Practical Nursing
This certificate prepares students to take care of patients in extended care and other non-acute care settings.
This is a G3 program. Students may qualify for free tuition, fees, and books.
Area of Interest
Program
Credit Hours
Program Information
The Practical Nursing (PN) Program prepares graduates to successfully function in the role of an entry-level licensed practical nurse under the supervision of a registered nurse or physician in structured settings, providing direct care to clients with common health problems that have predictable outcomes.
The purpose of the Practical Nursing Program is to educate individuals who are concerned with basic therapeutic, rehabilitative, and preventative care for people of all ages and diverse cultures in various stages of dependency. The graduate of PVCC’s PN program will be eligible to apply for licensure after successful completion of the NCLEX-PN examination.
The problem-solving process is used as a framework for critical thinking and practice. Concepts that provide further structure for the development of practical nursing competency are assessment of patients with emergent needs, communication skills, and development of professional attitudes and characteristics.
Clinical Compliance
All students in this program of study are required to meet clinical compliance requirements as directed by the clinical compliance coordinator. These requirements may include a criminal background check, immunization documentation, drug use screenings, and other standards for on-site clinical training.
Background and drug screenings are not conducted prior to admission. Consult the admission information book or contact the head of the program with inquiries regarding barrier crimes and drug usage regulations.
PVCC Practical Nursing NCLEX Rates
| Graduating Class (December of year) | Students Tested | Students Passed | Pass Rate (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 15 | 10 | 66.67 |
| 2018 | 14 | 13 | 92.86 |
| 2019 | 18 | 12 | 66.67 |
| 2020 | 11 | 10 | 90.91 |
| 2021 | 12 | 12 | 100 |
| 2022 | 14 | 14 | 100 |
Questions
Watch this Spotlight on Practical Nursing Program Information Session.
Please direct questions regarding the Practical Nursing program to Brittany Pokrifka via email at BPokrifka@pvcc.edu.
Admission Requirements
In addition to admission to the college, students must also meet eligibility requirements specific to this program, and only a limited number of students are admitted into a given cohort. If there are more applicants during a cycle than there are available positions in the cohort, eligible applicants will be ranked according to specific criteria and students are admitted or deferred according to that rank.
Please see the Admissions Information Book below for program requirements, minimum eligibility requirements, applicant ranking criteria, and other important information for prospective students.
Note that Health and Life Sciences will treat final grades of “P+” as a ”C+” with a GPA of 2.5 when determining GPA/points for competitive admissions decisions. Other final grades which are outside of the standard A-F scale will be assigned values at the discretion of the admissions committee and/or in accordance with the admissions information book.
Information Sessions
Information sessions are provided each application cycle for prospective students. The purpose of these sessions is to help students to decide if this program and profession will be right for them, and to walk students through the application and admissions process. Attendees will also be able to ask the faculty questions about the program and the profession.
Attendance at an information session is strongly encouraged for all students. Refer to the current Admissions Information Book for information regarding whether your application will be ranked based on attendance.
The following information sessions are currently scheduled:
- Wednesday, January 18, 2023 from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM in the Keats Science Building, Room K210.
- Monday, February 6, 2023 from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM via Zoom. (Link TBD)
- Tuesday, February 7, 2023 from 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM SPOTLIGHT on the PNE Program with Brittany Pokrifka via Zoom. Register
- Wednesday, March 22, 2023 from 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM via Zoom. (Link TBD)
- Tuesday, April 4 from 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM, via PVCC Program Spotlight
Specific attendance information will be sent to all current PVCC students at a later date
To attend an information session please pre-register.
If you can't attend one of our information sessions in-person, watch this Spotlight on the PN program.
Apply for Admission
Applications are accepted through the Health and Life Sciences Admissions Portal. Hardcopy applications and applications received outside of the portal will not be considered for admission. Applying to other health sciences programs has no impact on an applicant’s qualifications for this program. Applications for previous years are not valid for current or future application years.
All applicants must be current PVCC students to begin their health sciences application. If you are not a current PVCC student, please click the “Apply Now” link at the top of this page and complete a VCCS/PVCC application.
Applications for the 2023 admission cycle open at 9:00 AM on August 29, 2022 and will close at 5:00 PM on October 24, 2022.
Sign in to the Health and Life Sciences Application Portal to begin your application.
Changes to Application Requirements
TEAS scores from tests taken at an ECPI location are no longer accepted.
TEAS Test & Prep
Click here for TEAS test study materials and practice tests.
Only currently enrolled PVCC students can access these materials off campus. Non-PVCC students will need to access these materials from the PVCC network on campus. Computers are available for use in the Betty Sue Jessup Library to access these materials.
The TEAS test can be taken at any authorized testing center that offers the complete and most current revision of the exam, including the PVCC Testing Centers. The PVCC Testing Centers can also provide a TEAS study guide upon request.