Practical Nursing

Program Overview

The Practical Nursing program is designed to prepare graduates who are able to meet the challenges of the expanding role of nursing in today’s society. As a practical nurse, you will combine your knowledge, skills and judgement to provide safe, competent, ethical nursing care to meet the unique needs of all patients throughout the continuum of care.

Admission Requirements

Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or Mature Student Status
Grade 12 English (C or U) (minimum 60 per cent)
Grade 12 mathematics (C, M or U) (minimum 65 per cent)
Grade 11 or 12 biology (C, M or U)
Grade 11 or 12 chemistry (C, M or U)

Note: this program has additional recommended requirements. Please visit the Admission Requirements tab for further information.

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Tuition

Year one domestic: $3,985 (CAD)
Year one international: $14,585 (CAD)

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Semester 1 Courses

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Clinical Placement

Anatomy

Helping Others

Intakes and Availability

Date	Domestic Availability	International Availability
January 2021	Open	Open
May 2021	Open	Open
September 2021	Open	Open
January 2022	Open
May 2022	Open

Career Options

WHAT YOU COULD BE:

As a registered practical nurse you can be employed as a bedside specialist or in a leadership position in a variety of agencies.

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Program Details

Approved by the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO), the Practical Nursing program teaches the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to practise as a safe, competent and professional practical nurse. Using the concept of caring as the basis of nursing, you will develop knowledge, skills and judgment in assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating nursing care for all age groups as they experience various health challenges. A particular focus is placed on the ability to communicate in a caring and therapeutic manner.

With a strong emphasis on practical hands-on experience, you will apply theory gained in the classroom and simulated lab practice to environments including:

Community
Long-term care
Maternal/child
Mental health

Upon completion of your program, you must successfully complete the Canadian Practical Nurse Registration Examination to become a registered practical nurse (RPN) in Ontario and a member of the CNO*.

*Please note: In Ontario the following conditions are laid out by the Nursing Act to be registered as a practical nurse. These conditions may affect your ability to register with CNO as an RPN after graduation.

To register as an RPN in Ontario you must:

Be fluent in written and spoken English or French.
Have evidence of your suitability to practice as an RPN in Ontario including not suffering from a physical or mental condition/illness, which may affect your ability to practice nursing.
Have a good character including providing a Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) Criminal Reference Synopsis as part of the registration process. Please note: If your CPIC synopsis is not clear, CNO may determine that you are not eligible for registration.
Not be subject to proceedings with respect to professional misconduct, incompetence or incapacity in nursing or other health profession in Ontario
Pass the CPNRE.
Provide proof of Canadian citizenship, landed immigrant status or authorization under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

PROGRAM APPROVAL STATUS

In accordance with the mandate of the CNO to communicate Practical Nursing program approval status with current and prospective students please note that:

The Practical Nurse Diploma Program at Durham College is currently approved (Category 1) by the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO). Current graduates from this program are eligible to apply for registration as a registered practical nurse in Ontario.

To register as an RPN in Ontario you must meet the CNO requirements.

Admission Requirements

Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or Mature Student Status
Grade 12 English (C or U) (minimum 60 per cent)
Grade 12 mathematics (C, M or U) (minimum 65 per cent)
Grade 11 or 12 biology (C, M or U)
Grade 11 or 12 chemistry (C, M or U)

JANUARY START

If you begin classes in January, you will complete semesters 1 and 2 (Year 1) from January to August and semesters 3 and 4 (Year 2) from January to August. Semester 5 will then run from August to October.

MAY START

If you begin classes in May, you will complete semesters 1 and 2 (Year 1) from May to December and semesters 3 and 4 (Year 2) from May to December. Semester 5 will then run from January to March.

Courses

Semester 4

Semester 5

Courses and course descriptions are subject to change. Please note that as a result of COVID-19 the 2020-21 program of study may be modified to accommodate program delivery changes. Students should refer to their timetable for the most up-to-date course information.

Costs

Career Options

WHAT YOU COULD BE:

As a registered practical nurse you can be employed as a bedside specialist or in a leadership position in a variety of agencies.

WHERE YOU COULD WORK:

Community service agencies
Long-term care facilities
Hospitals
Industry, clinic or physician’s offices
Psychiatric and acute care hospitals

Practicum

Practicum allows students to apply their learning with a variety of clinically supervised practicum experiences that are designed to prepare you to function as a graduate in diverse settings. Placements are located at various local hospitals and agencies throughout Durham Region and at times, in the immediate surrounding areas. Students are responsible for their transportation to and from their practicum placement. Please note that hospital placement will begin as early as 06:00 hours.

PRE-PLACEMENT REQUIREMENTS

Please note: There are costs associated with Electronic Student Permit Checking (ESPC), immunizations, lab tests and certifications. Be sure to keep all of your receipts for income tax purposes. These costs include:

Service fees for Verified, our documentation collection and ESPC verification partner.
Costs to complete mandatory immunizations, lab tests, and certifications.

It is required that students have completed the ESPC with Synergy Verified to be eligible for the field placement component of this program. You must (at your expense) provide:

A clear and current Criminal Reference Check (CRC) with Vulnerable Sector Screening (VSS). If you cannot provide a clear CRC with VSS, you may not be accepted for placement by a field placement agency. A CRC with VSS must be obtained from your local police station. You will be required to obtain additional CRCs with VSS prior to each placement term to meet field placement agency requirements.
Current Level-C cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and mask fit testing from a recognized provider.
Entry immunization form completed by a health-care provider.

Links:

Program Transfer, Degree Completion and Additional Credentials

Qualified graduates may apply to take Durham College’s Addictions and Mental Health or Communicative Disorders Assistant graduate certificate programs.

Durham College also offers degree completion opportunities with a number of Canadian and international institutions. Sample diploma-to-degree opportunities include:

Please visit our pathways page to learn more about how you can transfer your credits towards a degree.

Laptop Requirements

SUGGESTED MINIMUM LAPTOP SPECIFICATIONS:

A laptop is required for this program. Here are suggested minimum hardware specifications recommended for your DC related computer activities:

Most students tend to use Windows-based computers and some prefer to use an Apple (Mac) device.

Any platform can work with studies within the School of Health and Community Services.

A laptop is strongly recommended for this program. Most students tend to use Windows-based computers. Some prefer to use an Apple (Mac) device. Either platform can work within the School of Health and Community Services Practical Nursing program.

Here are suggested minimum hardware specifications recommended for your DC related computer activities like DC Connect and the Virtual Classroom:

	WINDOWS PC	MAC
Operating System	Windows 7 or 10 64-bit (Pro edition is preferred) Windows 7 must be at version Service Pack 1 (current updates) Windows 10 must have the latest updates installed	Mac OS 10.12 or higher
Processor Type	Core i5 or Higher Processor	Core i5 U or Higher Processor
Memory	Minimum 8GB RAM	Minimum 8GB RAM
Hard Drive	Minimum 250GB	Minimum 250GB
Graphics Card	Intel Integrated Graphics or better	Intel Integrated Graphics or better
Wireless Network Card	Optional	Optional
Virus Protection	An up to date Antivirus client is required. (Note Windows 10 has built-in Windows Defender)	An up to date Antivirus client is required.
Additional requirements	If required to do any on-site presentations, note that Durham College projectors support VGA and HDMI connections. If your machine does not have a supported display connector, you may be required to obtain an adapter. Webcam is needed	If required to do any on-site presentations, note that Durham College projectors support VGA and HDMI connections. If your machine does not have a supported display connector, you may be required to obtain an adapter. Webcam is needed

Experiential Learning

Your learning experience in the program will be complemented by simulation-based exercises to support critical thinking, clinical decision-making, and learner confidence in the field. Through the execution of a comprehensive pre-brief, a state-of-the-art simulation, and an in-depth debrief and reflection, students will engage in learning that goes well beyond the walls of the classroom. It is our mission to ensure that you are up to date with the most relevant health crises in Canada. This includes opioid overdose, preparing you for more than just life-saving care, but also the skills to de-stigmatize addiction and learn harm reduction strategies for each unique patient. Simulations are integrated throughout the program and are an effective platform for growth and reflection.

Project Lord Ridgeback

Project Lord Ridgeback (PLRB) is multi-disciplinary experiential learning exercise that simulates a local disaster. Interacting with actors who play victims, casualties, emotionally distressed persons and the elderly in a staged, choreographed event, students from a wide range of programs learn by acting and responding as they would in real emergencies. Subject matter experts design injects into disaster-related scenarios which simulate authentic workplace demands.

The day following the mock disaster, students participate in follow up exercises to apply learning in mock court testimony, critical incident stress debrief, crime-scene lab work, and form completion specific to their program areas.

Student participants are from a wide range of DC programs including: Practical Nursing, Primary Care Paramedic, Police Foundations, Protection Security & Investigation, Paralegal, 911 Call Centre Communications, Advanced Law Enforcement and Investigations, Journalism Mass Media Program, Social Service Worker, Activation Co-ordination – Gerontology, Court Support Services.

COVID-19 Information

Program Overview

Admission Requirements

Tuition

Semester 1 Courses

Intakes and Availability

Career Options

WHAT YOU COULD BE:

Program Details

PROGRAM APPROVAL STATUS

Admission Requirements

Recommended

JANUARY START

MAY START

Courses

Semester 1

Semester 2

Semester 3

Semester 4

Semester 5

Costs

Career Options

WHAT YOU COULD BE:

WHERE YOU COULD WORK:

Practicum

PRE-PLACEMENT REQUIREMENTS

Program Transfer, Degree Completion and Additional Credentials

Laptop Requirements

SUGGESTED MINIMUM LAPTOP SPECIFICATIONS:

Experiential Learning

Project Lord Ridgeback

Practical Nursing in the news

Helpful Resources

College guide September 2020 [PDF]

College guide September 2020 [Interactive]

Graduate Employment Report [PDF]