Practical Nursing

• High School Graduation Diploma or equivalent, including: Grade 12 Academic English and Mathematics; and 2 additional Grade 12 Academic Sciences (Chemistry, Physics or Biology).

• Additional program requirements, including criminal record check, immunizations and first aid, are required for Health & Human Services programs. Details are provided with your acceptance notification – Health & Human Services Additional Program Requirements (224 KB)

• NSCC offers the only practical nursing program in Nova Scotia. The program is available at campuses throughout the province and is recognized and approved by the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Nova Scotia.
• Learn from experienced instructors who have earned solid reputations in a wide variety of healthcare areas.
• With low student-to-teacher ratios, you have access to your instructors, especially during the clinical level.
• NSCC graduates enjoy a notably high rate of success on the Canadian Practical Nurse Registration Examination (CPNRE) as well as an impressive rate of employment. Graduates can be confident in assuming their work duties because they have a firm foundation in the theory and practice of practical nursing, and they know how the healthcare system works.

Upon completion of the program graduates must write the Canadian Practical Nurse Registration Examination. Successful completion of the examination qualifies you to apply for a license to practise as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). This license is recognized nationally.

Licensed Practical Nurses can assume a leadership role on the healthcare team. Graduates work in long-term care, acute care and community care.

• This program is available for part-time study through a combination of online courses, labs delivered in-class at Waterfront Campus and practicums (clinical placements and internships). No additional campus locations are available for the part-time offering.
• If you choose a part-time study option, you must still apply to the program and meet all the admission requirements.
• Tuition for part-time study is calculated on a per-course basis and is paid at the beginning of each term.

• Cumberland Campus – Courses for the Cumberland Campus session take place at the Community Learning Centre in Amherst.
• Alternate Locations – The location for this program alternates and is not always offered at the same location each year. Check program locations for upcoming start dates. In September 2014 the first year of the program will only be offered at Burridge Campus, Kingstec Campus, Marconi Campus, Pictou Campus, Truro Campus and Waterfront Campus.
• Shift work is an integral part of this occupation. Physical demands include moving and lifting people as well as spending long periods of time on your feet. Emotional demands include frequent stressful and occasional emergency situations.
• Application of knowledge and skills during nursing Clinical Placements and Internships may take place in a variety of settings including medical-surgical, geriatric, obstetrics, pediatrics, mental health, public health, community care and home care. Students are required to provide their own transportation to clinical sites and may be required to find accommodation during some portions of clinical placement.
• Students are required to complete the program in 4 years. Pass mark for this program is 70%.
• Graduates are eligible to write the Canadian Practical Nurses Registration Exam (CPNRE) and work as a Graduate Practical Nurse upon successful completion of the NSCC program. Application and fees must be submitted to the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Nova Scotia (CLPNNS) to write the examination and to receive a temporary graduate Practical Nursing License.