Practical Nursing | Southeast Arkansas College (SEARK)

Practical Nursing

Program Description:

This interdisciplinary practical nursing program is designed to provide a beginning point for individuals seeking upward mobility in the nursing profession. Practical Nursing students are prepared for giving direct and primary nursing care under the immediate supervision of the clinical instructor, staff R.N. Advance Practice Nurse (APN), and/or physicians in the cooperating clinical facilities. Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA) are eligible for acceptance into the Practical Nursing program. The program prepares Practical Nurses for employment in a wide range of health care settings including: hospitals, nursing homes, physician’s offices, and private duty care. The Arkansas State Board of Nursing approves the Practical Nursing program with regular evaluations to ensure a quality program of education in the nursing field. Upon completion of the program, graduates are eligible to apply and take the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEXPN) for licensure as a practical nurse.

Application Procedures and Deadlines

Classes are admitted in August and January. Class size is limited, and all applicants are not accepted for participation.

All applicants will have an equal opportunity regardless of race, age, disability, sex, creed, religion, or nationality. Applicants with special needs due to disability must make this fact known prior to admission, so that necessary accommodations can be made. Because of the nature of the profession it may not always be possible to accommodate students with severe disabilities.

Application Deadlines:

August Admission - 2nd Friday in March
January Admission - 1st Friday in October

Acceptance Procedure

Should the qualified applicants exceed the available slots in the program, admission into a particular class will be based on the date of completed application. After acceptance into the Practical Nursing program, the student must submit evidence of the following in order to begin classes:

Functional Ability Acknowledgment Form
P.P.D. Skin Test or Chest X-Ray
Hepatitis B Series or Signature on SEARK Vaccination Waiver Claim Form
Criminal Background check and Drug Screen results

The ASBN requires that all applicants for licensure submit to a criminal background check and drug screening. All students accepted into the PN program will be required to have a state/federal criminal background check and drug screen conducted through the Clinical Credentialing Agency chosen by the school. The cost of the subscription Drug Screen, and Criminal background check is the student’s expense.

Conviction of certain crimes may make the applicant ineligible to test for licensure despite successful completion of the Practical Nursing program.

Students enrolled in Allied Health programs with a clinical component will be assessed a fee for malpractice insurance.

NOTE: Random drug screening may be utilized at any time during the course of the program at the student’s expense.

Advising

Faculty advisors are available to assist students in course selection and future planning.

Admission Requirements

High School diploma (or GED Equivalency).
Completion of all SEARK College admission requirements.
Current American Heart Association (AHA) CPR Certification.
Current unencumbered Arkansas state certification as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) license.
*Provide one or all of the following test scores:
- Accuplacer Reading score of at least 75
- Next Generation Accuplacer Reading score of at least 251
- ACT Reading score of at least 19
- Compass Reading score of at least 83 OR
- Completion of a course in developmental reading, writing or math with a letter grade of C or better.
Possess a GPA of 2.5 or higher
Completion of the Nursing and Allied Health Application for admission.
Complete all pre-admission requirement courses with C or better.
Provide transcripts from all colleges and/or schools attended.
Transfer students must present a Letter of Good Standing from previous nursing program director.
Completion of the required nursing program entrance exam KAPLAN with a composite score of at least 55.

*NOTE: Students must test out of developmental courses and provide scores to validate proficiency of basic skills OR successfully complete the general studies developmental education courses in Reading (Developmental Reading & Basic English), Writing (Fundamental Writing).

First time college students MUST take Technical Math or a higher math. Intermediate algebra may be substituted for tech math only for returning students considering that it is no longer an offered course.

The student is responsible for submitting documentation of all the above admission requirements at the time of application to:

Health Professions Division
Southeast Arkansas College
1900 Hazel Street Pine Bluff, Arkansas 71603

Financial Aid

Financial aid consists of funds made available from federal, state, and local sources for those students who qualify. Scholarships, grants, loans, and Veteran's benefits are all available to qualified students.