Alternate Admission

The number of unfilled spaces for each class is determined by availability of faculty and clinical facilities.

Students may also enter the program by transferring from another nursing program as space allows.

  • Transfer students are those who left another nursing program and are seeking to enroll with or without advanced placement in the PCCUA program.
    • Transfer students will not receive an application for admission to the Practical Nursing Program until the Practical Nursing Program Coordinator receives a letter of good standing from the Director/Chair/Dean from the program from which the student is transferring. Good standing is defined as being eligible for enrollment in the program from which the student is transferring.
    • Transfer students must contact the PN Program Coordinator to discuss placement in the program.
  • Applications may be obtained from the PN Program Coordinator on the DeWitt campus.
  • The completed application must be received in the office of the PN Program Coordinator on the DeWitt campus no later than June 1st to be considered for admission to the fall semester or October 1st to be considered for admission to the spring semester. No late applications will be accepted.
  • Students seeking admission by transfer will be ranked from highest to lowest by the score earned on the ATI Critical Thinking Exam and admitted on a 1:1 ratio with students seeking readmission until either group or space available is exhausted.
  • When two (2) or more transfer applicants have an equal score on the ATI Critical Thinking Exam, applicants will be admitted according to the date and time the application was received in the Nursing Department Office on the DeWitt campus.
  • Applicants who are not selected or who elect not to enroll must complete the entire admission process which includes, but is not limited to: (1) submitting another application to the program, (2) repeating the Nelson-Denny Reading and ATI Critical Thinking Exams within three (3) months of the application deadline, (3) meeting Drug Dosage Calculation Exam requirements, and (4) demonstrating Level I skill competency requirements to be considered again.
  • Rare exceptions to the Alternate Admission policy can be made by the Faculty Committee.

Skill Competency

Skill competency is a prerequisite for students seeking alternate admission to Level II and III. Students seeking alternate admission to Level II must demonstrate proficiency in taking a complete set of vital signs (BP, P, RR). Students seeking alternate admission to Level III must demonstrate proficiency in taking a complete set of vital signs (BP, P, RR), administration of oral and parenteral medications, and urinary catheterization. Skill check-off times are scheduled with the PN Program Coordinator and are posted on the PCCUA program webpage. The applicant must pass the skill check-off within three (3) months of reenrollment. Maximum of three (3) opportunities are offered to demonstrate competency. Any missed Skilled Competency Evaluation will be counted as a fail. Applicants who fail to demonstrate skill competency will not be eligible for enrollment. 

Drug Dosage Calculation Competency Exam

The Drug Dosage Calculation Competency Exam is a prerequisite for all alternate admission students except for transfer students seeking enrollment in Level I. Exam times are scheduled with the PN Program Coordinator and are posted on the PCCUA program webpage. The applicant must pass the Drug Dosage Calculation Competency Exam within three (3) months of enrollment. A maximum of three (3) opportunities are provided to score 90% or above on the exam. Only a basic calculator with the capacity to add, subtract, multiply, and divide can be used. No calculators with advanced functions are allowed.  Any missed exam will be counted as a fail. Applicants who fail to score a minimum of 90% on the Drug Dosage Calculation Competency Exam will not be eligible for enrollment.

Advanced Placement

Licensed or unlicensed emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and certified or non-certified nursing assistants (CNAs) do not receive advanced placement in the practical nursing program.