General information

The Tazewell County School Board in cooperation with selected hospitals sponsors the TCCTC, School of Practical Nursing. The Virginia Board of Nursing and the Virginia Board of Education approve the school.

The Practical Nursing Program is offered to high school seniors and adult applicants from Tazewell County and then surrounding counties and out of state applicants are considered if space is available.

The 18-month program is divided into two phases. The first 9 months is taught at TCCTC, 5 days a week, 3 hours a day and follows the same calendar as the Tazewell County Schools. She/He will earn 2½ credits toward High School Graduation. Clinical phase begins in July and is completed in March and is 5 days a week, 7 hours a day. This includes classroom instruction and clinical rotation through different areas of the hospital.

Upon successful completion of the program, the graduate will apply to write the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses. Upon scoring the minimal passing score, the graduate receives a license to practice practical nursing as a licensed practical nurse.

Philosophy

1. The faculty of this school believes that learning is an active continuous process within an individual resulting in modification of behavior. These behavioral modifications result from acquiring knowledge, attitudes, appreciation, ideas and skills.
2. The faculty believes that education is a life long self-realizing process which includes these experiences by which an individual assimilates knowledge, develops one’s potentials and establishes moral values which enables an individual to have a deeper understanding and appreciation of the purpose of life.
3. The faculty believes that nursing is an art end science of social action involving personal services to people and administers assistance to humanity through its preventative, rehabilitative and personal resources.

Objectives

1. The development of a competent, self-directed, and responsible individual who fulfills one’s duties in the community as a practicing nurse and citizen.

2 To provide an educational program that is adaptable in meeting the requirements of practical nursing.

Curriculum

• Pre-Clinical (August-Tune)
• Personal & Vocational Relationship
• Nursing Skills
• Body Structure & Function
• Normal Nutrition
• Medical & Surgical Nursing, including Drugs and Diet Therapy and Geriatrics
• Pediatric Nursing
• Introduction of Pharmacology

Clinical Area

(July-March)

• Psychiatric Nursing
• Obstetric Nursing
• Medical & Surgical Nursing (including physician lectures and in-services)
• Calculation of Drug Dosage

Course Description

Personal & Vocational Relationships - Course in designed as an introduction to practical nursing ethics, legal aspects and introduction to the health team and hospital.

Body Structure & Function - Study of the normal process of body development and normal function so as to better recognize abnormal development and function.

Normal Nutrition - The study of good nutrition and relationship of food to good health. It includes the study of the nutrients, the sources and functions, basic requirements for each age group.

Nursing Skills - The study of principles and performance of procedures that are essential to the basic nursing care of patients.

Medical & Surgical Nursing, Including Geriatric, Drug & Diet Therapy - The study of disease, symptoms, treatment prognosis, nursing implications and the normal aging process and special nursing problems and appropriate nursing care of the older adult diet and drug therapy along with patient teaching.

Pediatric Nursing - The study of the child’s reaction to illness, treatment and nursing care.

Introduction of Pharmacology & Calculation of Drug Dosage - To provide information concerning basic math principles, abbreviations and conversion factor. Taught calculation of drug dosages.

Obstetric Nursing- The study of family planning, prenatal, labor & delivery, post-natal care, normal and abnormal pregnancies and fetal development.

Psychiatric Nursing - The study of mental health vs mental illness and their treatments.

Medical & Surgical - These include special physician lectures, in-service programs on medical and surgical problems and demonstrations of new equipment

Admission Requirements

1.                  Be a rising senior in high school or an adult with a high school diploma or have satisfactory GED scores.

2.                  Complete a formal application that includes:

a.      High School record transcripts that include standardized test scores and academic grades.

b.      Physical examination, including tuberculin test

c.      Satisfactory personal references.

d.      Personal Interview

e.      Acceptable scores on the standardized pre-entrance test.

Expenses

The expenses which will be incurred during the educational experience are: The purchase of textbooks student uniforms, laboratory coat, white duty shoes, white hose, serviceable watch with a sweep second hand, bandage, scissors, stethoscope and special group insurance for malpractice and accident insurance, state board fees and other expenses deemed necessary. Hospitalization is carried by the student.,

The student may purchase meals at the cooperating agencies for a nominal fee.

Evaluation

- Grades are determined by written, oral, and practice during the pre-clinical phase. Grades are received at the end of each six (6) weeks period.

- During the clinical phase, grades are received on theory and clinical rotation at regular intervals.

- Students are expected to pass each subject area with a minimum grade of 83 in order to be promoted to clinical area and maintain a grade of 85 on each subject during clinical theory. Clinical rotation must maintain a satisfactory grade of 85 or above.