Practical Nursing

The requirement for licensed practical nurses will increase by 21 percent between 2008 and 2018 in response to the long term care needs of a growing elderly population and the general increase in demand for healthcare services according to the U. S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics.

LPNs provide basic bedside care, measure and record patients’ vital signs, give medications, perform routine laboratory tests and monitor medical equipment. Our practical nursing program is 10 months in length with classes scheduled Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM – 2:45 PM beginning in January with graduation in November. Classes are held at school and at externship sites.

This program provides 1,125 hours of instruction, consisting of a minimum of 945 in nursing courses and at least 540 hours of clinical experience.

Instruction in the discipline of nursing, appropriate to the practical nurse level will consider the entire lifespan from birth to old age, including death, and will include changing healthcare needs and trends. Emphasis will be on care of the older adult, and clinical facilities will include long-term care and rehabilitation agencies.

Some clinical experience will also be scheduled in the community, recognizing that an increasing amount of nursing care takes place in the community.

The program is fully approved by Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing (www.mass.gov/dph/boards/rn).  Completion of the program leads to a practical nurse certificate and entitles the graduate to take the National Counsel Licensing Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN).  A practical nursing license is issued upon passing the NCLEX-PN. The program also meets the requirements to apply for licensure by examination for the Vermont Board of Nursing. 

Graduating from the McCann practical nursing program qualifies graduates to work in Massachusetts or Vermont upon successful attainment of licensure.  Individuals intending to practice outside of these states can refer to the NCSBN website, www.ncsbn.org, and should discuss with the PN program director about the applicant's ability to attain licensure in a state other than Massachusetts or Vermont.