Practical Nurse Access Program

Practical Nurse Access Program Curriculum Guide

The Practical Nurse Access program was initiated in response to the need for recognizing past training and work experience of applicants to the Practical Nursing program. This program credits applicants for their previous British Columbia HCA, RCA, or RHCA training.

Upon successful completion of the program, you will possess the competencies to successfully complete the Canadian Practical Nurse Registration Exam (CPNRE). After passing the Canadian Practical Nurse Registration Exam, ready-to-work graduates of this program find themselves highly employable in one of the fastest-growing areas in the health care system.

The program is led by experienced healthcare professionals who know what it takes to succeed in this field. Skills include:

• Professional Communication
• Variations in Health
• Health Promotion
• Pharmacology
• Integrated Nursing Practice
• Human Anatomy and Physiology
• Consolidated Practice Experience

Locations:

• Campbell River
• Nanaimo

Program length: 77 weeks, 1686 hours.

Includes 388 hours of consolidated practice experience with 212 hours of final practice experience at various regional health sites.

Class Delivery:  On campus with online learning options for theory courses.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Applicants must meet these admission requirements prior to beginning their program:

• Grade 12 graduation, or equivalent*, or mature student status (19 years of age as of program start date)
• Math 11 Foundations with a minimum grade of 60% or equivalent*
• English 12 with a minimum grade of 65% or English First Peoples 12 with a minimum grade of 65%, or equivalent*
• Anatomy and Physiology 12 with a minimum grade of 60%, or equivalent*
• A certificate in one of the following programs: o Health Care Assistant (HCA) or Resident Care Attendant (RCA) or a combined Home Support / Resident Care Attendant (HS/RCA)
• 600 hours of work experience as an HCA or RCA or HS/RCA within the last two years, in a hospital or residential care facility where care is provided to a group of clients:
  • • Work experience must include providing care to multiple patients/residents at one time where prioritizing and critical thinking are required
    • Work experience must be verified by an official employer letter
    • Working in a home care environment where one person is cared for at a time will not meet this 600-hour requirement

DCC also requires applicants to:

• Submit completed DCC application forms
• Complete an entrance interview with a DCC official
• Sign and date consent for a criminal record check under the Criminal Records Review Program (refer to notes under “Criminal Records Checks” below)
• Sign and date the Requisite Skills and Abilities document (provides applicants with information that may be helpful in deciding if the program is suited to them)

*Equivalent:

For detailed information about equivalencies please speak with your DCC Admissions Advisor. Entrance requirements may be met with evidence of secondary and post-secondary studies at an equivalent level, and/or with successful assessment testing.

Applicants must complete this requirement prior to starting the courses listed:

• Human Anatomy and Physiology for Practical Nurses with a minimum grade of 70% must be achieved before taking: Variations in Health 1, Health Promotion 1, Pharmacology 1, Integrated Nursing Practice 1, and Consolidated Practice Experience 1
• DCC schedules Human Anatomy and Physiology for Practical Nurses prior to the listed courses

English as an Additional Language

As English is the language of study in BC, students must meet English language proficiency at an appropriate level to be accepted into the provincial Practical Nursing program. These requirements can be satisfied through three years of full-time, face-to-face secondary or post-secondary education at an accredited institution where English is the language of instruction and is also one of the country’s official languages. English as a Second Language / Additional Language courses are not included in this three-year calculation. Applicants not meeting this requirement must achieve scores identified in one of the two tests below:

1. International English Language Testing System (IELTS) with minimum scores of:

• Reading 6.5
• Listening 7.0 (previously 7.5)
• Writing 6.5 (previously 7.0)
• Speaking 7.0
• Overall Band Score 7.0

2. Canadian English Language Benchmarks Assessments for Nurses (CELBAN) with minimum scores of:

• Reading 8.0
• Listening 9.0 (previously 10.0)
• Writing 7.0
• Speaking 8.0

In addition to meeting English language requirements for the Practical Nursing program, graduates must be able to demonstrate a level of proficiency required to be performance ready as a condition for registration and practice in British Columbia. See the BCCNM’s website for details.

Transfer Credit

Discovery Community College will consider prior academic work for transfer credit. Transfer credit is granted at the sole discretion of the College. Some important points:

• Applications should be received at least thirty (30) days prior to a program start
• An official (original) transcript will be required
• Other documents will be required

The Director of Education, in collaboration with the Registrar and the Practical Nurse Program Nurse Educator, will determine transfer credit eligibility. College personnel will refer to the DCC Transfer Credit Policy.

PRACTICE EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

The following requirements are not within the control of Discovery Community College. They may change at any time, including between enrollment in the program and participation in any of the practice experiences that each student must complete. Participants in the program must comply with these requirements as described at the time their practice experience is scheduled.

Applicants must complete these requirements prior to starting Consolidated Practice Experience 1:

• Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) as outlined in the Practice Education Guidelines 1-6 Orientation – Students
• DCC requires completion of CPR level C, and it must be valid until program end date o DCC will arrange this workshop during Level 1
• Criminal Record Check under the terms of the Criminal Records Review Act and the Ministry of Justice process for educational institutions (refer to notes under “Criminal Record Check Guidelines” below)
• Immunization as outlined in the Practice Education Guidelines 1-3 Communicable Disease Prevention and/or as required by the regional Health Authority and/or by sites of practice education (refer to guidelines below)
• Negative TB skin test or chest x-ray (refer to guidelines below

IMMUNIZATION GUIDELINES

Discovery Community College refers to the Practice Education Guidelines for BC for guidance on immunization requirements in Regional Health Authorities. All health care staff, including students and post-secondary institution (PSI) educators, should be protected against vaccine preventable diseases.

Health care organization (HCO) immunization guidelines and policies are based on the Communicable Diseases and Immunization Guidelines from the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) (www.bccdc.ca) – on their website is an “immunization manual” in which they post information updates. PHO orders are also posted at www2.gov.bc.ca. Note that information obtained via these links is for reference purposes only and may change at any time.

The Practice Education Guideline 1-3 Communicable Disease Prevention (July 2021) describes in detail the immunizations required for students and on-site PSI educators for experiences in practice education settings, including the requirements for maintaining current records of immunizations. Here is the link:

PEGs | HSPnet (hspcanada.net).

Applicants to the PN programs must also be aware that immunization requirements may be changed at any time by Public Health Order (PHO). All students and on-site PSI educators must meet the PN immunization guidelines and policies to engage in a practice education experience. Immunization records for students and PSI educators must be maintained and stored by the PSI. Proof of immunization must be available upon request by the HCO; the HCO may request these records at any time in preparation for, or during the placement. Any student whose immunization status does not meet these guidelines before the first practice education placement may not be accepted by the receiving agency. Students who cannot be placed in a practice education experience cannot graduate from this program and will be withdrawn.

Applicants and/or students who are unable to comply with these immunization guidelines cannot be accepted into the Practical Nurse program.

CRIMINAL RECORD CHECK GUIDELINES

Discovery Community College will submit each applicant’s criminal record check (CRC) on-line to the Criminal Record Review Program (CRRP). The status of the CRC does not automatically prevent an applicant from attending this program. However, any CRC that reveals “relevant” offences may make it difficult or impossible to place the student in a practice experience. Students who cannot be placed in a practice experience cannot meet the learning outcomes for that experience; therefore, they cannot graduate from this program and will be withdrawn.

Some practice experience hosts may require their own criminal record check. It is the student’s responsibility to provide this directly to the host. If the criminal record check reveals information that raises concerns relevant to the placement the host may decline the placement. Students who cannot be placed in a practice experience cannot graduate from this program and will be withdrawn. A criminal record check is a requirement for registration with the British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM). The BCCNM may not register or license any applicant who has a relevant criminal record. We strongly recommend that applicants who are concerned about their criminal record complete both their CRC through the CRRP and their CRC through the RCMP before they begin the Practical Nurse program. NOTICE Information contained in this curriculum guide is correct at the time of publication. Content of courses and programs is revised on an ongoing basis to ensure relevance to changing educational, employment, and marketing needs. Students will be given notice of any changes as soon as possible.

Domestic Fees

Practical Nurse Access Year 1 Domestic Fees:
Application Fee: $100.00
Criminal Record Check Fee: $28.00
Tuition Fee: $12,499.76
Textbooks & Supplies: $1,925.25
Total: $14,669.02

Practical Nurse Access Year 2 Domestic Fees:
Tuition Fee: $17,597.04
Textbooks & Supplies: $1,067.82
Total: $18,757.08