In Fall 2020 the Division of Nursing transitioned to a one-plus-one curriculum. All Nursing students need to apply to the Associate of Applied Science Degree program in Nursing. Students who successfully complete the first year of the program will be awarded a certificate of proficiency in practical nursing and are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-PN.
The Practical Nurse (at the direction of a licensed physician, dentist, podiatrist, optometrist, chiropractor, or registered nurse) works in a variety of settings including: clinics, home care, hospitals, long term care facilities and physicians' offices. The curriculum consists of 34 semester credit hours, divided among nursing and non-nursing courses. The nursing courses consist of classroom activities, clinical labs, hospital and long-term care facilities caring for patients of all ages with a variety of health deviations. Upon successful completion of the program requirements, graduates are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses. ACCESS in Nursing is available for graduates.
Program contact: Learn more
This certificate will be automatically awarded when the certificate requirements are completed. If you do not want to receive the certificate, please notify the Office of the Registrar at RegistrarOffice@tri-c.edu.
Learn more here about how certificate credits apply to the related degree.
Related Degrees and Certificates
Related Training and Credentials
Program Admission Requirements
In Fall 2020, the Division of Nursing transitioned to a one-plus-one curriculum. Effective Fall 2020, all Nursing students will need to apply to the Associate of Applied Science Degree program in Nursing. Students who successfully complete the first year of the program will be awarded a Certificate of Proficiency in Practical Nursing and are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-PN.
The new nursing curriculum is presented as a career ladder concept based curriculum designed to improve nursing career mobility and provide seamless progression from nurse aide certification to practical nurse certification to the associate degree in applied science in nursing. Students who successfully complete the two prerequisite nursing courses are eligible to sit for the ODH STNA (Ohio Department of Health State Tested Nurse Aide) examination and progress to the nursing program after meeting all admission requirements. Students who successfully complete the first year of the program will be awarded a certificate of proficiency in practical nursing and are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-PN. Students who complete the second year of the nursing program will be awarded an associate degree in applied science and are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN. All students are admitted using a common admission criteria. The new admission criteria are as follows:
Prerequisite Course Work
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BIO-2331 | Anatomy and Physiology I 1 | 4 |
| MATH-1240 | Contemporary Mathematics 2 | 3 |
| NURS-1000 | Introduction to Health Care and Professional Nurse Concepts (5 week hybrid course) 3 | 1 |
| NURS-1010 | Introduction to Patient Care Concepts (10 week lab/clinical course) | 4 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| General Psychology | ||
| Honors General Psychology | ||
- 1
BIO-2331 Anatomy and Physiology I must be completed with a grade of "B" or higher.
- 2
MATH-1240 Contemporary Mathematics or higher will be accepted to meet the math requirements for admission.
- 3
NURS-1000 Introduction to Healthcare Concepts is a prerequisite requirement for NURS-1010 Introduction to Patient Care Concepts along with completion of the HESI A2 examination and a cleared background check. Courses will be flexibly scheduled in the Fall and Spring so they can be completed in one semester.
- All applicants must be 18 years old and have a High School Diploma/GED, or a higher degree transcript must be on file in the Office of the Registrar.
- A cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.75 from Tri-C with a minimum of 9 credit hours from any course that maybe used to meet the general education requirements for the Associate of Applied Science Degree. If an applicant’s Tri-C GPA is less than 2.75, transfer GPA from an accredited institution as recognized by the college can be used for admission criteria only if the student has 9 credit hours of courses that maybe used to meet the general education requirements Associate of Applied Science Degree, and an overall GPA of 2.75 or higher. Note: Students who who have completed Health related courses may apply to use these courses to meet the 9 credit hour requirement. These courses are subject to division approval only.
- All applicants are required to take The Health Education Systems Inc Admission Assessment Exam-A2 (HESI A2) as part of the application process for entry into the Associate Degree Nursing Program. Students can complete the A2 at any time during the application process, but must complete it prior to beginning NURS 1010-Introduction to Patient Care Concepts and must achieve a minimum score of 75% on the Math and English** sections for consideration for the program. One attempt can be made per month. If a 2nd attempt is needed only the section(s) below 75% needs to be completed. There is a limit of 2 attempts in a 12-month period. Three separate tests compose the English Language portion of the exam. The three tests are: Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, and Grammar. Please visit http://www.tri-c.edu/programs/nursing/hesi-a2-entrance-exam.html for detailed information on the HESI examination as well as how to register for the exam.
- Complete and pass a background check that includes finger printing and BCI check.
- Students will be required to have a “B” or higher in all required prerequisite and co-requisite sciences courses
Program Learning Outcomes
This program is designed to prepare students to demonstrate the following learning outcomes:
Level 1: Practical Nursing
Human Flourishing
- Promote the human dignity, integrity, self-determination, and personal growth of patients, oneself, and members of the health care team. (NLN)
- Advocate for the patient and family in the provision of compassionate and coordinated care to support the health, safety, and well-being of patients and families. (QSEN)
Professional Identity
- Assess how one’s personal strength and values affect one’s identity as a nurse, and one’s contribution as a member of the health care team. (NLN)
- Function competently within own scope of practice to support safe processes. (QSEN)
Nursing Judgement
- Provide a rationale for judgements used in the provision of safe, quality care, and for decisions that promote the health of patients within a family context. (NLN)
- Demonstrate the effective use of strategies to reduce risk of harm to self or others. (QSEN)
Spirit of Inquiry
- Question the basis of nursing actions, considering research, evidence, tradition, and patient preferences. (NLN)
- Implement evidence-based practice in the provision of individualized health care. (QSEN)
- Utilize various sources of information to review outcomes of care identifying potential areas for improvement of the quality and safety of care. (QSEN)
- Incorporate information and technology within own scope of practice to support safe processes of care. (QSEN)
Suggested Semester Sequence
| Program Admissions Requirements Semester | Credit Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| BIO-2331 | Anatomy and Physiology I | 4 |
| MATH-1240 | Contemporary Mathematics (or higher) | 3 |
| NURS-1000 | Introduction to Healthcare Concepts | 1 |
| NURS-1010 | Introduction to Patient Care Concepts | 4 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| General Psychology | ||
| Honors General Psychology | ||
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| First Semester | ||
| BIO-2341 | Anatomy and Physiology II | 4 |
| NURS-1200 | Fundamentals of Nursing Concepts | 4 |
| NURS-1210 | Concepts of Nursing Care for Patients in Community and Behavioral Health Settings | 2 |
| Select one of the following: | 4 | |
| Life Span Development | ||
| Honors Life Span Development | ||
| Credit Hours | 14 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| NURS-1220 | Concepts of Nursing Care for patients with Acute and Chronic Conditions I | 5 |
| NURS-1230 | Concepts of Nursing Care of Childbearing Families and Children | 4 |
| NURS-1240 | Role Transitions | 1 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| College Composition I | ||
| Honors College Composition I | ||
| Credit Hours | 13 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 42 | |
- 1
BIO-2331 Anatomy and Physiology I and BIO-2341 Anatomy and Physiology II together will be accepted in place of BIO-1050 Human Biology and BIO-105L Human Biology Laboratory.
MATH-1140, MATH-1141, MATH-1200, MATH-1270, and MATH-1280 can no longer count towards fulfilling the college-level mathematics requirement. These courses were re-classified as developmental mathematics by the state of Ohio in 2016. Tri-C established a 5-year transitioning window for students who had completed these courses prior to 2016 to apply them towards meeting graduation requirements, which expired in Summer 2021. It is highly recommended to see a counselor to determine the appropriate math required for your current major.