Practical (PN) Nursing Diploma Program
Overview
The Practical Nursing (PN) Program at Minneapolis Community and Technical College (MCTC) is a selective admission program that provides admitted students with the opportunity to pursue an education in practical nursing. Students in the program will earn a Diploma in Practical Nursing (PN) after successful completion of the two semester program. Graduates will be eligible to apply to sit for the National Council Licensure Exam – (NCLEX-‐PN). Following licensure, graduates will be able to apply to mobility nursing programs if they wish to pursue a Professional Nursing credential.
Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) work closely with physicians, registered nurses, and other health care
professionals to deliver delegated technical medical and nursing care. The LPN is an important member of the interdisciplinary healthcare team and is legally responsible to practice practical nursing within the Minnesota Nurse Practice Act and the Minnesota Board of Nursing Rules.
Practical Nursing Program Accreditation:
The MCTC Nursing Program is approved by the Minnesota Board of Nursing www.nursingboard.state.mn.us and accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), 3343 Peachtree Rd. NE, Suite 850, Atlanta, GA 30326 (404/975-‐5000) www.acenursing.org.
Admission to the Practical Nursing Program:
The Practical Nursing (PN) Program is a selective admission program. Admission to the PN Program at MCTC is highly competitive. Before applicants are eligible to apply for admission to the PN Program, they must complete a number of requirements. Meeting the minimum admission requirements to be placed into the
candidate pool for admission consideration does NOT guarantee admission to the program.
Practical Nursing Program Admission Requirements:
The following prerequisites MUST BE MET prior to applying for admission to the Fall 2014 PN Program. We will not accept applications from candidates that have not met the following minimum requirements:
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General Admission to MCTC:
Apply for general admission to MCTC and pay the $20 application fee (if you are not already an MCTC student). Apply online at www.minneapolis.edu/applynow.
• Minimum Education Coursework Requirement:
For applicants who received their high school diploma and have not attended college:
-‐ Completion of a high school diploma with a minimum class ranking at the 50th percentile.
-‐ Completion of one full year of high school chemistry with labs AND one full year of high school general biology with labs with grades of straight “B” or higher in each chemistry and biology term. Both sciences must have been completed within the last five years.
For applicants who have taken college coursework:
-‐ Completion of a minimum of 10 semester credits of coursework from the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (MnTC) or transfer equivalent with a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.75 or higher in all previous college coursework completed.
-‐ Applicants with a financial hold or that are on suspension or expulsion for academic or disciplinary
• Placement Testing:
Applicants must complete the ACCUPLACER college placement test in reading, writing, math, and if applicable, ESL listening/speaking by January 31, 2014:
-‐ Reading: place into READ 1300 (College Textbook Reading) OR successfully complete the necessary developmental coursework to achieve the required placement levels before applying. If you take developmental reading coursework to meet the requirement, it must be directly equivalent to the required level and documented on your transcript; and
-‐ Writing: place into ENGL 1110 (College English I) OR successfully complete the necessary
developmental coursework to achieve the required placement levels before applying. If you take developmental writing coursework to meet the requirement, it must be directly equivalent to the required level and it must be documented on your transcript; and
-‐ Math: place into MATH 0080 (Intermediate Algebra) or higher OR successfully complete the necessary developmental math coursework to achieve the required placement levels before applying. If you take developmental math coursework to meet the requirement, your transcript must show a letter grade of straight “C” or higher in MATH 0070 (Introductory Algebra) at MCTC or a direct transfer equivalent. No grades of “P” (pass) will be accepted.
-‐ ESL Students ONLY: place EXEMPT on the ESL Listening/Speaking placement test with a score of 87 or higher OR successfully complete the necessary developmental coursework to achieve the required placement levels before applying. If you take developmental coursework to meet the requirement, it must be directly equivalent to the required level and it must be documented on your transcript.
The reading, English and ESL listening/speaking placement test scores are accepted only if taken between September 1, 2011 and January 31, 2014.
The math placement test score is accepted only if taken between September 1, 2012 and January 31, 2014.
You are responsible for knowing whether or not your test scores meet the established placement test guidelines and testing time frames. Please note that the testing time frames for math are different from the time frames for reading, English, and ESL listening/speaking placement test scores. Taking the word of a third party is NOT sufficient proof for determining that you have met placement testing requirements. If you have taken your placement tests at MCTC, you can obtain documentation of scores and test dates from the Testing Center (T.2800). Refer to the Placement Testing schedule for testing hours, study questions, and information at www.minneapolis.edu/testing.
Check your work: If you have completed college coursework in reading, English, math, and/or ESOL
Listening and Speaking, it must be a direct equivalent to the MCTC course placement level required. We strongly encourage you to visit www.transfer.org to check course equivalencies. Any course listing an equivalency of REMDT at MCTC is NOT equivalent for any reading, English, math, and/or ESOL Listening and Speaking placement levels. Unless you have other coursework that meets the required levels listed below, you will need to take all or part of the placement test. If your course is not a direct equivalent to MCTC placement requirements and you do not complete the necessary placement test during the testing
timeframe, you do not meet the requirement and will be denied admission to the program.
Reading: You are REQUIRED to complete the reading placement test regardless of degree(s) held or testing
exemptions on file, UNLESS you meet one of the following requirements before applying:
• Completion of READ 1300 at MCTC with a grade of straight “B” (3.0) or higher as documented on the college transcript, OR
• Completion of a college level reading course at another college that is a direct equivalent to MCTC READ 1300 with a grade of straight “B” (3.0) or higher as documented on the college transcript, OR • Completion of READ 0200 or ESOL 0052 at MCTC with a score of 85% or higher in the class coursework
AND on the exit exam. Requirement must be documented on the MCTC Reading Instructor skip list, OR • Completion of a transfer course directly equivalent to READ 0200 or ESOL 0052 with a letter grade of
straight “B” or higher. No grades of “P” (pass) will be accepted.
Course must be a direct equivalent to READ 1300, READ 0200, or ESOL 0052 at MCTC. If the reading course is not a direct equivalent to one of these courses with a letter grade of straight “B” or higher, you will need to take the reading placement and place into READ 1300. Completion of a course with an equivalent of READT at MCTC is NOT equal to a reading course and does not qualify for an exemption to the reading test. Check course equivalencies at www.transfer.org.
Placement test exemptions for the reading requirement are not accepted for Nursing Program applicants, you must test into the required reading level.
Writing: Completion of a college level English (writing) course is NOT equivalent to meeting the reading
requirement. Any applicant who has completed ENGL 1110 (College Writing I), or ENGA 0900 and ENGA 1110 (Accelerated Fundamentals of Written English/College English I) at MCTC, or a direct transfer equivalent to ENGL 1110 from another college/university and received more than one (1) withdrawal ("W") or grade of "D" or grade of "F" in the course at any point in their academic history will be denied admission to the program.
An applicant that has more than one (1) withdrawal ("W") from ENGL 1110, ENGA 0900 and ENGA 1110 or the transfer equivalent and can provide evidence that the "W" was due to a significant extraordinary life circumstance (for example, personal physical or mental health issue, death of an immediate family member, military deployment, family/relationship crises, job loss, or natural disaster) may seek an exception to this requirement by submitting a “Petition for Waiver of Requirement” form, available in Academic Affairs (K.2100), along with authoritative documentation providing proof to the Nursing Program Committee, Academic Affairs (K.2100) BEFORE Friday, December 27, 2013.
Math: Exemption from the math placement test requirement based on completion of previous college
coursework in math may be granted based on review of your transcript. In order for a previous college math course to meet the math placement requirement, it must be a direct transfer equivalent to
completion of MATH 0070 or higher at MCTC and it must have been taken for a letter grade of straight “C” or higher. It is strongly encouraged that you check your previous course equivalencies at
www.transfer.org. Courses indicating the following: MATHT or MATHT Alternate: Goal 4 are not equal to a MATH placement at MCTC and do not qualify for an exemption to the math test. If the completed math course is not a direct equivalent to MATH 0070 or higher at MCTC with a letter grade of straight “C” or
higher, you must take the math placement test and place into MATH 0080 or higher.
ESL Students ONLY: In addition to the placement tests listed above, any applicant that indicates on the
language or has completed ESL coursework at any time during post-‐secondary education must complete
the ESL Listening and Speaking placement test. The applicant must receive a score of 87 or higher on the
ESL Listening and Speaking placement test or have successfully completed ESOL 0043 (Academic Listening and Speaking 4) at MCTC. Exemption of the ESL listening and speaking placement testing requirement based on previous college coursework may be granted if, based on review of the transcript, the course is a direct transfer equivalent to successful completion of ESOL 0043.
• Minimum Science Coursework Requirement:
For applicants who have taken college coursework:
Successful completion of one or more of the following science courses within the last five (5) years with a letter grade of straight “C” or higher (grades of “P” [pass] are not accepted): CHEM 1020 (Introductory Chemistry with lab), BIOL 2200 (Principles of Biology with lab) and/or BIOL 2224 (Anatomy with lab) at MCTC OR direct transfer equivalent coursework (requirement must be documented on college transcript). Grades of “P” [pass] will not be accepted.
Any applicant who has received more than one (1) withdrawal ("W") or grade of "D" or grade of "F" in ANY of the following science courses at MCTC or direct transfer equivalent coursework at any point in their academic history will be denied admission to the program: CHEM 1020, BIOL 1120, 2200, 2224, 2225, 2226, 2230, and 2231.
An applicant that has more than one (1) withdrawal ("W") in the science courses and can provide evidence that the "W" was due to a significant extraordinary life circumstance (for example, personal physical or mental health issue, death of an immediate family member, military deployment, family/relationship crises, job loss, or natural disaster) may seek an exception to this requirement by submitting a “Petition
for Waiver of Requirement” form, available in Academic Affairs (K.2100), along with authoritative
documentation providing proof to the Nursing Program Committee, Academic Affairs (K.2100) BEFORE
Friday, December 27, 2013.
For applicants who received their high school diploma and have not attended college:
Successful completion of one full year of high school chemistry with labs and one full year of high school general biology with labs within the last five years with a grade of straight “B” or higher as documented on their high school transcript and must provide a course syllabus for each course.
•
Previous College Transcripts (If applicable):
OFFICIAL transcripts from ALL colleges/universities previously attended must be on file in the Student Services Center (T.2200) before the application deadline or submitted in sealed envelopes with your nursing application materials (EXCEPT your MCTC transcript and Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) system transcripts which are accessed through e-‐Services. Please NOTE: the University of Minnesota system is not a part of the MnSCU system). For a list of MnSCU system schools, visit http://www.mnscu.edu/campuses/alpha.html.
be submitted. All transcripts are required regardless of courses completed or grades received in order to meet this requirement. It is your responsibility to make sure that all transcripts are either on file in Student Services or submitted with your application materials. Failure to provide official transcripts from all other (non-‐MnSCU) colleges previously attended will result in denial from the program.
Applicants that have a financial hold or are on suspension or expulsion for academic or disciplinary reasons from any postsecondary institution(s) are not eligible for admission to the Nursing program.
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Nursing Assistant requirement:
You must have completed at least one (1) of the following requirements within the last five years (in or after 2009):
• A federally approved Nursing Assistant course OR • Passed the Nursing Assistant Test Out (NATO) exam OR
• Work experience equivalent to at least three month’s full-‐time (480 hours) as a Nursing Assistant. Experience must be documented on letterhead from employer providing all required information requested below under “Application Procedures”.
•
Criminal Background Check Requirement:
All students must have a clear criminal background check with no set-‐asides or disqualifying convictions before their first semester in the program and each academic year they are students in the PN Program. For more information about the background study process and disqualifying crimes, contact the
Licensing Division, Minnesota Department of Human Services, at (651) 296-‐3802.
Application Procedures:
All candidates who have met the minimum admission requirements listed and are eligible to be included in the pool of candidates considered for admission to the Practical Nursing Diploma Program are required to submit
the following documentation in a single nursing application packet to Admissions Office in the Student
Services Center (T.2200) during the application acceptance period January 21, 2014 – February 3, 2014: • Completed application to the Practical Nursing Diploma Program.
• Document showing Nursing Assistant course completion OR Nursing Assistant Test Out (NATO) OR if applicable, documentation of work experience as a Nursing Assistant within the last five (5) years. Work experience must be provided by the employer on their letterhead documenting your work experience including all of the following: position title, description of personal skills performed on a regular basis or a copy of your job description (i.e. transfers, bed baths, making beds, vital signs, positioning, etc.), the total number of hours worked during your employment, dates of employment, and contact information.
• If applicable, ENCLOSE OFFICIAL transcripts in sealed envelopes from ALL colleges/universities
previously attended with your nursing application (except your MCTC transcript and Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) system transcripts).
• High school applicants without prior college coursework must provide an official high school transcript and the course syllabi for completed chemistry and general biology courses.
• ANY petition seeking waiver of a requirement pertaining to the Nursing program must be submitted
BEFORE Friday, December 27, 2013. “Petition for Waiver of Requirement” forms are available in
Academic Affairs (K.2100)) and must be submitted along with authoritative documentation providing proof to the Nursing Program Committee, Academic Affairs (K.2100) by this deadline. Petitions received after December 27th will not be considered for the 2014-‐2015 program.
• Applicants that have a financial hold (unpaid balance) from any postsecondary institution must
resolve the hold before they can apply for admission to the Practical Nursing program.
Proof of meeting all of the minimum admission requirements as listed in the Practical Nursing Diploma Program application must be documented among the paperwork submitted at the time of application to the program. If evidence of meeting the minimum admission requirements is not documented within the material submitted with the PN application or if any requirements have not been met, the applicant will be denied admission to the program.
We will accept application materials for the Practical Nursing Program beginning January 21, 2014 through February 3, 2014. ALL required application materials and documentation must be submitted together in one
complete packet with the PN Application and may either be delivered in person to the Student Services Center (T.2200) located on the second floor of the Technical Building, during business hours or mailed to: Practical
Nursing Program Admission, Minneapolis Community and Technical College, 1501 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55403. The Application Deadline is Friday, February 3, 2014 (in person by 6:00 p.m. or postmarked), there will be NO EXCEPTIONS to this deadline. The Admissions Office does not accept faxed
applications or documentation.
Selection Process:
Admission to the Practical Nursing Program is highly competitive, and the college may not be able to accept all applicants who meet the minimum admission requirements. Practical Nursing applicants that meet minimum admission requirements and submit all required documentation by the application deadline are reviewed under a competitive admission process. If the number of qualified applicants in the applicant pool exceeds the number of spaces available in the Practical Nursing Program, awarding of spaces will be filled by a lottery. Qualified applicants not awarded a seat in the Fall 2014 MCTC Practical Nursing Program will be placed on a wait list by lottery and if seats reopen, they will be offered in the order of the wait list placement. Candidates not selected from the waiting list and still interested in the Practical Nursing must reapply for admission consideration and meet the established admission requirements published for Fall 2015. Candidates not selected from the waiting list and still interested in the PN Program will need to reapply for admission to the Fall 2015 program.
All applicants will be notified of their application status for the PN Program via U.S. mail by May 1, 2014
Waiting List:
If any openings become available in the PN Program, applicants from the waiting list will be notified by U.S. Mail. In order to protect privacy, MCTC will never disclose to anyone the order in which a candidate’s name
appears on the waiting list. Candidates will remain on the waiting list until Fall semester 2014 begins. If a
beginning of Fall semester 2014 they will need to complete a new application and meet established requirements to apply for admission to the PN Program during the application acceptance period for Fall 2015.
Affirmative Action:
The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System (MnSCU) is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity, and the Americans with Disabilities Act principles in all of its programs, services, activities, and employment. Minneapolis Community and Technical College is an equal opportunity educator and employer. The information in this publication is subject to change without notice. This publication is available in alternate formats; call 612/659-‐ 6736, TTY 612-‐659-‐6731
