Practical Nursing Technical Certificate
Program Goals
- Prepare qualified workers for the healthcare delivery system.
- Provide the opportunity for personal and professional student development.
- Prepare students to continue their education in the healthcare field.
Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs)
| PLO 1. |
Students will demonstrate competency levels in the classroom and clinical setting so they qualify for initial employment.
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PLO 2
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Students will demonstrate professional growth in a clinical setting.
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| PLO 3. |
Students will show competency in the use of various health information systems and current technology to manage patient care in both the classroom and clinical setting.
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PLO 4.
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Students will participate in professional development activities within the community.
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PLO 5.
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Students will demonstrate their competency levels so that they are qualified for advanced education.
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Program Description
The Practical Nursing Program combines classroom instruction with skills lab, simulation lab, and clinical practicum experience. Students who successfully complete the program earn a technical certificate and are eligible to apply to take the National Council Licensure Exam for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN). A graduate who successfully passes this licensure will gain the title of Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN).
The Practical Nursing Program meets the requirements of and is approved by the Arkansas State Board of Nursing. The Practical Nursing Program is offered once per year and is 11 months in length.
Note: Practical nursing courses are not for open registration. Students must complete and submit a separate application to the Practical Nursing Program, must meet the admission requirements, must submit all required documentation, and must be selected for admission. Advanced standing is not recognized for this program of study.
General Information
- Developmental coursework may be required in addition to the courses required for this certificate.
General Requirements
- This certificate requires successful completion of 45 credit hours.
- A minimum 2.00 cumulative grade point average is required for graduation.
- Satisfaction of all financial obligations due to the college is required for graduation.
Residency Requirement
The student is required to complete a minimum of 15 semester hours in residence at SAU Tech for associate degrees and technical certificates and half of the credit hours required for certificates of proficiency as well as complete all other graduation requirements. Students who wish to pursue additional degrees must complete a minimum of 15 credit hours of difference between the degrees.
ACTS Course Numbers
The Arkansas Course Transfer System (ACTS) contains information about the transferability of courses within Arkansas public colleges and universities. Students are guaranteed the transfer of applicable credits and equitable treatment in the application of credits for admissions and degree requirements.
Degree Plan
Program Prerequisites (10 hours)
Fall Semester (14 hours)
Spring Semester (16 hours)
Summer Semester (15 hours)
Total Credit Hours: 45
Admission Requirements
Prior to the first Monday in June, application deadline, the applicant must have:
- Earned a high school diploma or a GED.
- A cumulative GPA of 2.0 or greater:
- Cumulative high school GPA if the student has completed 8 or fewer college credit hours
- Cumulative college GPA if the student has completed 9 or more college credit hours
- ALL transcripts submitted to the SAU Tech Admissions Department.
- Applied to SAU Tech and complied with all admission requirements (to be eligible for selection).
- The college’s application for admission can be found here:
https://www.sautech.edu/admissions/
- Call the Admissions department at 870-574-4558 or email at admisofc@sautech.edu if any questions
- Take the TEAS Exam within 1 year of the program application deadline date. The applicant’s score on this exam is used to determine eligibility for admission into the PN program and ranking for applicants' selection. The test score must be printed and turned in to the Nursing Department (Shumaker Hall, SH120).
- TEAS exam results older than one year previous to the program application deadline date will not be considered.
- Applicants who have not taken the TEAS exam CANNOT be considered for selection as current scores on this exam are required.
- Applicants must make a minimum of 43% (Composite Score).
- The TEAS Exam may be taken four (4) times per application period. The highest TEAS score on file at the application deadline will be the score that is accepted and utilized to calculate the student’s total points
- TEAS Directions:
- Create a TEAS account at www.atitesting.com/teas. You can create an account by clicking the “Create Account” link next to the log-in button. Follow the screen prompts and fill in all necessary boxes. When asked about which program, SELECT “NURSING”.
- Pay for your TEAS exam online through your ATI Account.
- Select “Southern Arkansas University Tech” if taking the exam on campus at our testing center. You will also be able to select a day/time for your exam.
Day of Testing at the SAU Tech Testing Center:
- Arrive a few minutes early; if more than 10 minutes late, you will need to reschedule through your ATI Account. If late, call the testing center at 870-574-4486 to inform them that you are rescheduling.
- Bring Photo ID
- Know your ATI log-in information
4. Applicant must have a C or better in the required courses (Medical Terminology, Anatomy & Philology I w/Lab and Math for Health Care Providers) before the start of the program. If the applicant is in the process of taking these courses during the application period, then the applicant must provide an up-to-date transcript with the final grade for the courses at the end of the semester to the admissions department. If the final grade is below a C in any of the courses, then the applicant will be disqualified.
5. Submit the completed and signed application and all required documents before the deadline for application, which is the first Monday in June of the applicable year before 4:30 p.m., to the Nursing Program Office located on the SAU Tech campus, Shumaker Hall, Room 120, or mail to:
Southern Arkansas University Tech
Attn: Practical Nursing Program
P. O. Box 3499
Camden, AR 71711
6. If the applicant has been in another nursing program, a ‘Letter of Good Standing’ from his/her previous nursing program DIRECTOR is required. The letter must come directly to the SAU Tech Practical Nursing Program from that program director. Letters submitted by students are not acceptable.
The letter may be emailed to syoung@sautech.edu or mailed to:
Southern Arkansas University Tech
Attn: Dean of Allied Health
P. O. Box 3499
Camden, AR 71711
7. Applicants accepted for admission into the Practical Nursing Program will receive an acceptance letter within a few weeks of the deadline, which will provide further instructions for admission requirements.
8. Denial letters will also be sent within a few weeks of the deadline. If you receive a denial letter, do not let this be the end. Correct any issues and apply again for the next program.
III.) Post-Admission Information:
Upon acceptance into the program, the student will be required to:
- Provide proof of a criminal background check upon request per instructions by the program faculty.
- Provide proof of an unencumbered drug screen upon request per instructions by the program faculty. This will be completed once the program begins at the discretion of the Dean of Allied Health.
- Provide proof of current AHA (American Heart Association) Healthcare Provider level of CPR certification.
- Provide proof of a negative PPD skin test or evidence of a negative chest x-ray if skin testing is not allowed.
- Provide proof of all vaccinations and/or immunizations including:
- Provide proof of Hepatitis B immunization series or sign a Declination Statement.
- Provide proof of immunity to varicella. Proof may consist of 1) proof of vaccination, or 2) varicella antibody titer indicating immunity.
- Provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination or exemption letter.
- Students will receive influenza vaccination during the Fall Semester. Proof of current influenza vaccination will be submitted.
Students applying for entry into the Practical Nursing Program at Southern Arkansas University Tech must understand that:
- Successful completion of the clinical, practicum, fieldwork, and/or internship/externship program component is a requirement for graduation from these programs;
- Clinical, practicum, fieldwork, and/or internship/externship sites require students to have received certain vaccinations, immunizations, possibly including the COVID-19 vaccination, and to have successfully passed testing/screenings such as a drug screen and a criminal background check, to be allowed to attend clinical, etc., in their facility.
- Some facilities do not allow students to attend clinicals, etc., in their facility until after the student has fully completed the COVID-19 vaccination doses recommended by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).
- Some exemptions can be made based on religious beliefs and/or medical issues. A letter from your religious leader or primary care physician must be submitted. Acceptance of this letter will be determined by the clinical facility, not SAU Tech.
- Therefore, if the student has not received or completed the vaccinations and immunizations, including a complete COVID-19 vaccination (if applicable), if the clinical facility has denied exemption reasoning, or if any failure in testing/screenings that the clinical facilities require has occurred, the student may be dismissed from the program.
- Successful graduation from the Practical Nursing Program is required in order to sit for the NCLEX-PN.