Credential

Upon completion of this program, you will be awarded with an Ontario College Diploma

Program Description

Centennial offers the Practical Nursing diploma program in either a four-semester format (Program code: 9350) or a six-semester flexible format (Program code: 9351). At our Morningside campus, students can access exceptional resources including knowledgeable faculty who care about student success, well-equipped labs including clinical simulation and academic and personal counseling. Our students consistently achieve a high pass rate on the Regulatory Exam- Practical Nurse (REx-PN)

Vision

Leading practical nursing education in Ontario by transforming lives and communities through learning.

Mission

We are committed to lead practical nursing education in Ontario through the changes and challenges of an ever-expanding Practical Nursing role, of inter-professional collaboration, and of the Canadian health care system. We are committed to providing a unique ‘Signature Learning Experience’ (SLE) and environment for learners by building partnerships in all our communities. This will be achieved by being responsible global citizens and by being stewards for social justice, for “others” and for our environment.

Historical Context

In 2001, the Diploma Practical Nursing Program at Centennial College was launched as one of the first two year college diploma programs in Ontario. This was in response to the College of Nurses of Ontario’s (CNO) requirement that effective January 1, 2005, all Practical Nurses would need to graduate with a two-year diploma in Practical Nursing from a Community College of Applied Arts and Technology.

In 2009, revisions were made to multiple courses in the Practical Nursing Program to integrate the new Entry-to -Practice Competencies from the College of Nurses of Ontario. These new competencies reflect the evolving and expanding role of the Practical Nurse as a member of the inter-professional health care team.

In 2016, additional curriculum revisions were made to several courses that would keep the PN Program hours the same while adding a new course entitled “Foundations of Research and Evidenced Based Practice in Practical Nursing” (PNUR129). This new course on research will ultimately enhance student understanding of nursing research and the need to integrate research findings into clinical practice to ensure evidenced based practice. Curriculum revisions were also done to incorporate more information related to the continuum of care to better prepare students for end-of-life and palliative care issues.