Practical Nursing Certificate

Certificate
Health Services

Program Code: PNUR1

Office: Prahl College Center PCC2060

Phone: (810) 762-5667

The Practical Nursing program is the PN track, or first year of the Associate Degree Nursing (PN/ADN) program and provides graduates with the skills and applied knowledge to practice nursing under the supervision of a registered nurse, physician, or dentist. Upon completion of the PN track of the program, graduates receive a Certificate of Achievement and are eligible to take the licensure exam for licensed practical nurses (NCLEX-PN). The PN (PN/ADN) program is approved by the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs/Michigan Board of Nursing (P.O. Box 30670; Lansing, MI 48909-8170; www.michigan.gov/lara).

Eligibility List Requirements

The following requirements must be satisfied before application to the Nursing Program Eligibility List:

1. Demonstrate at least 13th grade reading comprehension and vocabulary level by the MCC Placement Test within last 5 years OR minimum score of 20 on the reading portion of the ACT within the last 5 years (a satisfactory grade in RDNG 030 or ENGL 100 will also meet this requirement).
2. Demonstrate math proficiency by completing one of the following:
   1. Demonstrate MATH 130 eligibility by the MCC Placement Test within the last 5 years OR
   2. Complete any 100 level (or higher) math course with a 2.0 (or higher) grade within the last 5 years.
3. Complete BIOL 151 and BIOL 152 with a 3.0 (or higher) grade within the last 5 years and ENGL 103 (or ENGL 101) with a 2.0 (or higher) grade.
4. Complete the HESI Admission Assessment Exam (Evolve-Reach) with a minimum score of 75% in each of the following content areas: math, reading comprehension, grammar, and vocabulary; prescribed remediation activities must be completed prior to retesting.
5. Must have and maintain a cumulative MCC GPA of 3.0 or higher.
6. All required pre- or co-requisite Nursing (NRSG or NURS) and Allied Health (AHLT) courses must be completed with a 2.0 (or higher) grade; all required science courses (BIOL 151, BIOL 152) must be completed with a 3.0 (or higher) grade.
7. Non-clinical nursing and non-nursing pre- or co-requisite courses may not be attempted more than 3 times (including “W” and audit grades).
8. Must have an acceptable criminal background investigation (CBI) for the purpose of identifying any student who could not continue in the program due to a felony conviction (within the last 15 years) or misdemeanor conviction (with the last 1, 3, 5, or 10 years), in accordance with Michigan statutes and laws. Students will be required to complete an additional CBI no more than 6 months prior to the start of the clinical sequence of the program, and at the request of specific clinical facilities. The State of Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs requires additional background investigations prior to completion of professional licensure requirements. The cost of all required CBIs is the responsibility of the student.
9. Official transcripts are required for all transfer college work.
10. A Supplemental Application for Health Careers (available in the Advising Center) must be completed and submitted after all eligibility requirements are completed, with course grades posted. Deadline dates for the receipt of Supplemental Applications are:

After Fall semester - January 31
After Winter semester - May 15
After Spring session - July 15
After Summer session - August 31

Supplemental Applications are evaluated to determine if the student meets the Eligibility Requirements. Candidates who meet the requirements will be added to the Nursing Program Eligibility List.

Requirements for Entry into the Clinical Sequence of the Program

In addition to satisfying the Eligibility Requirements listed above, students must meet the following requirements prior to entry into the clinical sequence of the program (entry into NRSG 101): 

1. Complete at least 1 semester with a minimum of 8 credits and a 2.0 grade for the semester; at least 1 lab science course must be included among the 8 credits.
2. Science courses must have been taken no longer than 5 years before entry into the first clinical nursing course.
3. Dosages and Solutions Calculations (AHLT 135) and Pharmacology (NRSG 100) must be completed as a pre-requisites to Foundations of Nursing (NRSG 101); students will not be invited to pre-enrollment sessions if these course are not completed, or not underway in the current semester; courses must have been taken no more than 2 years before entry into NRSG 101.
4. Upon acceptance into the first clinical nursing course, students must:
   1. Attend a program orientation session prior to the start of NRSG 101; attendance is mandatory (unless prior arrangements are made) or the student will be dropped from the clinical sequence.
   2. Submit documentation of a physical exam, including required immunizations and TB testing, (completed within the last 6 months), at the student’s expense (information is available in the Health Sciences Division office; completed forms must be received by August 1 for the Fall semester or December 1 for the Winter semester).
   3. Submit documentation of an updated criminal background investigation (completed within the last 6 months), at the student’s expense; completed CBIs must be received by August 1 for the Fall semester or December 1 for the Winter semester.
   4. Submit documentation of current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification (for health care providers or professional rescuers); documentation of the appropriate BLS certification must be received by August 1 for the Fall semester or December 1 for the Winter semester.

Additional Information

1. First Qualified-First Served Basis for Student Selection: The deadline date for receipt of the completed Supplemental Application will be the date when the Nursing program applicant is placed on the Eligibility List. All applications received (in the Division office) in a batch (according to the deadline dates for submission each semester or session) are placed on the Eligibility List at the same time. The matriculation date (semester first class completed at MCC) of the student will be used to place applicants on the Eligibility List. If more than one student has the same matriculation date, lots will be drawn. At the time of placement on the Eligibility List, students are assigned an Eligibility Number that is updated twice a year (see #3 below).
2. Once a student is placed on the Eligibility List, it is his/her responsibility to maintain eligibility. Student academic records are audited while students remain on the Eligibility List. In the event the student fails to maintain eligibility status, he/she will be removed from the Eligibility List. The student must re-apply for placement on the list, including:
   1. Meet Eligibility Requirements in place at the time of re-application, and
   2. Submit a new Supplemental Application
      
      After it is determined the student has re-established eligibility, he/she will be added back to the Eligibility List as a new applicant (the old eligibility number will not be reissued to the student) and the student will be placed on the Eligibility List according to the procedure outlined for new applicants.
3. Students are admitted to the clinical sequence of the program (NRSG 101) twice a year, in the Fall and Winter semesters. Students are enrolled from the Eligibility List, in order of Eligibility Number.

The Eligibility List is updated twice a year, after the beginning of the Fall and Winter semesters. Letters advising students of their updated numbers are sent in the Winter semester.

Criminal Background Investigation and Drug Screens

Conviction of a criminal offence (felony or misdemeanor) may make the student ineligible to be assigned to a clinical site, making program completion/graduation unattainable. In addition, conviction may make the graduate ineligible to take the licensure examinations (NCLEX-PN and NCLEX-RN). In order to ensure that the student can participate in the required clinical experiences, he/she must have an acceptable criminal background check. A criminal background check must be completed (at the student’s expense) as an Eligibility List requirement and prior to the start of the first clinical course. Additional checks may be required, including at the time of application for professional licensure. In addition, some clinical agencies may require students to submit to drug screening procedures prior to, or during the clinical experience (at the student’s expense). A positive drug screen may make the student ineligible for the program.