and help them achieve their full potential

Our coursework includes and builds upon the domains of healthcare, nursing practice, and the holistic individual. Content emphasizes the nurse as a member of the interdisciplinary team, providing safe, individualized care while employing evidence-based practice, quality improvement, and informatics. Upon completion of the program, you will:

• practice professional nursing behaviors incorporating personal responsibility and accountability for continued competence
• communicate professionally and effectively with individuals, significant support person(s), and members of the interdisciplinary healthcare team
• integrate knowledge of the holistic needs of the individual to provide an individual centered assessment
• use critical thinking, health informatics, and evidence-based practice to make sound nursing judgments to provide safe and effective care
• implement caring interventions incorporating documented evidence based practice for individuals in diverse settings
• develop a teaching plan for diverse patients and families and/or the healthcare team, incorporating teaching and learning principles
• collaborate with the interdisciplinary healthcare team to advocate for positive individual and organizational outcomes
• manage health care for the individual using safe, efficient, effective nursing strategies and quality improvement processes

Graduates are also eligible to apply to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN), which is required for practice as a Registered Nurse. Employment opportunities are vast within the global healthcare system and may include positions within acute, chronic, extended, industrial, and community healthcare facilities.

Why Choose Central Piedmont

Our 2022 nursing graduates earned a 92% employment rate and a passing rate of 98% on their respective NCLEX-RN certification exam.

Central Piedmont's nursing program is the oldest nursing program in the N.C. Community College System and has graduated more than 3,000 students since its inception in 1965. Our program has withstood the test of time because it has remained committed to the college’s mission – to provide a quality, affordable, and accessible education to all. During our more than 50 years at the college, our program has evolved and grown to meet the needs of today’s healthcare industry leaders and college student population. As a Central Piedmont nursing student, you will:

• enjoy a flexible learning environment, including online courses in general education
• learn from quality faculty who bring decades of experience into the classroom
• benefit from our affordability, our two-year degree program is a fraction of the cost of other area nursing programs
• learn in classrooms featuring state-of-the-art technology
• participate in clinical training at a variety of sites around Charlotte and the Carolinas, providing excellent exposure to potential employers

In addition, our nursing program is approved by the NC Board of Nursing and is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), a mark of distinction certifying that the program adheres to the highest national standards of education.

You will also have the opportunity to participate in the Association of Nursing Students.

Real World Education

At Central Piedmont, your education goes beyond what you learn in class. We offer numerous opportunities for you to enhance your learning — and to make friends, network, and pursue your passions — through clubs and organizations, sports, events and activities, leadership opportunities, job experience, volunteer experiences, visual and performing arts, and even international experiences.