The York Technical College Practical Nursing Program is approved by the South Carolina Board of Nursing, Synergy Business Park; Kingstree Dr., Suite 202, Columbia, SC 29210, (803) 896-4550 or fax (803) 896-4525.  The Program is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), 3390 Peachtree Road, NE, Suite 1400, Atlanta, Georgia 30326, 404-975-5000, https://www.acenursing.org/.

The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the Practical Nursing Program is Continuing Accreditation.  View the public information disclosed by the ACEN regarding this program at http://www.acenursing.us/accreditedprograms/programSearch.htm.

The Practical Nursing (PN) Program prepares students for the practice of nursing, which enables them to provide direct client care across the lifespan. The practical nurse graduate is prepared to function in the role of provider of care, manager of care and member within the discipline for clients and families with common health problems in hospitals, doctors’ offices, home health, and long-term care facilities. This nurse functions dependently under supervision as a healthcare team member in a variety of healthcare settings.

The PN diploma program is designed to prepare graduates for work as a licensed practical nurse. To become a licensed practical nurse, and to obtain employment as a licensed practical nurse, graduates must pass the computer adaptive testing National Council Licensure Examination for Licensed Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN). Graduates who successfully pass the NCLEX-PN must apply for licensure in their home state. South Carolina is a part of the Nurse Licensure Compact which allows nurses to have one multistate license with the ability to practice in the home state and the other 41 states in the Compact. Please visit https://www.ncsbn.org/nurse-licensure-compact.htm for a complete list of US states and territories in the Nurse Licensure Compact. There are legal limits for state licensure in South Carolina for graduates with prior criminal records. The South Carolina Board of Nursing policy regarding legal limits for state licensure is available on https://llr.sc.gov.

Admission Criteria

To be placed on the list of qualified applicants for the Associate Degree Nursing program, students must provide documentation of the following criteria:

• High School Diploma or GED completion
• Completion of the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS)
• Required Composite score of 58.7% or higher
• Required Subcategory Reading score of 58.7% or higher
• The TEAS must be no more than 3 years old at the time a student seeks admission into the program
• Proof of English Competency
• EdReady score >66
• *Please see an advisor for former placement test score requirements
• Proof of Math Competency
• EdReady score >50
• *Please see an advisor for former placement test score requirements
• Minimum GPA of 2.0

NOTE:  Students must achieve a grade of “B” or higher in BIO 210 and BIO 211 to meet the admission and curriculum requirements.  Students who earn grades of “D”, “F”, “W” or “WF” in two attempts (per course) are not eligible to apply to the ADN program for five (5) years after the second unsuccessful attempt.

Program Requirements

For retention and promotion in the nursing program, students must, in the judgement of the faculty, satisfy the requirements of health, conduct, and scholastic achievement.  In addition to meeting the established criteria, students must adhere to the following:

• Complete courses in the sequence as outlined in the Practical Nursing Master Curriculum
• Maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 while in the program
• Earn a grade of “C” or higher in theory in each nursing course attempted and earn a clinical evaluation of Satisfactory

100 - 90 = A            89 - 81 = B            80 = C            79 - 70 = D           <69 = F

• Students can only repeat one nursing course in the program
• A student who receives a grade of “D”, “F”, “W”, or “WF” in any required nursing course may repeat that course one time only.  To repeat a nursing course, the student must follow the re-admission criteria for the nursing program found in the current Nursing Student Manual.  Re-admission will depend on space availability.
• Nursing courses consist of multiple components including campus lectures, skills labs, and off-campus clinical experiences.  The PN program is located at eh Chester campus.  Students are required to drive to a variety of healthcare agencies to complete their clinical rotations.  Students may be assigned to morning, afternoon, evening, or night clinical experiences during the week or the weekend anywhere in the York, Chester, Lancaster, or Richland counties.  Clinical experiences may range from four (4) to 12 hours per clinical day.
• Maintenance of a current healthcare provider cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification for children, infants, and adults with AED by the American Heart Association
• Maintenance of health and liability insurance while in the program.  Liability insurance should be purchased through York Technical College.
• Clinical facilities require drug screening and criminal background checks before allowing students to participate in clinical rotations.  Students may also be requested to complete additional drug screenings at any time during their clinical rotations.  Students will be required to attend multiple clinical facilities throughout the program.  Results of background checks and drug screenings will be reviewed with designated personnel at the affiliate clinical site.  To be accepted for clinical placement, all findings must be satisfactory to all participating clinical sites.  Students not accepted for clinical rotations will not be able to successfully complete the course or the program.
• Students will be required to complete a Student Health Form, which includes the following:
• a physical evaluation by a healthcare provider.
• Documentation of required immunizations and/or titers (MMR, Varicella, Diphtheria-Tetanus Booster, Hepatitis B
• Tuberculosis screening (PPD, quantiferon)
• COVID-19. 
• Please note:  York Technical College does not require the COVID-19 vaccination or any vaccinations for students as a condition of enrollment or attendance.  Students intending to enroll in a healthcare related program should be aware that York Technical College maintains clinical placement agreements with healthcare facilities where students are required to complete rotations as part of the requirements for their academic program.  Clinical sites maintain their own policies governing vaccine and booster requirements, including COVID-19, and any exemption processes related to those requirements.  Students choosing to pursue a program that requires a clinical component must follow all vaccine policies and requirements of clinical sites.  Vaccine requirements and the approval of exceptions are at the sole discretion of each clinical site, and clinical sites may implement and modify vaccine requirements at any time as they deem necessary. 

Readmission Requirements

Students who receive a grade of “D”, “F”, “W”, or “WF” in a nursing course must seek re-admission to the program to repeat the course.  Readmission is not automatic and is based on space availability.  Students requesting readmission must meet all admission requirements for the academic year in which they request readmission.  Students must submit a written request to the designated nursing faculty.  Required nursing courses more than three (3) years old must be repeated.  Students must demonstrate competency in previous nursing knowledge and skills by successfully completing a knowledge-based assessment and appropriately performing specific course-related skills. 

PN to RN Direct Matriculation

Students in the York Technical College Practical Nursing Program may directly matriculate into the Associate Degree Nursing Program if they meet the following criteria:

• Successfully completed the Practical Nursing curriculum
• Satisfied all the current admission criteria for the ADN program

Matriculation occurs immediately after completion of the Practical Nursing program and is based on space availability.  Direct matriculation is not automatic nor guaranteed.  In the event there are more qualified students who desire to matriculate than space available, a lottery system will be used.