Practical Nursing Certificate Overview

The Practical Nursing Certificate Program is a one-year program that prepares the student to provide direct basic nursing care as a licensed practical nurse (LPN) under the supervision of a registered nurse (RN), licensed physician, dentist, optometrist, or podiatrist. Students will receive a well-rounded curriculum that integrates classroom, campus laboratory, and supervised clinical instruction to develop the skills necessary to provide high quality patient care in today’s diverse healthcare settings. Students in the Practical Nursing Program must exhibit technical knowledge, manual dexterity, interpersonal skills, caring behaviors, and a commitment to professional ethics and cultural awareness.   

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Scholarship Opportunity 

Rhodes State has been awarded a Choose Ohio First (COF) Scholarship grant by the Ohio Department of Higher Education. The grant provides scholarships to students majoring in disciplines that significantly strengthen Ohio’s competitiveness in Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, and Medicine (STEMM) education and industry.

Choose Ohio First

Practical Nursing Certificate Highlights

  • Earn your Certificate in less than 1 year.
  • A maximum of 40 students are admitted every fall semester
  • Students practice skills on high-fidelity, mid-fidelity, and low-fidelity simulators
  • Students in the PN program have scored above the national average on the NCLEX-PN exam over the past five (5) years and achieved a 100% pass rate for the 2019 reporting year.

Career Opportunities

Licensed Practical Nurses are in high demand. While the majority of LPN’s work in long-term or extended care facilities, career opportunities also exist in emergency departments, physician offices, specialty clinics, urgent care centers, and rehabilitation units. According to the Ohio Board of Nursing 79% of the current workforce of LPN’s work at the bedside providing direct patient care. Nursesalaryguide.net lists $20.35 as the average hourly wage for LPN’s in Ohio. Many employers offer tuition reimbursement opportunities for nurses looking to advance their careers.  

Practical Nursing Certificate Plan of Study

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Program Requirements

Applicants must meet acceptance requirements before being placed on the program's qualified list. Names are placed on the qualified list using the date on which documentation was received, verifying that acceptance requirements have been met. In the event that two or more students qualify on the same day, the date of application is used to rank order the students. All students must meet technical standards. Applicants who do not meet the qualification should meet with an advisor in The Office of Advising and Counseling to plan a course of study.

Acceptance Requirements

  1. General college requirements. (See General Admissions Procedure)
  2. Graduation from high school or equivalent.
  3. Must be remediation free in math, English, reading, and science.
  4. College GPA of 2.0 or higher.
  5. Declaration of Practical Nursing as the major course of study.
  6. Certificate of completion of state-approved nursing aide training course.

Additional Requirements After Entry into the First Clinical Nursing Course

  1. Evidence of sufficient physical and mental health to engage in the practice of nursing.
  2. Current American Heart Association or equivalent certification in CPR.
  3. Completed Health and Immunizations Forms.
  4. Criminal background check.
  5. Drug screen.

Practical Nursing Briefing

Our briefings are designed to introduce you to the profession, job opportunities, program requirements, and other important information you will need to get started. 

Register for a briefing

Professional Licensure Information

Completers of the PN Program are eligible to sit for the National Council Licensing Exam for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN) to become a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) and are encouraged to continue their education through articulation into the Associate Degree Nursing Program.

Accreditation Information

The Rhodes State College Practical Nursing Certificate Program has full approval of the Ohio Board of Nursing.

Student Success Navigator

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Nicole McConnahea

Student Success Navigator
mcconnahea.n@RhodesState.edu
(419) 995-8354