Practical Nursing, DAS (DAS.NURPN 15209)

The Diploma in Applied Science major in Practical Nursing program is approved by the Board of Nursing for South Carolina, Synergy Business Park, 110 Centerview Dr., Kingstree Building, Columbia, SC  29210, 803-896-4550 or fax 803-896-4525 and accredited by the: Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) 3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400, Atlanta, GA 30326 404-975-5000.  View the public information disclosed by the ACEN regarding this program at http://www.acenursing.us/accreditedprograms/programSearch.htm .

To become a licensed practical nurse and to obtain employment as a licensed practical nurse, graduates must pass the Computer Adaptive Testing National Council Licensing Examination for Licensed Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN).  The PN diploma program is designed to prepare graduates for work as a practical nurse in hospitals, doctor’s offices, and long-term care facilities.  People who want to help others lead healthy lives and have strong science and math skills may be interested in this program.  Graduates of the diploma program are eligible to take the 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 33 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.

Students enrolled in this program will have criminal background checks and drug screenings. There are legal limits for state licensure in South Carolina for graduates with criminal records. The South Carolina Board of Nursing policy regarding legal limitations for state licensure is available on https://llr.sc.gov/.

Students must have current American Heart Association CPR Certification for children, infants, adults and AED. Students must have proof of health insurance. Liability insurance is also required and may be purchased through York Technical College.

Clinical facilities require drug screens and background checks before allowing students to participate in clinical rotation. Students participating in clinical may be required to have a drug screen at any time during their rotation. Results of background checks and drug screens will be reviewed with designated personnel at the affiliate clinical sites. To be accepted for a 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 program.

Prior to beginning clinical, students must submit a completed student health form to include the following:

• Physical Assessment
• Proof of two MMR vaccinations AND Rubella titer is required or if no proof of MMR is available you must have titers for each (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella)
• Varicella (Chicken Pox) titer required
• Proof of Diphtheria-Tetanus Booster (Last booster must have been received within the past 10 years.)
• Hepatitis B vaccination is recommended (Documentation of declination is required if student does not have the vaccine.)
• Proof of 2 step PPD within 3 months prior to entry of program is required
• Physician’s evaluation
• Effective June 15, 2021, students entering the Nursing program will be required to receive the COVID-19 vaccine or provide a medical or religious exemption form.  

Admission criteria for the PN program are as follows:

1. Evidence of a high-school diploma or equivalent.
2. Score 54 or above on pre-algebra COMPASS Placement Test, or 90 or above on Accuplacer arithmetic and 57 or above on Accuplacer Elem. Alg. Or QAS 237 on Accuplacer Next Gen, or 70 or higher on YTC Placement Test Math 1, or earn a “C” or better in Math (MAT 033 ).
3. Score 70 or above on writing COMPASS Placement Test or 75 or above on Sentence Skills Accuplacer Placement Test or 250 on Accuplacer Next Gen Writing, or 70 or above on YTC Placment Test English, or earn a “C” or better in English (ENG) 032.
4. Score 88 or above on reading COMPASS Placement Test or 95 or above on Reading Comp. Accuplacer Placement Test or 263 or above on Accuplacer Next Gen Reading, or 70 or above on YTC PLacement Test Reading Level 4, or earn a “C” or better in Reading (RDG 101 ).
5. Students must also pass the “Test for Essential Academic Skills” (TEAS) test with a composite score of “Proficient” or better. TEAS scores must be no more than 3 years old at the time a student seeks admission into the PN program.

Students must have a minimum Practical Nurse Program GPA of 2.0 in classes taken at York Technical College that can be applied toward the PN program.
NOTE: Students must achieve a grade of ‘C’ or better on the 1st or 2nd attempt of BIO 210  and BIO 211  to meet the admission and curriculum requirement for the PN program. Grades of ‘W’, ‘D’, ‘F’, and ‘WF’ are considered unsuccessful attempts. Students who are unsuccessful on the second BIO attempt are not eligible to apply to the nursing program for five (5) years. Academic forgiveness will be given five (5) years after the second BIO attempt and then the student will be eligible to apply to the nursing program.

Admission by Transfer - Transfer credit may be granted for nursing courses taken at other Practical Nursing Programs for a student meeting the following criteria:

1. The student must meet present admission criteria to the Nursing Program.
2. The student must submit a letter from the dean of nursing from the previous school attended stating that he/she left in good standing and is eligible for re-admission into their nursing program.
3. The student may be required to provide the nursing department chair with a detailed course syllabus showing course and unit objectives. Courses for which transfer credit is given must meet the objectives of the comparable York Technical College courses.
4. In order for a course to be transferred, the student must demonstrate competency by proctored ATI Computerized exam, skills check off and previous grades.

The PN Program is located at the Chester campus. Nursing classes include campus and clinical laboratory hours. Students are required to drive to a variety of clinical agencies to complete the clinical component of the nursing courses. Students are expected to drive to the Chester campus for classes according to the class schedule. Students may be assigned to morning, afternoon, evening and night clinical experience anywhere in the York, Chester or Lancaster counties. Clinical experience may range from four to twelve hours per clinical day.

Required nursing courses more than three years old must be repeated.

Students planning to seek admission to the ADN program must meet the entrance criteria for that program.

Retention and Promotion - For retention and promotion in the Practical Nursing Program, the student must, in the judgment of the faculty, satisfy the requirements of health, conduct, and scholastic achievement. In addition to meeting the established criteria of the parent institutions, the student:

1. Upon admission to the nursing program students must complete courses in the sequence as outlined in the PN Master Curriculum.
2. Must achieve a cumulative 2.0 grade point ratio on all courses, which count toward graduation in the program.
3. Must make a grade of “C” or better in theory in each practical nursing course attempted and receive a clinical evaluation of “Satisfactory.”
4. A maximum of one nursing course may be repeated.
5. A student who receives a “W”, “D”, “F”, or “WF” in any required practical nursing course may repeat that course one time only. A maximum of one nursing course may be repeated. In order to repeat a nursing course, the student must follow the re-admission criteria for the Practical Nursing Program found in the current Practical Nursing Student Manual. Re-admission will depend on space available in the course to be repeated.
6. Students will be eligible for academic forgiveness 5 years after the last nursing course attempted and may apply to re-enter the nursing program from the beginning. Students must meet current admission requirements when applying for re-admission.