10 Top Nursing Schools in Jamaica|Tuition & Requirements

Looking for the nursing schools in Jamaica? Nursing is regarded as one of the most vital physio-initiated professions in the world and a respected sector in the medical field.

So, are you making research about the reputable nursing schools in Jamaica? you’re on the right page.

Nursing degrees are designed to mold dedicated students for responsibilities in all phases of a patient’s supervision when brought into a care facility and helping them in the meanwhile during the long road towards recovery.

Nursing graduates turn into professionals by means of the rigorous training process and delicate situational control tutorship and get certified to become specialists in mental health nursing, disability nursing, etc.

They can also get assigned to top duties like heading a nursing job as a supervisor or handler-in-charge. Now, here is the list of nursing schools in Jamaica.

The List of nursing schools in Jamaica

All potential nursing and or midwifery students should be aware that any nursing or midwifery program of study they are considering should be approved by the Nursing Council of Jamaica (NCJ) before they enroll. A current list of the Council’s approved general nursing and educational programs is as follows:

  • Excelsior Community College, School of Nursing
  • Northern Caribbean University
  • Caribbean School of Nursing: University of Technology, Papine Campus
  • Caribbean School of Nursing: University of Technology, Montego Bay Campus
  • University of the West Indies School of Nursing, Mona Campus
  • University of the West Indies School of Nursing, Western Campus
  • Brown’s Town Community College School of Nursing
  • Knox Community College School of Nursing
  • Sigma College of Nursing & Applied Sciences

NB:     The Council has not approved any School of Nursing or Midwifery to offer part-time programs in nursing and or midwifery.

Recognition of Prior Learning For Nursing and Midwifery Education:

Applicants normally require a minimum academic qualification to enter nursing and midwifery programs. The Nursing Council recognizes that learning can and does occur outside of traditional routes and so is committed to the principles of equity and accessibility, and facilitates entry to programs through non-traditional routes.

On that basis, Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is an assessment process that determines the extent to which an applicant has achieved the required competencies and standards for entry into these programs, and is being rigorously defined by educators on the Nursing Council. 

Being the regulatory body for nursing and midwifery education, the Council is developing the RPL Programme that will be communicated to institutions that offer those programs for implementation.

Assessors of applications will be required to give due regard to professional and statutory accredited study that when the RPL system is implemented, it will not compromise the specifics of academic and clinical standards for nursing and midwifery education and practice.

Credit recognition for prior academic achievements will only be approved by the Council when prior learning is comparable in terms of content, quality, award, and duration to the units of study within the relevant programs.

The guidelines determined by the Council must be followed.

PLAR is therefore not yet accepted as an entry requirement for Nursing and Midwifery education.

1. Hyacinth Chen Nursing School-Nothern Caribbean University

Located in the city of Mandeville Jamaica, Hyacinth Chen nursing school is one of the most notable degree-awarding nursing institutes In Jamaica. 

Founded in august 2008, the institution is built From directly across The northern Caribbean university’s campus. It is owned by the seventh Adventist day church. 

The 4-year baccalaureate degree program constitutes a sum of 137 credit loads and Is approved by the nursing council of Jamaica, whilst using the national curriculum Guidelines from the nation’s ministry of the health sector.

The long-term goal of the institute Is the provision of an attested-based degree-awarding postgraduate nursing and midwifery education, equipping students with topmost diligence and standards. 

The northern Caribbean University (NCU) is the oldest institute in the Caribbean to offer a bachelor of degree In nursing. 

Also, the nursing faculty has Kept up an 85% pass rate In the regional license explanation for nurses registration. 

The above mentioned was set up by Jamaica’s Nursing Council (NCJ) 

The comprising 137 loads are sub-divided into three categories; 

  • Core – 88 credits 
  • Cognates – 19 credits 
  • General education – 30 credits. 

The total credits to be taken depend on moved Credits.

Their nursing program has been approved by the Nursing Council of Jamaica. It uses the National Curriculum guidelines of the Ministry of Health in conjunction with the University’s liberal arts infusion.

Entry Requirements

Hyacinth Chen nursing institute requires applicants to have a minimum of the following requirements: 

  • Mathematics 
  • Biology 
  • English 
  • Chemistry or Physics 

This plus any other subjects from the approved lists of subjects in high school. The passing grades include 1-3, for CSEC, or grades A-C for GCEs. 

Tuition Fee 

The tuition fees are updated on a yearly basis for the 2022 session, there was a 0.16% add up. The updated fee is JA $ 418274( 464.00US$)/sem.

2. Kingston School Of Nursing 

Located at 50 halfway tree road Kingston, the Kingston school of nursing takes the second row on our list of the top 4 nursing institutes in jamaica.

Students herein spend a rational 50% of their study loads working in a realistic environment -hospitals.

They also get to work with clinical mentors and other professionals in the health field.

Placement duties include working hours in the medical and surgical wards, the practice of GP nursing, and also getting integrated with likewise health community teams. 

NURSING students in Kingston also get a dedicated amount of simulation suite and the experience of Real-life health situations.

Other engagements include exploring the basics of nursing, volunteering, Institute-funded student research as well as sporting.

Medical ward tasks assigned to undergraduate nurses include pre and postoperative care of patients, the measurements, takings, and testing of blood samples as well as providing psychological support for patients.

Kingston offers admission entry slots for both undergraduate and postgraduate studies.

Nursing and Midwifery undergraduate courses offered at the institute include: 

  • Adult Nursing 
  • Nursing associate Fdsc 
  • Mental health Nursing BSc (Hons) 
  • Midwifery with Registered midwife Bmid (Hons) for registered nurses (Adult) -Children’s Nursing (Hons) 
  • Learning Disabilities Nursing BSc (Hons) 
  • Midwifery With Registered Midwife Bmid (Hons). 
  • Basic Requirements For Entry (under/postgraduates) 

Postgraduate applicants are required to have a 2.2 or above in any health or at least, a science-related degree.

Courses like psychology, biology, health studies or even social sciences fit perfectly into these requirements. 

Applicants must have at the lowest, five GSCEs at either grade 4 or a higher grade. For GSCEs taken before 2017, the requirement edges to a C or above grade.

English and Maths are must-include subjects. this, together with substantial evidence of academic study that falls within the last five years, ideally.

Lastly, entrants are required to have had a minimum of 650 hours of health-related experiences which had been undertaken not more than 12 months prior to the admission’s application.

They will also be asked to complete recognition of prior learning forms.

This is filled by the applicants with personal demonstrations of their experience.

Accredited as a school of Midwifery by the Nursing Council Jamaica. Facilities are located in:
– Kingston (876) 906-4517, 926-4127-9
– Spanish Town, St. Catherine (876) 984-3031,
– Montego Bay, St. James (876) 952-6290 and 952-5100-9

The Kingston School of Nursing, formally the Teaching Department of the Kingston Public Hospital, is the oldest Nursing School in Jamaica.

3. Excelsior School of Nursing

The excelsior School of Nursing, which is under the excelsior Community college, makes it to third on our list of accredited nursing schools in jamaica.

The department got accredited in 2021 by the accreditation commission for education in nursing. 

The college guarantees entry to students who meet the published standards of the excelsior college of nursing’s admission policies.

The institute is set up exclusively for post-graduate students. 

Required Documents

  • Letter of recommendation from past employer/tutor 

  • Address/contact information of the recommender 

  • The official transcript of records (grade list) 

  • A well-documented resume with relevant experience of the applicant in the field of Nursing

  • Most importantly, a bachelor’s degree 

4. The University of West Indies School of Nursing

This institute is located at Gibraltar camp road in Kingston. Currently, they offer three distinct nursing courses : 

  • 1. Diploma in Health Visiting 

  • 2. Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree (pre-registration) 

  • 3. Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree, Generic (pre-registration)

These programs get delivered to the students on a physical note via a mix of classroom and laboratory learnings, in conjunction with clinical experience.

All these are offered at varieties of health and educational facilities owned by the college. 

The bachelor of Science in Nursing (generic) is the institute’s newest department created to prepare amateurs with no nursing experience in becoming registered nurses with top-notch competence in providing patients with excellent nursing care. 

The course is a 4-year academic calendar program.

The sole objective is to develop the students’ knowledge of nursing, plus vast improvements in skills development, and the clinical practices in their molding into professional nurses. 

UWI Admission Requirements

  • Aspiring applicants must be at least, seventeen years of age by the start of the academic year.

  • They should also have a least of 2-unit CAPE subjects in grades one to five, from the core science subjects of mathematics, biology, chemistry, or physics. 

  • Applicants should have acquired 5 CSEC/GCE/CXC 
  • They must have in their portfolio, legitimate qualifications from tertiary institutions that are recognized by the college of nursing at the university of west indies. 

UWI College of Nursing Tuition Fees

The tuition fees for the department of nursing, under the faculty of medical sciences, are US$5,000 per annum and J$5,031 per credit for every reseated examination by a student.

5. National Academy of Nursing, Kingston

National Academy has been operating since 1983 in Kingston, Jamaica. It is the leading institution in the training of Practical Nurses in the country supplying personnel who have been trained to world-class standards to hospitals, health centers, nursing homes, and other health care facilities.

Since its inception in 1983, National Academy has assisted hundreds of students to achieve their academic goals in nursing, business, information technology, and science.

This institute is one of the oldest nursing schools in Jamaica, its operations dating back to 1983.

It is one of Jamaica’s leading institutions notable for the skill enhancement and training of practical nurses.

The academy’s activities are managed by a team of professionals in education.

The academic’s foremost purpose is the provision of educational services to individuals wishing to expand their educational portfolio in order to place them in a more marketable position in the world’s medical marketplace. 

Requirements For Entry

Like most nursing degree programs in the nursing schools in Jamaica, the basic requirements for admission into Kingston’s national academy of nursing include; 

  • Grade 4 or above GSCE in mathematics and English Language. (science subjects are preferred as well).

    Equivalent qualifications like key skills level 3 in literacy and numeracy as well as a level 2 in applied sciences are also valid requirements. 
  • Applicants will also be invited for enhanced DBS check and occupational health clearance. those who scale through this stage successfully will be invited for an interview.

    Applicants should be aware that the typical requirement for entry into the program is between 1112-128 UCAS points.

    The tuition fee for a session in the national academy of nursing is $5000.

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