- Suncoast Technical College
- Practical Nursing
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Program Overview
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Practical Nursing
Program Overview
Are you passionate about caring for others? Do you want to make a difference in people's lives? If so, our Practical Nursing Program is perfect for you. This program prepares students to plan and administer nursing care to patients in hospitals, extended care facilities, physicians' offices, healthcare agencies, and private homes. This care includes providing for the physical and emotional needs of the patient, administering medications, providing therapeutic procedures and interventions, and assisting with rehabilitation. So if you're ready to start making a real difference in the world, apply today!
What to expect:
- Learn about theoretical instruction and clinical experience in medical, surgical, maternal-child, mental health, and geriatric nursing.
- Instruction includes both acute and long-term care situations; personal, family, and community health concepts; mental health concepts.
- Develop an understanding about nutrition; human growth and development; body structure and function; interpersonal relationship skills; pharmacology; legal aspects; American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS); communication skills; and current nursing technology and trends.
- Over 50 percent of the total program hours are clinical.
- Students must submit to drug testing prior to clinical rotations.
- Learn patient assessment skills, procedures and interventions, and medication administration using the Skills Lab and Pediatric and Adult Human Patient Simulator.
- Clinical assignments at three local hospitals, several nursing homes, community mental health facilities, and other selected healthcare agencies.
This program maintains approval from the Florida State Board of Nursing. Graduates are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN) given by the Florida State Board of Nursing. This is a national licensing exam with reciprocity in all states. This licensure provides the LPN with eligibility to articulate with the registered nurse (RN) transition programs at community colleges or in the university system.
All teachers are registered nurses, licensed by the State of FL, and credentialed by the Board of Nursing.
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Campus
- Sarasota Campus
- North Port Branch
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Program Details
Start Dates, Length & Cost
(Click to View)
*Costs and fees are subject to change. -
Entrance / Exit Requirements
The required basic skills grade levels are Reading-11, Math-11, and Language-11 or equivalent PERT scores. All must be met prior to program completion or be a Florida High School Graduate after 2007. Applicants must take the HESI entrance exam.
Applicants must also have:
- Completed a Health Science Application
- Completed the standardized admission assessment (Call the Test Center to schedule an appointment.)
- A physical exam documenting the absence of lifting restrictions.
- Students must submit to drug testing prior to clinical rotations.
Suncoast Technical College conducts a background check on applicants for all Health Science/EMS programs in accordance with the requirements set by affiliation agreements, licensing agencies, and state statutes. Restrictions on admission to programs include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Chemically Impaired―requires one full year of documented stability prior to admission.
- Emotional/Mental Illness―requires one full year of documented stability prior to admission.
- Arrests―Applicants who have been convicted of, or who have pleaded nolo contendere, for arson, assault, robbery, armed burglary, kidnapping, attempted murder, murder, manslaughter, repeated drug or alcohol offenses, or who have repeated misdemeanor offenses will be denied admission to Health Science/EMS programs. Applicants who have been arrested and convicted of or who have plead nolo contendere to offenses other than those stated above will be denied admission for one full year after the completion of all court ordered requirements. Applicants must be prepared to present documentation of satisfaction of all court mandates and document one year of satisfactory work history after completion of court ordered requirements. Regulatory agencies and local employers may have more stringent requirements for employment or for attendance for clinical rotations.
- Health Risks―Determining that an applicant’s career choice will not be a detriment to his/her own health (or the safety of patients/clients), applicants may be required to provide documentation that is above and beyond medications and physical conditions identified on their physical exam questionnaire and exam report. All programs require documentation of the absence of lifting restrictions.
PLEASE NOTE: Information sessions are held regularly to answer any questions about the application process. Contact Student Services at 941-924-1365, Ext. 62283 to make an appointment.
All applications must be submitted by the application deadline in order to be considered. Applicants are only eligible for selection into a program if all required elements are complete and on file. No application will be considered for selection if elements are missing or incomplete. Call 941-924-1365, Ext. 62283 for current program application deadlines.
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Industry Certifications / State Credentials
> Licensed Practical Nurse
Issued by: National Council of State Boards of Nursing
Obtainment Time Frame: Within 1 year of program completion -
Counselor
- Bob Koch (E-mail)
STC Sarasota Campus
941-924-1365, Ext. 62283 - Jodie Vaughn (E-mail)
STC North Port Branch
941-257-2252
- Bob Koch (E-mail)
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Careers & Salaries
STC uses O*NET (the nation's primary source of occupational information) for employment trends, wages and other career-specific data. Use the links below to learn more about your career choice!
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Health Screening Forms
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Practical Nursing (H170607)
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Suncoast Technical College Nursing Programs are in compliance with the U.S. Department of Education's (USDE) Regulation 34 CFR 668.43 (a) (5) (v).
Removing barriers to cross-border practice, the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) is an interstate agreement allowing a nurse to have one license and the privilege to practice in other compact states. Implemented in 2000, the NLC fosters public protection and access to care through the mutual recognition of one state-based license that is enforced locally and recognized nationally. A majority of state nurse associations, hospital associations, and health care facilities in every state support the NLC. The NLC includes important patient safety features such as facilitation of the sharing of licensure, investigative and disciplinary action information among member states. All graduates from Suncoast Technical College Nursing are eligible to test for any state licensure in compliance with U.S. Department of Education's (USDE) Regulation 34 CFR 668.43 (a) (5) (v).
The links below show all states where Florida Nursing Licenses are accepted once Initial Licensures has been achieved in Florida.
Course Sequence
| OCP | Course # | Course Title | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | PRN0098 | Practical Nursing Foundations 1 | 300 hours |
| B | PRN0099 | Practical Nursing Foundations 2 | 300 hours |
| B | PRN0290 | Medical Surgical Nursing 1 | 300 hours |
| B | PRN0291 | Medical Surgical Nursing 2 | 300 hours |
| B | PRN0690 | Comprehensive Nursing and Transitional Skills | 150 hours |
