Practical Nursing

Overview

"When you're a nurse you know that every day you will touch a life or a life will touch yours.”

-Author Unknown

The Stenberg College Practical Nursing Program follows the Provincial Practical Nursing Curriculum (2011) and is designed to provide learners with the knowledge, skills and judgments essential to perform to the full range of competencies as identified by the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of British Columbia. The curriculum provides a learning experience that is integrated, professional, collaborative, and culturally competent 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. Upon successful completion of the program, graduates will possess the competencies to successfully complete the Canadian Practical Nurse Registration Exam (CPNRE).

To learn more about entering the healthcare profession as a Practical Nurse, please read on...

Program Goals

The Stenberg College Practical Nursing Program prepares graduates to:

1Demonstrate the knowledge base, skills and attitudes consistent with industry expectations for entry level employment. Graduates will be able to meet the baseline competency requirements and standards of practice set out by the CLPNBC.
2Excel in the Canadian Practical Nurse Registration Examination (CPNRE) Licensing Exam.
3Gain employment in the field within 6 months of graduation.

Program Delivery Format

This full-time program is delivered in an instructor-led format with daily in-class and/or lab sessions and guided, interactive online learning. This method of delivery respects the unique needs of adult learners who seek opportunities to discover and explore content at their own pace in addition to instructor led classroom / lab skill delivery. At the beginning of the program, students receive a comprehensive orientation to the program and to the online learning environment. Experienced faculty members lead each of the courses, supporting students' learning through in-class session participation, lab skills demonstrations and facilitation, online forum discussion and evaluation feedback.

Typical Job Duties

As a Practical Nurse, you'll provide direct care under the supervision of a registered nurse, physician or other healthcare specialist. You'll be a valued member of a primary healthcare team, qualified to:

  • Administer medication to patients and monitor their effectiveness
  • Assess and monitor patients in various healthcare settings
  • Document assessments and report progress
  • Assist in rehabilitation activities
  • Perform examinations in consultation with doctors, registered nurses and therapists
  • Provide nursing care in acute, geriatric and home care settings
  • Assist clients with activities of daily living
  • Educate patients regarding health-related issues
  • Advocate for clients
  • Be a team leader and assign care to unregulated care providers

Potential Employers

Once you've graduated as a Practical Nurse, you could find work in various settings, caring for clients across the lifespan:

  • Public hospital
  • Long-term care facility
  • Public health facility like a veterans' hospital
  • Centre for the developmentally disabled
  • Mental health facility
  • Home care and home support agencies
  • Assisted living facilities

Wages and Career Outlook

It is difficult to predict wages and career outlook with this field. Unlike other occupations, those in healthcare are driven by current government policy rather than the business cycle. Currently, wages listed for Licensed Practical Nurses within Fraser Health Region is between $24.01-$25.50 per hour.

The related national occupation classification number—a system used to group jobs— for Practical Nursing is "3233.”

Please keep in mind that these figures are based on groupings of a large number of related jobs. Wages and career outlook may differ due to your education level, job location and the type of employer you work for.

We suggest visiting the following sites to obtain more wages and career information:

Is This Program for You?

It is if you:

1Find it rewarding to care for people who are ill, injured or disabled
2Can combine compassion with professionalism
3Are interested in healthcare sciences
4Would enjoy working in a hospital or resident care setting
5Have good critical thinking skills
6Have good computer skills including working knowledge of word processing, email and internet searches

Program Admission Requirements

  • Completion of Grade 12 or 19 years of age or older
  • Grade 12 English with a grade of C+ OR Technical Communication 12 with a grade of B+
  • Math 11 Principles with a grade of C (current BC curriculum) OR Math 11 Foundations with a grade of C (commencing 2012) *
  • Biology 12 (Human Body) with a grade of C *
  • Completion of Criminal Record Consent Form under the Criminal Record Review Act

*Stenberg College applicants may write challenge exams or take free upgrading courses to meet admission requirements for Math 11 and Bio 12.

Prior to Program Admission, Program Advisors will outline practice education requirements for the program. Upon enrollment, students will be informed of next steps and timelines. Non-compliance could result in program dismissal. Requirements for practice education placements include:

  • Acceptable Criminal Record Search under the Criminal Record Review Act
  • Proof of Immunity Status as required by industry
  • Acceptable Medical Examination Form completed by a physician

In addition to the admissions requirements above, applicants with English as an additional language must also meet one of the following language requirements:

Stenberg College English Language Equivalency Test (ELET)
(Scores valid for one year) testing proficiency in each of the following areas: Reading Comprehension, Written Expression, Listening and Speaking. Overall score of 56/80 or higher OR

TOEFL Internet-based (scores valid for one year)
Reading, Writing and Listening component scores must total a minimum of 60; minimum Speaking component score of 26 OR

IELTS Academic Module (scores valid for one year)
Overall score of 6.5 or higher with no band score less than 6.0 and a minimum score of 7.0 on the Speaking band OR

Canadian Language Benchmark Scores
Listening 8, Speaking 8, Reading 8, and Writing 7

NB: Additional criteria may be required to fulfill industry guidelines; students will be informed in advance of any requirements that need to be fulfilled for placements

Duration and Financing

Duration: 74 weeks, including practice education experiences and a final preceptorship

Financing: You could be eligible for ELMS funding, government student loans and other financing options; the Stenberg College Financial Aid Officer will be happy to provide further assistance.

Quick Links:

Practical Nursing: Program Learning Outcomes

Practical Nursing: Program Courses and Additional Certification

Practical Nursing: Top Reasons to Choose Stenberg

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Over 92% of our graduates are working in their field of study within 6 months of graduation

2012 - 2013 2011 - 2012 2010 - 2011

Practical Nursing
College of LicensedPractical Nurses of BC
Practical Nurses of BC
EBSCO Research Search Engine
Fraser Health
Interior Health
LPN Café
Northern Health
Practical Nurses Canada
Provincial Health Services
Vancouver Coastal Health
Vancouver Island Health

"When you're a nurse you know that every day you will touch a life or a life will touch yours."
Author Unknown