Practical Nursing Diploma

Description

The Practical Nursing program prepares students for employment as beginning-level staff nurses under the direction of a registered nurse or physician.

The program has two entry points, Fall and Spring Semesters.  The following course sequence reflects the Fall semester entry. Spring semester course sequence can be found in the Nursing Student Handbook.

Limited Access Programs, Acceptance Requirements, and Curricular Sequences

Most programs in the Health Education Division are limited access programs, meaning there are special, particular or additional admission and/or placement requirements beyond those normally required by the College.  In many cases, these requirements include prerequisite classes that must be completed prior to the student’s placement into courses in the particular program area. Clinical seating availability is limited in all health education programs. Applicants must complete TCTC admission requirements and the additional program clinical admission requirements.

Because prerequisite requirements may exist for limited access programs, the following curriculum displays are for information only and should not be interpreted as an exact representation of course progression. The information outlines program course requirements necessary for completing a particular program of study. Students should confer with their program advisor for more specific information.

It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of limited access program admission, program progression and program prerequisite requirements. Students should confer with their program advisor anytime clarification or explanation is needed.

In addition to meeting general admission requirements, Health Education majors are required to meet the curriculum specific requirements outlined below:

• Students must complete recommended developmental studies courses based on course placement criteria.
• Students must have an institutional GPA of 2.0 or higher. There are additional progression requirements in the Catalog. A grade of “C” or higher is needed in all required courses within the Practical Nursing Program. A student may repeat a maximum of two major courses. Students should also refer to individual program handbooks for additional information.
• Students must meet required divisional or program technical standards.
• Students who transfer into the practical nursing program must have a transfer or institutional GPA of 2.0 or higher on previous college work (TCTC GPA supersedes any outside GPA). Nursing courses to be transferred must have been taken within the previous two years. Students who meet these requirements will then be required to pass both a comprehensive exam with an “75” or higher for practical nursing courses and demonstrate program skills competencies for any nursing course(s) for which the transfer credit is requested. If the student does not pass the exam(s), credit will not be awarded, and the student will be required to take the course and/or restart the clinical program. All students who wish to transfer into the nursing program will be required to submit an application through competitive clinical entry. 
• Students are required to carry professional liability insurance, which is obtained through the College.
• Some clinical agencies may require proof of personal health insurance. This is the sole responsibility of the student. Students should contact the dean of student development for more information.
• Clinical agencies require criminal background checks for nursing and allied health educational programs. Certain clinical agencies may necessitate more than one background check and/or drug screen. The results of the criminal background check and yearly drug screen determine if a student is eligible to enter clinical agencies. A student must be able to enter and/or remain in all clinical agencies to progress within a program. Inability to progress within a major for this reason will result in administrative withdrawal from the program. Note: Most Health Education programs require certification or licensure in order to use titles and/or practice the profession. Conviction of a felony, a plea of guilty to a felony, or certain misdemeanor convictions may make the applicant ineligible for certification or licensure.

Health Education Medical Requirements

Students admitted to Health Education programs must present proof of immunization or immunity to measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (chickenpox) and annual flu vaccine. (Health forms are available from the Division Office or Department Head.) All students in Health Education programs must have documentation of Tuberculosis status. Immunization to Hepatitis B is expected as a means to avert serious illness and to meet clinical agency requirements. A student who refuses immunization to Hepatitis B is required to sign a declination form, which will be kept in the student’s file. Some clinical agencies will not require a signed declination form. Clinical agencies reserve the right to not accept declination forms for certain immunizations, i.e. flu vaccine.

Competitive Clinical Entry – Practical Nursing

Competitive clinical entry guidelines have been implemented for Practical Nursing students. Competitive clinical entry allows the most qualified students to enter the clinical portion of the program. Nursing students are strongly encouraged to have certified nursing assistant (CNA) training prior to the competitive clinical entry application process.

For the most current Competitive Clinical Entry information, interested students can go to www.tctc.edu/nursing or contact the Health Education admissions liaison office (Pendleton Campus, Fulp Hall, Room 401, 864-646-1620) for more information. The application is an automated document found in the College’s portal for eligible students.

To have eligibility, a Practical Nursing student must:

• have a minimum transfer or institutional GPA of 2.0;
• have a minimum AITS (Adjusted Individual Total Score) ATI TEAS score of 50%;
• participate in the online version of Pre-Nursing Workshop and submit verification; and
• have completed BIO 101 (or be registered for it) with a grade of “C” or higher. BIO 101, BIO 210, and BIO 211 courses (any that have already been taken) must have been completed within five years of entering the clinical phase of the Nursing program. BIO 101, BIO 210, and BIO 211 courses may be repeated only two times to achieve a passing grade. For those applicants whose required BIO 210 and BIO 211 courses are greater than 5 years old, the ATI Anatomy and Physiology test is required with a minimum score of 61% or higher. If the minimum score is not achieved, students are required to repeat BIO 210 and BIO 211.

Applications must be submitted each term until clinical entry occurs. Application deadlines will be firm. Information, such as detailed instructions, complete worksheet and policy, can be found at the TCTC public website for Practical Nursing at www.tctc.edu/nursing.

The program curriculum guide can be found on the TCTC public website at www.tctc.edu/nursing. It is the responsibility of the student to track the progress of program prerequisites. The student must meet with an assigned program advisor each semester for guidance and for confirmation that prerequisite changes have not occurred. (Changes in program and curricular requirements can occur.)

Program Notification

Accepted students will receive an email through the student’s Tri-County Technical College email account. This email serves as an official offer for a seat into the program and identifies the program deposit fee deadline date. Failure to pay the program deposit fee by the specified date will result in non-entry. Once the student pays the non-refundable program deposit fee, a seat will be held for entry into the next program class. The student must continue to maintain the minimum GPA even though the program deposit fee has been paid.

Program Outcomes

Upon completion, students will be able to:

• Perform nursing skills within scope of practice
• Apply the nursing process
• Communicate theraputically
• Work effectively in a team
• Teach health-related concepts
• Maintain professionalism

Graduation Credits Required: 48