Nursing: Practical Nursing

Would you like to work in the exciting field of healthcare providing direct patient care within a team of healthcare providers? The Practical Nursing diploma prepares you to assist with planning, implementing, and evaluating nursing care under the supervision of a Registered Nurse or other approved licensed healthcare professional.

You must pass a licensing exam (NCLEX-PN) to practice as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). Employment opportunities are found in a variety of healthcare settings such as hospitals, long-term care facilities, and physicians' offices. The Practical Nursing program at GTCC is approved by the North Carolina Board of Nursing.

Admission Information

Credentialing Options

Nursing (Practical) Diploma - CIP Code: 51.3901

D 45 66 0

Contact: (336) 334-4822 - ext. 50400

Limited Enrollment Program:  Contact the Enrollment Services Office for Program admission requirements and Program application deadlines.  This option is taught at the Jamestown Campus.

The Practical Nursing curriculum provides knowledge and skills to integrate safety and quality into nursing care to meet the needs of the holistic individual which impact health, quality of life, and achievement of potential.

Course work includes and builds upon the domains of healthcare, nursing practice, and the holistic individual. Content emphasizes safe, individualized nursing care and participation in the interdisciplinary team while employing evidence-based practice, quality improvement, and informatics.

Graduates are eligible to apply to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN) which is required for practice as a Licensed Practical Nurse.  The State Board of Nursing may, however, deny licensure based on criminal background screening.  Employment opportunities include hospitals, rehabilitation/long term care/home health facilities, clinics, and physicians' offices.

The Practical Nursing program has one exit option. Students who complete

NUR 102
 are eligible to apply for Nurse Aide II listing (current Nurse Aide I listing required).

Program Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of the practical nursing program, the student will be able to:

  • Describe common health alterations within an individual's life cycle.
  • Provide safe and culturally competent therapeutic nursing care to individuals with common health alterations.
  • Provide safe and ethical therapeutic nursing care with the healthcare system to individuals with common health alterations.

Spring Semester I

Total Credits: 18-19

Summer Semester I

Total Credits: 10

Fall Semester I

Total Credits: 16

Total credit hours required for diploma: 41-44

Electives

1. Biology Electives

Choose between the following:

2. Eligible to apply for NA II listing. (Current Nurse Aide I listing is required)

Close

Associate in Arts, Pre-Practical Nursing Diploma Pathway

A 10 10 0 PN

Contact: (336) 334-4822 ext. 50400

Limited Entry Pre-Health Program Pathway

GTCC is an open access institution, however many of our programs have enrollment requirements for admission.  Limited Enrollment Pathways help to identify students who are awaiting acceptance into Limited Enrollment Programs while they complete entry requirements to qualify for admission.  Students who are unable to qualify for admission to Limited Enrollment Programs within one year will be removed from the Limited Enrollment Pathway, and will remain enrolled in the Associate in Arts (A10100) degree program.

Semester I

Total Credits: 14-15

Semester II

Total Credits: 17

Semester III

Total Credits: 16

Semester IV

  • Natural Science Elective Credits: 4
  • General Education Elective Credits: 3
  • Other Required/Pre-Major Elective Credits: 3
  • Other Required/Pre-Major Elective Credits: 3

Total Credits: 13

Note:

1 If

BIO 168
 is taken in Semester I, than
BIO 169
 required in Semester II

Course Requirements for Associate in Arts, Pre-Practical Nursing Diploma Pathway (60-61 Credits)

General Education Requirements

The general education common course pathway includes study in the areas of English, communication; humanities and fine arts; social and behavioral sciences; natural sciences and mathematics.

English Composition

The following two English compositions courses are required:

Humanities/Fine Arts

The following courses are required:

Humanities/Fine Arts Electives

Take three (3) credits from the following list:

Social/Behavioral Sciences

The following courses are required:

  • PSY 150 General Psychology
    PSY 150 General Psychology
    Close
  • Additional Social/Behavioral Science Elective Credits: 3
  • Additional Social/Behavioral Science Elective Credits: 3
Social/Behavioral Science Electives

Choose two courses from the following list:

Mathematics

The following course is required:

Natural Sciences

In the event, a student is not accepted into the Practical Nursing Diploma, a Natural Science elective will have to be taken to meet the requirement. 

Four (4) credits will need to be taken from the following:

General Education Electives

Take ten (10) credits from the list below:

Other Required Hours

Academic Transition and Pathway Requirements

The following courses are required:

Other Required/Pre-Major Electives

Choose six (6) credits from the following courses:

Footnotes:

1. WBL-111 is not transferable and can only be utilized as the 61st hour of the program.

Close

Accounting and Finance - CCP Pathway

C 25 80 0 H3

The Career and College Promise Initiative Certificate in Accounting (C25100H1) is intended for students wanting to take college courses while in high school that can lead to credential to use for seeking employment or to earn college credits to apply toward the Accounting and Finance, AAS - CIP Code: 52.0301 . To earn this CCPI certificate a student must complete in two semesters at least 16 hours of courses in a prescribed course of study.

Program Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of the Accounting and Finance certificate, the graduate should be able to:

  • Record basic financial transactions of a business properly.
  • Make basic business calculations accurately.
  • Calculate payroll transactions accurately.
  • Use accounting software properly.

Fall 1

Total Credits: 8

Spring 1

Total Credits: 7

Fall 2

Total Credits: 3

Total credit hours required to complete pathway: 18

Close

Frequently Asked Questions

The Practical Nursing program has a selective admissions process with a cap of 30 students with the annual fall enrollment. 

Students interested in applying for this program must follow the guidelines in the Practical Nursing Admission Packet linked above under the section called "Admission Information."

Nursing Faculty
Name Title
David Tanner, MSN, RN, CPN Director of Nursing Programs
Martha Barham, MSN, RN Associate Professor, Nursing
Rhonda Owens, MSN-Ed, RN Associate Professor, Nursing
Debra Coleman, MSN, RN Nursing Instructor
Barbara Tornblom, MSN, RN, CNEn Nursing Instructor
Christina Weaver, MSN, RN Assistant Professor
Stefanie Wortham, DNP, RNC, WHNP-BC Assistant Professor
Melissa Casey, MSN, RN Nursing Instructor
Susan Mayes, MSN, RN Nursing Instructor
Karen Harvell MSN, RN Nursing Instructor
Tajauana Robinson, MSN, RN Nursing Instructor
Emily Rothermel, MSN, RN Nursing Instructor
Kristy Rowley DNP, RN Nursing Instructor
Datra Delk-Patrick MSN, RN Clinical Coordinator

Financial aid is available if you qualify. Please visit the Financial Aid web page or call the Financial Aid office at 336-334-4822, option 3.

Students will receive a letter acknowledging their acceptance into the program with additional information on a mandatory orientation session before the start of classes. At the orientation, students will be provided information on health requirements, background/drug screening, clinical requirements, uniforms, etc.

Students who are not accepted may want to apply for the next admission of the same program if they are certain it is what they want. Students may be counseled about how to improve their ranking chances for the next admission. They may also receive information on other programs that they may be interested in attending. 

Each PN course has a clinical component ranging from six to nine hours per week. Clinical experiences take place in area hospitals and long-term care facilities. Students will be assigned to various agencies to get a broad range of clinical experience. The times/days for clinical experiences are dictated by the clinical agencies. For these reasons, students cannot request a specific location, time, or day for their experiences. Every student needs to have transportation and be willing to travel to the assigned location.

Practical Nursing Diploma (3 semesters)
Item Cost
Tuition (in-state) $76/hr
Fees (campus access, parking, security, activity, technology, insurance, malpractice insurance, etc.) $100/semester
Textbooks/Resources/Standardized Assessments $800
Uniforms/Supplies $150
Health requirements $250
Criminal Background Check/Drug Screen $97
CPR Training $50
NCLEX Review Course $250
Nursing Assistant I Listing $108
Nursing Assistant II Listing $24
Graduation Fee $35
NCLEX-PN (Application Fee for licensure after graduation) $315
Estimated Total Cost for the program $5,000

Before graduation, students will have a review course and receive information on the licensing exam for Licensed Practical Nursing (NCLEX-PN). Upon graduation, students will be eligible to apply to take the NCLEX-PN. Students should be aware that the North Carolina Board of Nursing requires background screening before licensure and may deny licensure based on the results of the screening.