Practical Nurse, Certificate

Description

The certificate program in Practical Nursing  is designed to prepare students who can demonstrate entry-level competencies as practical nurses. Students learn how to provide basic nursing care to all age groups. The curriculum includes background in biological sciences, general education, and nursing theory. Students receive supervised clinical experiences in hospitals and long-term care facilities. Students attend this program on a full-time basis and will complete 650 total program hours within three semesters achieving 38 credits/64 contacts. Students who successfully complete the program requirements are awarded a Practical Nursing Certificate which will allow them to sit for the NCLEX-PN National Licensure Exam.

OTHER ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Once a student is accepted into Practical Nursing Program, after successful conclusion of pre-requisite courses; ENGL 101, PSYC 201, BIOL 104, and MATH 107, the student is required to follow the sequence of program courses. Progression within the Practical Nurse program requires the student to maintain a grade of a “C” or better, in all general education courses and program courses. Graduates are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-PN, national licensing exam, upon successful completion of the program.

Entry level Licensed Practical Nurses may find employment in a variety of practice settings, including but not limited to acute care hospitals, long term and extended term care facilities, clinics, and physician’s offices. Jobs in most areas of nursing are ample, and employment rates are nearly 100%. The reported average yearly income in the state of Michigan based on data from 2025 is $64, 600. Nationally, reported from the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics reports a median annual salary of $62, 340 as of 2024.  

Graduates may transfer all or part of credit/contact hours earned at Bay to several colleges and universities to pursue an Associate of Applied Science (A.D.N.) or Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) degree.

Requirements for Nursing Programs: All students accepted into the Practical Nurse program are required to purchase uniforms and other items which will be detailed at the program orientation session held prior to the start of the program. The college maintains liability insurance on students, with the cost being billed through the student’s assessment fee. Students are also required to purchase all text/resources through a current third-party publisher, in addition to standardized learning assessment exams offered through Health Education Systems, Inc. (HESI). Students will be scheduled to take HESI tests throughout the program and at program completion.

The Department of Allied Health requires students to successfully pass the following: criminal background check, a drug test, American Heart Association CPR certification for the Healthcare Provider and the Certification of Physical Fitness Form completed by their Healthcare Provider. Along with the completed Certification of Fitness, proof of current immunizations for specific infectious diseases is required. Agencies affiliated with Bay College may have additional requirements, which a student will also need to meet throughout the program. The Department of Allied Health orders your background check and drug screening which is tracked along with immunization and other required documentation to verify clinical fitness through an outside agency, the cost of which is incurred by the student as a Nursing Assessment Fee.