The Practical Nursing (PN) program provides practical nurses with academic and clinical practice opportunities to gain the knowledge and skills that are essential to meet the demands of today’s healthcare environment. The program offers career-focused curricula designed to cultivate students’ successful learning and the ability to apply knowledge, think critically, and communicate effectively. Graduates of the Practical Nurse (PN) program are eligible to take the PN licensure examination (NCLEX-PN).
PN students will learn to collect and organize healthcare data, coordinate with other nurses and healthcare providers to provide patient care, contribute to the care plan, and identify and understand common health problems in a variety of patients.
As you work toward your future professional goals, review the related information at the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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Keys to Success
Nursing is an art and a science with caring and service as core concepts. The role of the Practical Nurse is to facilitate the optimal independent functioning of persons, alone or in groups, through the promotion, maintenance, and restoration of health. The professional nurse will utilize critical thinking and the nursing process to plan and implement care.
Students are expected to value confidentiality, respect, accountability, people’s differences, and preparation to ensure safe clinical practice.
Upon completion of certificate requirements, each student enrolled in the PN program must make application to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination-Practical Nurse (NCLEX-PN). Practical/Vocational nurses are prohibited in all states from practicing nursing until the examination is successfully completed and licensure has been granted. Specific information regarding licensure will be provided to the student during the last quarter of the nursing program. Background Check: Students are required to sign an acknowledgment form that they understand that our school background check may not revel potential barriers to licensure in each state. Each Board of Nursing conducts extensive background checks upon application for licensure with that state. Graduation from this program, does not specifically guarantee licensure in each state.
Knoxville, Nashville, Atlanta, and Orlando
The South College Certificate program in Practical Nursing offered at the Parkside Learning Site (Knoxville) received approval from the Tennessee Board of Nursing in February 2018. Approval for the addition of the Nashville Learning site was granted in November 2018. The Certificate program in Practical Nursing was approved by the Georgia Board of Nursing for the Atlanta Learning Site in May 2019 to begin the first class in June 2020. The Certificate program in Practical Nursing was approved by the Florida Board of Nursing for the Orlando Learning Site in November 2021.
Amounts for tuition, fees, books, and supplies are subject to change. South College follows the required methodology provided by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission for the reporting of employment information for graduates. This information is compiled on an annual basis and submitted to the Commission by October 15 each year for graduates during the most recently completed reporting year (July 1-June 30). For more detailed information related to the calculation of graduate employment rates, please click here.
*The career options listed above are a small sample of potential job titles, and are not meant to be comprehensive. Students may or may not find employment in these positions. Job growth statistics are taken from the Bureau of Labor Statistics 2014–2024 projections. Note that the Bureau does not publish estimates for all job titles, so in some cases these numbers are an approximation based on similar job titles.
You never feel like part of a headcount, and you can have conversations with your professors. I don’t think other schools give you the personal touch South College does.
- Lisa Farmer, Bachelor in Nursing (BSN- Accelerated)
South College is providing me the opportunity to be a part of a wonderful program and receive the education and training I need to be a successful occupational therapy assistant.
It was not something I needed to learn to do, it was something I was supposed to do [becoming a nurse]. After 38 years it was just something that was kicking in.
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