Curriculum for the Practical Nursing Program
The overall curriculum for the Practical Nursing (PN) program at South College is provided below.
Program Overview
The South College Practical Nursing program is designed to prepare practical nurses for the unique challenges of the 21st century. Major courses are delivered in four consecutive quarters of full-time enrollment (44 weeks). For Pittsburgh only, major courses are delivered in six consecutive quarters of full-time enrollment (18 months). For Atlanta only, 17.5 quarter credits of prerequisite general education/core courses are required prior to consideration for admission to the major curriculum.
The curriculum provides a balance of theoretical and practical coursework that further develops the critical thinking and analytical skills needed in today’s competitive and evolving healthcare environments. Students will be challenged through coursework and collaborative interaction with faculty and fellow students to identify, develop, and enhance their understanding in traditional and cutting-edge nursing courses relating to the challenges of practical nursing in today’s healthcare environments.
The South College School of Nursing Practical Nursing Student Handbook (PN Student Handbook) provides students with specific information about the PN program. The PN students at South College are required to be familiar with the information in the PN Student Handbook, South College Catalog, and South College Student Handbook. Students are expected to be aware of and satisfy all regulations governing their work and study at the college. Selected information from the PN Student Handbook is reported below, including Admissions Requirements, Transfer of Credit, Grading System, Academic Participation, Academic Advising, Progression Policy and Academic Standing, and Graduation.
Philosophy of the PN Program
The PN program at South College is guided by the core values of caring, diversity, ethics, excellence, holism, patient-centered and integrity (National League for Nursing, 2014b). These values are integrated throughout the program by demonstrating, teaching, and building respect for dignity and the moral wholeness of every person; valuing differences among people, ideas, values, and ethnicities; and by implementing transformative strategies to advance excellence and innovation in practical nursing education. Furthermore, the PN program embraces the integrating concepts for practical nursing education: context & environment, knowledge & science, personal & professional development, quality and safety, relationship-centered, teamwork and collaboration, and systems-based care. These integrating concepts structure the content, competencies, and outcomes for courses and the curriculum.
Student Learning Outcomes of the PN Program
Upon completion of the PN program, the graduate will meet the following student learning outcomes:
- Display responsibility and accountability for personal and professional development with the application of legal and ethical principles and compliance with the standards of nursing practice.
- Utilize effective communication with interacting with patients, families, and members of the interdisciplinary health care team.
- Provide safe and effective nursing care to diverse patient populations.
- Demonstrate appropriate clinical decision making based on an evolving patient situation.
- Contribute to the interprofessional team using therapeutic communication to promote patient safety and continuity of care.
These End of Program Student Learning Outcomes are based on the ANA Code for Ethics for Nurses (ANA, 2015), National League for Nursing Core Values (NLN, 2021), Quality & Safety Education for Nurses competencies and essential concepts (QSEN, 2007).
Minimum Academic Requirements for Admission
Cohorts will begin depending upon enrollment and approvals from the associated state board of nursing. All applicants must meet the requirements for general admission to South College. General admission to South College does not guarantee admission to the School of Nursing. Application deadlines are available in the School of Nursing and the Admissions Department.
Applicants must meet the following requirements to be admitted without stipulation:
- Submit a School of Nursing application by the applicable deadline.
- Entrance Exam:
- Achieve a minimum ATI TEAS Assessment score at the academic preparedness level of BASIC or equivalent score on the HESI A2*.
- Scores below this threshold will not be considered for admission.
* HESI A2 Entrance Exam will be accepted at as an equivalent passing score.
In addition to the above academic requirements, Atlanta LPN applicants must successfully complete College Algebra (MAT 1100 ), English Composition (ENG 1201 ), General Psychology (PSY 1811 ), and Medical Terminology (AHS 1010 ) with a cumulative GPA of 2.50 or higher. Students may transfer one or more of these courses into South College if they meet the existing South College transfer requirements. The combined GPA of all four courses must be a 2.50 GPA. Courses may be in progress at time of application, but to be admitted without stipulation they must be completed.
Applicants who are not in good academic standing from a previous nursing or allied health program (e.g. Medical Assisting, Dental Assisting, EMT, etc.) or who have been dismissed from such a program must submit the required School of Nursing Mitigating Circumstances Form and provide supporting documentation of the mitigating circumstances to be considered eligible to apply to the South College School of Nursing. Admission is not guaranteed, and the School of Nursing may require a letter from the former program explaining the circumstances.
Applicants who are not in good academic standing from two previous nursing or allied health programs (e.g. Medical Assisting, Dental Assisting, EMT, etc.) or who have been dismissed from two such programs will not be considered for admission or readmission to the South College Nursing program.
TEAS Assessment
TEAS Assessment requirements and procedures:
- Applicants are required to take the ATI TEAS Assessment as part of the application process. The TEAS Assessment schedule and additional information is available in the Admissions Department, Student Services Department, and/or School of Nursing.
- Applicants have three attempts within 12 months to achieve the required score of BASIC or higher on the ATI TEAS entrance exam.
Readmission:
- For applicants seeking readmission, a retake of the entrance exam is not required.
- Readmission eligibility will be assessed based on previous academic performance and adherence to the school’s policies.
* Effective Spring 2023 Mid-Quarter (5/10/23), Atlanta Campus applicants must earn the minimum required TEAS Assessment score prior to beginning any pre-requisite coursework.
Competitive Admissions and Ranking Criteria
Admission to the School of Nursing is competitive and dependent upon class size. Applicants will be ranked based on an approved ranking system that includes, but not limited to, GPA and TEAS score.
Transfer Credit from Previous Nursing Programs
For a nursing class (or classes) to be considered for transfer into a South College Nursing program, the class must have been completed within the past 18 months prior to the cohort start date. Only nursing courses with a grade of A or B are considered for transfer and a course description or syllabus may be required to evaluate equivalency. Please refer to the transfer timeframes on the South College website.
Requirements for Admission (Other than Academic)
Prospective students must meet the following requirements to be admitted without stipulation. Stipulations must be met as described below or the offer of admission may be withdrawn:
- Take the required drug test before the 1st day of class*.
- Complete the background check application before the 1st day of class*.
- Attend the nursing orientation on the scheduled date in its entirety.
*Prospective students who fail either the drug test or background check will be cancelled.
In addition, each prospective student must provide proof of ability to perform the skills needed to practice nursing effectively. Health care facilities must meet federal guidelines, and students must also meet these requirements in order to be allowed to gain clinical experience. All nursing students must comply with communicable diseases/blood-borne pathogen requirements that the clinical agencies require. Therefore, proof of the following are minimum requirements for the nursing applicant (additional requirements may apply depending on clinical agency requirements):
- Health history and physical exam certifying ability to function in the required capacity prior to admission to major courses dated within 12 months of program start.
- Common communicable disease immunization or immunity, including MMR (2 in series if born after 1957), TDaP (booster required every 10 years), and varicella vaccine (2 in series).
- Some clinical facilities may require titters for MMR, HBV, and Varicella even though you have proof of previous immunization.*
- Hepatitis B immunization (3 in series) or the HEPLISAV-B, (2 in a series one month apart). A vaccine titer test showing immunity is also acceptable.
- Annual Flu immunization or completed Medical Declination Form, located in the student compliance portal, for Influenza Vaccination depending on the requirements of the clinical affiliate. The Medical Declination Form can only be used for medical reasons and must be documented by student’s primary care provider.
- Annual screening for tuberculosis.
- Acceptable drug screen. Students may be required to obtain more than one acceptable drug screen per year depending on the requirements of the clinical affiliate. In the event of a dilute or positive drug screen, the student will receive notification from the Medical Review Officer (MRO) with instructions for their next steps. The student will have five (5) business days to provide prescription validation to the MRO. The MRO will inform South College of an unresolved dilute or positive drug screen. Any costs associated with additional testing will be the responsibility of the student.**
- Acceptable criminal background check for a minimum of past 15 years. Students may be required to obtain more than one acceptable criminal background check per year depending on the requirements of the clinical affiliate. If the background check reveals previous criminal convictions, admittance into the program will be made on a case-by-case basis. Students who are denied clinical experiences due to past convictions may be unable to progress in the program which will result in failure to complete the required courses for the program. A copy of the South College Background Check Acknowledgment Form can be found in the Nursing Student Handbook.
- Proof of health insurance coverage throughout the entire nursing program.
- Valid American Heart Association (AHA) Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers Course Completion Card or Certificate. ***
- Students must disclose if they are ineligible to perform clinical rotations at local healthcare entities due to previous employer termination or site denials. South College cannot guarantee alternate clinical rotations if a student is not allowed at affiliates.
The institution does not control the requirements established by clinical affiliates. Students who choose not to or are unable to meet the requirements of clinical sites will not be able to participate in clinical experiences as a student at those sites. This includes students who have received partial vaccinations but are not fully immunized. This may seriously impact ability to progress, graduate on time, or graduate at all. Exemptions may be considered in the state of Florida based upon state regulations. Medical exemptions signed by a provider may be considered.
** Marijuana, or its metabolite, is not an accepted substance in drug screens and will result in a positive drug screen. Prospective students whose drug test results are positive for marijuana, or its metabolite, will be offered one additional opportunity to reapply for admission into the next admission cohort after the initial positive results. Prospective students whose repeat test results are positive for marijuana, or its metabolite, will be denied admission indefinitely.
***American Red Cross (ARC) Course accepted on select campuses based on clinical affiliation guidelines. It is the responsibility of the student to maintain continuous clinical compliance via the institution’s compliance tracking portal. Prospective students who do not meet clinical compliance requirements by add/drop day and accurately maintain their records in the institution’s clinical tracking portal will be cancelled or withdrawn.
Functional Capacities (Technical Standards)
Prospective students must demonstrate the following functional capacities. Prospective students who believe that they will not be able to meet one or more of these requirements without accommodation or modification must notify the PN Program Director, and a determination will be made on a case-by-case basis whether reasonable accommodation may be made. In no instance will an accommodation be made which will compromise nursing care, or that will put patients or other students at risk. Accommodation granted when a student is generally admitted to South College are not guaranteed to apply to admission to the nursing program. Students must maintain the functional capacities throughout the duration of the program.
| Function |
Requirement |
Examples of Tasks For |
| Vision |
Adequate to ensure safety of self and others in classroom and clinical settings. |
Patient assessment; response to treatment; medication preparation and administration; reading of patient charts and physician orders. |
| Hearing |
Adequate to allow effective communication with patients and others in person and by electronic means, and to ensure safety of self and patients. |
Face-to-face communication with patients, families and the healthcare team; telephone consultations; heart tones; breath sounds; bowel sounds and other assessments. |
| Tactile Sensory |
Adequate to allow effective evaluation and therapeutic intervention related to nursing care, and to ensure safety of self and others in providing care. |
Palpation used in assessment; vital signs; medication administration, IV starts. |
| Gross motor strength and coordination |
Adequate to ensure safety of self and others in class and lab sessions and clinical activities. |
Patient positioning and transfer; walking, standing, bending, and/or stopping for extended periods involving patient care; moving of equipment/beds. |
| Fine motor strength and coordination |
Adequate to allow mastery of activities requiring detailed movements. |
Multiple skills in patient care; treatments; medication preparation and administration. |
| Critical thinking ability |
Adequate to allow mastery of basic course content and to demonstrate sound judgment in simulated and real-life nursing situations. |
Effective use of nursing process; planning and implementation of the nursing care plan; identification of cause and effect relationship in order to modify nursing care plan; determination of unsafe situations; planning course of actions to meet needs of patient, family, community and nursing profession. |
| Interpersonal Skills |
Adequate to allow establishment of effective working and/or therapeutic relationship with patients, families and professionals. |
Establishing therapeutic relationship with patients and families; working with health care team; collaboration with other disciplines. |
| Communication |
Adequate to allow completion of coursework and effective verbal and written communication with patients, families, communities, peers, and others. |
Class activities; therapeutic communication; writing/research at the bachelor’s level; documentation of patient care; education of patient/family/community. |
Grading Scale
The grading scale used by the School of Nursing for all administered courses is as follows:
| Letter Grade |
Q.P |
Percentage Score Range |
A
B
C
D
F |
4.00
3.00
2.00
1.00
0.00 |
94-100%
87-93%
80-86%
73-79%
Below 73% |
Licensure
Upon completion of certificate requirements, each student enrolled in the PN program must make application to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination-Practical Nurse (NCLEX-PN). Practical/Vocational nurses are prohibited in all states from practicing nursing until the examination is successfully completed and licensure has been granted. Specific information regarding licensure will be provided to the student during the last quarter of the nursing program.
Background Check: Students are required to sign an acknowledgment form that they understand that our school background check may not reveal potential barriers to licensure in each state. Each Board of Nursing conducts extensive background checks upon application for licensure with that state. Graduation from this program, does not specifically guarantee licensure in each state.
Academic Advising
All students at the PN program are assigned a Student Success Advisor at the beginning of their program of study, who provides assistance during enrollment and for class scheduling. In Quarter 2, students are transitioned to a Faculty Advisor who provides direction and offers encouragement throughout their studies via meetings, phone calls, e-mail messages, and/or virtual conferencing. Upon entering the PN program, students are required to confer with the Faculty Advisor to map out their course curriculum and requirements for degree completion. Students are also required to meet each quarter with the Faculty Advisor for an academic progress review and registration approval for the next quarter. If a student voluntarily withdraws from the program, a formal application for reentry is required, and program requirements in effect at that time must be met.
Academic Standards and Progression
The South College School of Nursing upholds high standards for academic integrity, clinical competency, and professional behavior. The following policies outline criteria for progression, grounds for termination and dismissal from the nursing program, and options for readmission.
To progress in the nursing program, students must meet academic, clinical, and professional expectations, which are reviewed each quarter.
Minimum Requirements for Progression
- Exam Average Requirement: A minimum numeric exam average of 80% is required in all nursing courses to remain enrolled in the nursing program. The exam average is calculated based on written/online exams and the final exam, which are equally weighted. Students who do not achieve a minimum examination average of 80% will not have quizzes or assignments included in the calculation of the final course grade; in such cases, the examination average will be recorded as the final course grade based on the School of Nursing grading scale.
- Overall Course Average Requirement: A minimum overall course average of 80% is required in all nursing courses to progress in the nursing program. The overall course average is calculated according to the grading criteria in each course syllabus. If a student fails to achieve both the minimum examination average of 80% and the minimum overall course average of 80%, the lower of the two averages will be recorded as the final course grade. Final course grades are not rounded.
- Clinical and Lab Requirements: Students must successfully complete all required components of a nursing course, which may include didactic, clinical, laboratory, simulation, or other experiential requirements, as specified in the course syllabus. Failure of any required component of a nursing course requires repetition of the entire course. No course credit is awarded unless all required components are successfully completed.
- Incomplete Grades: Students who request or receive a grade of incomplete (“I”) in a nursing course(s) may enroll and participate in the next quarter’s courses. Continued progression in the nursing program is contingent upon removal of the “I” grade and receipt of a passing grade by the drop/add deadline as published in the South College Catalog.
Drug Calculation Competency Requirement:
Drug calculation proficiency is assessed as part of specific nursing courses. Students who fail this competency in any course requiring a dosage exam receive a course failure. After two attempts of any course requiring a dosage exam, a student is subject to dismissal (See Grounds for Dismissal section).
Student Probation
Student probation in the School of Nursing is a formal status indicating that a student is not meeting required academic, professional, or progression standards. A student may be placed on probation for one or more of the following reasons:
- Academic reasons, including unsuccessful completion of a nursing course or failure to meet minimum requirements for progression as stated above.
- Conduct-related reasons, including receipt of a second occurrence for violations of professional, behavioral, attendance, or School of Nursing policies.
Students placed on probation will be notified and required to participate in remediation or success planning, as applicable.
- For academic probation, the student meets with the assigned Faculty Advisor for academic advising and is referred to the Financial Aid Department for financial counseling.
- For conduct-related probation, the student meets with the Program Coordinator or designee to review the occurrences and professional standards expectations and required corrective actions.
Compliance with all probationary conditions is required for continued enrollment.
Probation does not replace or supersede institutional Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policies. Failure to meet the terms of probation or an approved academic plan may result in dismissal from the nursing program in accordance with institutional and School of Nursing policies.
Dismissal Policy
Students may be dismissed from the nursing program for any of the following reasons:
- Repeated Course Failures: Earning a failing grade (D or F) in two or more nursing courses, or the same course twice, whether in the same or different quarters. This includes failures due to exam average, overall course grade, clinical compliance, unexcused absence, or dosage calculation competency.
- Repeated Course Withdrawals: Voluntarily withdrawing from the same nursing course twice.
- Failure to Meet Financial Obligations: Nonpayment of tuition or fees.
- Violation of the Honor Code or Egregious Unsafe/Unprofessional Conduct: Result in Immediate Program Dismissal (see below).
Appeals for Readmission to the Nursing Program
The School of Nursing will consider readmission appeals from students who can provide documented evidence of significant mitigating circumstances that adversely affected their academic or clinical performance at the campus level. Students must also demonstrate engagement with available support resources, such as Nursing Academic Specialist services and faculty advising meetings, during the quarter in which they were unsuccessful. All appeals must follow the process outlined in the student’s dismissal notification email. The deadline for submitting a complete appeal, including all required documents as outlined in Appeal Contents below, is two (2) business days from the date of the dismissal notification. Appeals submitted after this deadline will not be accepted.
Appeal Contents
Students seeking readmission following dismissal must submit the following:
- A completed Dismissal and Disciplinary Action Appeal Form available in the Student Portal.
- Supporting documentation of mitigating circumstances which must originate from an external source (documentation created by the student will not be accepted).
- Examples of mitigating or unforeseen circumstances may include, but are not limited to:
- Documentation of significant medical issues for self or an immediate family member (e.g., hospital approved physician’s note).
- Evidence of financial hardship (e.g., eviction notice, foreclosure documentation, utility shut-off notice).
- Police report or insurance claim related to a motor vehicle accident.
- Death certificate or obituary of an immediate family member.
- Legal documentation (e.g., court order, subpoena, protective order).
- Documentation of natural disaster impact (e.g., FEMA notice, insurance claim).
- Military deployment or reassignment orders.
*No additional documentation may be added to the appeal after the original submission for the campus Nursing review.
Nursing Appeal Review - Campus Level:
The Admission, Progression, and Retention (APR) Committee at the campus level will review the student’s appeal, supporting documentation, and academic action plan. In its determination, the APR Committee will consider factors outlined in the Dismissal Appeal Rubric, including:
- Total number of unsuccessful nursing courses.
- Engagement with the faculty advisor and Nursing Academic Specialist(s).
- Documentation of mitigating circumstances and its validity.
- Student’s ownership of failure, accountability for academic performance, and the quality of the academic action plan.
The Associate Dean of Nursing for the campus will review the APR Committee’s determination and provide the student with a written decision within three (3) business days of the student’s appeal submission deadline.
Appeal Escalation
If an appeal is denied at the campus Nursing program level (APR Committee and Associate Dean of Nursing) and the student wishes to further escalate an appeal, the student may submit an appeal to the campus Dean of Academic and Student Services within two (2) business days of the denial notification following the same submission steps outlined above. The escalation review sequence following the Dean of Academic and Student Services followed by the Chief Academic Officer.
Repeated Dismissals
Students who are readmitted following academic dismissal and are unsuccessful again will receive a dismissal notification by the last day of the academic term and will be unregistered from any subsequent nursing courses. Students may not appeal for readmission to the School of Nursing a second time after a prior readmission. Additionally, students who have been dismissed on two separate occasions may not apply to another nursing program that prepares for the same or a higher level of licensure.
Grounds for Immediate Program Dismissal
Grounds for Immediate Program Dismissal from the nursing program include egregious acts or serious violations such as breaches of the Honor Code, or unsafe/unprofessional conduct, or cumulative noncompliance with college or program policies. Examples include, but are not limited to:
- Falsification of Information: Submission of false or misleading information in applications, academic records, and supporting documentation of mitigating circumstance.
- Academic Dishonesty or Honor Code Violation: Cheating, plagiarism, unauthorized sharing or access to exams, misuse of AI, possession of unauthorized copies or images of exam questions.
- Unsafe or Unprofessional Behavior: Demonstrating unsafe, illegal, unethical, unprofessional behavior, or theft.
- Cumulative Occurrences: Exceeding two occurrences during program enrollment.
In any such circumstance, the student will meet with the Program Coordinator or Assistant Dean within two (2) business days of the event. During this review period, the student will not be permitted to attend lecture, lab, or clinical. The student will be required to complete the Student Occurrence & Immediate Dismissal Form. This form provides the student with an opportunity to present their account of the circumstances, outline contributing factors, and include any supporting documentation.
Academic and Conduct Review Board, comprised of the Associate Dean of Nursing, Dean of Nursing, and non-nursing campus faculty and leadership (a minimum of three members) will convene to review the matter in accordance with the program’s established due process procedures. After careful consideration of all information, the Board will render a decision regarding Immediate Program Dismissal. The Associate Dean of Nursing will then notify the student to formally communicate the outcome within three (3) business days of the event.
Students who are dismissed will receive a formal notification, a final course grade of F and W for any corequisite courses and are not eligible for readmission to the School of Nursing.
The student may appeal the determination to the campus Dean of Academic and Student Services within two (2) business days of the denial notification, following the same submission steps outlined above. The escalation review sequence following the Dean of Academic and Student Services is followed by the Chief Academic Officer.
Students may not appeal for readmission to the School of Nursing, including another nursing program that prepares for the same or a higher level of licensure, after receiving an Immediate Program Dismissal.
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