Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
Learn to provide safe, ethical, and culturally sensitive nursing care for individuals and families at multiple life stages and in a variety of practice settings.
Upon successful completion of this program, graduates will be able to:
Apply the Entry Level Competencies for Licensed Practical Nurses (2021) to provide safe, competent, culturally safe and ethical care.
- Practice within relevant legislation, BCCNM Standards of Practice for LPNs Framework: Scope of Practice Standards; Professional Standards; and Practice Standards as set out by the Health Professions Act of British Columbia and the British Columbia College of Nurses & Midwives (BCCNM).
- Value and engage in continuous learning to maintain and enhance competence.
- Practice in collaboration with other members of the health care team to meet the collective needs of their clients.
- Participate in interprofessional problem-solving and decision making processes.
- Advocate for and facilitate change reflecting evidence-informed practice.
- Make practice decisions that are client specific and consider client acuity, complexity, variability, and available resources.
- Use critical thinking, clinical judgment and knowledge of assessment to plan, implement, and evaluate the agreed upon plan of care.
- Develop a collaborative relationship with clients by connecting, sharing and exploring with them in a caring environment.
- Provide culturally safe, person-centered care across the lifespan that recognizes and respects the uniqueness of each individual and is sensitive to cultural safety, cultural humility and diversity.
- Provide leadership, direction, assignment, and supervision of unregulated care providers as appropriate.
- Identify one’s own values, biases, and assumptions on interactions with clients and other members of the health care team.
Program Duration and Maximum Time for Completion
The Practical Nursing Diploma is sixteen (16) months in length. Students must complete the diploma within three (3) years from the initial start date to the completion date.
This diploma program is offered on a full time basis and is divided into four levels. Each level must be successfully completed before the next one can be started. A major emphasis of this program is active student participation. Throughout the program the instructors will encourage the students to become increasingly more self directed and responsible for their own learning. Students are expected to come to class well prepared for active participation in classroom, nursing lab and clinical activities.
Course guides provide direction of learning in preparation, in course activities and reflection of the content. The instructor acts as facilitator and expert to promote an environment conducive for learning through activities such as guided discussion, debate, audio-visual presentation, group activities, skill building exercises and simulation. Some courses may be offered in a blended delivery mode.
Level one provides the foundation for the development of nursing practice and introduces the learner to the healthy adult.
Level two explores the older adult and concepts related to aging and chronic illness in various settings.
Level three examines a continuum of care in the community health setting and applies concepts from level one, two and three in the management of stable clients across the lifespan.
Level four integrates knowledge from previous levels and examines concepts related to the care of the medical/surgical client.
Each level is supported by a Consolidated Practice Experience (CPE) which reinforces the learning that has taken place within each level.
Eligibility to enter the Consolidated Practice Experience at the end of each level is dependent upon the successful completion of all of the other courses within that level.
Each level must be successfully completed before the next one can be attempted.
A final practice experience or preceptorship prepares the learner for the role and expectations of the graduate.
Program-specific
Core minimum standards for admission requirements, including English as an Additional Language standard have been established by the Provincial Practical Nursing Program Curriculum. College or University admission requirements for this program are in addition to those provincial expectations. All of these requirements must be met.
- BC Grade 12 or equivalent
- English Studies 12 with a minimum ‘B’ grade, or equivalent
- Foundations of Math 11 with a minimum ‘C’ grade, or equivalent
- BIOL 1602 Human Anatomy and Physiology with a minimum grade of 68% or equivalent within the last 3 years
- English Language Proficiency as specified for the Practical Nursing or Access to Practical Nursing programs
Internationally Trained Nurses:
- Students with transcripts from outside of Canada may be required to submit a comprehensive evaluation form from an educational credential assessment service provider.
Upon Acceptance into the program:
- Criminal Record Check (CRC):
Students in this program are required to complete a CRC. The CRC must be completed. Students whose CRC results indicate they pose a risk to vulnerable populations will not be able to complete the requirements of the program (e.g. practicums) or graduate.
- Current CPR Level C (CPR):
- CPR Level C includes the following:
- Adult/Child/Baby CPR – one rescuer
- Adult/Child CPR –two rescuer
- Adult/Child/Baby – choking
- CPR Level C includes the following:
CPR certificates other than CPR Level C must be accompanied by documentation indicating the certificate includes the above. Please note that in Health Care your CPR expires one year from the date of issue. Current status is required for all clinical and practicum experiences.
- TB skin test:
Students must submit a negative tuberculosis (TB) skin test or chest X-ray dated a maximum of six months prior to the program start date. An additional TB test is required after each potential exposure to TB and/or travel to areas with a known prevalence of TB.
- Immunization Record:
College or University Immunization Record must be completed.
Immunizations in the following are strongly recommended:
- Diphtheria/Tetanus/Pertussis
- Polio
- Measles, Mumps & Rubella
- Varicella (Chicken pox)
- Hepatitis B
- Influenza
- COVID-19
Clinical facilities may decline individual students for their placement if a student is unable to provide proof of immunizations or satisfactory serum titers and TB screening.
- N95 mask:
Regulations stipulate that a properly fitted respiratory mask must be used when providing care to patients with suspected, known, or probable cases of acute respiratory infections. The respiratory mask must be a N95 respirator that is individually fitted by a trained and certified person. This individual mask fitting should be done just prior to beginning your program and is good for one year and must be performed annually. The original certificate must be presented to your program during the first week of classes.
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