Practical Nursing

*Domestic applicants include Canadian citizens, permanent residents, protected persons and Convention refugees.
You’ll begin by studying anatomy, nutrition, pharmacology and the nuances of strong interpersonal skills with patients, families, colleagues and community members. You’ll learn to work as autonomous and collaborative partners with clients and other health care providers and to do so effectively within the practical nurses’ professional role and scope of practice. The curriculum continues to evolve in response to current nursing and health care evidence and trends. You'll also study theory in the classroom, practice your nursing skills in our simulation labs and get plenty of hands-on clinical practice in acute, community and long-term care settings, under the guidance of a qualified supervisor.
With clinical practice and simulations integrated throughout the curriculum, Fanshawe’s Practical Nursing diploma program gives students the skills and knowledge to succeed. When you graduate, you’ll be qualified to write the Canadian Practical Nurse Registration Examination. If successful, you’ll become eligible for registration with the College of Nurses of Ontario as a Registered Practical Nurse (RPN).
Fanshawe’s RPN program is an accredited five-level, 63-week diploma program focused on educating graduates to work with individuals, families, groups and entire communities in a variety of settings.
This program is offered part-time and full-time at more than one campus for your convenience. Learn more about the programs and services of Fanshawe’s campuses in London (London Campus) and Woodstock.
Due to the academic and clinical rigour required in the Practical Nursing program, applicants applying directly to this program from secondary school are encouraged to consider applying to the Pre-Health Sciences Pathway to Advanced Diplomas and Degrees program. The Pre-Health Sciences Pathway to Advanced Diplomas and Degrees program is an excellent preparatory program for those considering a career as a health care professional.
Eligibility for registration in Ontario, in any regulated health discipline, requires the candidate to provide information regarding any criminal offense or physical/mental condition which may affect practice.
This program is eligible for subsidized tuition for current and future members of the Canadian Armed Forces. Visit Fanshawe’s Military Connected Campus page to learn more.
Graduates of Fanshawe’s Practical Nursing program have the communication and problem-solving skills needed to feel confident in pursuing careers in a variety of settings, including hospitals, nursing homes, long-term care agencies, schools, clinics, private homes, community service agencies and rehabilitation centres.
Did you know Fanshawe consistently ranks high in graduation employment rates among large colleges in Ontario?
Here are some examples of career opportunities for graduates of Fanshawe’s Practical Nursing program:
School Nurse
A motivated and caring individual providing direct care to students.
Registered Practical Nurse
Contribute to patient care in a wide variety of hospital departments, including surgical care, mental health, emergency room, etc.
Community Care
Assess, plan, implement and provide personal and nursing care – including delivering oral, subcutaneous and intramuscular medications – for clients in the comfort of their own home.
"Fanshawe is well-respected in the nursing field. This made it easy to find a job upon graduation. I found a good job in the field before I had even graduated!"
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
Alicia Davies
Jennifer Black
Melissa Rowbottom
Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), or equivalent, or a mature applicant with a minimum final grade of 65 in each of the following courses:
- Grade 12 English (C or U)
- Grade 11 or 12 Biology (C or U)
- Grade 11 or 12 Chemistry (C or U)
- Grade 11 Math (U or M) or Grade 12 Math (C* or U)
- In addition to meeting the academic course requirements, applicants must complete the Computer-Based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics test (CASPer) assessment. See fanshawec.ca/casper for more details.
This is a competitive program; we receive more applications from qualified applicants than we have seats available. Applicants who do not meet admissions requirements may choose to do the one-year Pre-Health Sciences Pathway to Advanced Diplomas and Degrees preparatory program. Graduates who have a final cumulative GPA of 3.0 and no grade in the courses listed above below 65% will meet all the admissions requirements for this program, gain academic skills and make a future application more competitive. Please see www.fanshawec.ca/hcp for details on competitive programs.
* Grade 12 Foundations for College Math (MAP4C) may not be adequate academic preparation for this program. We recommend a minimum of MCT4C if applicants are choosing a college level Math to meet the requirements.
International students, please note: you must successfully graduate from Pre-Health Sciences before being considered for this program.
This is a highly competitive program; the number of qualified applicants exceeds the number of seats available. Post-Secondary education may be required for successful admission to this program. Please see www.fanshawec.ca/hcp for details. International students, please note: you must successfully graduate from Pre-Health Sciences before being considered for this program. |
Test | Score |
---|---|
TOEFL iBT | 92 (22 writing, 26 speaking, 20 reading and 20 listening) |
IELTS Academic | Overall score of 7.0 with no score less than 6.5 in reading and listening and a score of 7.0 in writing and speaking |
CAEL | 70 in writing, reading and speaking and a score of 80 in listening |
PTE Academic | 65 |
Cambridge English | Overall score of 185 with no language skill less than 176 and a score of 185 in listening |
ESL4/GAP5 | Minimum grade of 80% in Level 10 |
Duolingo | Overall 135 with Literacy minimum 130 and no other subscores below 125 |
The following items are applicable to the program and are time sensitive. Please refer to www.fanshawec.ca/preplacement for important information about placement requirements that need to be met prior to starting the program. These include:
For all programs requiring the submission of pre-placement forms, please submit all supplemental forms (with the exception of transcripts) by email to regforms@fanshawec.ca.
The deadline for submission of these forms for the PNG5 program is September 1st for Year 1 and August 15th for Year 2.
Level 1 | ||||
Take all of the following Mandatory Courses: | ||||
ANAT-1005 | Anatomy & Physiology 1 | 4 | ||
This course is the first of a two part course incorporating introductory aspects of anatomy and physiology, emphasizing normal structure and function and the recognition of various homeostatic imbalances. The hierarchical organization of the human body, the intimate relationship between structure and function, and the impact of development, maturation and aging on the body are emphasized. | ||||
MATH-2001 | Math for Medications | 1 | ||
This course reviews basic mathematical skills foundational for the safe administration of medications. Students will learn how to calculate dosages accurately and how to verify their work in order to foster the development of safe practice. Through this course, critical thinking skills are applied to real-life patient care situations to emphasize the importance of accurate reading of doctor's orders and medication administration records, dosage calculation and the avoidance of medication errors. | ||||
NRSG-1011 | Health & Transitions 1 | 5 | ||
This course provides an introduction to the caring curriculum and the profession of nursing including nursing organizations, self regulations and nurses' work. Meanings of health and family are examined from a personal as well as family perspective. The normal changes experienced by the older adult are explored. The healthy childbearing family is examined. Concepts and processes of research are introduced with application to clinical practice. | ||||
NRSG-1013 | Laboratory Practice 1 | 2 | ||
This lab course provides the opportunity to learn assessment techniques and practice clinical skills in a simulated setting in preparation for clinical practice. Skills taught are correlated to nursing theory. Students will learn the principles and knowledge underlying nursing techniques in order to develop safe and effective practice styles when planning and carrying out care. Collaboration, critical thinking, problem solving and relevant health teaching will be emphasized. | ||||
NRSG-1014 | Professional Nursing Practice 1 | 6.75 | ||
This course provides students opportunities to begin the practice of nursing. Students will use various learning approaches to plan care and develop therapeutic relationships with simulated patients. Students will be introduced to professional practice using critical thinking as it relates to data gathering and assessment for various patients. Seminar classes will prepare the student for future clinical practice and provide opportunities to work from a praxis perspective. There will be one rotation (12 weeks) of professional practice experience. | ||||
PSYC-1044 | Personal & Working Relationship | 3 | ||
This course is designed for students to understand the principles and dynamics of personal and working relationships. Emphasis will be on perception of self, attitude and interpersonal problems. The principles introduced from this course will be used in various teaching methods to give students the opportunity to reflect on the processes relevant to their normal personal and professional relationships. | ||||
WRIT-1048 | Reason & Writing 1 for Health Sciences | 3 | ||
This course will introduce health sciences students to essential principles of reading, writing, and reasoning at the postsecondary level. Students will identify, summarize, analyze, and evaluate multiple short readings and write persuasive response essays to develop their vocabulary, comprehension, grammar, and critical thinking. | ||||
NRSG-1012 | Self & Others | 3 | ||
The course focuses on understanding intrapersonal and interpersonal experiences. Students explore their personal beliefs, values, feelings and thoughts about self and self as part of a family and culture. They will also explore the course of the helping relationship, and learn about others to enable healthy and healing relationships. The course will enhance interpersonal communication as the learner becomes more aware of self behaviour and its effects on relationships and communication with others. |
*Total program costs are approximate, subject to change and do not include the health and dental plan fee, bus pass fee or program general expenses.