Dec 02, 2024  
Catalog 2017-18 
    
Catalog 2017-18 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Practical Nursing Certificate


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Important Information


Short Description


The Practical Nursing program is a 12-month, 46-credit certificate program designed to provide theoretical and clinical laboratory study in nursing that will enable students to learn to assist other licensed health care professionals, such as registered nurses and physicians, and work as members of a health care team. 

Type of Credential


Credit Certificate

Program Code


S 201

Contacts and Additional Information


Program Directors:

Nursing Program Administrator/Dean
CCBC Essex, Dr. Shawn P. McNamara
443-840-1360 or smcnamara2@ccbcmd.edu

Program Director - Catonsville
Elizabeth Webster
443-840-4447 or ewebster@ccbcmd.edu

Program Director - Essex
Dr. Mary Kay DeMarco
443-840-1433 or mdemarco@ccbcmd.edu

Program Director - Dundalk
Cheryl J. McNamara
443-840-3360 or cmcnamara@ccbcmd.edu

Additional Information:

  • Registered Nursing offered at Catonsville and Essex. Practical Nursing certificate offered only at Dundalk. Paramedic to RN transition course offered only at Catonsville. LPN to RN transition course offered only at Dundalk; successful students then transfer to either Catonsville or Essex.
  • Health Workforce Shortage Program
  • Selective Admission Program
  • Opportunities for Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) - Several General Education classes offer PLA. See Portfolio, Departmental Exam, CLEP, DSST, Advanced Placement, and International Baccalaureate. General education classes are required for associate degrees but not for certificates.
  • Articulation and Transfer Agreements

 

Semester Sequence


This is a suggested schedule for a student who has completed any developmental course work and has no transfer credits.

The transfer track is for students who intend to continue their education at the Registered Nurse (RN) level.  All of the prerequisite courses are transferable to the RN program.  While we encourage our students to continue their formal education we know that some may want to practice as a LPN for a while and then at a later time return to school. These students would be encouraged to complete the career track.  The prerequisite courses in the career track meet the education requirements for the LPN Certificate but provide an alternative science sequence that would not transfer into a RN program.  In the event that the LPN career track graduate would decide to continue their education, they would need to complete BIOL 110, BIOL 220 and BIOL 221, and BIOL 230 (Microbiology) along with the other noted pre-requisites in the admission criteria.

Semester 1 - Prior to Selective Admissions*


Semester 2 - Prior to Selective Admissions


Semester 3 - Prior to Selective Admissions


Courses Needed for This Program*


Total Credits Required for Certificate: 38-46*


Notes


*Credit students who are new to college (no successfully completed transferable college credits from other institutions) are required to take ACDV 101 - Academic Development: Transitioning to College . This 1-credit course is designed to be taken in the first semester at CCBC. Students must provide an official transcript(s) from an accredited institution to document successful completion of college coursework for the ACDV 101 requirement to be waived.

**BIOL 110  is a General Education course and is a pre-requisite for BIOL 220  and BIOL 230 . The option to challenge or receive a waiver for BIOL 110  can be requested through the Biology Department. (Different programs within the School of Health Professions have different Biology requirements; these are noted in each specific program of study.)

 Students planning to enter the nursing program should address this alterative with an academic advisor or counselor.

Program Description


The Practical Nursing program is a 12-month, 46-credit certificate program designed to provide theoretical and clinical laboratory study in nursing that will enable students to learn to assist other licensed health care professionals, such as registered nurses and physicians, and work as members of a health care team.  Upon successful completion of the program, graduates are eligible to apply and take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN).  The program is accredited by the Maryland Board of Nursing.

School of Health Professions Policies


Students in the School of Health Professions are expected to conduct themselves according to an honor code; exhibit professional behavior; communicate effectively in English; provide proof of health insurance, immunizations, and a tuberculosis (TB) test; and submit to a criminal background check and drug testing. Students are expected to pay the costs associated with these requirements.

Admission


Applications for all School of Health Professions programs, except Dental Hygiene and Physician Assistant, are processed in a Central Application Service called CCBC CAS. The link to the CAS and the application instructions are located in the program admissions packet at the School of Health Professions website. You will need a CCBC student ID number and a CCBC student account password to complete the application. If you have questions about the CCBC CAS process, contact the School of Health Professions Admissions Office at (443) 840-1989 or read the FAQ selections at the bottom of each page inside the CAS application.

Admission Process for Practical Nursing


Admission to the Practical Nursing program is a separate process from admission to the college. Admission to the School of Health Professions programs is competitive, selective, and is based on established criteria. Information about admission processes for the programs in the School of Health Professions and the Admission Application form are available online at School of Health Professions website.

Application Deadline


Admission into the Practical Nursing program is competitive. Admission applications should be completed by April 15th. In addition, applicants must register to take the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) prior to the application deadline. A new admission application must be completed for each new admission request. 

Students are encouraged to make a financial plan prior to entry since full-time employment is strongly discouraged during the clinical nursing sequence. Information relative to scholarships and loans is available from the Financial Aid office. 

Admission Criteria


Criteria for consideration for admission into the Practical Nursing Program:

  1. High School Diploma or GED
  2. Successful completion of prerequisite courses with a C or better. 
  3. GPA of 2.0 or greater for all past CCBC courses. 
  4. Competency in math, reading and English
  5. Completion of the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS)

Other


End of Program Student Learning Outcomes


The expected culmination of all learning experiences occurring during the CCBC Practical Nursing Program is to prepare an entry level practitioner who are prepared and committed to:

1. Promote Optimal Health for patients, families, communities and themselves;
2. Demonstrate sound Nursing Judgment;
3. Continually develop their Professional Identity;
4. Maintain a Spirit of Inquiry as they seek to continually improve nursing practice and health care. 

Program Competencies


Upon graduation from the Community College of Baltimore County Practical Nursing Program, the practical nurse entry-level practitioner will be able to: 

1. Collaborate with members of the health care team to advocate for patients, families and communities in order to provide safe, high quality nursing care;

2. Demonstrate effective communication techniques and caring behaviors with patients, families and communities to improve health outcomes;    

3. Provide nursing care to patients, families, and communities recognizing their diversity and spirituality;

4. Use informatics and evidence-based practice to improve the quality of care for patients, families, and communities; 

5. Design health promotion activities that contribute to the wellness of patients, families and communities; 

6. Demonstrate accountability and responsibility in the delivery of patient-centered nursing care of patients, families and communities; 

7. Apply the nursing process as a systematic method of providing patient-centered nursing care throughout the life span

8. Analyze the essential pharmacologic principles used in providing care for patients; 

9. Adhere to the standards of excellence essential to professionalism incorporating ethics, integrity, caring, leadership, advocacy, and life-long learning; 

10. Promote safety for patients, families, and communities within health care systems; 

11. Perform nursing skills independently using available technology to meet standards of efficacy and safety; 

12. Integrate patient-centered teaching into the nursing care of patients, families, and communities; 

13. Demonstrate sound nursing judgment in clinical practice based on evidence which promotes optimal health for patients, families and communities.

Financial Aid Statement


Financial Aid students are encouraged to make a financial plan prior to entry since full-time employment is definitely not recommended during the clinical nursing sequence. Information relative to scholarships and loans is available from the Financial Aid office. Scholarship opportunities can be found on the Maryland Board of Nursing website at www.mbon.org

Legal Implications


Upon successful completion of the Practical Nursing Program, the graduate applies to take the National Licensing Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN).  Permission to take the NCLEX-PN examination is established by law and granted by the Maryland Board of Nursing.  The Board may deny a graduate this permission for a variety of reasons.  This includes: 8-6A-10 (a)4- if convicted of or pleads guilty or nolo contendere to a felony or to a crime involving moral turpitude, whether or not any appeal or other proceeding to have the conviction or plea set aside [Nurse Practice Act, Annotated Code of Maryland].

During the clinical components of the program, clinical sites may determine to decline a student based on the criminal background check or drug screen.  If a student is declined by two clinical facilities, they are unable to meet clinical objectives and cannot progress in the nursing program.

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