In the hierarchy of nursing, the practical nurse ranks higher than a certified nurse's aid but lower than the register nurse. The practical nurse has the opportunity to begin working in the field of nursing in a hospital, a doctor's office or nursing home and can also use the education and experience gained to easily move up that hierarchy to become a registered nurse.
General Education
The practical nurse program is not a degree but a certificate program. Therefore, the general education requirements are not as extensive as they would be for an associate's degree in nursing. Instead, they are only the courses a practical nursing student needs to ensure having the basic knowledge needed for the nursing classes. These classes include anatomy and physiology, psychology and a communication course such as English composition. Most community colleges require that the general education courses be taken before applying to the nursing program.
Nursing Courses
The core of the Certificate of Practical Nursing is the nursing courses. Most programs require 30 credit hours in nursing before becoming qualified to sit for the NCLEX-PN exam. Topics covered in these classes cover many aspects of nursing, including medical-surgical nursing, pharmacology, maternity nursing and public health. All courses include classroom instruction and real-life experience in a clinical setting.
Licensure
To ensure that all practical nurses have the same knowledge and ability to take care of patients, all graduates of a Certificate of Practical Nursing program must sit for the NCLEX-PN exam. This exam is given in all 50 states.
The test is computerized and is pass/fail. When the nursing candidate has answered enough questions correctly to pass or has answered too many wrong and has failed, the computer turns off automatically. The candidate's test status will be posted online within 48 hours of the test.
Once the test is passed, the student can apply for licensure in the state where he will be employed.
Continuing Education
A practical nurse can easily transition to an associate's degree in nursing. Many community colleges offer transitional programs that build upon the foundations of the practical nurse's education. In most cases, just another 20 credits will allow the practical nurse to take the NCLEX-RN.
These classes include any general education requirements required by the college for an associate's degree, as well as more advanced nursing courses. In most cases, the transition takes only a year and the investment is well worth it. An RN with an associate's degree and five years of experience can make as much as $17,000 more per year than an LPN with the same amount of experience.
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