Access to Practical Nursing

Diploma: Diploma

Location: Broadway

International students admissibility: Accepts International Students

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Overview

Apply your previous training and experience as a Health Care Assistant (HCA) or Resident Care Attendant (RCA) to accelerate your practical nursing training.

This program is only open for domestic students(Canadian/Permanent Residents). If you’re interested in as an international students, please visit aaaa.vcc.ca

Tuition	N/A
Credential	Diploma
Length	The Practical Nursing Access diploma is thirteen (13) months in length. Students must complete the diploma within two (2) years from the initial start date to the completion date.
Hours	<p>This program runs Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 3:30 pm with the exception of clinical and practicum placements. Students will be advised of clinical and practicum placements in the program. Clinical/Practium shifts may include morning and/or evening shifts and may include Saturdays.</p>
Delivery	Class-based
Campus	Broadway
Start Dates	Sep

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Admission Requirement

Core minimum standards for admission requirements, including English as an Additional Language standard have been established by the Provincial Practical Nursing Program Curriculum. VCC admission requirements for this program are in addition to those Provincial expectations.

All of these requirements must be met.

Grade 12 graduation or equivalent
English Studies 12 with a minimum ‘B’ grade, or equivalent
A BC Care Aide & Community Health Worker Registry number (registration confirmation letter must be provided)
HCA, RCA, or HS/RCA certificate, or equivalent, from a BC Care Aide and Community Health Worker Registry recognized educational institution (if applicable)
Foundations of Math 11 with a minimum ‘C’ grade, or equivalent
BIOL 1602 Human Anatomy and Physiology with a grade of 68% or equivalent within the last 3 years
600 hours of work experience, within the last two years, in a care facility or individualized home care setting. Work experience must be verified by an official employer letter.
English Language Proficiency as specified for the Practical Nursing or Access to Practical Nursing programs

Internationally Trained Nurses:

Students with transcripts from outside of Canada may be required to submit a comprehensive evaluation form from an educational credential assessment service provider.

Upon Acceptance into the program:

Criminal Record Check (CRC):
Students in the program are required to complete a CRC. The CRC must be completed according to VCC’s Criminal Record Check instructions. Students whose CRC results indicate they pose a risk to vulnerable populations will not be able to complete the requirements of the program (e.g. practicums) or graduate.
Valid CPR-BLS certification:
Certificate must remain valid throughout the program.
TB skin test:
Students must submit a negative tuberculosis (TB) skin test or chest X-ray dated a maximum of six months prior to the program start date. An additional TB test is required after each potential exposure to TB and/or travel to areas with a known prevalence of TB.
Immunization Record:
A School of Health Sciences Student Immunization Record must be completed. Students may be declined placement in a clinical or practicum site if a completed immunization record is not provided.

N95 mask:
Regulations stipulate that a properly fitted respiratory mask must be used when providing care to patients with suspected, known, or probable cases of acute respiratory infections. The respiratory mask must be a N95 respirator that is individually fitted by a trained and certified person. This individual mask fitting should be done just prior to beginning your program and is good for one year and must be performed annually. The original certificate must be presented to your program during the first week of classes.

Missing prerequisites? Learn more about VCC's tuition-free academic upgrading or English as a Second Language (ESL) courses, or discover which university transfer options are right for you.

Recommended Characteristics

A caring attitude.
A sincere interest in people of all ages who require all levels of care. This includes individuals who are: mentally or physically disabled, experiencing life threatening situations, confused or requiring rehabilitation.
Proficiency in the English language (reading/writing/listening/speaking) is essential.
Basic computer skills: email, word processing and internet searching.
Good manual dexterity.
Any supportive courses in human biology, psychology, sociology, first aid or previous related work experience or education would be an asset.
A basic foundation in mathematical calculations of decimals, fractions, and metric conversions.
Flexibility to adjust to early morning and evening practicum shifts, to a variety of clinical settings and locations within the Metro Vancouver area.

For information about being a practical nurse, please review Becoming a Licensed Practical Nurse in Canada.

Note: The BCCNM asks each licensure applicant about criminal offences. If you have ever been convicted of a criminal offence (other than a minor traffic violation) you should consider whether your application for licensure would be accepted. Licensing is mandatory in B.C. for Licensed Practical Nurses.

Program Availability

Not currently available.

Courses

Full-time

Course list is not available at the moment.

This information is intended as a guideline only. Program and course details are subject to change with the approval of VCC's Board of Governors.

Fees and Costs

Application fee	$36
Tuition	$14,266	Year 1 - $4,845 Year 2 - $2,827 Year 3 - $6,595
Student union	$217
College initiative	$160
Materials		not including textbooks
Campus resource	$571
Laundry
Uniform (Deposit)
Medical & Dental	$428	Provided by Student Union
U-Pass	$610	Discounted, unlimited transit pass. Learn more.
Graduation	$45
Total	$16,331

Books & Supplies

Textbooks or other supplies may be required for this program. Visit the VCC Bookstore for more information.
Additional costs:
- Textbooks – Approx. $500
- Student kits – Approx. $5,100 + tax

Open Educational Resources(OER) at VCC

No-cost textbooks are available for this program.

* Fees are approximate and subject to change with the approval of VCC's Board of Governors. Students are required to pay any applicable fee increases. Application and assessment fees are non-refundable. Tuition fees include a non-refundable deposit ($300 or $500, depending on program).

Fees listed are for domestic students. For international programs, visit VCC International.

Any refunds are issued according to VCC's refund policy.

Need help with tuition?

Explore your options for scholarships, grants, bursaries, and loans.

Application Process

Do you need equivalencies for English or math admissions requirements?

Are you taking university transfer courses at VCC (e.g. BIOL 1602)? You do not need to request to have your VCC transcripts sent to the Admissions office.

Do you need to complete IELTS or CELBAN to demonstrate English proficiency? Consider taking one of our CELBAN/IELTS Test Prep courses.

Apply on EducationPlanner BC:

Select the "Upgrading or English as an Additional Language Applicant" category
Select the "CELBAN/IELTS Test Prep" program
When asked "Which test prep are you applying to?" select either CELBAN or IELTS

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Program information