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Practical Nursing Program

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The Practical Nursing (PN) Program prepares students for entry-level positions, to provide nursing care under the supervision of a Registered Nurse or Physician. The first two semesters are identical in both the Practical Nursing (PN) Program and the Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) Program, enabling students to finish the Practical Nursing Program after the first summer, or to continue in the Associate Degree Nursing Program. The Practical Nursing Program will educate you for this career in concentrated classroom studies, along with extensive clinical work (360 hours) based in a wide-range of health care settings.

Practical Nursing Careers

  • Physician’s Offices
  • Assisted Care Facilities
  • Medical-Surgical Units
  • Long-Term Care
  • Facilities
  • Operating Rooms

Course Schedule

Practical Nursing Diploma/Fort Dodge Schedule

Pre-requisites
Course # Course Title
Credit Hours
HSC-172 Nurse Aide or equivalent Nurse Aide Course
(students must pass state certification exams)
3.0
BIO-168 Human Anatomy & Physiology I w/lab
4.0
 
Total Hours: 7.0

First Semester
Course # Course Title
Credit Hours
PNN-127 Fundamentals of Nursing in Health Care
5.0
HSC-112 Medical Terminology*
1.0
PNN-121 Clinical Practicum I
1.5
PSY-121 Developmental Psychology
3.0
BIO-151 Nutrition
3.0
BIO-173 Human Anatomy & Physiology II w/lab
4.0
PNN-206 Medication Administration for Nurses
1.0
 
Total Hours: 18.5

Second Semester
Course # Course Title
Credit Hours
PNN-621 Life Span Health Care
8.5
PNN-622 Clinical Practicum II
4.0
 
Total Hours: 12.5

Summer Semester**
Course # Course Title
Credit Hours
PNN-811 Selected Clinical Nursing
1.0
PNN-731 Clinical Practicum
2.5
PNN-311 PN Issues & Trends
1.0
 
Total Hours: 4.5
 
Practical Nursing Diploma Total Hours: 35.5

*Test out option is available. See Science, Health, and Human Services Dean or Program Coordinator.

**Summer/Spring available at Fort Dodge Only - Summer available at Fort Dodge and Storm Lake only.

Students may extend the PN program over two years by taking the Arts and Science courses during the first year and the nursing courses during the second year.

Gainful Employment Information

Effective July 1, 2011, the Department of Education requires schools with Gainful Employment programs to disclose certain information about them. Information below is based on the period July 1 2010 - June 30, 2011 (2010-2011 Award Year). 
Program Name Practical Nursing
Program Length
36 weeks
Cost of Entire Program
Total Tuition & Fees Required
$4,721.50
Books & Supplies 
$1,250.00
Total Annual Room & Board Charges for Living on Campus
 $                                                                                   5,075.00
Additional Cost
$750 (pinning, grad fee, NCLEX fee, ATI fees)
Debt at Program Completion
Median Federal Student Loan Debt
 $1,988.00
Median Private Loan Debt
 $
Median Institutional Financial Plan Debt
N/A 
Completion Rate
93%
Job Placement Rate
31%
Name & US Dept of Labor's Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) Code for the occupations that the program prepares students to enter.
29-2061.00 Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses; http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos102.htm
Links to the Occupational Profiles on the US Dept of Labor's O*NET
Website or its successor site. 
Any other notes you want included Ex: students who continued with school
69% continue education into ADN program.

Fort Dodge Faculty & Staff

Connie Boyd Dean 515-574-1312 boyd@iowacentral.edu
Emily Holtapp Associate 515-574-1309 holtapp@iowacentral.edu
Jolene Messerly Associate 515-574-1258 messerly@iowacentral.edu
Robin Isabell Instructor 515-574-1316 isabell@iowacentral.edu
Brenda Gleason Instructor 515-574-1310 gleason@iowacentral.edu
Barb Kolesar Instructor 515-574-1328 kolesar@iowacentral.edu
Denise Norem Instructor 515-574-1304 norem@iowacentral.edu
Trina Staton Instructor 515-574-1301 staton@iowacentral.edu
Jann Ricklefs Instructor 515-574-1313 ricklefs@iowacental.edu
LuAnn Reicks Instructor 515-574-1313 reicks@iowacentral.edu

Practical Nursing Diploma/Storm Lake Schedule

Pre-requisites
Course # Course Title
Credit Hours
HSC-172 Nurse Aide or equivalent Nurse Aide Course
(students must pass state certification exams)
3.0
BIO-168 Human Anatomy & Physiology I w/lab
4.0
 
Total Hours: 7.0

First Semester
Course # Course Title
Credit Hours
PNN-127 Fundamentals of Nursing in Health Care
5.0
HSC-112 Medical Terminology*
1.0
PNN-121 Clinical Practicum I
1.5
PSY-121 Developmental Psychology
3.0
BIO-151 Nutrition
3.0
BIO-173 Human Anatomy & Physiology II w/lab
4.0
PNN-206 Medication Administration for Nurses
1.0
 
Total Hours: 18.5

Second Semester
Course # Course Title
Credit Hours
PNN-621 Life Span Health Care
8.5
PNN-622 Clinical Practicum II
4.0
 
Total Hours: 12.5

Summer Semester**
Course # Course Title
Credit Hours
PNN-811 Selected Clinical Nursing
1.0
PNN-731 Clinical Practicum
2.5
PNN-311 PN Issues & Trends
1.0
 
Total Hours: 4.5
 
Practical Nursing Diploma Total Hours: 35.5

*Test out option is available. See Science, Health, and Human Services Dean or Program Coordinator.

**Summer/Spring available at Fort Dodge Only - Summer available at Fort Dodge and Storm Lake only.

Students may extend the PN program over two years by taking the Arts and Science courses during the first year and the nursing courses during the second year.

Gainful Employment Information

Effective July 1, 2011, the Department of Education requires schools with Gainful Employment programs to disclose certain information about them. Information below is based on the period July 1 2010 - June 30, 2011 (2010-2011 Award Year). 
Program Name Practical Nursing
Program Length
36 weeks
Cost of Entire Program
Total Tuition & Fees Required
$4,721.50
Books & Supplies 
$1,250.00
Total Annual Room & Board Charges for Living on Campus
 $                                                                                   5,075.00
Additional Cost
$750 (pinning, grad fee, NCLEX fee, ATI fees)
Debt at Program Completion
Median Federal Student Loan Debt
 $1,988.00
Median Private Loan Debt
 $
Median Institutional Financial Plan Debt
N/A 
Completion Rate
93%
Job Placement Rate
31%
Name & US Dept of Labor's Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) Code for the occupations that the program prepares students to enter.
29-2061.00 Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses; http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos102.htm
Links to the Occupational Profiles on the US Dept of Labor's O*NET
Website or its successor site. 
Any other notes you want included Ex: students who continued with school
69% continue education into ADN program.

Storm Lake Faculty & Staff

Connie Boyd Dean 515-574-1312 boyd@iowacentral.edu
Gretchen Miller Associate 515-574-2812 miller_g@iowacentral.edu
Nancy Schramm Instructor 712-749-2517 schramm@iowacentral.edu
Terri Schmitt Instructor 712-749-2516 schmitt@iowacentral.edu

Practical Nursing Diploma/Webster City-Goldfield Schedule

Pre-requisites
Course # Course Title
Credit Hours
HSC-172 Nurse Aide or equivalent Nurse Aide Course
(students must pass state certification exams)
3.0
BIO-168 Human Anatomy & Physiology I w/lab
4.0
 
Total Hours: 7.0

First Semester
Course # Course Title
Credit Hours
PNN-127 Fundamentals of Nursing in Health Care
5.0
HSC-112 Medical Terminology*
1.0
PNN-121 Clinical Practicum I
1.5
PSY-121 Developmental Psychology
3.0
BIO-151 Nutrition
3.0
BIO-173 Human Anatomy & Physiology II w/lab
4.0
PNN-206 Medication Administration for Nurses
1.0
 
Total Hours: 18.5

Second Semester
Course # Course Title
Credit Hours
PNN-621 Life Span Health Care
8.5
PNN-622 Clinical Practicum II
4.0
 
Total Hours: 12.5

Summer Semester**
Course # Course Title
Credit Hours
PNN-811 Selected Clinical Nursing
1.0
PNN-731 Clinical Practicum
2.5
PNN-311 PN Issues & Trends
1.0
 
Total Hours: 4.5
 
Practical Nursing Diploma Total Hours: 35.5

*Test out option is available. See Science, Health, and Human Services Dean or Program Coordinator.

**Webster City students will attend these classes at Wright Medical Center in Clarion.

***Summer/Spring available at Fort Dodge Only - Summer available at Fort Dodge and Storm Lake only.

Gainful Employment Information

Effective July 1, 2011, the Department of Education requires schools with Gainful Employment programs to disclose certain information about them. Information below is based on the period July 1 2010 - June 30, 2011 (2010-2011 Award Year). 
Program Name Practical Nursing
Program Length
36 weeks
Cost of Entire Program
Total Tuition & Fees Required
$4,721.50
Books & Supplies 
$1,250.00
Total Annual Room & Board Charges for Living on Campus
 $                                                                                   5,075.00
Additional Cost
$750 (pinning, grad fee, NCLEX fee, ATI fees)
Debt at Program Completion
Median Federal Student Loan Debt
 $1,988.00
Median Private Loan Debt
 $
Median Institutional Financial Plan Debt
N/A 
Completion Rate
93%
Job Placement Rate
31%
Name & US Dept of Labor's Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) Code for the occupations that the program prepares students to enter.
29-2061.00 Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses; http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos102.htm
Links to the Occupational Profiles on the US Dept of Labor's O*NET
Website or its successor site. 
Any other notes you want included Ex: students who continued with school
69% continue education into ADN program.

Webster City/Goldfield Faculty & Staff

Connie Boyd Dean 515-574-1312 boyd@iowacentral.edu
Nancy Irving Associate 515-574-2822 irving@iowacentral.edu
Betty Daniel Instructor 515-574-2890 daniel@iowacentral.edu
Jane Townsend Instructor 515-825-3173 townsend@iowacentral.edu