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  • Practical Nursing (PSW-PN bridge)

Practical Nursing (PSW-PN bridge)


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Credential
Ontario College Diploma
Location
Oshawa
OCAS Code
PNPW
Next Intake
January 2024
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Faculty
Faculty of Health Sciences (HS)
Length
Four semesters
Laptop
Learn more about laptop requirements
Delivery
More than 75% of this program is delivered in-person. Learn more.
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Ask a current Student

Program Overview

The Practical Nursing (PSW-PN bridge) is for Students who successfully complete each of the PSW to PN bridge courses with the minimum grades listed in the Admission Requirements below. Successful candidates will be granted advanced standing into semester 2 of the Practical Nursing (PNII) program.

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.

The Practical Nursing Program at Durham College is approved by the College of Nurses of Ontario (www.cno.org). Current graduates from this program are eligible to apply for registration as a Registered Practical Nurse in Ontario.

Ask a current Student

Intakes and Availability

Date Domestic Availability International Availability
January 2024OpenClosedApply now
May 2024OpenClosedApply now
September 2024Open Apply now
January 2025Open Apply now
May 2025Open Apply now
ProgramHighlights
  • Success Stories
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Nursing program faculty teach lifesaving skills to DC community
“Backbones of recovery” – How one international student is turning his experience into a rewarding nursing career
Durham College Work-Integrated Learning programs receive nearly $500,000 in funding from CEWIL Canada
DC students test their skills and collaborate in emergency simulation
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Other Resources
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Clinical Placement
Anatomy
Helping Others

Admission Requirements

  • Graduated with a 65 percent cumulative average from a PSW program in Ontario that meets the Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities program standards (includes PSW programs offered by the public colleges, private career colleges, and district school boards in Ontario).
  • Have worked as a PSW in Ontario on a regular basis within the past five years.
  • Completion of all PSW to PN Bridge courses with a minimum passing grade of 60% in each course (*80% in Math for Practical Nurses)

Please note: Decisions will be based on the date the final bridging course was successfully completed with preference given to applicants that have applied and met requirements before the equal consideration deadline for each term ( February 1 for May and September start, October 1 for January start).

Tuition

View full costs

Semester 1 Courses

  • Medical Terminology (NURS 1514)
  • Health & Healing I (NURS 1521)
  • Practice Lab II (NURS 2523)
  • Health and Healing II - The Older Adult (NURS 2524)
  • Health and Healing II - Maternal - Child (NURS 2525)
  • Professional Practice II - Older Adult (NURS 2526)
  • Professional Practice II - Maternal Child (NURS 2527)

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Clinical Placement
Clinical Placement
Anatomy
Anatomy
Helping Others
Helping Others

Career Options

WHAT YOU COULD BE:

As a registered practical nurse, you can be employed as a frontline RPN caring for a wide range of patients/clients.  

View all career options

Connect with us

I AM A CANADIAN APPLICANT

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Fill out the form to get more information on your program of interest, upcoming events, and how to become a Durham College student. By submitting your information below, you consent to Durham College contacting you via email and/or SMS with a minimum of 4 messages per month. You may withdraw consent at any time.

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I HAVE ALREADY APPLIED

Please contact the international office.

Program Details

Approved by the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO), the Practical Nursing program teaches the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to practice 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
  • Medical surgical care

Upon completion of your program, you must successfully complete the Regulatory Exam – Practical Nurse (REx-PN) to become a registered practical nurse (RPN) in Ontario and a member of the College of Nurses of Ontario (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 impact your ability to register with CNO as an RPN post-graduation.

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

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 Program at Durham College is approved by the College of Nurses of Ontario. Current graduates from this program are eligible to apply for registration as a Registered Practical Nurse in Ontario.

Digital Health Canada

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Students in this program receive free membership to Digital Health Canada, a not-for-profit professional association that provides members with numerous educational and professional career benefits. Membership includes access to learning and networking opportunities, unique awards applications, as well as discounts for Digital Health Canada online and on-demand courses, Certified Professional in Healthcare Information and Management Systems (CPHIMS-CA) exam fees, and event registrations.

Admission Requirements

  • Graduated with a 65 percent cumulative average from a PSW program in Ontario that meets the Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities program standards (includes PSW programs offered by the public colleges, private career colleges, and district school boards in Ontario).
  • Have worked as a PSW in Ontario on a regular basis within the past five years.
  • Completion of all PSW to PN Bridge courses with a minimum passing grade of 60% in each course (*80% in Math for Practical Nurses)

Please note: Decisions will be based on the date the final bridging course was successfully completed with preference given to applicants that have applied and met requirements before the equal consideration deadline for each term ( February 1 for May and September start, October 1 for January start).

Courses

The courses listed below are for incoming students. If you are a current student, please refer to your program of study for the year you began your program. Your program of study can be found on MyDC.

Semester 1

  • Medical Terminology (NURS 1514)
  • Health & Healing I (NURS 1521)
  • Practice Lab II (NURS 2523)
  • Health and Healing II - The Older Adult (NURS 2524)
  • Health and Healing II - Maternal - Child (NURS 2525)
  • Professional Practice II - Older Adult (NURS 2526)
  • Professional Practice II - Maternal Child (NURS 2527)

Semester 2

  • Practice Lab III (NURS 3514)
  • Pharmacology (NURS 3517)
  • Professional Practice III - Mental Health (NURS 3525)
  • Health & Healing III - Mental Health (NURS 3526)
  • Health & Healing III - Community (NURS 3527)
  • Professional Practice III - Community (NURS 3528)
  • Pathophysiology (PATH 3505)

Semester 3

  • FNMI Elective (FNMI 0000)
  • General Education Elective (GNED 0000)
  • General Education Elective (GNED 0000)
  • Health & Healing IV (NURS 4506)
  • Professional Practice IV (NURS 4508)
  • Development Of Self II (NURS 4520)

Semester 4

  • Professional Practice Preparation (NURS 5501)
  • Professional Practice V (NURS 5502)

Courses, course descriptions and delivery formats are subject to change.

Course delivery

More than 75% of this program is delivered in-person.

The rest of the coursework will be delivered using hybrid, flexible or online formats. Students will come to campus to complete in-person learning requirements.Detailed schedules, with course-specific delivery information, will be available after registration. Courses, course descriptions and delivery formats are subject to change.

In-person:
Course is delivered in person, on campus within a classroom, lab, shop or studio.
Flexible:
Course is taught in one of DC’s technology-enabled learning classrooms and online at the same time. Students can choose to attend in-person or online.
Hybrid:
Part of the course is delivered online, remotely, and part is in-person on campus within a classroom, lab, shop or studio.
Online:
Fully remote course delivery.

Costs

Career Options

WHAT YOU COULD BE:

As a registered practical nurse, you can be employed as a frontline RPN caring for a wide range of patients/clients.  

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. Placements may take place on weekdays or weekends with the exception of Semester 5, Professional Practice V (consolidation), where students are expected to be available to follow their preceptor’s schedule. Students are responsible for their own transportation to attend practicum.

Please note that hospital placement may begin as early as 06:00 hours. 

PRE-PLACEMENT REQUIREMENTS

Please note: There are costs associated with Electronic Requirements Verification (ERV), 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 ERV verification partner.
  • Costs to complete mandatory immunizations, lab tests, and certifications.

It is required that students have completed the ERV 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.
  • Entry immunization form completed by a health-care provider.
  • N95 Mask Fit.

Links:

  • Practical Nursing ERV Information Package
  • Verified ERV User Guide

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:

  • Bachelor of Allied Health Sciences (Honours) - Ontario Tech University (Ontario Tech)
  • Bachelor of Science in Nursing (Post-RPN) - Ontario Tech
  • Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) bridge – Ontario Tech
  • Bachelor of Arts (Honours) – Educational Studies and Digital Technology – Ontario Tech
  • Bridge to Honours Bachelor of Science – Nursing - Seneca College
  • Bachelor of General Studies - Thompson Rivers University
  • Bachelor of Health Science - Thompson Rivers University

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. 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.

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Land Acknowledgement

Durham College is situated on the traditional lands of the First Peoples of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation. These lands are covered under the Williams Treaties and rest within the traditional territory of the Anishinaabeg. We offer our gratitude to the Indigenous Peoples who care for and, through the treaty process, share the lands on which we live, learn, teach and prosper today.

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2000 Simcoe St. N.
Oshawa, ON, Canada L1G 0C5

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1610 Champlain Avenue
Whitby, ON, Canada L1N 6A7

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