Graduates of the Practical Nursing program are eligible to apply to the Board of Nursing for licensure as a practical nurse (LPN). Graduates must successfully pass the National Council Licensing Examination- Practical Nurse (NCLEX-PN) to earn licensure.
LPN’s are essential members of the healthcare team. LPN’s work in various community agencies including hospitals, outpatient clinics, and long-term care facilities.
Students enter the PN program in August and graduate the following July. Enrollment is limited to 35 students, therefore admission is competitive. Meeting the minimum admission criteria does not guarantee admission into the PN program.
The Isothermal PN program does not use a waiting list. Therefore, applicants must reapply annually, including submission of TEAS scores. Preference will be given to applicants who have no history of dismissal from the Isothermal CC Practical Nursing program.
Students who have successfully passed one or more nursing courses at Isothermal Community College or another college within one year may be eligible to apply for the Advanced Placement (AP) entry option into the PN program. Successful completion of the AP application process allows students to earn credit for Isothermal Practical Nursing courses. Please contact the Health Sciences Student Success Coordinator for more information regarding the AP application process.
Strong reading comprehension and time management skills are necessary for graduation from nursing school. Anyone interested in becoming a nurse should read every day.
Completing nursing school and working as a nurse are incredibly demanding but deeply rewarding. With some hard work, in only one year, graduates can be caring for patients and earning a living wage as an LPN.
The healthcare system needs safe, dedicated, high-quality nurses. We wish you much success and hope to see you soon!
Successful completion of NUR 101, NUR 102, and NUR 103 is required for graduation. In addition, PN students must complete the following General Education (Gen Ed/ non-nursing) courses with a grade of "C" or higher to be eligible for graduation from the PN program:
Completion of the mandatory Gen Ed courses is not required before applying to the PN program. However, we highly recommend that applicants take these courses prior to entering the program as this significantly increases success in nursing (NUR) courses.
Nursing students should anticipate spending a minimum of 3 hours per week per course credit hour preparing for class and exams.
For example,
Students attend class, lab, and clinical for 19 hours per week during enrollment in NUR 101.
As NUR 101 is an 11 credit hour course, students will need to spend an additional 33 hours each week outside of class to read, study, and complete assignments.
This means that students must devote 52 hours per week to NUR 101 to be successful.
Successful = passing the course
PN students must earn a grade of 80%/B/3.0 or higher to pass each NUR course.
Therefore, students should consider each NUR course as a full-time job in itself.
Applicants are encouraged to review their schedule and their life situation to determine if they will be able to meet this time requirement.
Nursing exams, nursing textbooks, and clinical agency documentation demand that nursing students maintain a high level of reading comprehension. Strong reading comprehension skills are critical to passing nursing courses as well as to provision of safe nursing care.
Class, skills lab, and simulation are held at the RLC campus in Rutherfordton. Lecture is usually held from 8:30 a.m. to noon on Monday and Wednesday for NUR 101 and NUR 102. Skills lab, simulation, and clinical are typically held all day on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
The PN program utilizes web-based learning activities. Therefore, PN students require access to a working computer and reliable internet connection. Students can utilize computer labs at the RLC, Polk, and Spindale campuses.
Students must participate in clinical learning for progression in and graduation from the PN program. Clinical involves direct patient care at agencies in Cleveland, Polk, McDowell, Henderson, and Rutherford counties. Attendance in clinical outside these counties may also be required.
Students are responsible for arranging their own transportation. The PN program tries to consider student driving distance for clinical agency assignments when feasible. Student assignment to clinical agencies is determined by many factors including lack of faculty and limits imposed by clinical agencies. Therefore, the PN program cannot promise to place students at agencies close to their homes.
Clinical agencies have the right to disallow students to attend.
Any illness or injury incurred during class, lab, or clinical during the program will be the financial responsibility of the student. Provision of healthcare to the public poses health and safety risks to students. Therefore, students are urged to maintain personal health insurance.
COVID-19 protocols are followed on campus as well as in clinical.
Clinical agencies are responsible for the health and safety of students, patients, and agency employees. Therefore, clinical agencies set clinical requirement guidelines that PN students are expected to follow.
Failure to meet clinical requirements by the deadline will result in dismissal from the PN program.
Documentation of the following must be submitted:
Students will be provided with additional information regarding clinical requirements at the PN New Student Orientation. PN students should be aware that clinical requirements are subject to change at any time as determined by healthcare agencies, the PN program, Isothermal CC, and/or regulatory entities.
For mandatory vaccinations, only health or religious exemptions are permitted for Isothermal PN students. Clinical agencies may require that students provide additional legitimate, official, and/or endorsed documentation of waivers. Clinical agencies may disallow unvaccinated students. Isothermal CC does not require a background check for general college admission or admission to the PN program. PN faculty and staff have access to the information on the background check report in order to be able to coordinate clinical education.
Katie Edwards
Health Sciences Student Success Coordinator
kedwards@isothermal.edu
828-395-4418
Sheena Brackett
Administrative Assistant II Foothills Nursing Consortium
shbrackett@isothermal.edu
828-395-1643