Practical Nursing, Diploma

Program at a glance

Credential

Diploma

Work experience

Clinical/fieldwork placement

Study options

Full-time

Open to International

Yes

Area of study

Health Sciences

Length

20 months

Information Sessions

The Practical Nursing information sessions are a great way to learn more about the program and to get your questions answered by the faculty.

Scheduled Sessions

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Start in September

In the Practical Nursing Program, you will study from the same body of nursing knowledge as registered nurses (RNs) and registered psychiatric nurses (RPNs) with a more focused approach to foundational knowledge, critical thinking, and clinical judgment appropriate to the role of a practical nurse. This program will provide you with the knowledge, skills, judgment, and abilities to contribute to all phases of care from prevention to acute treatment and management, to long term and palliative care.

Competent

Practical nurses integrate knowledge, skills, behaviours, attitudes, critical thinking and clinical judgment expected of an entry-level practical nurse to provide safe, competent, and ethical care. Working in collaboration with other health care team members, you will provide direct nursing care and in acute care hospitals as well as complex care and community care settings.

Professional

Practical nurses are health care professionals who care for a wide range of clients at all stages of life. As a professional nurse, you will work within your own scope of practice, standards of practice and code of ethics. Practical nurses are frontline nurses involved in the assessment, planning implementation and evaluation of nursing care and are valuable members of the health care team.

HHS Student Handbook
Current information for Health and Human Services Students and PN program handbook.

After graduation

After successful completion of the program, you will be eligible to write the Regulatory Exam--Practical Nursing (REx-PN) to apply for licensure to become a Licensed Practical Nurse in British Columbia.

Indigenous Limited Priority Admissions

The School of Health & Human Services (HHS) offers Priority Seating for Indigenous students in all Health related programs.

Visit Eyēʔ Sqȃ’lewen - Centre for Indigenous Education & Community Connections (IECC) for information on how to apply.

Any questions about the application process, please contact hhsindigenoussupport@camosun.ca

The Indigenous Limited Priority Admissions process, approved by the Board of Governors, supported by the Education Council, and approved by the BC Human Rights Tribunal, welcomes applications from all qualified Indigenous applicants.

What you'll learn

Current students wanting information about your program, go to student planning in myCamosun.

Program outline

For more details, including courses, please see the program outline in the Academic Calendar.

Program outline

What you'll learn

This full time diploma program will provide you with the knowledge, skills, judgements and attitudes required to practice as a practical nurse within a variety of health care settings. The program will prepare you to care for individuals and families at multiple life stages in acute, complex, and community care settings. Graduates of the program are eligible to write the Regulatory Exam-Practical Nursing (REx-PN) to apply for licensure to become a Licensed Practical Nurse in British Columbia.

What to expect

The Practical Nursing Program is delivered over 20 consecutive months at Camosun’s Interurban campus. In each of the four theory terms you will take 5-6 courses each term. Class time and nursing practice hours are scheduled for a maximum of 25 hours per week. You will be expected to spend at least 3 to 4 hours on preparation, review, and studying per day.

Clinical placement locations and hours vary, but most are located within Greater Victoria and may include evenings and weekends.

Tuition and fees

Effective from September 1, 2022, to August 31, 2023

Estimated tuition

Tuition estimates are for the entire program.

Practical Nursing, Diploma

$15,801 (domestic)
$37,650 (international)

Domestic tuition fees vary depending on the individual course fees for the classes you select.

For International students visit: International Tuition & Fees.

Student fees

In addition to tuition estimates, student fees are calculated based on your enrolment. Refer to: Student Fees.

Financial assistance

You may need to find more than one source of funding to help pay for your education and living costs while attending college. Check out sources of money you don't need to pay back as well as those that need to be repaid.

Financial Aid & Awards

Curriculum & courses

Admission requirements

Ready to get started? Get your application in for the September intake.

When you apply you will need to submit proof that you meet the following admission requirements.

Tip: Where a letter grade is specified, you must have proof of that grade or higher.

One of:

C+ in English 12
C in English 12 Camosun Alternative

One of:

C in Math 11
C in MATH 073
C in MATH 077
C in MATH 137

And all of:

C+ in PNUR 101 * or equivalent
Grade 12 graduation or equivalent

* Note: a C or higher in Biology 12 is a pre-requisite for PNUR 101. Camosun College courses BIOL 150 and BIOL 151, or BIOL 152 and BIOL 153, or BIOL 143 and BIOL 144 may be used as alternatives to PNUR 101.

English Language Competency Requirements

As English is the language of study in BC, students must meet English language proficiency at an appropriate level to be accepted into the provincial Practical Nursing program. These requirements can be satisfied through three years of full-time, face-to-face secondary or post-secondary education at an accredited institution where English is the language of instruction and is also one of the country's official languages. English as a Second Language/Additional Language courses are not included in this three-year calculation. Those not meeting this requirement must achieve scores identified in one of the two tests below:

International English Language Testing System (IELTS) with minimum scores of:
- Speaking: 7.0
- Listening: 7.5
- Reading: 6.5
- Writing: 7.0
- Overall Band Score: 7.0
Canadian English Language Benchmarks Assessment for Nurses (CELBAN) with minimum scores of:
- Speaking: 8.0
- Listening: 10.0
- Reading: 8.0
- Writing: 7.0

NOTE: Due to COVID-19 restrictions, students who are unable to complete an IELTS or CELBAN assessment may demonstrate English-language proficiency for the purpose of satisfying the entrance requirements for PN programs by achieving the following scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-Based Test: Home Edition (TOEFL Home):

Speaking: 23
Listening: 27
Reading: 19
Writing: 27
Overall Band Score: 96

For more details, including courses, please see the program outline in the Academic Calendar.

Apply today

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Contact us

If you have admissions questions contact us today!

If you have any questions about what you can expect to learn in your Practical Nursing classes contact hhsinfo@camosun.ca

Ros Giles-Pereira

Chair, Continuing Care Department

Ros has been working in health care for over 30 years; starting as a care aide while completing her BSN at UBC. She also holds a Master in Health Stud ...