<p>This program leads to a Red Seal certification. Visit our <a href="/go/plan/trades">Trades page</a>.</p>

The Practical Nursing Diploma is designed to provide you with the knowledge, skills, judgments, and attitudes to perform to the full range of competencies as endorsed by the British Columbia College of Nursing & Midwives (BCCNM). The curriculum provides a learning experience that is integrated, professional, collaborative, and culturally sensitive, with an aim to prepare you to care for individuals (and families of individuals) at multiple life stages and in a variety of practice settings.

Practical Nursing Diploma

Northern Lights College

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1. High school graduation or equivalent
2. English 12 (C+) or equivalent
3. Math 11 or equivalent (completed within the past 10 years)
    - Note: If your Math requirement is over 10 years old, NLC requires an 11.9 score on the numeracy sections of the CAAT (Number Operations and Problem Solving).
4. Biology 12 (C) or equivalent
5. PNUR 099 Anatomy and Physiology for Practical Nurses, or equivalent (65%), must be completed within 5 years before program start.


Academic Admission Requirement

1. After acceptance, the following must be completed and documented by the first day of classes in Semester 1:
    - Current CPR (Basic Life Support) certification (see guidelines)
    - Up-to-date immunizations
    - Proof of full COVID-19 vaccination (see guidelines) 
    - N95 fit testing certification
    - Negative TB test (must submit this documentation in October/November of each year)
    - Criminal Record Check (from the Ministry of Justice - Schedule B) for working with children and vulnerable adults. This process can take up to six weeks, it's important to start early

Additional Academic Admission Requirement

1. If you do not have at least three years of full-time, face-to-face, secondary or post-secondary education at an accredited institution where English is the medium of instruction and official national language, you will be required to achieve scores in one of the following two tests* to demonstrate performance-ready English proficiency (as a condition for registration and practice set by BCCNM):
    - International English Language Testing System (IELTS) = at least an overall score of 7.0, with Speaking: 7.0; Listening: 7.5; Reading: 6.5; Writing: 7.0
    - Canadian English Language Benchmarks Assessment for Nurses (CELBAN) = Speaking: 8.0: Listening: 10.0; Reading: 8.0; Writing: 7.0

2. Applicants may be granted conditional acceptance into the Practical Nursing Diploma program prior to completing PNUR 099 or equivalent. However, the PNUR 099 requirement must be successfully completed prior to the first day of classes in Semester One.

3. Qualified applicants are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information on admission, including English proficiency requirement for non-native English speakers, please see program website. 

4. If you do not meet the above admission requirements, you have the options of completing the appropriate assessments and/or upgrading courses. Feedback on the Assessments will be provided to help you make informed decisions about appropriate selection of upgrading courses. For more details, please contact a NLC academic advisor.

5. Students must provide the following supplies/materials: stethoscope, uniforms, lab coats (provided by NLC at cost), WCB approved safety/nursing shoes and a watch with a second hand. Appropriate attire and shoes are necessary for lab courses, clinical and preceptorship experiences. Standardized program uniforms must be purchased from the NLC Bookstore. 

6. Students are required to have a computer with the minimum NLC computer requirements as a substantial amount of course resources are provided in electronic from.

Admission Advice

Qualified applicants are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Early application is recommended.

Verify dates and deadlines directly with NLC. 

Practical Nursing Diploma

Northern Lights College

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