The Practical Nursing program prepares students to provide safe, effective, and compassionate care under the direction of registered nurses and other licensed healthcare providers. Practical nurses help people of all ages who are experiencing health challenges or seeking to maintain wellness across the lifespan, in a variety of settings including hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, and other healthcare facilities. The program also prepares students to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN).
Mission Statement
The Bossier Parish Community College (BPCC) Practical Nursing Program is a high-quality student-centered program dedicated to empowering students to reach their maximum intellectual development potential through academic instruction, skills laboratory, clinical experiences, and community service within an ethical, intellectually stimulating environment. This program facilitates the acquisition of the skills and qualifications necessary to provide safe and effective nursing care for entry level employment, career advancement, and lifelong learning in the profession of nursing and health care.
Goal
It is the goal of the BPCC Practical Nursing Program to sufficiently prepare entry-level Practical nurses for safe and competent nursing practice utilizing the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective domains, and to meet state and national expectations within the nursing profession.
Student Learning Outcomes
Recipients of the Associate of Applied Science in Practical Nursing will have demonstrated the ability to:
- Utilize clinical judgment and clinical reasoning within the framework of the nursing process & evidence-based practice to provide safe, high-quality, holistic, client-centered care.
- Demonstrate effective Teamwork and Collaboration by cohesively working with healthcare professionals, clients and families to provide safe, high-quality and client-centered care.
- Demonstrate Professionalism by exhibiting accountability, integrity, and professional behavior within the scope and limitations of the practical nurse to adapt to the evolving healthcare landscape.
- Leverage technology and informatic tools to enhance clinical judgment, support evidence-based decision-making, and ensure safe, efficient nursing care while upholding ethical and legal standards.
Selection Policy
Admission to BPCC Practical Nursing Program courses is granted on a competitive basis to students who have completed all qualification requirements and made application to the program prior to the published deadline. It is important to note that meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission into the BPCC Practical Nursing Program courses.
The BPCC Practical Nursing Program maintains highly selective admission criteria in addition to the general admission requirements of BPCC. The competitive selection process is based on TEAS Entrance Exam scoring. Students will be ranked from highest to lowest in numerical order and only students with the highest values will be offered admission into the BPCC Practical Nursing program.
The number of nursing students accepted into the Practical Nursing Program, a maximum of 36 students, is dependent on Louisiana State Board of Practical Nurse Examiners (LSBPNE) faculty-student ratio requirements, availability of clinical sites, and classroom space. It is our belief that educational standards and acceptable ratios in the classroom and clinical setting must be maintained to provide excellence in education, success on the national licensure exam, and quality healthcare for the community.
Practical Nursing Application:
Students wishing to pursue the BPCC Practical Nursing Program must first meet all General Admission Requirements for college admission as specified in the BPCC Catalog. The student must be in their last semester of qualification (pre-requisite) courses at time of application.
Application Process:
All application items are available online: https://www.bpcc.edu/academics/nursing-and-allied-health/practical-nurse/index
- Submit a completed Practical Nursing Application online by published deadline
- Submit official transcripts from ALL colleges attended to BPCC Admissions office by application deadline
- Complete the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) Entrance Exam on campus
- Submit a “Verification of Standing” form from any other nursing or practical nursing program attended
To be considered for acceptance into the Practical Nursing Program, the student must:
- Follow all steps of the application process
- Achieve admission scores as required by LSBPNE
- Achieve a minimum score of 50 on the TEAS entrance exam
°This exam may be attempted once per semester (spring or fall only) and must be taken on campus
All students selected for the Practical Nursing Program must provide all required clinical information for the clinical component of the program including a completed health status statement form completed by a physician; laboratory immunization/testing reports for mumps, measles, rubella, tetanus, tuberculosis, varicella zoster, Hepatitis B, and COVID-19, and any others required by the hospital/clinical facility; and documentation of laboratory testing for negative drug/alcohol screening. Students must also maintain current health insurance coverage while in the program.
Students must submit a signed consent/release for a comprehensive criminal background check. Please be advised that students should consult with the program director or dean if they have a criminal background history to determine eligibility to enter the program. A student currently on probation for any criminal offense will not be accepted into the program.
Students must maintain a minimum grade of C (80%) or better in all program course work to remain in the program. Refer to the Practical Nursing Program Handbook for specific policies and procedures on program progression and graduation.
Practical Nursing Application Deadline
BPCC Practical Nursing Program applications are due by 3:30 p.m. on the first Monday in April or June for admission to Practical Nursing in the following semester. Applications are submitted electronically and must include all required information to be eligible for consideration.
Essential Requirements
Admissions to nursing and allied health programs at BPCC are based on academic achievement and additional program specific non-academic criteria. Essential Requirements have been established by each program identifying the occupational-specific technical standards required of students in the program. Decisions to apply for admission to the BPCC Practical Nursing Program should be made after considering the Program Essential Requirements. The Essential Requirements are available in the Practical Nursing Program webpage at https://www.bpcc.edu/academics/nursing-and-allied-health/practical-nurse/index
Louisiana State Board of Practical Nurse Examiners (LSBPNE) Requirements
Once selected for admission into the BPCC Practical Nursing Program, a student must submit an admission application to the LSBPNE and meet all other requirements of the LSBPNE. After admission to the program, any subsequent disciplinary action, arrest, criminal charge or conviction, addiction, or impairment, etc. shall be reported IMMEDIATELY to the Practical Nursing Program Director and to the LSBPNE. All required documents shall be forwarded to the LSBPNE for evaluation in determining the student’s eligibility to continue in the program.
Transfer of Credit Policy
Required practical nursing courses will not be accepted for transfer from another educational institution.
NCLEX-PN Licensure Exam Policy
All BPCC Practical Nursing Associate of Applied Science requirements must be completed before the student is eligible to apply to take the National Council Licensure Examination - Practical Nursing (NCLEX-PN). All graduates of the program seeking initial licensure in Louisiana must take the NCLEX-PN administered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing.
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