Program Learning Outcomes and Curriculum
Program Structure
Benefits of the Program
The Practical Nursing for Internationally-Educated Nurses program is designed as an academic pathway to transfer skills and nursing knowledge to a Canadian setting.
The Practical Nursing for Internationally-Educated Nurses courses meet the needs of:
· Internationally-educated nurses who are interested in working as registered practical nurses (RPNs) in Canada
· RPNs who hold a certificate and wish to upgrade to an Ontario college diploma
· RPNs who have been out of practice for ten years or less and need a refresher program
The curriculum of the offering is in accordance with the College of Nurses of Ontario’s Professional Standards and Entry-to-Practice Competencies for Ontario Registered Practical Nurses. It focuses on assisting you in developing your knowledge and critical thinking, communication, teaching and learning, professionalism, advocacy, research and leadership, and ethical-decision making skills — and applying these skills in acute health care settings.
Taking three consecutive semesters to complete, including 14 weeks of consolidation experience, the School of Community and Health Studies program considers your needs so that you may complete your diploma studies within one year.
The diploma resulting from this Practical Nursing for Internationally-Educated Nurses program may enable you to continue your academic studies at the baccalaureate level.
Your program has several key components that include:
· Program vocational learning outcomes
· Global Citizenship and Equity learning outcomes1
· Essential Employability Skills outcomes2
· General Education (GNED) or Liberal Studies course(s)3
· English communication (COMM) courses4
Footnote:
1. Global Citizenship and Equity learning outcomes may not be included in Certificate and Graduate Certificate programs.
2. Essential Employability Skills Outcomes are not included in Degree programs
3. General Education/Liberal Studies courses may not be included in Graduate Certificate programs
4. English communication courses may not be included in Graduate Certificate programs
Program Vocational Learning Outcomes
Program vocational learning outcomes describe what graduates of the program have demonstrated they can do with the knowledge and skills they have achieved during their studies. The outcomes are closely tied to the needs of the workplace. Through assessment (e.g., assignments and tests), students verify their ability to reliably perform these outcomes before graduating.
As a graduate of this program, you will reliably demonstrate the ability to:
Upon completion of the program, the graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
1. Communicate therapeutically with clients and members of the health care team.
2. Assess clients across the life span, in a systematic and holistic manner.
3. Plan safe and competent nursing care, based upon a thorough analysis of available data and evidence-informed practice guidelines.
4. Select and perform nursing interventions using clinical judgment, in collaboration with the client and, where appropriate, the health care team , that promote health and well- being, prevent disease and injury, maintain and/or restore health, promote rehabilitation, and/or provide palliation.
5. Evaluate the outcomes resulting from all interventions in the nurse-client interaction and modify the plan of care as required.
6. Act equitably and justly with clients and members of the health care team .
7. Adapt to a variety of health care settings, using different leadership skills and styles as appropriate to each setting.
8. Contribute to creating a healthy and safe work environment in a variety of health care settings.
9. Practice in a self-regulated , professional and ethical manner, complying with relevant legislation and with the standards of both the regulatory body and the practice setting to provide safe and competent client care.
Essential Employability Skills Outcomes
Essential Employable Skills (EES) are skills that, regardless of a student’s program or discipline, are critical for success in the workplace, in day-to-day living and for lifelong learning. Each course in the program addresses two to four EES outcomes. As a graduate of this program, you will reliably demonstrate the ability to:
Global Citizenship and Equity Learning Outcomes
There are six Global Citizenship and Equity (GCE) learning outcomes integrated into Diploma and Advanced Diploma programs as a component of Centennial’s Signature Learning Experience (SLE). The SLE reflects the College’s promise to provide students with a distinctive and inclusive educational experience that builds on a foundation of global citizenship, equity, and social justice. Certificate and Graduate Certificates also include at least two GCE learning outcomes. The GCE learning outcomes are:
- Identify one’s role and responsibilities as a global citizen in personal and professional life.
- Identify beliefs, values and behaviours that form individual and community identities and the basis for respectful relationships.
- Analyze issues of equity at the personal, professional, and global level.
- Analyze the use of the world’s resources to achieve sustainability and equitable distribution at the personal, professional, and global level.
- Identify and challenge unjust practices in local and global systems.
- Support personal and social responsibility initiatives at the local, national, and global level.
Global Citizenship and Equity Portfolio
As a component of the SLE, Diploma and Advanced Diploma program students will complete the Global Citizenship and Equity (GCE) Portfolio. Building the GCE Portfolio is a process of documenting your GCE learning. Each item selected for inclusion in the portfolio demonstrates growth and understanding of Global Citizenship and Equity within your program of study.
Students are encouraged to develop their GCE Portfolio beginning in their first semester. You will add artifacts from coursework and accompanying reflections as well as artifacts arising from co-curricular activities, volunteering, etc. to your portfolio as you progress through the program. You are encouraged to use the ePortfolio tools available on eCentennial, as well as to develop an online professional portfolio presence through LinkedIn and/or other personal websites/blogs.
Placement facilities are arranged by a Clinical Placement Officer. Communication between students, faculty advisors and placement supervisors is encouraged; however students are not to seek out their own clinical placements.
Nurses provide care around the clock; therefore, shift work will be an integral part of your life. During this program you may have day shifts or evening shifts or 12hour shifts. Typically, day shifts start at either 0700 or 0730 depending on the agency; evening shifts begin at 1330h (pre-conference) and end at 2100h. Shift rotations are not negotiable and will be dependent on the agreement with each hospital.
The student will respect confidentiality and not disclose any information regarding the facility, its’ employees or clients unless relevant to performance indicators identified for the course. The use of initials will be used for any written submissions throughout this program.
Pregrad Placement (Preceptorship) final semester
1) Students will be expected to follow their assigned nurses’ schedule. This will include days, evenings, nights on weekdays and/weekends.
2) Students are not allowed to negotiate with agency regarding their schedule and/or preceptor.
3) Students may be expected to travel up to 2 hours to their placement, as placements can be anywhere within the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).
4) Students who refuse to attend assigned placement will be removed and will not be assigned another placement. Student will have to take the course again in the subsequent semester (when course is offered again), subject to the availability of placements
In addition, the following will be noted for all Field Placement/Clinical Placement including Preceptorship rotation:
- The student’s preferred choice of clinical location cannot be guaranteed
- The College tries its best, but there are a number of factors beyond its control
- The College recognizes that a two-hour travel time can be challenging for students for a variety of reasons, including transportation, childcare, etc.
- The College encourages students to prepare for all such factors in advance of clinical. In entering this program, all students must be prepared to travel for up to two hours and that start times can occur outside the standard office day.
- When the College decides to shift students around, this is done randomly
- Location of clinical placements cannot be appealed.
Based on the principles of public safety, Centennial College has suspended clinical and onsite unpaid field placements. Field and clinical placements, and all or part of unpaid internships may be moved to teaching at a distance where feasible. In programs where placements or unpaid internships cannot not be facilitated through alternative/distance models, students will be allowed to complete these components at a later date.
Students are not required to complete the work experience component of their program while public health directives are in place and students may complete placement requirements at a later date. However, students may opt to complete their placement requirements at sites currently deemed as essential workplaces (that are willing to accept the student) either onsite, following appropriate health and safety protocols, or remotely. Students who voluntarily accept such placements will be asked to read and sign a Student Informed Consent form in order ensure that they understand their rights and the potential health and safety risks. Similarly, employers and/or placement hosts will be required to complete an Employer/Placement Health and Safety Site Checklist.
