Practical Nurse (Certificate)

The following requirements must be completed to be considered for admission into the PN program:

• Evidence of secondary school graduation or its equivalent. Submit official transcript(s) from high school or high school equivalency, previous colleges or post-secondary schools attended.
  Note: International transcripts will only be accepted for consideration if they have been translated and evaluated by a NACES approved foreign credential evaluation service provider. BCC recommends SpanTran or World Education Services
• Math: ACCUPLACER QAS score of 250 or greater OR successful completion of MAT-028 or MAT-028C or higher (if taking college math, must earn a C or better);
• **BIO-150 (Intro to the Human Body) with  C (73) or better within 7 seven years or BIO-201 and BIO-202 (Anatomy and Physiology I and II - each with labs) with C (73) or better within 7 years (For students intending to bridge (LPN to ADN) at BCC, BIO 201 and BIO 202 (each with labs) require a grade of 77 (C+) or better if taken after January 2018);
  • **Beginning Fall 2025 pre-LPN students will be required to take BIO154 and BIO154L (Introduction to Anatomy & Physiology) - students will be allowed to use BIO150 if taken prior to Fall 2025 within 7 years with a C (73) or better. 
• Completion of ENG-101 (English Composition 1) with a C (73) or better
• Completion of PSY-107 (Introductory Psychology) with a C (73) or better;
• Watch a mandatory PN matriculation video (see below in Step-by-Step procedure)

1. Apply to BCC as a pre-LPN (Practical Nursing) student, if not already an active BCC student.
   • Note: All students, regardless of eligibility to our nursing programs, must first be accepted to the College itself before applying for matriculation into a nursing program.
2. Apply for financial aid, if not already completed
3. Send all official high school/GED/HiSET, AP scores (if applicable), post-secondary and college transcripts (if applicable) to BCC's Admissions Office - admissions@berkshirecc.edu. 
   • Note: Any international transcripts will need to be evaluated and translated by a NACES approved organization such as SpanTran or WES.
4. Review and complete admission requirements as indicated above
5. Schedule a meeting with one of the nursing academic counselors to determine eligibility to apply for matriculation
6. Watch a mandatory PN matriculation video
   • Note: Students must watch a mandatory PN matriculation video prior to applying for matriculation, otherwise, the application will be considered incomplete and will not be reviewed. These are different than the Nursing Info sessions, which are available for students who are interested in learning more about the nursing program but are not ready to apply.
7. Complete and sign the PN matriculation application and submit (along with all required documents) to Nursing Admissions by the established deadline for the PN program
   View matriculation applications and deadlines

Graduates of this program should be able to:

• Provide holistic care that recognizes an individual's preferences, values and needs and respects the patient or designee as a full partner in providing compassionate, coordinated, age and culturally appropriate, safe and effective care.
• Demonstrate accountability for the delivery of standard-based nursing care that is consistent with moral, altruistic, legal, ethical, regulatory, and humanistic principles.
• Influence the behavior of individuals or groups of individuals within their environment in a way that will facilitate the achievement of shared goals.
• Demonstrate an awareness of and responsiveness to the larger context of the health care system, and by demonstrating the ability to use microsystem resources in providing client care at optimal quality and value.
• Use information and technology to communicate, manage knowledge, mitigate error, and support decision making.
• Interact effectively with patients, families, and colleagues, fostering mutual respect and shared decision making, to enhance patient satisfaction and health outcomes.
• Function effectively within nursing and interdisciplinary health care teams, fostering open communication, mutual respect, shared decision-making, team learning and development.
• Minimize risk of harm to patients and providers through both system effectiveness and individual performance.
• Use data to monitor the outcomes and uses data to continuously improve the quality and safety of health care systems.
• Identify the value of using best current evidence coupled with clinical expertise and consideration of patients' preferences, experience and values to make practice decisions.

• NCLEX-PN Annual Pass rate: 2024 – 100% Pass Rate for first time test takers
  Annual Program Completion Rate at 150% of Usual Time MABORN - 2022-2024 (reported 2024) – 85%
  Annual Program Completion Rate at 100% of Usual Time ACEN - 2023-2024 - 47%
  Number of graduates for 2025 =22

For transfer credits, please see transfer policy for PN program.

Employment of licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses is projected to grow 6 percent from 2021 to 2031, about as fast as the average for all occupations.

About 58,800 openings for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

• Berkshire Health Systems
• Integritus Healthcare
• Local nursing homes
• Doctor's offices
• Private home care

• Health Maintenance of the Adult and Aging
• Gerontology Practicum
• Health Alterations of the Adult and Aging
• Health Care of the Family

Visit the College Catalog to learn more

If you are interested in more information about nursing and our nursing program, please come to a question and answer session. For information about the College's nursing programs, applicants are encouraged to attend a Nursing Meet and Greet session. Please sign up for a Nursing Meet and Greet.

Read about CPR training at BCC