LPN F.A.Q.

How many times per year does MCCC accept nursing students into the Practical Nursing Program?

How many times per year does MCCC accept nursing students into the Practical Nursing Program?

When is my application due?

Students interested in applying to the PN program must have their completed application and all requirements (including official transcripts) to the Admission’s Office by the application deadlines: the second Monday in June each year. Students that apply and are accepted through the June application will have the fall semester to complete non-nursing coursework and will start the first PN course in the winter semester (January). The program spans one (1) calendar year (January – December) from the start of the first PN course.

What is the minimum score for PN applicants on the ATI TEAS?

The College allows students to take the ATI TEAS up to 3 times. Any attempts after the first three attempts will not be considered regardless of score earned. Students must earn a minimum overall score of at least 50 for their application to be considered.

How long does it take the College to process applications? Will all students be notified on the status of their application and how will students be notified?

Applications are processed through the Admission’s Office. The process generally takes 3 to 4 weeks for all applications to be processed. All applicants will be notified of the status of their application, including applicant applications that do not meet the minimum criteria. Notifications are sent via postal mail to the address on file with the College, therefore, it is very important that the applicant’s contact information/address is current and accurate.

What if I don’t get accepted?
Does MCCC maintain a waiting list of applicants?

MCCC does not maintain a waiting list of applicants. If a student applies to the program and is not accepted, the student must re-submit an application to be considered for the next application cycle.

If accepted, what will my schedule look like?

The PN program is rigorous and requires a significant time commitment on behalf of its students. Course schedules vary semester-to-semester requiring students to be flexible in their availability. The lecture portion of classes are generally offered on Mondays and Tuesday (2 to 5 hours per class). The Nursing Skills Lab portion of courses are generally offered on Wednesdays and Thursdays (3 to 6 hours per class). Clinical is scheduled 1 to 2 days per week, generally 6 to 12 hours per clinical day. Clinical rotations vary and are generally scheduled Wednesday through Sunday, day shift or afternoons. By general rule, students should expect to devote at least 3 or 4 days for theory, lab, and clinical, in addition to amply time for study. It is notable that nursing courses are associated with higher credit hours. For example, PNUR 121 (Fundamentals of Practical Nursing) is an 8-credit hour class which would otherwise equate to nearly three 3-credit hour college classes. Students should be prepared to schedule their time accordingly to accommodate higher credit hour courses.

 

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday  

Sunday

Example A: Class
8-11:30 a.m.
Class
8 - 10:00 a.m.
Skills Lab Skills Lab Open Lab/Practice       
               
Example B:   Skills Lab
10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Clinical Clinical      
        Clinical Clinical    
            Clinical Clinical 

If accepted, can I pick where and when I want to attend clinicals?

Students are assigned clinical rotations by the Nursing Program Coordinator (NPC). Clinical dates/times are offered and approved by the clinical partners, taking into consideration all of the nursing schools in the region and their requests. Some clinical assignments are limited to certain days of the week and are at the clinical partners discretion. For these reasons, students have to be available for any assignment on any shift. The NPC does facilitate a trade opportunity in the event a student has difficulty or a conflict with their clinical assignment. However, there is no guarantee a trade will be approved. Some students may have academic reasons that necessitate a specific assignment with a specific instructor. Given the number of students to be placed, special accommodations cannot be made due to student work or personal schedules. A hallmark of the PN program is PNUR 129, Management Concepts for the Practical Nurse, which includes a preceptorship. This course scheduled during the last 3- 4 weeks of the program pairs students one-on-one with a practicing nurse. Each student works a full-time schedule including five 8-hour shifts/week during the experience. Preceptor schedules could be days or afternoons. Students should plan accordingly to complete this capstone course which is a required part of the PN program. during the last four weeks of the program pairs students one-on-one with a practicing RN. Each student works the full-time schedule of their preceptor for three weeks. Preceptor schedules could be 8- or 12-hours shifts, days, afternoons, midnights, weekends, and holidays. Students plan accordingly to complete this capstone course which is a required part of the RN program.