1
Cuyahoga
Community
College
Division
of Nursing
Practical
Nursing
Program
Information Pack
2015
‐
2016
Disclaimer:
All information is subject to change. For additional information, visit www.tri‐c.edu/nursing. If you have any questions, please contact the Department of Nursing via email at nursing@tri‐c.edu.
Revised: August 2015
Dear Applicant:
Thank you for your interest in the Cuyahoga Community College Practical Nurse Program. This information packet is designed to provide you with information regarding admission
requirements, application procedures, and the admission process. We are happy to help you any way we can.
Nursing, as a program of study, is among the most demanding and rigorous. As you plan to enroll, recognize that in order to succeed, you will have to dedicate a lot of time and energy to studying and fulfilling the requirements of the program, but in the end the reward is worth the effort and sacrifices.
Nurses have an important and influential role in health care delivery. As a practical nurse you will derive satisfaction from knowing that you are able to provide care for people across the life span.
We are a proud profession comprised of individuals who make a difference. We wish you every success!
Sincerely,
Vivian Yates, PhD, MSN, RN
Dean, Division of Nursing
Irene Meyer, MSN, RN
Associate Dean, Division of Nursing
Tracy King, MSN, RN
Program Manager, Division of Nursing
Wendy Batch-Wilson, MSN, RN
3
Contents
PROGRAM INFORMATION ... 4
General Description ... 4
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS ... 4
PART I: GENERAL COLLEGE ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS ... 4
PART II: PRACTICAL NURSE PROGRAM ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS ... 4
PART III: BACKGROUND CHECK ... 5
PART IV: HEALTH CARE/CPR REQUIREMENTS ... 5
IMMUNIZATIONS ... 5
Measles ... 5
Mumps ... 5
Rubella ... 5
Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis (Tdap) ... 6
BLS/CPR CERTIFICATION ... 6
APPLICATION PROCESS ... 7
COURSE SEQUENCE ... 8
HELPFUL INFORMATION, RESOURCES & LINKS ... 8
Student E‐mail Communications ... 8
Nursing Student Resources ... 9
PN Nursing Student Handbook ... 9
College‐Wide Resources ... 9
Cuyahoga Community College Student Handbook ... 9
www.tri‐c.edu/student‐resources/student‐handbook.html ... 9
Counseling Department ... 9
Math Department ... 9
Office of Student Success ... 9
www.tri‐c.edu/student‐success/index.html ... 9
Project Go! ... 9
Tuition Fee Schedule ... 10
Additional Expenses* ... 10
Miscellaneous Expenses ... 10
Outside Resources ... 11
Ohio Board of Nursing General Information ... 11
The Informed Approach ... 11
CERTIFICATE OF PRACTICAL NURSING PROGRAM
PROGRAM INFORMATION
General Description
The Practical Nurse Program at Cuyahoga Community College provides the opportunity for students to apply to the Ohio State Board of Nursing to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses. The course of study is designed to be completed in one year. Admittance occurs in the Fall of each year with graduation the following Summer. The Practical Nursing Program consists of both day and evening components to suit the needs of traditional and non‐traditional students alike.
The aim of the Practical Nurse Program is to provide a broad education. Approximately half of the total credit hours are nursing courses, with the remaining course work divided among science and general e d u c a t i o n studies. Students attend practical nursing classes at the Metropolitan campus and will care for patients at clinical sites throughout Northeast Ohio.
Nursing courses consist of classroom study, practice in the college laboratory and clinical instruction. Students will participate in planned clinical instruction caring for patients and residents at hospitals, nursing homes and various healthcare and community facilities. Each week, depending upon the clinical nursing course, students will devote approximately 4‐5 hours in the classroom, 2‐4 hours in the College practice laboratory and 8‐12 hours in the clinical setting. Laboratory time
encompasses a combination of scheduled practice, testing sessions, use of mannequins, use of healthcare equipment and human patient simulation experiences. Open lab time is available for self‐ practice sessions as well. It is an expectation that students spend approximately two hours per week viewing videos, utilizing software, and practicing and mastering nursing skills.
Lectures and College Labs are offered during the day and evening. Clinical experiences may be held during the day, evening and/or weekend for both day and evening students.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
The admission requirements for the Practical Nurse Program consist of four parts: General Admission Requirements, Practical Nurse Program Requirements, Background Check, and Health Care/CPR Requirements.
PART I: GENERAL COLLEGE ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
The applicant must meet the requirements for general admission to the College as listed in the Catalog, under the heading, ADMISSIONS, REGISTRATION AND MONEY MATTERS.
PART II: PRACTICAL NURSE PROGRAM ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
To be eligible for admission into the nursing program, the applicant must meet the following
minimum requirements.
1. A high school diploma or GED equivalence, or a higher degree transcript must be on file in the Office of the Registrar.
2. A cumulative college grade point average (GPA) 2.5. If an applicant’s GPA from Tri‐C is less than 2.5, the GPA from an earned degree from another accredited college or university can be used. 3. Eligible to register for ENG 1010 and MATH 1141.
5 4. Pass a nurse entrance exam, Elsevier Admission Assessment (A2) Test. Achieve a composite
grade of 75% or higher in essential math skills and a composite grade of 75% or higher in the English language section which consists of reading comprehension, grammar & vocabulary. Students are not required to take the biology, chemistry, anatomy & science sections but we strongly recommend doing so. If a 2nd attempt is needed, only the section(s) below 75% need to be completed. There is a limit of 2 attempts per calendar year.
PART III: BACKGROUND CHECK
The completion of a criminal background check (BCI) is one of the admission requirements to the nursing program. The background check is required to ascertain (i) the ability of students to eventually become licensed in the profession and (ii) the ability of students to attend mandatory clinical rotations at external facilities in accordance with the requirements of the program.
Effective January 12, 2013, the BCI process may begin no sooner than six months prior to entry into the program. (Program entry is defined as the first day of class in which the student begins the nursing program).
The BCI must be completed, reviewed and cleared prior to full acceptance into the program. The BCI will be valid as long as the student is continually enrolled in the nursing program. Students who leave and return to the program after an absence of one year must complete another BCI. Students
returning to any health career program after one year of absence also need to complete another BCI.
Background checks completed by another vendor, employer, or while enrolled at another
school/institution will not be accepted.
Information on the background check requirement can be found by clicking on the Background Check Information found on the Nursing Home page at www.tri‐c.edu/nursing.
PART IV: HEALTH CARE/CPR REQUIREMENTS
Prospective students must complete and submit certain requirements for consideration and/or
placement in the nursing program. Once accepted into the program, nursing students must maintain these requirements or they will not be permitted into any clinical setting. The maintenance of accurate and up‐to‐date information of all requirements are the sole responsibility of the student. These requirements include but are not limited to the following:
IMMUNIZATIONS
Measles
‐There must be documentation of:
A positive antibody titer for Measles (lab report required or employer health report required)
Mumps
‐There must be documentation of:
A positive antibody titer for Mumps (lab report required or employer health report required)
Rubella
‐There must be documentation of:
A positive antibody titer for Rubella (lab report required or employer health report required)
Varicella (Chicken Pox)
‐There must be documentation of one of the following:
2 Vaccinations
Positive antibody titer (lab report required)
Hepatitis B
‐A positive Hep B antibody titer is required. If you are just starting the vaccination series you must follow the CDC recommended schedule and then follow the series with a titer. If the titer is negative or equivocal, you must repeat the vaccine series two weeks after the original titer. A repeat titer is
required after the series. Repeat titer will be accepted even if negative. (Please see the post vaccination requirements on p. 3)
TB Skin Test
‐There must be documentation of one of the following: • 2 step TB Skin test (1‐3 weeks apart)
• 2 tests within one year period (most recent within last 12 months) • Past 2 Step PLUS all subsequent annuals
• 2 consecutive annual tests
• Negative QuantiFERON Gold or T‐Spot test within the past 12 months
• If TB results are positive, provide a Chest X‐Ray (lab report or employer health report required). If INH therapy was received, you must submit documentation of this as well.
‐Tuberculosis (Single PPD) A single PPD is required annually.
Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis (Tdap)
‐There must be documentation of a Tdap booster within the past 10 years. Influenza
‐Submit documentation of a flu shot administered during the current flu season, starting August 1st. ‐The annual deadline is October 1.
BLS/CPR CERTIFICATION
Students are required to provide documentation of a current professional level CPR course. The course MUST be either the BLS for Healthcare Providers course earned through the American Heart Association
(AHA) or the CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer course earned through the American Red Cross
(ARC). No other course will be accepted. When submitting documentation of AHA certification, the copy must be front and back of the card. The AHA card must be signed. The ARC certificate of
completion can also be submitted. The ARC certificate of completion must show the unique ID and QR codes for verification purposes. Letters verifying completion are no longer being accepted.
7
APPLICATION PROCESS
1. Submit a Tri‐C College application.
2. Submit an official high school diploma transcript, GED Equivalency or higher degree transcript to the Office of the Registrar, P.O. Box 5966, Cleveland, OH 44101‐0966.
3. Students must possess or attain a cumulative college grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 or higher.
4. Students must complete the College’s English and mathematics placement tests and be
eligible to register for ENG 1010 and MATH 1141. If the student is transferring credit(s) from another college, the transcript(s) must be sent to the Office of the Registrar and have been evaluated and entered into the student’s official Tri‐C college record.
5. Once you have met with a college counselor a request for review can be submitted. The request can be submitted online at www.tri‐c.edu/nursing.
6. Admission to the LPN Program requires passing scores (75%) on both Math and Reading Language sections of the entrance exam as described above.
7. Once all of the admission requirements have been met, the applicant will receive an
application for admission to the Practical Nurse Program and a list of available starting dates by e‐mail to your Tri‐C Student E‐mail Account, from the Division of Nursing.
NOTE: Applicants are encouraged to submit an application as soon as admission requirements are completed in order to reserve a space in the program. Support courses can be completed during the interim period while waiting to enter the Practical Nurse Program sequence.
Applicants must maintain a cumulative college GPA of 2.0 or higher throughout their time
in the practical nursing program.
Students
who
accept
a
slot
in
either
nursing
program
(with
a
specific
starting
date
for
nursing
courses)
and
do
not
attend
orientation,
decline
a
slot
after
orientation,
do
not
attend
the
first
day
of
class,
do
not
meet
all
medical
record,
health
insurance,
CPR,
and/or
background
check
requirements
will
be
required
to
re
‐
start
the
application
process.
Students
admitted
for
a
fall
semester
may
reapply
after
Sept.
1
st;
students
admitted
for
a
spring
semester
may
apply
after
February
1
st.
Students
must
meet
all
current
admission
requirements
at
the
time
of
application.
COURSE SEQUENCE
LICENSED PRACTICAL NURSING CERTIFICATE
Fall Semester Credit Hours
BIO 1050 and 105L (lab) Human Biology 4
PNUR 1200 Physical Assessment for the Practical Nurse 2 PNUR 1210 Fundamentals of Practical Nursing
(1st 8 weeks)
3 PNUR 1322 Nursing Management of Adults I
(2nd 8 weeks)
3
TOTAL 12
Spring Semester
ENG 1010 College Composition I 3
PSY 1010 General Psychology 3
PNUR 1330 Nursing Management of Adults II 8
TOTAL 14
Summer Semester
PNUR 1341 Lifespan Nursing for the Practical Nurse 4
PSY 2020 Lifespan Development 4
TOTAL 8
PROGRAM TOTAL 34
If a student has taken Biology 2331 and will complete Biology 2341 prior to or during their first semester in the program, the courses can be substituted for Biology 1050/105L. This option should be considered for the student who may seek a science and/or Nursing degree.
Courses used as pre‐requisites or core courses for the Health career and Nursing programs must
have a traditional letter grade. The Pass/No Pass grading option for pre‐requisites and core courses
will not be accepted by the Health Career and Nursing Programs.
HELPFUL INFORMATION, RESOURCES & LINKS
Student E‐mail Communications
Cuyahoga Community College has established e‐mail as an official means of communication with students. An official Tri‐C e‐mail address is issued to each student. Students must check e‐mail regularly in order to read important messages and notifications. Certain communications may be time‐sensitive. Failure to read official college communications sent to students’ official Tri‐C e‐mail addresses does not absolve students from knowing and complying with the content of those official communications. Students must also ensure that there is sufficient space in their e‐mail inboxes to allow for e‐mail delivery. To avoid junk or spam filters, students who are forwarding mail should add their Tri‐C address to their address book.
9
Nursing Student Resources
Once admitted to the nursing program, many resources are available to nursing students including but not limited to ongoing support of faculty and office personnel, open lab hours for skills practice, tutoring services and more. Nursing students are also able to communicate to faculty, office personnel and each other through assigned media resources. www.tri‐c.edu/nursing.
PN Nursing Student Handbook
PN Nursing Students’ expectations, responsibilities, policies and procedures.
www.tri‐c.edu/nursing.
College‐Wide Resources
Additional college‐wide resources are available to nursing students at each campus. For a full range of services please go to the Cuyahoga Community College website.
www.tri‐c.edu/Pages/default.aspx
Cuyahoga Community College Student Handbook
www.tri‐c.edu/student‐resources/student‐handbook.html
Counseling Department
As you seek admittance into the PN Nursing Program, it is required that you visit the
counseling center for guidance. Academic, career and personal counseling services along with a many other resources are available at each campus.
www.tri‐c.edu/counseling‐center/academic‐counseling.html
Also see additional student resources provided by the Tri‐C Counseling Center.
www.tri‐c.edu/counseling‐center/index.html
Math Department
Did you know that the Math department at Tri‐ C Eastern Campus offers a way to complete the nursing math requirement in 1 semester? If you are dedicated and willing to sacrifice the time, MATH 0950, MATH 0960 & MATH 1250 can be completed in 1 semester. For more information, please contact Dr. Snell‐Masterson at Heather.Masterson@tri‐c.edu. Office of Student Success
Cuyahoga Community College wants our students to set their goals to complete certificates and degrees. We offer a variety of academic support services through the Learning Centers on each campus, ACCESS programs for students with disabilities, GED/ABLE (Adult Basic Literacy Education) Programs, and Student Support Services at the Metropolitan Campus.
www.tri‐c.edu/student‐success/index.html
Project Go!
Cuyahoga Community College is partnering with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS), the Ohio Benefit Bank (OBB) and the Cleveland Food Bank to break down
barriers to college completion. This program provides support and assistance to students who may face financial challenges while working toward their educational goals.
www.tri‐c.edu/paying‐for‐college/financial‐aid‐and‐scholarships/benefits‐accessproject‐
go.html
Financial Aid
Students can meet with a Student Financial Aid Advisor to obtain information about various financial aid options, including grants, scholarships, student loans, and public benefits.
www.tri‐c.edu/paying‐for‐college/financial‐aid‐and‐scholarships/apply‐for‐financial‐
assistance.html
Tuition Fee Schedule
Click on the link below to access the current “Tuition and Payment Schedule”
www.tri‐c.edu/paying‐for‐college/index.html
Additional Expenses*
Entrance & Exit Exams $200 (Variable)
Books & Supplies $2200
Uniforms $250
Laboratory Fees $250
Liability Insurance ($6.25 per semester) $25
Background Check $85 (Variable based on Residencies and/or
Previous history)
Medical Insurance is Required Must be obtained at your own expense
Miscellaneous Expenses
Stethoscope, scissors, hemostat (Variable)
Health examination (Variable)
Immunizations (Variable)
Drug Screening required for some clinical sites $30 *Prices subject to change
11
Outside Resources
Ohio Board of Nursing General Information
For questions regarding approved programs, NCLEX‐PN licensure, etc. in the state of Ohio visit the Ohio Board of Nursing Website.
www.nursing.ohio.gov
The Informed Approach
Because a criminal history can have different effects at the educational, licensure, and
employment levels, when a person is considering pursuing a nursing career, it is best to have as much information as possible prior to deciding to enroll in a nursing program. The Board encourages individuals who have criminal histories and who are interested in pursuing a nursing career to: (1) Contact approved nursing education programs and ask about the programs’ enrollment criteria with respect to criminal convictions; (2) Review the criminal history information available on the Board’s website
http://www.nursing.ohio.gov/Discipline.htm; and (3) Contact healthcare facilities and inquire about hiring criteria with respect to criminal convictions.
