Program Description
Students learn according to the provincial curriculum approved by the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of BC (CLPNBC). The program is designed to provide learners with the knowledge, skills, judgments, and attitudes to perform to the full range of competencies as identified by CLPNBC.
The curriculum provides a learning experience that is integrated, professional, collaborative, and culturally sensitive, with an aim to prepare graduates to care for individuals (and by extension, families of individuals) at multiple life stages and in a variety of practice settings.
Consistent with the CLPNBC Baseline Competencies for Licensed Practical Nurses’ Professional Practice, the focus for beginner practice is “care of clients with less complex and more predictable outcomes.” Upon successful completion of the program, students will possess the competencies to successfully complete the Canadian Practical Nurse Registration Exam.
Career Prospects
Work with other inter-professional health care team members in a variety of settings, and play an increasing role in primary health care focusing on health promotion, illness and injury prevention, and health protection and restoration.
Details
Location: Dawson Creek Campus
Length: 72 weeks (four semesters)
Start: September
Fees: Current Fee Schedule
Admission Prerequisites
Conditional Acceptance
Submit secondary school and/or post-secondary transcripts indicating successful completion of Grade 12 (or equivalent), including:
- Grade 12 English, or English 12 First Peoples, or Career and College Preparation ENGL050, or ENGL099 Foundational Writing with C+ or higher; or Grade 12 Technical Communications 12 with a B+ or higher. Students who take one of the above courses but do not achieve the required grade may satisfy the English admission criteria by achieving a 100-level recommendation on the NLC Writing Assessment.
- Grade 11 Math (Principles, or Foundations), or Career and College Preparation MATH040 (Advanced/Grade 12) with C or higher. If Math 11 requirements are over 10 years old, Grade 11 proficiency on numeracy sections (Number Operations and Problem Solving) of the Canadian Adult Achievement Test (CAAT) is required.
- Grade 12 Biology (Human Biology) or Career and College Preparation BIOL050 (Provincial/Grade 12) with C or higher, within the past 10 years.
OR
- Provide evidence of completion of the above Admission Prerequisites in another Practical Nursing program. Applications for transfer credit will be reviewed on an individual basis. Transfer-based admission will be dependent on available space.
Note: The language-based admission requirements for applicants who speak English as an additional language are currently under review by the Provincial Curriculum Development Committee.
Confirmed Acceptance
- Successful completion of PNUR099: Anatomy and Physiology for Practical Nurses (or an equivalent course at another institution) with a minimum grade of C+
NOTE: The completion date for the Anatomy and Physiology requirement cannot exceed five years before program initiation. Subject to adequate enrollment, NLC will offer PNUR099, Anatomy and Physiology for Practical Nurses from June to August. Check with Student Services or the Admissions Officer at the Dawson Creek Campus, 250-782-5251, for further information. Equivalent Anatomy and Physiology courses can be taken online through Okanagan College or Nicola Valley Institute of Technology.
Post Acceptance
The following must be completed prior to the first Practice Experience in Semester 1:
- CPR Level C
- A Solicitor General Criminal Record Check.
- Immunization as required by sites of practice education and recommended by BC Centre for Disease Control (2009): Diphtheria, tetanus, polio, hepatitis B, measles, mumps, rubella, varicella, seasonal influenza, and pertussis
- Negative TB skin test or chest x-ray.
Important Notes
- The program is eligible for Canada Student Loans. Visit StudentAid BC to apply for financial assistance online.
- Clinical Learning experiences may occur in a variety of settings, including Dawson Creek, Fort St. John, Chetwynd, and Fort Nelson. All students should be prepared for in-region travel.
- Students must provide the following required supplies/materials: Stethoscope, Uniforms, lab coat(s), WCB approved safety/nursing shoes, and a watch with a second hand.
- A personal laptop is recommended for each student.
- Students have an average of 29 hours of classes, laboratories, and other learning activities per week, and a comparable number of individual study hours are required. Further, in clinical learning situations, students will be in close contact with individuals who have a variety of health issues. For these reasons, students should be in a satisfactory level of physical and emotional health to ensure success in the program.
- The information on this program page is a summary of the official Program Completion Guide approved by NLC’s Education Council. Download a PDF of the Program Completion Guide.
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Program Chair: Cindy Broberg
Courses
Prior to Start of Program:
SEMESTER ONE:
SEMESTER TWO:
SEMESTER THREE:
SEMESTER FOUR:
SEMESTER FIVE: