Upon admission to the nursing program the student may opt to stop after the first two semesters and take the optional Transition into Practical Nursing Course and receive a Certificate of Practical Nursing. The curriculum follows the criteria for the Colorado Nursing Articulation Model and is specifically constructed to promote career mobility between nursing educational levels.
Successful completion of the Practical Nursing Certificate requirements for graduation also entitles the graduate to submit an application to the State Board of Nursing for the State Licensure Examination for Practical Nursing.
- Complete an application to Otero Junior College at the Student Services Office on the OJC campus or on-line at www.ojc.edu. Student must be a high school graduate or have a GED certificate.
- Complete the College Basic Skills Assessment (Accuplacer Test) in the Student Services Office on the OJC.
- Complete the Nursing Program general education pre-requisites (see below for the required nursing course list). All sciences must be completed within 7 years of the start of the nursing program.
- Complete the Nursing Program Application on- line at www.cccs.edu and select either the part-time or full-time program.
- Student selections are made from the Colorado Community College System nursing admission list from applicants who meet all of the admission requirements in order of application completion.
For additional information contact the OJC Nursing Office
Graduation Requirements
- Students must fulfill all requirements of the College for receiving a certificate of completion.
- The graduate of nursing must pass all courses with a minimum grade of "C."
- Graduates must be competent in calculations of medications. Students are required to pass a medication proficiency examination at 100% mastery in order to progress to the summer semester of the PN program. (See the Nursing Student manual for further information.)
Legal Requirements for Practical Nursing Licensure
Before becoming licensed, students must answer the following questions:
- Have you ever been convicted of a crime or have you ever had accepted by a court a plea of guilty or nolo contendre? Have you received a deferred judgment or deferred prosecution?”
- Are you now, or were you for the 12 months preceding the date of this application, addicted to any controlled substance; a regular user of any controlled substance without a prescription; and/or habitually intemperate in the use of intoxicating liquor?”
If any question is answered “yes,” students need to meet with the Chair of the Nursing Department for counseling because the Colorado State Board of Nursing has specific requirements for licensure.
Practical Nursing Curriculum
| Admission Requirements |
Course Description |
Credit |
| BIO 201 |
Human Anatomy & Physiology I |
4 |
| BIO 202 |
Human Anatomy & Physiology II |
4 |
| BIO 204 |
Microbiology |
4 |
| ENG 121 |
English Composition I |
3 |
| PSY 235 |
Human Growth & Development |
3 |
| |
TOTAL CREDITS |
18 |
| First Semester |
Course Description |
Credit |
| NUR 109 |
Fundamental of Nursing |
8 |
| NUR 112 |
Basic Concepts of Pharmacology |
2 |
| HPR 108/HWE 100 |
Dietary Nutrition/Human Nutrition |
1/3 |
| MAT 103 |
Math for Clinical Calculations |
3 |
| |
TOTAL CREDITS |
14 |
| Second Semester |
Course Description |
Credit |
| NUR 106 |
Medical and Surgical Nursing Concepts |
9 |
| NUR 150 |
Nursing Care of Obstetric and Pediatric Clients |
7 |
| |
TOTAL CREDITS |
20 |
| Third Semester |
Course Description |
Credit |
| NUR 169 |
Transition to Practical Nursing |
5 |
PRACTICAL NURSING CERTIFICATE CURRICULUM
Part Time Evening
& Weekend Schedule
New curriculum beginning May 2007 Sequence
| Admission Requirements |
(All with GPA of 2.5 or higher) |
Credit: |
| |
|
|
| ENG 121 |
English Composition I |
3 |
| BIO 201 |
Human Anatomy & Physiology I |
4 |
| BIO 202 |
Human Anatomy & Physiology II |
4 |
| PSY 235 |
Human Growth & Development |
3 |
| BIO 204 |
Microbiology |
4 |
| |
TOTAL CREDITS |
18 |
| Summer Semester |
|
Credit: |
| MAT 103 |
Math for Clinical Calculations |
3 |
| NUR 109 |
Nursing Skills & Concepts |
8 |
| HPR 108/HWE 100 |
Dietary Nutrition/Human Nutrition |
1/3 |
| Fall Semester |
|
Credit: |
| NUR 112 |
Basic Concepts of Pharmacology |
2 |
| NUR 106 |
Medical & Surgical Nursing I |
9 |
| Spring Semester |
|
Credit: |
| NUR 150 |
Nursing Care of Obstetric & Pediatric Clients |
7 |
| Elective |
Humanities or Social Science Elective |
3 |
| Summer Semester |
|
Credit: |
| NUR 169 |
Transition to Practical Nursing
(Optional for those interested in obtaining LPN license) |
5 |
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Recommended Courses
The following courses are recommended to compliment the required nursing program courses. Students are encouraged to register for these as courses as their schedule will allow:
| |
Recommended Courses |
Credit: |
| CHE 101 |
Introduction to Chemistry |
5 |
| CIS 115 |
Intro to Microcomputers |
3 |
| ENG 122 |
English Composition II |
3 |
| HPR 178 |
Medical Terminology |
2 |
| SOC 101 |
Introduction to Sociology I |
3 |
| SPE 115 |
Public Speaking |
3 |
| PSY 101 |
General Psychology I |
3 |
| PSY 102 |
General Psychology II |
3 |
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Practical Nursing Certificate
