Practical Nursing

Program Requirements

Early Day

Total Hours

Quarter Credit Hours: 93 | Clock Hours: 1500

Admission

Application Requirements

There are several parts to applying for admission to Porter and Chester Institute’s Practical Nursing program:

1. Every applicant must complete a successful interview with an Admissions Representative to determine compatibility for the program and receive a positive recommendation from the Admissions Rep.
2. Applicants must be reasonably capable of successfully completing and benefiting from the training offered.
3. Every applicant must submit an Application for Admission.
4. Each applicant must take the Wonderlic test and pass with a score of 15 for Practical Nursing.
5. Each applicant must take the TEAS test and pass with a Reading Comprehension score of 55.3 and a Math score of 34.3. (Applicants who do not achieve a qualifying score shall be advised that they may retake the tests).

Enrollment Requirements

Once an applicant has successfully completed the application requirements, there are additional enrollment requirements to start the Practical Nursing program at Porter and Chester Institute. Each candidate must:

1. Agree to follow Porter and Chester Institute’s student professionalism code, via acknowledgment of the ”Steps to Success” document.
2. Provide proof of high school graduation or the equivalent (HS equivalency diploma based on performance on GED, HiSET or other state approved test or college degree).
3. Demonstrate the ability to financially afford the tuition through loans, grants, personal payments, or other means.
4. Authorize a preliminary criminal background check.
5. Review and acknowledge the appropriate forms identifying any felony convictions, and certifying agreement to Porter and Chester’s random drug testing policy, nursing student policies and dress code.
6. Complete the Institute’s Enrollment Agreement.

A place is reserved for the applicant at this time, however the agreement is not binding on the Institute until it has been signed by an official of the Institute. After the Institute makes its final decision whether to accept or reject the application, the applicant is notified by letter. In the event of rejection, all money the applicant paid to the Institute is refunded.

The Practical Nursing program does not necessarily start students at all campuses in all terms, and an anticipated start may be cancelled due to COVID conditions or other causes. The Admissions team will know the start schedule for a particular campus.

There are also two requirements which candidates must complete between application and the first clinical class. Using the form provided during the Admissions process:

1. Submit a physical examination by a licensed physician, advanced practice registered nurse or physician assistant.
2. Submit immunization and communicable disease history. Applicants should be aware that additional immunizations may be needed later depending upon the requirements of clinical sites and state regulations. Please note that most clinical sites require COVID vaccinations and it is the student’s responsibility to comply when informed of the requirement or to document a valid medical or religious exemption to the site’s satisfaction. However, many sites do not offer alternatives (testing, waivers). Students who are denied access to clinical sites because of unvaccinated status must withdraw from their program.

Candidates should submit these forms as soon as possible, as admission preference will be given to applicants who have completed this requirement. Failure to complete by the first clinical class could subject the student to dismissal from the program.

Student Selection

Currently, decisions to accept or reject applicants are made as students complete the Application and Enrollment requirements. However, when demand for the Practical Nursing program exceeds the available slots, campuses move to the Admissions Assessment committee process. The CPS will inform students if the campus is operating under the Committee process.

Credit for Previous Postsecondary Education

In addition to the regular transfer credit requirements, Practical Nursing applicants must have completed coursework from a prior institution within the past 5 years. Complete attendance records must be provided for each course being requested for consideration. The applicant will be interviewed (and tested, if needed) by the Program Coordinator to measure the knowledge and skills he or she possesses. All required documentation, including the Program Coordinator assessment, is forwarded to the Director of Practical Nursing for evaluation and determination of eligibility for transfer credit. Students who previously attended the Practical Nursing program at Porter and Chester will have their prior coursework evaluated under the prevailing policy on re-enrollment. Students granted credit for previous PCI coursework may still be required to audit those courses at no charge in order to assure that their skills and knowledge are current prior to their being allowed to enroll in the remaining courses in their program. Successfully completing this audit process - including maintaining Satisfactory Attendance and achieving passing grades on all assignments - may be a prerequisite to re-enrollment. The Institute does not allow advanced standing or course exemption, other than that achieved through the transfer of credit process.

Grading

The Institute employs a grading system based on one hundred percent. In the Practical Nursing program, these percentages are: 90 to 100 (3.5-4.0) -Excellent; 80 to 89 (2.75-3.45)-Good; 75 to 79 (2.0-2.7)-Satisfactory; Below 75 (0)-Failure.

Academic Policies

The components of a program are courses. All courses must be completed in sequence, except under COVID or other extenuating conditions, when course order might be adjusted for prevailing circumstances.

If the student fails a course, no credit is earned, and the course must be repeated. The student may not graduate unless all the courses that make up the program have been completed with a grade of 75 or better.

A student who fails a course must repeat and pass that course prior to moving on to the next level of courses. Because of limited scheduling options in the Practical Nursing program, a student failing a course and desirous of continuing in the program may be required to transfer campuses, take a leave absence, or withdraw and reenroll at a later date, depending on which option provides the best avenue for repeating the failed course. Repeating a failed course is on a space available basis.

If the student is absent from classes, the missed course work must be made up by appointment with the instructor. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the instructor upon the first day returning to school to make arrangements to complete missed work. Time required to be spent receiving missed content from the instructor or making up missed quizzes or exams does not nullify the absence.

Attendance

The Practical Nursing has programmatic attendance requirements: All attendance is tracked, and students are advised on a regular basis regarding how much ”emergency absence” time they have remaining.

Practical Nursing Licensure Requirement

Students must complete and graduate from a program of at least 1500 hours of classroom and clinical work to be eligible to take the NCLEX-PN. The Porter and Chester Practical Nursing program contains 1500 hours of scheduled classes and clinical experiences, to allow for minor absences outside of the student’s control.

Academic (classroom) Attendance

A student who is absent for more than 42 hours of classroom instruction within the entire program will not be eligible for graduation and will be dismissed from the program. Time required to be spent with the instructor receiving missed content or making up missed quizzes or exams does not nullify any absences. There is currently no appeal process for academic absences beyond 42 hours.

Refund Policy- The PN 1956 clock hour will continue on the 12 week, pro rata refund schedule until fully taught out.

Clinical Attendance

Externship sites are generally within a sixty (60) mile radius of campus, so students need to be prepared to manage their attendance accordingly. A student must complete 750 hours of clinical experiences in order to successfully fulfill the requirements of the Program and thus be eligible to apply to take the NCLEX-PN. The student may not be absent for more than 42 hours of off-site clinical time within the entire program. A student who exceeds this will be dismissed from the program, unless an appeal is granted due to extenuating circumstances. There are limited Clinical make-up opportunities which will also factor in to whether an appeal can be granted.

Tardiness

Tardiness (arriving late or leaving early) will affect both a student’s term-based attendance and cumulative programmatic attendance scores.

Student Advising

Students are advised after any failed test, after absences or ”tardies” and regarding any concerning clinical performance or behaviors.

Educational Mobility

The Practical Nursing program provides entry level into the
field of nursing. To the best of its ability, Porter and Chester
will assist graduates who wish to advance their nursing
education with further schooling.

Graduation Requirements

To graduate, a Practical Nursing program student must have accomplished all of the following:

1. Successful completion of all class and clinical work, including completion of all courses of study in sequence, within the 150% time frame.
2. Achieved Satisfactory Academic progress by obtaining a minimum grade of 75% for each course and passing all clinical components of the Program.

Diplomas will be issued to those students who have graduated and:

1. Completed required Career Services assignments and paperwork, including the Release for Employment Verification. Students with outstanding paperwork at the time of separation may not receive their diploma or transcript until they complete all their assignments.
2. Made payment of all money owed the Institute. Students with outstanding balances at the time of separation may not receive their diploma or transcript until their balance is paid. A student’s failure to fulfill their financial obligations could result in a delay in being eligible to take the NCLEXPN, if their transcript release is delayed due to outstanding financial obligations.

Upon graduation, and completion of the requirements to be awarded the Institute’s diploma, students will be eligible to apply to sit for the NCLEX-PN.