Practical Nurse Certificate
Provide vital care to patients.
The Practical Nurse program provides students with the knowledge and clinical skills necessary to enter the healthcare field as a Practical Nurse. Graduates of the Practical Nurse program are eligible to participate in the NCLEX-PN licensure examination. Passing this exam is required to become a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN).
Practical Nurses provide basic medical care, including:
- Monitoring a patient’s health by checking vital signs
- Administering wound care and inserting catheters
- Providing for the basic comfort of patients, such as helping them bathe or dress
- Reporting a patient’s medical status to the registered nurse and/or physician
- Maintaining patient health records
Practical Nurses provide care to their patients in a variety of healthcare environments, including physicians’ offices, clinics, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, rehabilitation centers, and home healthcare settings.
Benefit from:
- A strong foundation in both the theory and techniques of clinical nursing
- Hands-on learning in on-site nursing laboratories that simulate various clinical environments
- Opportunities to practice communication and interpersonal skills needed for developing a rapport with colleagues and patients
- Valuable, practical experience gained through the completion of clinical rotations at off-campus healthcare facilities, under the supervision of New Jersey licensed Registered Nurse (RN) instructors
Practical Nurse Certificate Program
Not all programs are offered for completion at each campus or through Berkeley College Online®. Please review the academic program pages (https://berkeleycollege.edu/academics/index.html) for information on where each program is offered. Additionally, all students may be required to take some courses at another campus or online. The Internship courses are only offered online.
Course Requirements
MAJOR CORE COURSES
NUR1100 Foundations of Nursing
8 Credits
Students learn the components of nursing and the application of techniques and procedures to provide care to patients. Topics include the nursing process; communication skills; legal and ethical aspects of nursing; physical and psychosocial development; health promotion; safety skills; infection control; basic normal assessment; pain management; and concepts of loss, grief, and death. Hands-on demonstration, practice, and validation of skills are conducted in the nursing lab and in the clinical setting.
NUR1200 Pharmacology
3 Credits
Students study the different drug categories and the methods of administration, including oral and by injection. Includes the proper use of the Physician’s Desk Reference (PDR) and how to accurately read, prepare, and call in written prescriptions.
Prerequisite: SCI1100, SCI1110
Prerequisite or Corequisite: NUR1100
NUR1305 Nursing Concepts I
5 Credits
Students learn the concepts underlying health and wellness of individuals and families and apply concepts to exemplars addressing nutrition and nursing considerations as it pertains to endocrine disorders, infection, urinary, sensory, neurological and cardiovascular disorders. Direct clinical practice provides opportunities for students to demonstrate successful application of these concepts in a patient care setting. Skill competencies will be validated in the clinical laboratory.
Prerequisites: NUR1100, CPR certification, and completion of all departmental physical forms including purchase of malpractice insurance.
Prerequisites or Corequisites: NUR1200, SCI2100, SCI2110
NUR1306 Nursing Concepts II
6 Credits
Students build upon concepts explored in Nursing Concepts I, including fluid and electrolytes, oxygenation, and acid-base balance. Students also learn about complex disease processes in the cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, neurological, muscular, genitourinary, and renal system. Students begin to explore immunological diseases such as HIV and concepts related to elimination, metabolism, tissue integrity, perfusion, mobility, and health promotion. Direct clinical practice provides opportunities for students to demonstrate successful application of these concepts in a patient care setting. Skill competencies will be validated in the clinical laboratory.
Prerequisites: NUR1305, CPR certification, and completion of all departmental physical forms including purchase of malpractice insurance.
NUR1401 Special Topics in Nursing I
3 Credits
Students explore special topics in nursing addressing the nursing process as applied to the provision of nursing care for individuals and families with mental health challenges. Hands-on care and management of patients via the nursing process are conducted in the clinical setting.
Prerequisites: NUR1100, CPR certification, and completion of all departmental physical forms including purchase of malpractice insurance.
Prerequisites or Corequisites: NUR1200, SCI2100, SCI2110
NUR1402 Special Topics in Nursing II
3 Credits
This course builds on the concepts of previous nursing courses with emphasis on utilizing the nursing process in dealing with maternity, newborn, and child health. Hands-on care and management of patients via the nursing process are conducted in the clinical setting.
Prerequisites: NUR1305, NUR1401, CPR certification, and completion of all departmental physical forms including purchase of malpractice insurance.
NUR2105 Nursing Concepts III
5 Credits
Students build upon concepts explored in Nursing Concepts I and II and learn the concepts underlying health and wellness of individuals and families. Students will apply concepts to exemplars addressing care of patients with cancer, anemia, clotting disorders, respiratory problems, cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal disorders. Direct clinical practice provides opportunities for students to demonstrate successful application of these concepts in a patient care setting.
Prerequisites: NUR1306, SOC2225, CPR certification, and completion of all departmental physical forms including purchase of malpractice insurance.
NUR2200 Transition into Practice
6 Credits
Students examine professional practice issues such as delegation and use of SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, and Recommendation). Legal/ethical issues concerning clients’ rights, use of restraints/seclusion, and advance directives and palliative care are explored through case discussions, recent news events, practice updates, and legislative mandates.
Prerequisites: NUR1306, NUR1402, CPR certification, and completion of all departmental physical forms including purchase of malpractice insurance.
Prerequisites or Corequisites: NUR2105
LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES CORE COURSES
SCI1100 Anatomy and Physiology I
3 Credits
Study of the structure, function, and pathology (disease) of the human body. Students are introduced to various body systems including the musculoskeletal, digestive, nervous, and integumentary, as well as the special senses.
SCI1110 Anatomy and Physiology Laboratory I
1 Credit
An introduction to the basic principles of human anatomy and physiology as explored through laboratory sessions. Laboratory activities coincide with lectures to enhance understanding of each topic by providing visual and hands-on experiments for the concepts learned in the lecture. Laboratory sessions include microscopy, dissections, and elementary physiological experiments. Among the topics considered are various body systems including the musculoskeletal, digestive, nervous, and integumentary, as well as the general and special senses.
Prerequisite or Corequisite: SCI1100
SCI2100 Anatomy and Physiology II
3 Credits
Study of the structure, function, and pathology (disease) of the human body. Students are introduced to various body systems including the cardiovascular, respiratory, urinary, endocrine, lymphatic, and reproductive systems.
Prerequisite: SCI1100
SCI2110 Anatomy and Physiology Laboratory II
1 Credit
Continues the study of human anatomy and physiology through laboratory exploration. Laboratory activities coincide with lectures to enhance understanding of each topic by providing visual and hands-on experiments for the concepts learned in the lecture. Laboratory sessions include microscopy, dissections, and elementary physiological experiments. Among the topics covered are the cardiovascular, respiratory, urinary, endocrine, lymphatic, and reproductive systems.
Prerequisite: SCI1110
Prerequisite or Corequisite: SCI2100
SOC2225 Introduction to Psychology
3 Credits
Explores the basic principles of psychology and their direct application to individuals’ thoughts and behaviors and awareness of their own everyday existence. Topics explored include human development, personality, cognitive process, motivation, emotion, adjustment, perception, and psychological disorder and treatment.
50 SEMESTER CREDIT HOURS REQUIRED FOR GRADUATION
Additional Program Information
Students applying to the Practical Nurse program must provide authorization for a criminal background check prior to being accepted into the program. In instances where a student’s criminal background check contains information related to past criminal activity, Berkeley College may not make an offer of Admission into the program or guarantee that it will find suitable clinical placement(s) since the decision to allow students to complete clinical rotations is at the sole discretion of the clinical affiliate. Prior to participating in the required clinical rotations, students must satisfy all clinical clearance requirements, which include, but are not limited to, a physical assessment by a licensed medical professional; meeting immunization requirements; purchasing their own malpractice insurance; a secondary criminal background check at the request of clinical facilities; and drug screenings.
Students enrolled in the Practical Nurse program must meet the minimum passing grade requirements for certain courses.
For more information about the Practical Nurse program, grade requirements, and clinical requirements, see: Practical Nurse Student Handbook Supplement: http://berkeleycollege.edu/catalogs/practical-nurse-student-handbook-supplement-2024-2025/index.html
Program Costs
Requirements required for clinical courses are extensive and may total several hundred dollars. The costs of these health requirements are borne by the student.
Information about program costs (including tuition, fees, books and supplies) is available at: https://berkeleycollege.edu/catalogs/undergraduate-2024-2025/admissions/certificate-program-tuition-fees-2024-2025/index.html
Professional Licensure & Certification
Information about professional licensure and/or certification requirements for this program is available online at: https://berkeleycollege.edu/about/accreditation-regulatory/professional-licensure-and-certification/index.html