Practical Nursing

Start Dates & Ontario Colleges Program Codes:
Fall Start (September): 0619

You’ll Be There When People Need You Most

Confederation College’s Practical Nursing program is a two-year program with an emphasis on providing nursing care to stable, predictable patients across their lifespan.

The Practical Nurse Program at Confederation 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.

Courses in the Practical Nursing program cover a wide variety of topics including foundational theory courses, nursing skills/procedures, pharmacology, pathophysiology (disease processes), nursing assessment, and clinical practice. Students will develop the nursing skills needed to help people at various stages of life (infant to older adult) and experience a wide range of exciting clinical practice experiences! Students who graduate from a Ministry approved Personal Support Worker Program may also have advanced credits in the Practical Nursing Program. Students who graduate from the Practical Nursing Program often set their sights on a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree after completing the Practical Nursing Program. So many choices, options, and ideas!

Top Highlights

• Graduates are eligible to write the examinations required to practise and register with the College of Nurses of Ontario.
• Program includes clinical hours so that you obtain on-the-job experience working with other experienced Registered Practical Nurses
• Our Practical Nursing program is currently approved (Category 1) 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. (dated June 8, 2018)

Program Learning Outcomes

The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

1. communicate therapeutically with clients and members of the health care team.
2. assess clients across the life span, in a systematic and holistic manner.
3. plan safe and competent nursing care, based upon a thorough analysis of available data and evidence-informed practice guidelines.
4. select and perform nursing interventions using clinical judgment, in collaboration with the client and, where appropriate, the health care team, that promote health and well-being, prevent disease and injury, maintain and/or restore health, promote rehabilitation, and/or provide palliation.
5. evaluate the outcomes resulting from all interventions in the nurse-client interaction and modify the plan of care as required.
6. act equitably and justly with clients and members of the health care team.
7. adapt to a variety of health care settings, using different leadership skills and styles as appropriate to each setting.
8. contribute to creating a healthy and safe work environment in a variety of health care settings.
9. practise in a self-regulated, professional and ethical manner, complying with relevant legislation and with the standards of both the regulatory body and the practice setting to provide safe and competent client care.

Graduates of the Registered Practical Nursing Program, sit the Regulatory Examination Practical Nurse (REX-PN). Once completed, you may expect to find employment in acute care hospitals, complex chronic care/rehabilitation facilities, long-term care settings, and in the community.

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