To practice in Ontario as a Registered Practical Nurse, you must successfully obtain and maintain your registration certificate through the Canadian Practical Nurse Registration Examination.
Practical Nursing (PND)
About the Program
Seneca’s Practical Nursing diploma program is designed to set you up for success in today’s healthcare environment. Through a dynamic blend of classroom learning, hands-on skills training and real-world clinical placements, you’ll gain the knowledge and experience needed to thrive as a healthcare professional.
You’ll explore essential subjects like nursing theory, anatomy and physiology and more—while building practical skills in our state-of-the-art nursing simulation labs and diverse clinical settings, including hospitals and community care facilities.
By the end of the program, you’ll be fully prepared to write the Canadian Practical Nurse Registration Examination (CPNRE) and take the next step toward becoming a Registered Practical Nurse (RPN).
Seneca’s Practical Nursing program is approved by the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO), and our graduates are eligible to apply for registration as RPNs upon completion.
Credential Awarded
Ontario College Diploma
Duration
Full-time Study Option: 5 Semesters (2 Years)
Part-time Study Option: Students studying part-time can complete this program in approximately three years and eight months depending on course load. See courses for more information.
Starts
January, May, September
Program and Course Delivery
This program is offered in Seneca's hybrid delivery format with some courses available in Seneca's flexible delivery format. Some coursework is online and some must be completed in person. Students will need to come on campus to complete in-person learning requirements. For courses offered in the flexible delivery format, professors use innovative learning spaces and technology to teach students in a classroom or lab and broadcast in real time to students attending remotely. In flexible courses, students have the choice of coming on campus or learning online.
Your Career
Affiliations/Associations
You will also qualify to become a member of the following affiliations and associations:
- College of Nurses of Ontario
- Registered Practical Nurses Association of Ontario
Program of Study
| Course Code | Course Name | Weekly Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | ||
| COM101 | Communicating Across Contexts | 3 |
| or COM111 | Communicating Across Contexts (Enriched) | |
| MDM101 | Mathematics for Medication Administration | 2 |
| PNA100 | Anatomy and Physiology for the Practical Nurse | 3 |
| PNC121 | Practical Nursing - Clinical Preparation | 4 |
| PNH101 | Health and Healing for the Practical Nurse | 3 |
| PNL110 | Skills Lab for the Practical Nurse I | 4 |
| PNR100 | Role Development for the Practical Nurse | 3 |
| Semester 2 | ||
| PNA200 | Anatomy and Physiology for the Practical Nurse | 3 |
| PNC220 | Practical Nursing and Clinical | 10 |
| PNE203 | Health Assessment for Practical Nurses | 4 |
| PNH201 | Healing Practices for Practical Nurses II | 3 |
| PNL210 | Skills Lab for the Practical Nurse II | 4 |
| PSY100 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| Semester 3 | ||
| PNC320 | Practical Nursing Clinical | 12 |
| PNH301 | Healing Practices for the Practical Nurse III | 4 |
| PNM300 | Pharmacology for the Practical Nurse | 4 |
| PNP301 | Pathophysiology for the Practical Nurse I | 3 |
| PNR300 | Role Development for the Practical Nurse | 3 |
| plus: General Education Course (1) | 3 | |
| Semester 4 | ||
| PNC420 | Practical Nursing Clinical | 12 |
| PNH401 | Healing Practices for the Practical Nurse IV | 4 |
| PNP401 | Pathophysiology for the Practical Nurse II | 3 |
| PNR400 | Role Development for the Practical Nurse | 3 |
| plus: General Education Course (2) | 6 | |
| Semester 5 | ||
| PNC520 | Practical Nursing Consolidation | 35 |
Note: The following course will not fulfil a General Education requirement: NAT280 The Body: Bits and Bites.
Program Learning Outcomes
This Seneca program has been validated by the Credential Validation Service as an Ontario College Credential as required by the Ministry of Colleges and Universities.
As a graduate, you will be prepared to reliably demonstrate the ability to:
- Communicate therapeutically with clients and members of the health care team.
- Assess clients across the life span, in a systematic and holistic manner.
- Plan safe and competent nursing care, based upon a thorough analysis of available data and evidence-informed practice guidelines.
- Select and perform nursing interventions using clinical judgment, in collaboration with the client and, where appropriate, the health care team, that promote health and well-being, prevent disease and injury, maintain and/or restore health, promote rehabilitation, and/or provide palliation.
- Evaluate the outcomes resulting from all interventions in the nurse-client interaction and modify the plan of care as required.
- Act equitably and justly with clients and members of the health care team.
- Adapt to a variety of health care settings, using different leadership skills and styles as appropriate to each setting.
- Contribute to creating a healthy and safe work environment in a variety of health care settings.
- Practise in a self-regulated, professional and ethical manner, complying with relevant legislation and with the standards of both the regulatory body and the practice setting to provide safe and competent client care.
Admission Requirements
- Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), or equivalent, or a mature applicant
- A minimum grade of 70% is required in each of the following:
- English: Grade 12 C or U, or equivalent course
- Mathematics: Grade 12 C or U, or Grade 11 U or M, or equivalent course
- Biology: Grade 11 C or U, or equivalent course
- Physics or Chemistry: Grade 11 U or Grade 12 C or U, or equivalent course
Recommended upgrading for applicants who do not meet academic subject requirements.
Additional Information
To be eligible for clinical practicum placements, students must have a completed Clinical Preparedness Permit which includes:
Medical Requirements
- current immunization records as outlined in the Canadian Immunization Guide for health-care workers
- bloodwork for immune status of hepatitis B/varicella/measles/mumps and rubella
- TB testing/CXR as required
Non-Medical Requirements
- a current Basic Life Support Certificate renewed annually
- Standard First Aid valid for four years, online courses are not acceptable
- record of mask fit test, renewed every two years
- criminal record check and vulnerable sector screening (annually)
Transportation
Clinical practicum placements are in a variety of agencies in the Greater Toronto Area. Students are required to provide their own transportation. Placements may be six-, 10- or 12-hour days starting as early as 6 a.m. and may include weekends and evenings.
Admission
Admission to this program is highly competitive. Applicants are ranked based on academic strength. Only the top ranked applicants will be offered a seat in the program.
Students in the Practical Nursing Diploma program are required to provide a current criminal record check and vulnerable sector screening from a recognized police service before they are permitted to start their clinical/practicum or work placement. Individuals who have been charged or convicted criminally and not yet pardoned, will be prohibited from proceeding to a clinical/practicum or work placement. A student with an outstanding charge or who has been convicted of a criminal offence and has not obtained a full pardon will be counselled to withdraw from the program as a successful practicum placement is a requirement to progress through the program.
Notes
Ontario practical nursing diploma programs are responsible to the public for providing their enrolled students with opportunities to develop the qualifications (academic knowledge, professional behaviours, attitudes and clinical skills) to enter the profession of Registered Practical Nursing in Ontario.
The description of the essential requirements is included in the Requisite Skills and Abilities document from the College of Nurses of Ontario.
This document is not intended to exclude individuals who may require reasonable accommodation to achieve competency development. It is advisable to discuss such accommodations and/or learning supports with the Counselling & Accessible Learning Services during the pre-admission or admission phase.
Pathways
As a leader in academic pathways, we offer a range of options that will allow you to take your credential further in another Seneca program or a program at a partner institution.
To learn more about your eligibility, visit the Academic Pathways web page.