Division of Health Sciences
Fall Semester Start
The Practical Nursing Certificate program is designated to meet the educational of those who wish career entry as a licensed health care worker. Graduates are employed in various health care settings such as long term care facilities, hospitals, clinics, physician offices, home health, and community health facilities. The day option of the Practical Nursing Program is conducted over a 40-week period beginning in the fall and continued through June. Classes, labs, and clinicals are scheduled full-time during the day. The theoretical, lab and clinical components of nursing courses must be taken concurrently and sequentially.
The Practical Nursing Program has been approved by the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing. Graduates are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses.
A minimum grade of C, 75% is required for progression in all Practical Nursing courses.
Admission Requirements
Students seeking admission to the Practical Nursing Program (PN) will be individually evaluated on the basis of the Grade Point Average (GPA) and a points system rubric. Students must also meet the following additional criteria for eligibility for acceptance into the practical nursing program:
- High School diploma or equivalent, or Associate Degree or higher
- MassBay Placement into Freshman English I (EN 101 ) or completion of College Writing (EN 100 ) or with a grade of C or higher.
- MassBay Placement into Intermediate Algebra (MA 98 ) or completion of Introductory Algebra (MA 95 ) with a grade of C or higher.
- Successful completion of Reading Assessment Test with a score of 72 or higher.
- HESI Admission (A2) exam score of 70% or better in Overall Composite (all subjects combined) will be given priority, but scores greater than 60% will be considered. Student may take the HESI exam a total of 4 times. HESI exam scores are valid for one year, at which time the exam must be retaken.
- Completion of BI 215 ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY I w/LAB (BI 101 required), BI 217 ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY II w/LAB , and BI 118 ELEMENTS OF MICROBIOLOGY within a five (5) year timeframe with a grade of C or higher at the time of matriculation into the Practical Nursing Program. Students can repeat each science course only once to achieve C or higher.
- In addition to the pre-requisites and co-requisites for the Practical Nursing Program, the following courses are included in the points system to be considered in the competitive admissions process: EN 101 , CH 101 , MA 98 , SK 96 , PS 101 , BI 223 (see admission scoring rubric on website: http://www.massbay.edu/Academics/Health-Sciences/Nursing-Program/Practical-Nursing-Program.aspx).
Upon acceptance into the Practical Nursing program, students are required to attend a mandatory new student program orientation. Students in the program are required to verify certain immunization and health records and submit documentation thereof by published deadlines which are program-specific and determined by clinical rotation start dates. A complete list of the required immunizations can be found on Division of Health Sciences’ web pages of the MassBay website by clicking the link, “Health and Background Check Requirements.” Immunization requirements are in accordance with clinical site requirements and Massachusetts state law. If the student does not meet the initial published deadline, s/he will not attend the clinical rotation.
Proof of CPR is required prior to clinical placement. The Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers certification from the American Heart Association, the American Red Cross, or the equivalent through the Military Training Network meets this requirement.
The student must complete the CORI (Criminal Offender Record Information) form to authorize a search of conviction and pending criminal case information under Standard Required Level I by the DCJIS (Department of Criminal Justice Information Services). The student must also complete the SORI (Sex Offender Registry Information) form. The CORI and SORI completion process will occur prior to the beginning of clinical/practicum experiences. If a CORI and/or SORI report is returned with a finding(s), it may or may not prohibit progression in a Health Sciences Program. A National County Criminal Background check will be conducted as a part of the student’s completion of the clinical requirements.
More information is available on the Division of Health Sciences pages on the MassBay website.
Applicants to the Practical Nursing Program are required to attend a recent Information Session. Times and dates for these sessions can be located at www.massbay.edu/infosessions. For more information about the costs of this program and employment opportunities after completion, please visit our gainful employment page: www.massbay.edu/gainfulemployment.aspx