Practical Nursing (LPN)

This foundational course equips pre-licensure practical nursing students with the safety protocols, dosage calculation skills, health-literacy communication strategies, and professional behaviors required throughout the LPN program and in entry-level nursing practice. Students earn OSHA 10 recognition and CPR/First Aid certification while building the numeracy and documentation habits that directly support safe patient care. All content is mapped to NCLEX-PN client-needs categories, particularly Safe and Effective Care Environment and Health Promotion and Maintenance.

How the course runs. 7 blocks: Workplace Safety, OSHA 10, and Infection Control in the Clinical Setting; First Aid and CPR/AED Certification; Dosage Calculation and Medication Math for LPNs; Medical Terminology, Technical Reading, and Clinical Documentation; Therapeutic Communication and Patient Education Across the Lifespan; Digital Tools for Nursing Practice: EHR Navigation and Health Informatics; Professional Identity, Scope of Practice, and Career Planning.

What competent looks like. Demonstrate workplace safety practices aligned with OSHA general-industry standards and infection-control principles in a simulated clinical environment. Perform accurate dosage and measurement calculations—including metric conversions, ratio-and-proportion, and drip-rate problems—with 90% or greater accuracy. Interpret and produce clear clinical documentation, including accurate use of medical terminology, abbreviations approved by facility policy, and plain-language patient instructions. Apply therapeutic communication techniques and professional standards of conduct consistent with the LPN scope of practice and the NCLEX-PN Safe and Effective Care Environment framework. Use common digital health-care tools—electronic health record training modules, patient education databases, and online credentialing portals—to locate and record information accurately. Construct a personal career plan that includes a completed NCLEX-PN eligibility timeline, state board of nursing application requirements, and a professional resume and cover letter.

This course introduces LPN students to the principles of drug therapy, safe medication administration, and pharmacokinetics as they apply to practical nursing practice. Students develop the knowledge and skills to prepare, calculate, administer, and document medications across multiple routes while recognizing adverse effects and applying patient teaching principles. Content aligns directly with the NCLEX-PN Pharmacological Therapies and Safe and Effective Care Environment client needs categories.

How the course runs. 12 blocks: Foundations of Pharmacology: Terminology, Legal Scope, and Drug Sources; Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics; Dosage Calculation: Oral and Enteral Medications; Dosage Calculation: Parenteral and IV Medications; The Ten Rights of Medication Administration and Preventing Medication Errors; Oral, Topical, Ophthalmic, Otic, and Inhalation Administration; Subcutaneous, Intradermal, and Intramuscular Injections; Drug Classifications Part 1: Cardiovascular, Respiratory, and Analgesic Agents; Drug Classifications Part 2: Anti-infectives, Endocrine, Gastrointestinal, and Psychiatric Agents; Adverse Drug Reactions, Interactions, and Toxicity; Patient Teaching, Medication Reconciliation, and Special Populations; Integrated Pharmacology Simulation: Safe Medication Pass.

What competent looks like. Calculate accurate medication dosages using dimensional analysis and ratio-proportion methods for oral, injectable, and IV medications with 100% accuracy on dosage calculation assessments. Demonstrate safe medication administration via oral, subcutaneous, intramuscular, intradermal, topical, and inhalation routes following the ten rights of medication administration. Identify the mechanism of action, therapeutic uses, common adverse effects, and nursing implications for major drug classifications encountered in LPN practice. Apply knowledge of pharmacokinetics—absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion—to anticipate drug interactions and individualize patient monitoring. Document medication administration accurately in a simulated medication administration record (MAR) and report adverse drug reactions using correct terminology and chain of command. Educate a simulated patient on purpose, schedule, side effects, and storage of a prescribed medication using plain-language teaching techniques appropriate to health literacy level.

This course prepares practical nursing students to provide safe, competent care to adult patients experiencing common medical and surgical conditions across body systems. Students apply the nursing process—assessment, planning, intervention, and evaluation—to manage conditions including cardiovascular disease, respiratory disorders, diabetes, renal disease, neurological conditions, cancer, and perioperative care. Lessons align directly with the NCLEX-PN test plan categories of Physiological Integrity, Safe and Effective Care Environment, and Reduction of Risk Potential.

How the course runs. 12 blocks: Foundations of Med-Surg Nursing: Nursing Process, Assessment, and Safety; Fluid, Electrolyte, and Acid-Base Balance; Cardiovascular Disorders: Assessment, Interventions, and Medications; Respiratory Disorders: Assessment, Airway Management, and Oxygen Therapy; Endocrine Disorders: Diabetes Management and Thyroid Conditions; Neurological Disorders: Stroke, Seizures, and Increased Intracranial Pressure; Renal and Urinary Disorders: Kidney Function, UTI, Renal Failure, and Dialysis; Gastrointestinal Disorders: Assessment, Ostomy Care, and Wound Management; Musculoskeletal Disorders: Fractures, Arthritis, Amputation, and Mobility; Cancer Care, Immunological Disorders, and Infection Control; Perioperative Nursing: Preoperative, Intraoperative, and Postoperative Care; NCLEX-PN Integration: Prioritization, Delegation, and Clinical Judgment in Med-Surg.

What competent looks like. Apply the nursing process to plan and deliver safe, individualized care for adult patients with medical-surgical conditions across major body systems. Recognize and report abnormal assessment findings, critical laboratory values, and changes in patient condition that require immediate intervention or escalation. Implement evidence-based nursing interventions for common medical-surgical conditions while maintaining scope of practice as a licensed practical nurse. Administer medications safely for medical-surgical patients, including calculation of dosages, recognition of side effects, and documentation in compliance with facility policy. Demonstrate perioperative nursing care including preoperative preparation, intraoperative support roles, and postoperative monitoring and patient education. Use therapeutic communication, patient teaching, and interdisciplinary collaboration to promote recovery, prevent complications, and support discharge planning.

This course covers nursing care of the childbearing family across the perinatal continuum—antepartum through postpartum—and of the newborn and pediatric patient through adolescence. Students apply the nursing process, scope-of-practice principles, and LPN competencies to common conditions encountered in obstetric, newborn, and pediatric settings. Lessons map directly to the NCLEX-PN test plan areas of physiological adaptation, health promotion and maintenance, reduction of risk potential, and safe and effective care environment.

How the course runs. 12 blocks: Anatomy, Physiology, and Terminology of Reproduction and Pregnancy; Antepartum Care: Prenatal Assessment and Common Discomforts; High-Risk Pregnancy: Complications and LPN Response; Intrapartum Nursing: Labor, Delivery, and Fetal Monitoring; Obstetric Medications and Analgesic/Anesthesia Support; Obstetric Emergencies: Recognition and Priority Action; Postpartum Nursing: Assessment and Care of the Mother; Newborn Assessment, Care, and APGAR Scoring; Breastfeeding, Newborn Nutrition, and Parent Education; Pediatric Growth, Development, and Health Maintenance; Common Pediatric Conditions, Medications, and Nursing Care; Pediatric Emergencies, Child Safety, and Mandatory Reporting.

What competent looks like. Describe normal physiological changes of pregnancy, labor, delivery, and the postpartum period and identify deviations that require escalation to an RN or provider. Perform accurate obstetric and pediatric assessments including fundal height measurement, fetal heart rate monitoring interpretation, APGAR scoring, and pediatric vital-sign interpretation using age-appropriate norms. Implement evidence-based nursing interventions for common antepartum, intrapartum, postpartum, and newborn conditions within LPN scope of practice. Apply growth-and-development milestones to anticipatory guidance and age-appropriate patient and family education across the pediatric lifespan from newborn through adolescence. Demonstrate safe medication administration including pregnancy risk categories, weight-based pediatric dosing calculations, and common obstetric and neonatal medications. Recognize clinical emergencies—including obstetric emergencies and pediatric respiratory distress—and execute correct priority actions and escalation procedures.

This course prepares practical nursing students to deliver safe, competent, person-centered care to older adults across long-term care, skilled nursing, assisted living, and home health settings. Students examine the physiological, psychological, and social changes of aging and apply evidence-based nursing interventions to common geriatric conditions, syndromes, and end-of-life situations. Lessons are mapped to NCLEX-PN client needs categories, with emphasis on safe and effective care environments, health promotion, physiological integrity, and psychosocial integrity.

How the course runs. 12 blocks: Aging in America: Demographics, Settings, and LPN Scope of Practice; Normal Aging: Physiological and Psychosocial Changes Across Body Systems; Geriatric Assessment Tools and Focused Nursing Assessment; Falls Prevention and Safe Mobility in Older Adults; Pressure Injury Prevention and Wound Care in Older Adults; Dementia, Delirium, and Depression: The Three Ds; Polypharmacy and Medication Safety in Older Adults; Chronic Conditions Common in Older Adults: Cardiovascular, Respiratory, and Musculoskeletal; Nutrition, Hydration, and Elimination in Older Adults; Pain Management in Older Adults; Psychosocial Care, Elder Abuse, and Legal/Ethical Issues; End-of-Life Care, Palliative Nursing, and NCLEX-PN Geriatrics Integration Review.

What competent looks like. Distinguish normal age-related physiological and psychosocial changes from pathological findings and adjust nursing assessments and care plans accordingly. Implement safe, evidence-based nursing interventions for high-priority geriatric conditions including dementia, delirium, falls, pressure injuries, polypharmacy, and pain. Apply principles of person-centered care, cultural humility, and resident rights when planning and delivering care to diverse older adult populations. Demonstrate accurate documentation, structured communication (SBAR), and appropriate delegation consistent with LPN scope of practice in geriatric settings. Perform focused geriatric nursing assessments using standardized tools and report abnormal findings to the supervising RN or provider in a timely manner. Articulate ethical and legal responsibilities of the LPN related to elder abuse recognition and reporting, advance directives, and end-of-life care.

Students rotate through supervised clinical settings to apply nursing theory, pharmacology, and patient-care skills in real or high-fidelity simulated environments under licensed nurse supervision. Each lesson integrates NCLEX-PN competency areas including safe and effective care environment, health promotion, psychosocial integrity, and physiological integrity. Students document care accurately, practice therapeutic communication, and demonstrate safe scope-of-practice decision-making throughout.

How the course runs. 12 blocks: Clinical Orientation: Facility Rules, Scope of Practice, and Professional Conduct; Infection Control and Standard Precautions in Clinical Practice; Head-to-Toe Physical Assessment in the Clinical Setting; Vital Signs: Accuracy, Trending, and Reporting Critical Values; Medication Administration: Five Rights, Documentation, and Patient Education; Subcutaneous and Intramuscular Injection Technique; Wound Assessment, Dressing Changes, and Pressure Injury Prevention; Urinary Catheter Care and Insertion; Nasogastric Tube Insertion, Feeding, and Medication Administration; Therapeutic Communication, SBAR, and Interdisciplinary Handoff; EHR Documentation and Legal Standards of Nursing Notes; Integrated Clinical Simulation: Full Shift Patient Care.

What competent looks like. Perform and document a head-to-toe physical assessment on an assigned patient, identifying and reporting abnormal findings to the supervising nurse. Administer oral, topical, and injectable medications using the rights of medication administration and appropriate documentation under licensed nurse supervision. Demonstrate safe application of at least six fundamental nursing skills—including wound care, catheter care, and vital signs—meeting established facility and program competency checklists. Communicate patient status using SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation) format to supervising nurses and interdisciplinary team members. Maintain HIPAA-compliant, accurate nursing notes in a simulated or actual electronic health record (EHR) for every patient encounter. Identify situations that exceed LPN scope of practice and escalate appropriately to the supervising RN or provider without prompting.

Students synthesize all prior coursework by designing, documenting, and defending a comprehensive, evidence-based nursing care plan for a complex simulated patient scenario that spans pharmacology, med-surg, maternal/child, and geriatric considerations. The capstone requires students to demonstrate safe, competent, entry-level LPN practice through written documentation, skills demonstration, and an oral defense before a faculty panel. Every component is mapped to NCLEX-PN client needs categories to reinforce exam readiness.

How the course runs. 4 blocks: Case Assignment, Patient Assessment, and Nursing Diagnosis Prioritization; Evidence-Based Intervention Planning, Pharmacology Integration, and Patient Education Design; Simulation Skills Demonstration and Documentation Refinement; Capstone Oral Defense, Self-Reflection, and NCLEX-PN Gap Analysis.

What competent looks like. Construct a complete, individualized nursing care plan—including assessment data, prioritized NCLEX-PN–aligned nursing diagnoses, SMART goals, planned interventions, and evaluation criteria—for a complex simulated patient. Apply safe medication administration principles, including dose calculation verification and patient education documentation, consistent with LPN scope of practice. Demonstrate accurate physical assessment findings and documentation using professional nursing terminology and standardized charting formats (SBAR and SOAP). Integrate knowledge from pharmacology, med-surg, maternal/child, and geriatrics courses to justify clinical decisions with rationales drawn from evidence-based nursing practice. Communicate clinical reasoning clearly and professionally during a structured oral defense before a faculty panel, fielding questions on safety, ethics, and scope of practice. Self-evaluate practice gaps using a structured reflection tool and produce a personalized NCLEX-PN study plan targeting identified weak areas.

Students complete 324 supervised clinical hours at approved healthcare worksites, applying classroom and laboratory skills to direct patient care under the oversight of a licensed nurse preceptor. Learners practice the full scope of LPN duties across care settings, integrating pharmacology, medical-surgical, maternal/child, and geriatric competencies in real patient interactions. Performance is formally evaluated by the site preceptor and program faculty using standardized rubrics tied to NCLEX-PN client needs categories.

How the course runs. 4 blocks: Practicum Orientation: Site Policies, Safety, and Scope of Practice; Direct Patient Care: Assessment, Skills Performance, and Documentation; Interdisciplinary Collaboration, Patient Teaching, and Care Transitions; Capstone Clinical Days: Independent Performance and Preceptor Final Evaluation.

What competent looks like. Perform foundational LPN clinical skills—including vital signs, wound care, catheterization, medication administration, and IV site monitoring—safely and accurately on real patients under preceptor supervision, meeting facility policy standards. Apply the nursing process (assessment, planning, implementation, evaluation) to assigned patients across at least two distinct care settings, documenting findings and interventions in the facility's health record system. Demonstrate safe medication administration using the rights of medication administration, recognize adverse reactions, and communicate concerns to the supervising RN or provider within scope of LPN practice. Communicate therapeutically and professionally with patients, families, and interdisciplinary team members, adapting to age-specific and culturally diverse populations encountered at the clinical site. Identify and report actual or potential patient safety events, apply standard and transmission-based precautions, and follow facility emergency and incident-reporting procedures. Receive, act on, and document written preceptor feedback to demonstrate progressive improvement in clinical performance across the practicum period, achieving a passing score on the final employer evaluation.

This 90-hour course systematically reviews all content areas tested on the NCLEX-PN using the National Council of State Boards of Nursing Next Generation NCLEX framework, including clinical judgment, pharmacology, safe care, health promotion, and psychosocial integrity. Students practice with NCLEX-style questions across all item types—including Next Generation NCLEX case studies, bow-tie items, and extended multiple-response—to build test-taking stamina, strategy, and content mastery. The course culminates in a timed, full-length computerized mock exam that mirrors the licensure exam experience.

How the course runs. 4 blocks: NCLEX-PN Blueprint, Clinical Judgment Model, and Exam Strategy; Content Review: Safe Care, Pharmacology, and Physiological Integrity; Content Review: Health Promotion, Psychosocial Integrity, and Maternal/Child & Geriatric Nursing; Full-Length Mock NCLEX-PN Examination and Individualized Remediation Debrief.

What competent looks like. Demonstrate mastery of safe and effective care environment content—including infection control, safety, and management of care—by scoring at or above the benchmark on targeted NCLEX-PN practice sets. Apply clinical judgment using the NCSBN Clinical Judgment Measurement Model to analyze patient scenarios and select priority nursing actions across all client need categories. Correctly answer pharmacology and medication administration questions, including dosage calculation, drug classifications, and adverse-effect recognition, at or above the course benchmark. Identify and apply evidence-based test-taking strategies—including prioritization frameworks such as ABC and Maslow, process of elimination, and recognition of distractors—to improve performance on NCLEX-style items. Complete a full-length, timed computerized mock NCLEX-PN exam under simulated testing conditions, achieving a passing benchmark consistent with NCSBN passing standards. Develop and execute an individualized remediation plan based on diagnostic practice-exam data to address personal content and clinical judgment gaps before sitting for licensure.