BCCC Encourages Application to Practical Nursing Program as a New Career Starter

A Press Release Submitted by Bucks County Community College

For people looking to change careers or who want to enter the health care field, Bucks County Community College is accepting applicants for its Practical Nursing program.

The pre-admission exam for the next program, which prepares students for licensing after a year of intensive study, will be offered Saturday,March 15 (snow date: March 22).

“Practical nursing can open the door to an exciting career in health care, as well as other flexible and lucrative opportunities,” said Michelle Rue, director of the Practical Nursing program. “The program is perfect for those who always wanted to be a nurse, are looking for a career change, and have the passion to make a difference in someone’s life.”

The one-year, noncredit certificate program begins in July. Students attend full-time, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Classes are held at the Newtown campus or Upper Bucks Campus in Perkasie, while clinical training takes place at various health care facilities in Bucks County.  Students must be at least 18 years old and have a high school diploma or GED.

Potential students must first take the National League for Nursing’s pre-admission exam for Practical Nursing on the campus at 275 Swamp Rd., Newtown, Pa.  The NLN-PN exam will be offered in the Testing Center at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 15. Those taking the test must arrive by 1:15 p.m. to check in with proctors. The deadline to register for the test is March 8.

The general verbal, math and science test presumes no previous knowledge of nursing. Seating is limited for each date. A nonrefundable testing fee of $55 is due at registration. Students who achieve an acceptable overall score will be invited to complete the next phase of the admission process.

The Practical Nursing program at Bucks has graduated more than 400 students since it began in 2002. The program is fully approved by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing. To learn more about registering for the pre-entrance exam, call 215-968-8316 or email pnursing@bucks.edu.  For more about the program, visitwww.bucks.edu/practical.

• ·         Register by March 8 to take pre-entrance exam on March 15
• ·         Full-time, one-year program that starts in July can lead to an LPN career