Diploma in Practical Nursing

Program Details

• Program Code: 9350
• School: School of Community and Health Studies
• Credential:Ontario College Diploma
• Program Type: Post-secondary program
• Program Length:2 year/ 4 semesters
• Location: Morningside Campus

You may also be interested in these other options:

• Practical Nursing (Flexible)
• Practical Nursing for Internationally Educated Nurses

The Practical Nursing program at Centennial College will offer you the in-depth knowledge, skills, and judgment required in today's complex healthcare environment.

The curriculum in this Practical Nursing program is based on the:

• College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) Practice Standards and Guidelines
• National Entry-to-Practice Competencies for Registered Practical Nurses (updated 2020)
• Practical Nursing Program Standard for Ontario Practical Nursing Programs (Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development)

The offering also meets competencies that will reflect the evolving and expanding role of the practical nurse as provided by the Nursing Act and the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA). These competencies will include learning to provide safe, competent, and ethical care using resources and technologies for an increasingly complex client population. The Practical Nursing program will also serve as preparation to practice autonomously in a variety of settings.

Program Highlights

• Practical Nursing program faculty members have extensive clinical and in-classroom teaching expertise
• Classroom instruction will be supplemented by independent study, multimedia support, and ongoing clinical experience.
• Some courses in the program will be delivered through a combination of classroom and online instruction (blended courses)
• Small group instruction in clinical and laboratory settings will utilize the latest technology, such as computerized simulation
• The School of Community and Health Studies' nursing lab recreates an actual hospital floor, complete with nursing stations and operating room facilities
• You'll gain the edge over the competition by working within the advanced clinical simulation facilities and using highly realistic computerized "patients"
• The program will allow you to immerse yourself in the nursing field through a variety of acute, rehabilitation, and long-term care agencies with industry-leading healthcare providers
• Effective January 4, 2022, all graduates of Practical Nursing programs within Ontario will be required to take the new REx-PN Registration Exam

Upon completion of the program, graduates have reliably demonstrated the ability to:

• Therapeutically communicate with clients and members of the healthcare team
• Assess clients across the lifespan in a systematic and holistic manner
• Plan safe and competent nursing care based on a thorough analysis of available data and evidence-informed practice guidelines
• Select and perform nursing interventions using clinical judgment in collaboration with the client and, where appropriate, the health care team, that promotes health and well-being, prevents disease and injury, maintains and/or restores health, promotes rehabilitation, and/or provides palliation
• Evaluate the outcomes resulting from all interventions in the nurse-client interaction and modify the plan of care as required
• Act equitably and justly with clients and members of the healthcare team
• Adapt to a variety of healthcare settings using different leadership skills and styles as appropriate to each set
• Contribute to creating a healthy and safe work environment in a variety of healthcare settings
• Practice in a self-regulated, professional, and ethical manner, complying with relevant legislation and with the standards of both the regulatory body and the practice setting to provide safe and competent client care

Please note: The Practical Nurse Diploma program at Centennial College is currently approved (Category 1) by the College of Nurses of Ontario. Current graduates from this program are eligible to apply for registration as registered practical nurses in Ontario.

Semester 1

• ANAT-113 Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology
• COMM-160/COMM-161 College Communications 1
• GNED General Education Elective
• PNUR-103 Practical Nursing Professional Growth 1
• PNUR-104 Practical Nursing Theory 1
• PNUR-105 Practical Nursing Clinical Applications 1
• PNUR-145 Mathematics for Practical Nurses

Semester 2

• COMM-170/COMM-171 College Communications 2
• PATH-122 Practical Nursing Pathophysiology/Pharmacotherapeutics 1
• PNUR-124 Practical Nursing Theory 2
• PNUR-125 Practical Nursing Clinical Applications 2
• PNUR-126 Practical Nursing Health Assessment
• PNUR-129 Foundations of Research and Evidence-Based Practice for Practical Nurses

Semester 3

• GNED General Education Elective
• GNED-500 Global Citizenship: From Social Analysis to Social Action
• PATH-222 Practical Nursing Pathophysiology/Pharmacotherapeutics 2
• PNUR-203 Practical Nursing Professional Growth 2
• PNUR-204 Practical Nursing Theory 3
• PNUR-205 Practical Nursing Clinical Applications 3

Semester 4

• PNUR-250 Practical Nursing Pregraduate Clinical Applications

Program Vocational Learning Outcomes

Program Vocational Learning Outcomes describe what graduates of the program have demonstrated they can do with the knowledge and skills they have achieved during their studies. The outcomes are closely tied to the needs of the workplace. Through assessment (e.g., assignments and tests), students verify their ability to reliably perform these outcomes before graduating.

• Communicate therapeutically with clients and members of the healthcare team
• Assess clients across the lifespan, in a systematic and holistic manner
• Plan safe and competent nursing care, based on a thorough analysis of available data and evidence-informed practice guidelines
• Select and perform nursing interventions using clinical judgment, in collaboration with the client and, where appropriate, the health care team, that promote health and well-being, prevent disease and injury, maintain and/or restore health, promote rehabilitation, and/or provide palliation
• Evaluate the outcomes resulting from all interventions in the nurse-client interaction and modify the plan of care as required
• Act equitably and justly with clients and members of the healthcare team
• Adapt to a variety of healthcare settings, using different leadership skills and styles as appropriate to each set
• Contribute to creating a healthy and safe work environment in a variety of healthcare settings
• Practice in a self-regulated, professional, and ethical manner, complying with relevant legislation and with the standards of both the regulatory body and the practice setting to provide safe and competent client care

Career Outlook

• Clinical Nurse
• Community Health Nurse
• Palliative Care Nurse
• Educator
• Home Care Nurse
• Entrepreneur

Education Pathways

Successful graduates of the Practical Nursing diploma program have the opportunity to apply their learning for credits toward further study at the degree level. Listed below are the credentials from partnering institutions that are available for this program.

Please note that each partner pathway has specific requirements in order to qualify for transfer credits, which are assessed by the receiving partner institution.

Areas of Employment

• Long-Term Care
• Home-Care Agencies
• Hospitals
• Rehabilitation Centres
• Public Health
• Immunization Clinics
• Doctors' Offices
• Schools