Practical Nursing One-year Certificate (January Start)

This one-year program is a course of study designed to prepare qualified men and women to become Practical Nurses. Upon successfully completing the program, graduates will receive a Vocational Certificate of Proficiency for Practical Nursing and will be prepared to write the National Council for Licensure for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN®). Please Note: Successful completion of the nursing program does not guarantee eligibility to sit for NCLEX-PN®. A Board of Nursing may, at its dis-cretion, refuse to accept the licensure application of any person who has been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor or has charges pending on such issues. Accreditation for this Practical Nursing program is maintained through the Mississippi Board of Nursing, 713 Pear Orchard Road, Plaza II, Suite 300, Ridgeland, MS 39157

Admission Procedure:

To be considered for the Practical Nursing program, applicants must meet the minimum requirements, and submit all required paperwork. Incomplete admission packets will not be considered for admission. The applicant is responsible for ensuring that the data in the file is received, correct, and complete. Please note: Meeting all admission requirements does not guarantee acceptance into the Practical Nursing program. Admission is competitive and enrollment is limited. The number of applicants accepted is limited due to the nature of the program. Students are not chosen with regard to sex, age, race, creed, ethnic origin, or marital status.

1. Go to Apply Now to submit an online application for admission to East Mississippi Community College. You must indicate nursing under your major. Do not designate RN or Practical Nursing under your major, just “Nursing.” Acceptance to East Mississippi Community College does not guarantee acceptance to the Practical Nursing program. Letters of pending acceptance will come from the Director of Nursing.
2. Submit a completed application for admission to the School of nursing to the nursing office manager.
3. Submit an official high school transcript from an accredited high school showing date of graduation and principal’s signature; or submit an official GED transcript with satisfactory scores.
4. Submit official transcripts from all colleges previously attended. Transcripts cannot be stamped “issued to student.”
5. Any applicant who has ever attended another nursing program must have a letter of good standing from their former nursing school director sent directly to the EMCC Director of Nursing and Allied Health. A letter of good standing indicates that the student is eligible for immediate readmission into the former nursing program. Applicants without letters of good standing from previous nursing schools will not be considered for this program. Applicants who have been unsuccessful more than once in any nursing school will not be eligible for admission into the Practical Nursing program at EMCC for a period of five years from last attendance in a nursing program.
6. Applicants must have:
   1. A minimum composite score of 16 with a 16 in reading on the ACT.
   2. A grade of “C” or higher in Anatomy and Physiology I & II is required prior to admission. Classes must be within the past 5 years.
   3. Cumulative GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale for all previous college work attempted.

Program of Study:

The Practical nursing program prepares the individual to assist in providing general nursing care requiring basic knowledge of the biological, physical, behavioral, psychological, and sociological sciences, and of nursing procedures that do not require the skills, judgement, and knowledge of a registered nurse. This care is performed under the direction of a registered nurse, licensed physician, or dentist.

The Practical Nursing Student will gain classroom and laboratory instruction in such areas as: vocational adjustments, basic nursing skills, nutrition, anatomy and physiology, human growth and development, pharmacology, maternal child nursing, emotional and mental illness, and medical/surgical nursing.

A student must apply to the program, meet all requirements and be selected in order to register for Nursing Courses. Pre-requisites are listed below. See the East Mississippi Community College Catalog for description of pre-requisites. All science courses must have been completed within the last 5 years. Students must receive a “C” or higher in all pre-requisites