College Credit Certificate inPractical Nursing

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Why Practical Nursing

New students should select the AAS/General Occupational and Technical Studies (GOTS) when applying until such time as they have been officially accepted by the department into this program.

Upon completion of this course of study, the student may be eligible to take the examination to become a licensed practical nurse in Illinois.

Completion of the Practical Nursing program does not automatically guarantee a graduate the right to take the National Council Licensing Examination or to become licensed as a practical nurse. The student is bound by the Illinois Nursing Act. For more information, refer to the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules – Administrative Code.

Locations

Quad-Cities Campus

Formats

On-campus

Number of Credits

Next Start Date

Fall 2025

Careers In Practical Nursing

Licensed practical nurses are employed in hospitals, nursing homes, physicians’ offices, clinics and a number of community agencies.

Discover careers and salaries for this program

Learning Objectives

Students who successfully complete this program will be able to:

Display Practical Nursing knowledge at a competent level.
Complete the ATI-Nursing education computerized learning and testing coursework.

Courses in Practical Nursing

Program Prerequisites

BIOL 145 Anatomy – Physiology I or
PN 110 Basic Anatomy and Physiology (3-4)
ENG 101 Composition I or
ENG 101C Composition 1 or
COMM 105 Essentials of English (3)
MATH 070 Topics in Developmental Math or
MATH 078 Pre-Algebra or
Appropriate placement score (3)

First Semester

PN 105 Pharmacology in Practical Nursing I (1)
PN 111 Foundations of Practical Nursing (8)
PN 112 Older Adult Nursing (8)

Second Semester

PN 106 Pharmacology in Practical Nursing II (1)
PN 113 Adult Health Nursing (8)
PN 114 Intergenerational Nursing (8)

Practical Nursing Admission Requirements

The curriculum in Practical Nursing is career-oriented and the applicant must meet the following requirements for admission.

High school graduation or equivalent
Completion of pre-admission testing
PN 110 with “B” or better or BIOL 145 with “C” or better within 5 years of acceptance into program
Completion of TEAS or HESI test with minimum required score
ENG 101, ENG 101C, or COMM 105
MATH 070, MATH 078, or appropriate placement score

Students must also successfully document and need all health and background checks required by academic departments and/or clinical sites prior to admission to program and/or courses.

Applications will be available in February 2025 to apply for the Practical Nursing program for Fall 2025.

Academic Requirements

Student must achieve a grade of “C” or above in all courses to continue in the program. Students must maintain a 2.0 GPA in order to graduate from Black Hawk College.

Due to the required Black Hawk College GPA of 2.0 or better to graduate, you must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 while in the PN program.

Upon application for admission to the PN program, if your GPA is below 2.0 or if you have not yet earned a GPA, you must meet with a BHC academic advisor to create and sign an academic plan to attach to your application. The academic plan must reflect that your GPA can be maintained at or above 2.0 during the PN program.

If you are unable to graduate and receive your certificate from BHC you will not be allowed to sit for the post-program test (NCLEX). Successful completion of the NCLEX is required to receive licensure to practice as a licensed practical nurse (LPN). Call 309-796-5101 to schedule an appointment with an advisor to complete a plan.

Download the Application for Practical Nursing Certificate

TEAS Test

All prospective PN students are required to take the TEAS test (Test of Academic Essential Skills). Students are encouraged to prepare for this exam in order to assure that the necessary score is achieved to be considered for admission into the nursing program. Study materials can be found at ATI Testing and at the BHC bookstore.