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Practical Nursing (PN) Diploma D45660 Program Admissions and Information

Practical Nursing Application Packet and deadline dates will be available summer 2024

 

Graduates of the Practical Nursing program are eligible to apply to the Board of Nursing for licensure as a practical nurse (LPN). Graduates must successfully pass the National Council Licensing Examination- Practical Nurse (NCLEX-PN) to earn licensure.

LPN’s are essential members of the healthcare team. LPN’s work in various community agencies including hospitals, outpatient clinics, and long-term care facilities.

Students enter the PN program in August and graduate the following July. Enrollment is limited to 35 students, therefore admission is competitive. Meeting the minimum admission criteria does not guarantee admission into the PN program.

The Isothermal PN program does not use a waiting list. Therefore, applicants must reapply annually, including submission of TEAS scores. Preference will be given to applicants who have no history of dismissal from the Isothermal CC Practical Nursing program.

Students who have successfully passed one or more nursing courses at Isothermal Community College or another college within one year may be eligible to apply for the Advanced Placement (AP) entry option into the PN program. Successful completion of the AP application process allows students to earn credit for Isothermal Practical Nursing courses. Please contact the Health Sciences Student Success Coordinator for more information regarding the AP application process.

Strong reading comprehension and time management skills are necessary for graduation from nursing school. Anyone interested in becoming a nurse should read every day.

Completing nursing school and working as a nurse are incredibly demanding but deeply rewarding. With some hard work, in only one year, graduates can be caring for patients and earning a living wage as an LPN.

The healthcare system needs safe, dedicated, high-quality nurses. We wish you much success and hope to see you soon!

 

To be eligible for fall admission into the Practical Nursing program, applicants must:

  • Complete all steps of the Isothermal Community College admission process by the application deadline.
    Steps of the Isothermal Admissions Requirements can be found online.Admissions Requirements.
    Applicants should select the major code A1030N Associate in General Education- Nursing (AGE-N).
  • Complete the following development courses if required:
    • MAT 003 with a score of P2 of a grade of "C" or better in MAT 143 or higher
    • Meet English competency to enroll in ENG 111 without a co-requesite
  • Earn a minimum college GPA of 2.0 or a bachelor’s or higher degree.
  • Earn a total score of 58.5 or higher on the TEAS (Test of Essential Academic Skills).
  • Submit the PN Application and official TEAS score to the Health Sciences Student Success Coordinator.
  • Review the PN Technical Standards online. Technical Standards.

Successful completion of NUR 101, NUR 102, and NUR 103 is required for graduation. In addition, PN students must complete the following General Education (Gen Ed/ non-nursing) courses with a grade of "C" or higher to be eligible for graduation from the PN program:

  • ENG 111 Writing & Inquiry
  • PSY 150 General Psychology
  • BIO 168 Anatomy & Physiology I
  • BIO 169 Anatomy & Physiology II
  • ACA 122 College Transfer Success or ACA 115 Success & Study Skills

Completion of the mandatory Gen Ed courses is not required before applying to the PN program. However, we highly recommend that applicants take these courses prior to entering the program as this significantly increases success in nursing (NUR) courses.

Important PN Program Information:

Nursing students should anticipate spending a minimum of 3 hours per week per course credit hour preparing for class and exams.

For example,
Students attend class, lab, and clinical for 19 hours per week during enrollment in NUR 101.

As NUR 101 is an 11 credit hour course, students will need to spend an additional 33 hours each week outside of class to read, study, and complete assignments.

This means that students must devote 52 hours per week to NUR 101 to be successful.

Successful = passing the course

PN students must earn a grade of 80%/B/3.0 or higher to pass each NUR course.

Therefore, students should consider each NUR course as a full-time job in itself.

Applicants are encouraged to review their schedule and their life situation to determine if they will be able to meet this time requirement.

Nursing exams, nursing textbooks, and clinical agency documentation demand that nursing students maintain a high level of reading comprehension. Strong reading comprehension skills are critical to passing nursing courses as well as to provision of safe nursing care.

Class, skills lab, and simulation are held at the RLC campus in Rutherfordton. Lecture is usually held from 8:30 a.m. to noon on Monday and Wednesday for NUR 101 and NUR 102. Skills lab, simulation, and clinical are typically held all day on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

The PN program utilizes web-based learning activities. Therefore, PN students require access to a working computer and reliable internet connection. Students can utilize computer labs at the RLC, Polk, and Spindale campuses.

Students must participate in clinical learning for progression in and graduation from the PN program. Clinical involves direct patient care at agencies in Cleveland, Polk, McDowell, Henderson, and Rutherford counties. Attendance in clinical outside these counties may also be required.

Students are responsible for arranging their own transportation. The PN program tries to consider student driving distance for clinical agency assignments when feasible. Student assignment to clinical agencies is determined by many factors including lack of faculty and limits imposed by clinical agencies. Therefore, the PN program cannot promise to place students at agencies close to their homes.

Clinical agencies have the right to disallow students to attend.

  • Students who are disallowed may submit an appeal to the clinical agency.
  • The PN program cannot promise equitable alternative clinical learning experiences to students who have been disallowed by a clinical agency.
  • Students who are disallowed by an agency will be unable to continue enrollment in the PN program.

Any illness or injury incurred during class, lab, or clinical during the program will be the financial responsibility of the student. Provision of healthcare to the public poses health and safety risks to students. Therefore, students are urged to maintain personal health insurance.

COVID-19 protocols are followed on campus as well as in clinical.

Important Information Regarding PN Clinical Requirements:

Clinical agencies are responsible for the health and safety of students, patients, and agency employees. Therefore, clinical agencies set clinical requirement guidelines that PN students are expected to follow.

Failure to meet clinical requirements by the deadline will result in dismissal from the PN program.

Documentation of the following must be submitted:

  • Listing as a NAI (Nurse Aide I) without restrictions on the NC Department of Health & Human Services (DHSR) Health Care Personnel Registry
  • HeartCode BLS from the American Heart Association (AHA)
  • PN Student Health Form with health assessment completed and signed by licensed healthcare provider
  • Negative Tb tests or documentation of appropriate treatment
  • Signed Isothermal Community College Vaccine Status Form
  • Mandatory vaccination or documented immunity to the following: flu, varicella, MMR, Dtap, Hepatitis B, COVID-19 or exemption
  • Criminal background check
  • Drug screen

Students will be provided with additional information regarding clinical requirements at the PN New Student Orientation. PN students should be aware that clinical requirements are subject to change at any time as determined by healthcare agencies, the PN program, Isothermal CC, and/or regulatory entities.

For mandatory vaccinations, only health or religious exemptions are permitted for Isothermal PN students. Clinical agencies may require that students provide additional legitimate, official, and/or endorsed documentation of waivers. Clinical agencies may disallow unvaccinated students. Isothermal CC does not require a background check for general college admission or admission to the PN program. PN faculty and staff have access to the information on the background check report in order to be able to coordinate clinical education.

TEAS Exam Information:

  • The TEAS costs approximately $70 and includes the following sections: Reading, Math (including Algebra) Science, and English. Students must complete all four sections during one sitting to earn the total score.
  • Applicants may schedule to take the TEAS test at Isothermal CC by signing up online. Find Date & Time for Testing
  • The TEAS may be taken online though ATI and at ATI approved locations within the United States. Click to take the TEAS online or find a TEAS test site.
  • Only TEAS scores earned within the last three years will be considered. The TEAS may be taken maximum of 5 times within a year.
  • Applicants should prepare for the TEAS by studying and doing practice questions.
    Applicants should sign up for the free online TEAS preparation course through the Isothermal CC College & Career Readiness program by calling Barbara Callahan at 828-395-1631 or emailing her at bcallahan@isothermal.edu.
    Preparation for the TEAS exam may be found at ATI Testing. Practice assessments are also available at the vendor website.
    TEAS prep books are available through the library at the Isothermal CC campus in Spindale.

Contact for information

Katie Edwards
Health Sciences Student Success Coordinator
kedwards@isothermal.edu
828-395-4418

Sheena Brackett
Administrative Assistant II Foothills Nursing Consortium
shbrackett@isothermal.edu
828-395-1643