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Course Catalog Resources

Practical Nurse Diploma Program

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Program Description

The PN Diploma Program

  • provides a dynamic pathway for entry into professional licensed nurse (PN) practice;
  • evolves to reflect local community needs and current and emerging healthcare delivery trends;
  • instills the tenets of advocacy, professional involvement, lifelong learning, and leadership; and
  • involves evidence-based practice which prepares graduates to employ critical thinking, clinical competence, and technical proficiency in healthcare settings.

The PN Diploma Program prepares learners to apply for PN licensure and take the NCLEX-PN® exam. The PN Diploma Program curriculum plan meets the requirements of the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The blended distance curriculum consists of twenty-eight (28) semester credits of nursing core coursework and fourteen (14) semester credits of general education and is delivered over forty-eight (48) academic weeks. Learners are required to take the nursing courses in the sequence prescribed. The PN Diploma Program requires a total of forty-two (42) semester credits for graduation. The Program is designed to be completed within three (3) academic semesters. However, it may take longer to complete if learners take GE courses at other institutions of higher learning that require prerequisites.

Note: Learners enrolled in a Supervised On-ground Field Experience (SOFE) must progress through the Program according to the original Program Plan. For each enrolled cohort, a predetermined course schedule outlining the entire Program is established at the time of the initial enrollment. The predetermined original Program Plan may not be modified unless extenuating circumstances arise. The College does not guarantee the availability of courses at a specific SOFE and reserves the right to change Program Plans as necessary.

The PN Diploma Program prepares graduates for entry-level practical nursing practice in long-term care facilities, clinics, and other healthcare settings. Nursing is a dynamic profession that contributes significantly to the health and well-being of individuals and communities.

The PN Diploma Program curriculum was implemented as a result of the call for radical transformation in nursing education presented in Educating Nurses (Benner, P., Sutphen, M., Leonard, V., & Day, L., 2010), a Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching study on preparation for the nursing profession, and other literature including the Institute of Medicine and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation report on The Future of Nursing. The implementation of concept-based curriculum is an answer to current literature and research on best practices for nursing education.

Upon satisfactory completion of the prescribed PN Diploma Program curriculum with a minimum grade of “C” in each nursing core course and completion of all other graduation requirements, the learner will earn a Diploma of Practical Nursing.

Program Objectives

  • Graduate future practical nurses who will improve individual, family, and community health and wellness by applying best-demonstrated, evidence-based skills and knowledge in their practice.
  • Facilitate career mobility of graduates and help meet the demand for professional practical nurses.
  • Increase the availability of nursing education opportunities for qualified learners.
  • Improve access to nursing education, course scheduling flexibility, and learning efficacy through various innovative instruction delivery methods and learning modalities, including asynchronous online engagements, blended distance learning, course structure, and high-fidelity case-based experiential learning.

Program Outcomes

PN Program Diploma Outcomes are aligned with the Institutional Effectiveness Plan and measure the degree to which the Program achieves its stated mission.

Program-Level Learner Outcomes
At Program completion, as measured by evaluation activities throughout the Program, the graduate will:

  1. Demonstrate quality, competent, client-centered care—always bearing in mind the physical, psychological, spiritual, emotional, cultural, and environmental aspects of the clients’ needs.
  2. Demonstrate skills of intentional learning, critical thinking, and reflection to purposefully perform their duties within the PN role and scope of practice and provide holistic care to the clients they serve.
  3. Use current research and nursing’s identified best practices; graduates will demonstrate the ability to practice based on evidence in their profession and within the PN role and scope of practice.
  4. Make decisions demonstrating clinical judgment within the PN role and scope of practice, taking into consideration ethical, moral, legal, and evidence-based principles.
  5. Demonstrate management skills and attributes appropriate for their role as licensed practical nurses.
  6. Demonstrate effective communication—therapeutically and professionally—with and without the use of technology in their work as practical nurses.
  7. Demonstrate the ability to assess, improve, and assure quality and safety situations in their work as practical nurses.
  8. Collaborate effectively, within the PN role and scope of practice, with others and function as valuable team members of an interdisciplinary team.

Core Competencies

  1. Client-Centered Care
  2. Intentional Learning with Reflection
  3. Evidence-Based Practice
  4. Decision-Making and Clinical Reasoning
  5. Organizational, Local, and Global Leadership
  6. Communication and Informatics
  7. Quality and Safety Assurance
  8. Teamwork and Collaboration

Requirements and Procedures

All applicants work closely with an Admissions Advisor to assess career goals, motivation, and commitment to learning.

To be considered for admission, an applicant must meet the following requirements:

  1. Pay the non-refundable application fee as shown below:
  2. Complete the Application for Admissions. (The application and the paid fee are valid for one [1] year).
  3. Submit copy of a high school (diploma or its equivalent, as described below) one week prior to the first day of attendance.
  4. Pass the Prelicensure Nursing Entrance Exam.
  5. If requesting transfer of credit, submit official college transcripts for the previous post-secondary coursework by the deadline in accordance with the Transfer of Credit section of the Catalog.
    1. A total of fourteen (14) general education semester credits is required for graduation from the PN Diploma Program and must be completed prior to the end of the last academic semester in the PN Diploma Program. Learners may refer to the General Education Requirement section of this Catalog for the minimum number of credits required in each of the three (3) required general education (GE) breadth areas. GE courses may be completed at the College or another institution of higher learning concurrent with enrollment in nursing courses.
    2. Official transcripts are required for matriculation into the PN Diploma Program.
    3. Learners admitted without the full fourteen (14) semester credits of general education are required to complete at least one (1) general education course per academic semester at the College or another institution of higher learning and to provide the official transcript to the Registrar prior to the beginning of the next academic semester to register for the next academic semester. To register for the last academic semester of the PN Diploma Program, the learner must submit the proof of enrollment in the final general education course to the Registrar and, upon completion, submit an official transcript to graduate.
    4. The College reserves the right to accept or reject any and all credits earned at other post-secondary institutions or through course challenge exams.
  6. Complete Smarter Measure Assessment for evaluation of online learning readiness.
  7. Meet with a Learner Funding Advisor to initiate the financial aid process.
  8. Be in good financial standing with the College.

Note: The highest level of academic integrity is expected throughout the admissions process. Violations of the academic integrity policy at any point in the admissions process will result in automatic denial of admission. See the Academic Integrity section of the College Catalog for more details.

Applicant Type

Application Fee

Generic

$150

Active duty servicemembers and veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces

$50

 

Recognized Equivalents of a High School Diploma
Several equivalents to a high school diploma may be submitted:

  • a GED certificate;
  • a certificate or other official completion documentation demonstrating that the learner has passed a state-authorized examination (such as the Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC), the High School Equivalency Test (HiSET), or, in California, the California High School Proficiency Exam) that the state recognizes as the equivalent of a high school diploma (certificates of attendance and/or completion are not included in this qualifying category);
  • an associate degree;
  • successful completion of at least sixty (60) semester or trimester credits or seventy-two (72) quarter credits that does not result in the awarding of an associate degree, but that is acceptable for full credit toward a bachelor’s degree at any institution; or
  • enrollment in a bachelor’s degree program where at least sixty (60) semester or trimester credits or seventy-two (72) quarter credits have been successfully completed, including credits transferred into the bachelor’s degree program;
  • a “secondary school leaving certificate” or similar document from the proper government agency for learners who completed secondary school in a foreign country, accompanied by a foreign credential’s evaluation

Entrance and Placement Exams

The passing of certain placement exams is required to enroll in certain courses or matriculate in the program as indicated below.

Prelicensure Nursing Entrance Exam (ACCUPLACER® Diagnostic Test)
To be admitted to the program learners must achieve the required scores in each academic area of the entrance exam. The entrance exam determines learners’ readiness for success in the program by assessing knowledge in three (3) academic areas: Arithmetic, Reading Comprehension, and Sentence Skills. A score of 260 in each of the three (3) areas is required for admission with full matriculation. Learners have three (3) attempts to achieve the required score. Conditional admission is granted to learners who score at least 240 but less than 260 as follows: 

  • Learners who score below 240 in any of the three areas will not be admitted.

  • Learners who score between 240-259 in Arithmetic will be admitted on a non-matriculated basis and will be required to take and successfully complete MAT 90 in the first semester of enrollment.

  • Learners who score between 240-249 in Reading will be admitted on a non-matriculated basis and will be required to take and successfully complete ENG 90 in the first semester of enrollment and ENG 95 their second semester of enrollment. 

  • Learners who score between 250-259 in Reading will be admitted with conditional matriculation and will be required to take and successfully complete ENG 95 in the first semester of enrollment. 

  • Learners who score between 240-259 in Writing will be admitted with conditional matriculation and will be required to complete ENG 95 in the first semester of enrollment. 

The entrance exam voucher fee is included in the application. Scores are valid for one (1) year. Proctoring fees are separate from the voucher and must be paid for each attempt.

Tuition and Fees

Tuition for the PN Diploma Program is $475 per semester credit. Tuition and fees may be changed at any time with a 30-day notice. Audit fees are non-refundable and cannot be paid with Title IV funding.

Program Fees
Additional Program fees are presented in the table below.

Item

Fee

Learning Resources and Proctoring Package per semester

$9501

General Education Fee per Course (except SCI 220, SCI 221, and SCI 251)

$1252

SCI 220, SCI 221, SCI 251 Fee per Course

$200

Course Audit Fee (All Courses)

$1,000

1.The Learning Resources and Proctoring Package per semester fee does not include uniforms or stethoscope.

2.In lieu of the $125 course resources fee, learners may elect to personally purchase all general education required materials.

Nursing kit supplies required to attend experiential learning portions of the course are provided.

Tuition does not include the non-refundable application and testing fees. In addition, learners are responsible for expenses such as transportation and lodging, if any, associated with the required Supervised On-Ground Field Experience (SOFE).

Estimated Total Program Cost
The estimated total program cost for a learner who does not transfer in any college-level general education credits is $23,450.

General Education Requirements

General education (GE) courses can be completed at the College or another institution of higher learning accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). The College may grant GE academic credit pursuant to the policies described in the Experiential Learning and Extra-Institutional and Non-Instructional Learning sections of this Catalog. Fourteen (14) GE semester credits are required for graduation. Learners may refer to the Admissions Requirements and Procedures section above for more information.

The nursing core courses progression requirements do not allow the final academic semester of the Program to consist of only GE courses. GE course requirements must be completed prior to or during the final semester of enrollment.

Physical & Life Sciences

A minimum of eleven (11) semester credits is required in this category. Courses marked with an asterisk (*) are mandatory.

Course

Semester Credits

Human Anatomy* with lab*

4

Human Physiology* with lab*

4

Pathophysiology*

3-5

Mathematics

A minimum of three (3) credits is required in this category. The courses listed below as well as other college-level Mathematics courses are considered for transfer of credits. Courses marked with an asterisk (*) are mandatory.

Course

Semester Credits

College Algebra*

3-5

Curriculum

The PN Diploma Program consists of six (6) lower-division core nursing courses, comprised of twenty-eight (28) academic semester credits delivered over three (3) academic semesters or forty-eight (48) academic weeks, and four (4) GE courses, comprised of fourteen (14) semester credits taken concurrently with the core nursing courses. The total length of the Program for learners electing to complete all GE requirements at the College is forty-two (42) semester credits, three (3) academic semesters, or forty-eight (48) academic weeks. Other general education and elective courses are available for learners who transfer in the required GE credits (or for any learner who is interested in taking these unrequired courses), provided there is room within the individual’s semester credit load.

PN Program Sample Curriculum Plan

 

Course Number Course Name Delivery Modality Semester Credits Didactic Learning Remote Experiential Learning Total
  CBT ISBP VCBP ISB VCBC DFC IP AFE  
Level I
SCI 220 Human Anatomy with Intervention Skill-Based (ISB) Experiential Learning  Distance 4 45 30             75
SCI 221 Human Physiology with Intervention Skill-Based (ISB) Experiential Learning  Distance 4 45 30             75
PN 106 Foundations of Practical Nursing-Fundamentals  Distance 5 22 11 4.5 45 45       127.5
Total 13 112 71 4.5 45 45 0 0 0 277.5
Level II
MAT 100 College Algebra   Distance 3 45               45
PN 115 Pharmacology  Distance 3 45               45
PN 125 Concepts of Practical Nursing – Health Promotion  Blended 5 21.5 4 4.5 15 45 67.5     157.5
PN 135 Concepts of Nursing in Care of Specialized Populations Blended 3 27.5   2.5   22.5 22.5     75
Total 14 139 4 7 15 67.5 90 0 0 322.5
Level III
SCI 225 Pathophysiology Distance 3 45               45
PN 145 Concepts of Practical Nursing I  Blended 6 35 7 3 30 45 45     165
PN 165 Concepts of Practical Nursing II  Blended 6 35 7 3 30 45 45     165
Total 15 115 14 6 60 90 90 0 0 375
Nursing Courses Total 28 186 29 17.5 120 202.5 180 0 0 735
GE Total 14 180 60 0 0 0 0 0 0 240
PN Program with GE Total 42 366 89 17.5 120 202.5 180 0 0 975

 

Standardized Exams

Standardized end-of-course exams are administered at the end of each level of the PN Program. Required scores for mandatory remediation on standardized exams are specified in the table below.

Standardized Exam Schedule for Generic PN Learners:

HESI Exam

Course

Mandatory Remediation HESI Score

PN Specialty: Dosage Calculations

PN 115

< 900

PN Specialty: Fundamentals

PN 125

< 900

PN Specialty: Data Collection

PN 135

< 900

PN Specialty: Medical-Surgical Nursing

PN 145

< 900

PN Exit 

PN 165

< 900

Satisfactory Academic Progress Table

Total Credits Attempted

Financial Aid Warning or Probation if CGPA is below

Financial Aid Warning or Probation if course completion rate is below

1-12

2.0

67%

13-24

2.0

67%

25-36

2.0

67%

37-48

2.0

67%

49-60

2.0

67%

61-68

2.0

67%

Course Descriptions

 

Course Number Delivery Modality Semester Credits Didactic Learning Remote Experiential Learning Total
  CBT ISBP VCBP ISB VCBC DFC IP AFE  
PN 106 Distance 5 22 11 4.5 45 45       127.5
PN 106 : Foundations of Practical Nursing-Fundamentals
Delivery Modality: Distance
Semester Credits: 5
Contact Hours: 127.5
Outside Preparation: An average of three (3) hours per week for every didactic credit hour
Typically Offered:
Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: None
Requisites: SCI 220 and SCI 221
Description: This course introduces the fundamental concepts necessary for safe, patient-centered nursing care to a diverse patient population while integrating clinical decision-making, all within the scope of the practical nurse. Critical thinking, clinical judgment, and the nursing process are key foundations to nursing practice. Application of knowledge and practice of skills occurs in a variety of clinical settings providing care to stable patients with common health issues.

 

Course Number Delivery Modality Semester Credits Didactic Learning Remote Experiential Learning Total
  CBT ISBP VCBP ISB VCBC DFC IP AFE  
PN 115 Distance 3 45               45
PN 115 : Pharmacology
Delivery Modality: Distance
Semester Credits: 3
Contact Hours: 45
Outside Preparation: An average of three (3) hours per week for every didactic credit hour
Typically Offered:
Prerequisites: SCI 220, SCI 221, and PN 106 or equivalent
Corequisites: None
Requisites: MAT 100
Description: This course is an overview of the basic principles of pharmacology, including major drug classifications and prototypes of commonly used medications. Principles of medication administration include aspects of best practice for safe, quality, patient-centered care. Central topics include safety, quality improvement factors in the administration of medications, patient teaching, and variations encountered when administering medications to diverse patient populations across the lifespan, all within the scope of a practical nurse.

 

Course Number Delivery Modality Semester Credits Didactic Learning Remote Experiential Learning Total
  CBT ISBP VCBP ISB VCBC DFC IP AFE  
PN 125 Blended 5 21.5 4 4.5 15 45 67.5     157.5
PN 125 : Concepts of Practical Nursing – Health Promotion
Delivery Modality: Blended
Semester Credits: 5
Contact Hours: 157.5
Outside Preparation: An average of three (3) hours per week for every didactic credit hour
Typically Offered:
Prerequisites: SCI 220, SC221, and PN 106 or equivalent
Corequisites: None
Requisites: PN 115
Description: This course focuses on the role of the professional practical nurse in promoting optimal health for individual clients. The course will discuss basic psychomotor nursing skills and introduce medical/surgical nursing for low-risk clients. This course also provides the learner with techniques for carrying out a physical, psychosocial, spiritual, and cultural assessment to evaluate clients’ well-being. The course introduces learners to assessment devices and procedures to collect data. The course focuses on health promotion, health protection, disease prevention, and communication strategies throughout the lifespan, all within the scope of a practical nurse.

 

Course Number Delivery Modality Semester Credits Didactic Learning Remote Experiential Learning Total
  CBT ISBP VCBP ISB VCBC DFC IP AFE  
PN 135 Blended 3 27.5   2.5   22.5 22.5     75
PN 135 : Concepts of Practical Nursing in Care of Specialized Populations
Delivery Modality: Blended
Semester Credits: 3
Contact Hours: 75
Outside Preparation: An average of three (3) hours per week for every didactic credit hour
Typically Offered:
Prerequisites: SCI 220, SC221, and PN 106 or equivalent
Corequisites: None
Requisites: PN 125
Description: This course further develops learners’ ability to use the nursing process, critical thinking, therapeutic communication, and basic practical nursing skills in caring for clients who demonstrate increasingly less predictable outcomes or a change in health status. Clinical experiences help learners enhance their development of clinical competency in caring for clients. The course will emphasize working collaboratively with other members of interdisciplinary healthcare teams all within the scope of a practical nurse.

 

Course Number Delivery Modality Semester Credits Didactic Learning Remote Experiential Learning Total
  CBT ISBP VCBP ISB VCBC DFC IP AFE  
PN 145 Blended 6 35 7 3 30 45 45     165
PN 145 : Concepts of Practical Nursing I
Delivery Modality: Blended
Semester Credits: 6
Contact Hours: 165
Outside Preparation: An average of three (3) hours per week for every didactic credit hour
Typically Offered:
Prerequisites: SCI 220, SC221, PN 106, and PN 125 or equivalent
Corequisites: None
Requisites: SCI 225 or equivalent
Description: This course focuses on the chronic nature of certain states of being when nursing a client at various stages in life, focusing on the application of the nursing process in meeting needs of clients in various settings, all within the scope of a practical nurse. The course will explore concepts related to emotional problems, pathological reactions to life stresses, and chronic pain. The course emphasizes therapeutic relationships and the development of individualized plans of care. The course will also address communication skills, mental health assessment, various therapeutic forms of balance, and sensory perception. Direct focused client care experiential learning gives learners the opportunity to gain experience with many of these chronic conditions.

 

Course Number Delivery Modality Semester Credits Didactic Learning Remote Experiential Learning Total
  CBT ISBP VCBP ISB VCBC DFC IP AFE  
PN 165 Blended 6 35 7 3 30 45 45     165
PN 165 : Concepts of Practical Nursing II
Delivery Modality: Blended
Semester Credits: 6
Contact Hours: 165
Outside Preparation: An average of three (3) hours per week for every didactic credit hour
Typically Offered:
Prerequisites: SCI 220, SC221, PN 106, and PN 125 or equivalent
Corequisites: None
Requisites: SCI 225
Description: This course emphasizes the provision of professional practical nursing care for clients across the lifespan with acute medical conditions. The learners will build upon knowledge gained in the basic sciences and other prerequisite nursing courses. The course emphasizes decision-making skills, independent functioning, and a family-centered approach, all within the scope of a practical nurse. The course will introduce the learner to the nursing care of acute clients. The course includes application to specific concepts, principles, and theories in various acute care settings.

 

 

Pre-Dispute Arbitration and Class Action Waiver Disclosure
Nightingale College seeks to resolve disputes or claims between any learner and the College in an efficient, cost-effective, and timely manner. A learner who enrolls at Nightingale College agrees, as a condition of their enrollment, to resolve any dispute through mandatory arbitration that shall not be adjudicated as a class action or a consolidated class arbitration proceeding. However, the College cannot require a learner loan borrower to participate in arbitration or any internal dispute resolution process offered by the institution prior to filing a borrower defense to repayment application with the U.S. Department of Education pursuant to 34 CFR 685.206(e); the College cannot, in any way, require learners to limit, relinquish, or waive their ability to pursue filing a borrower defense claim, pursuant to 34 CFR 685.206(e) at any time; and any arbitration, required by a pre-dispute arbitration agreement, tolls the limitations period for filing a borrower defense to repayment application pursuant to 34 CFR 685.206(e)(6)(ii). 

 

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