The full-time practical nursing program takes one year to complete and is divided into three levels.  The curriculum includes 1,536 hours of classroom instruction, laboratory experience and clinical practicum.

Level 1
Fundamentals of Nursing: This course offers the practical nursing student opportunities to perform basic nursing skills under supervision, apply basic concepts of health to self and others, and to communicate with other members of the health team.  Emphasis is placed on problem solving, knowledge, and skills common to all health care agencies within the community.  Legal, moral, and ethical responsibilities are stressed, along with basic principles of pharmacology.  Clinical experiences are planned so that the student will transfer principles of health care to patient care. 272 hours (128 classroom (96 in-person, 32 online), 80 laboratory, 64 clinical).

Pharmacology: The course focuses on the concepts and principles of pharmacology, classifications of drugs, and the nursing role in dosage calculations, medication administration, and the clinical application of drug therapy. 48 hours (32 in-person, 16 online).

Anatomy and Physiology I: This course is the first of a two-course sequence, including laboratory activities, to enable students to develop an understanding of, and the relationships between, the structures and functions of the human body. Cells, tissues and organs of body systems will be explored to contrast normal structure and physiology from pathological states. 80 hours (48 classroom (32 inperson, 16 online), 32 laboratory).

Microbiology: This course covers principles of microbiology and the impact organisms have on man and the environment investigating various groups of microorganisms including their structure, physiology, genetics, and pathogenicity, as well as infectious diseases and immunology. 48 hours (32 in-person, 16 online).

General Psychology: This course will explore principles that determine the complexity of human behavior; learn about human communication, behavior, personality, and coping; and more fully understand your own behavior and that of people with whom you interact. 48 hours (32 in-person, 16 online).

Level 1 total hours:

496 hours (320 classroom (224 in-person, 96 online), 112 laboratory and 64 clinical).

Level 2
Medical Surgical Nursing I: This course is the first of a two-course sequence, including clinical activities, to enable students to develop an understanding of nursing care of patients with specific disorders, including common symptoms and treatment.  Prevention as well as restorative nursing care is emphasized.  Topic areas reflect foundational knowledge and information for, along with basic system disorders seen in, acute-care settings. 256 hours (48 classroom, 208 clinical).

Principles of Sociology: The course will focus on the development, structure and functioning of human society including social interactions, patterns of human behavior, and social and cultural influences on individuals and communities. 48 hours (32 inperson, 16 online).

Anatomy and Physiology II: This course is the second of a two-course sequence, including laboratory activities, to enable students to develop an understanding of, and the relationships between, the structures and functions of the human body. Cells, tissues and organs of body systems will be explored to contrast normal structure and physiology from pathological states. 64 hours (48 classroom (32 inperson, 16 online), 16 laboratory).

Nutrition: The course provides a study of nutrition applied to daily living with information on basic foods, vitamins, and dietary supplements as well as wellness concepts applied throughout the life cycle. 32 hours.

Life Span Psychology: This course examines the psychology of human development from conception to death and involves the study of normal growth and development and its relationship to various aspects of biological, cognitive, personality, and social factors. 48 hours (32 in-person, 16 online).

Maternity Nursing: This course provides students with an introduction to maternity nursing and women’s health promotion.  Normal and complicated conditions of conception, pregnancy, labor, and delivery will be presented including prenatal and postpartum nursing care of the mother, as well as fetal development and care for the newborn. 80 hours (32 classroom, 48 clinical). 

Level 2 total hours: 528 (256 classroom (208 inperson, 48 online), 16 laboratory and 256 clinical).

Level 3
Medical Surgical Nursing II: This course is the second of a two-course sequence, including clinical activities, to enable students to develop an understanding of nursing care of patients with specific disorders, including common symptoms and treatment.  Prevention as well as restorative nursing care is emphasized. Topic areas introduce additional system disorders and build upon information from the prior course to further critical thinking and nursing response to more complex, multi-system disorders. 256 hours (48 classroom, 208 clinical).

Advanced Concepts in Nursing: This course serves as a capstone, including clinical activities, to prepare students to fully function as a graduate practical nurse upon completion of studies. Initially, the course emphasizes prevention as well as restorative nursing care in complex topic areas. The remainder of the course focuses on integrating information from prior courses to further critical thinking, clinical reasoning, and clinical judgement when working with more complex, multi-system disorders present in the older adult population. 176 hours (48 classroom, 128 clinical).

Pediatric Nursing: The course focuses on the nursing care of children including preventive as well as restorative nursing care. Students are introduced to common childhood disorders, including symptoms and treatment, with an emphasis on normal development and associated physical, motor, cognitive, and psycho-social milestones. 80 hours (32 classroom, 48 clinical).

Level 3 total hours: 512 (128 classroom, 384 clinical).

The part-time practical nursing program takes two years to complete and is divided into six levels.  The curriculum includes 1,536 hours of classroom instruction, laboratory experience and clinical practicum.

Level 1
Anatomy and Physiology I:  This course is the first of a two-course sequence, including laboratory activities, to enable students to develop an understanding of, and the relationships between, the structures and functions of the human body. Cells, tissues and organs of body systems will be explored to contrast normal structure and physiology from pathological states. 80 hours (48 classroom (32 inperson, 16 online), 32 laboratory).

General Psychology: This course will explore principles that determine the complexity of human behavior; learn about human communication, behavior, personality, and coping; and more fully understand your own behavior and that of people with whom you interact. 48 hours (32 in-person, 16 online).

Microbiology: This course covers principles of microbiology and the impact organisms have on man and the environment investigating various groups of microorganisms including their structure, physiology, genetics, and pathogenicity, as well as infectious diseases and immunology. 48 hours (32 in-person, 16 online).

Level 1 total hours: 176

Level 2
Life Span Psychology: This course examines the psychology of human development from conception to death and involves the study of normal growth and development and its relationship to various aspects of biological, cognitive, personality, and social factors. 48 hours (32 in-person, 16 online).

Anatomy and Physiology II: This course is the second of a two-course sequence, including laboratory activities, to enable students to develop an understanding of, and the relationships between, the structures and functions of the human body. Cells, tissues and organs of body systems will be explored to contrast normal structure and physiology from pathological states. 64 hours (48 classroom (32 inperson, 16 online), 16 laboratory).

Nutrition: The course provides a study of nutrition applied to daily living with information on basic foods, vitamins, and dietary supplements as well as wellness concepts applied throughout the life cycle. 32 hours.

Principles of Sociology: The course will focus on the development, structure and functioning of human society including social interactions, patterns of human behavior, and social and cultural influences on individuals and communities. 48 hours (32 inperson, 16 online).

Level 2 total hours: 192

Level 3
Fundamentals of Nursing: This course offers the practical nursing student opportunities to perform basic nursing skills under supervision, apply basic concepts of health to self and others, and to communicate with other members of the health team.  Emphasis is placed on problem solving, knowledge, and skills common to all health care agencies within the community.  Legal, moral, and ethical responsibilities are stressed, along with basic principles of pharmacology.  Clinical experiences are planned so that the student will transfer principles of health care to patient care. 272 hours (128 classroom (96 in-person, 32 online), 80 laboratory, 64 clinical).

Pharmacology: The course focuses on the concepts and principles of pharmacology, classifications of drugs, and the nursing role in dosage calculations, medication administration, and the clinical application of drug therapy. 48 hours (32 in-person, 16 online).

Level 3 total hours: 320

Level 4

Medical Surgical Nursing I: Study nursing care of adults, including common symptoms, treatment and nursing care related to specific diseases and disorders...preventive as well as restorative nursing care is stressed. 336 hours - 80 hours classroom, 256 hours clinical.

Maternity Nursing:  This course provides students with an introduction to maternity nursing and women’s health promotion.  Normal and complicated conditions of conception, pregnancy, labor, and delivery will be presented including prenatal and postpartum nursing care of the mother, as well as fetal development and care for the newborn. 80 hours (32 classroom, 48 clinical). 

Level 4 total hours: 336

Level 5
Medical Surgical Nursing II: This course is the second of a two-course sequence, including clinical activities, to enable students to develop an understanding of nursing care of patients with specific disorders, including common symptoms and treatment.  Prevention as well as restorative nursing care is emphasized. Topic areas introduce additional system disorders and build upon information from the prior course to further critical thinking and nursing response to more complex, multi-system disorders. 256 hours (48 classroom, 208 clinical).

Level 5 total hours: 256

Level 6
Advanced Concepts in Nursing: This course serves as a capstone, including clinical activities, to prepare students to fully function as a graduate practical nurse upon completion of studies. Initially, the course emphasizes prevention as well as restorative nursing care in complex topic areas. The remainder of the course focuses on integrating information from prior courses to further critical thinking, clinical reasoning, and clinical judgement when working with more complex, multi-system disorders present in the older adult population. 176 hours (48 classroom, 128 clinical).

Pediatric Nursing: The course focuses on the nursing care of children including preventive as well as restorative nursing care. Students are introduced to common childhood disorders, including symptoms and treatment, with an emphasis on normal development and associated physical, motor, cognitive, and psycho-social milestones. 80 hours (32 classroom, 48 clinical).

Level 6 total hours: 256