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Practical Nursing
The Practical Nursing certificate program prepares individuals with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to serve as licensed practical nurses within a variety of healthcare settings through comprehensive academic and clinical education.
Program Overview
Learn about what this program offers and what you'll achieve.
What is Practical Nursing?
The Practical Nursing certificate program prepares individuals with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to serve as practical nurses within a variety of healthcare settings. We do this by providing the academic and clinical education preparation necessary to create a qualified and competent workforce able to provide effective care for patients and meet the healthcare needs of the communities we serve. The curriculum is comprised of 1013 clock hours presented over 12 months/40 Weeks (four quarters based on full-time enrollment), including 500 didactic hours, 100 lab hours, and 413 clinical hours. Program delivery is residential.
What does a professional do?
Licensed practical nurses provide hands-on patient care under the direction of registered nurses and physicians. They monitor patients, administer medications, collect samples for testing, dress wounds, insert catheters, and assist with daily living activities. Practical nurses collaborate with members of the interprofessional team and advocate for safe, high-quality, affordable health care.
Professional Characteristics
- Assume responsibility and accountability for the quality of nursing care provided to patients and their families.
- Function to the full scope of safe nursing practice as dictated by state practical nursing regulation.
- Collaborate with other members of the interprofessional team to identify and access community health resources.
- Communicate successfully with patients, families, and members of the interprofessional team.
- Advocate for equal access to safe, high-quality, affordable health care, with emphasis on management of long-term and chronic care for underserved populations.
Program Highlights
- The Practical Nursing Program offers certificate-level education designed to prepare a qualified and competent nursing workforce for the communities we serve.
- The curriculum integrates 500 didactic hours, 100 lab hours, and 413 clinical hours over four quarters of full-time residential study.
- Graduates are prepared to pursue NCLEX-PN licensure and practice as ethical licensed practical nurses guided by the ANA Code of Ethics.
- Program goals emphasize clinical competence, effective communication, critical thinking, and professional growth.
- Educating with purpose, serving with heart.
Program Structure
Format: Residential
Clinical rotations: Begin in the First Term (413 clinical hours)
The Practical Nursing Program is delivered in a residential format on the Brooklyn and Staten Island campuses. The curriculum comprises 1013 clock hours over 12 months/40 Weeks (four quarters based on full-time enrollment), including 500 didactic hours, 100 lab hours, and 413 clinical hours (including simulation in the first quarter). Clinical experience includes faculty-led rotations across inpatient and outpatient settings, including acute care, long-term care, maternal and newborn, pediatric, mental health, and medical-surgical environments. Simulation is integrated into clinical experience and is required for all students.
Graduation Requirements
✓ Met all academic requirements, including a "B" average — an index (GPA) of 3.0 — required for graduation.
✓ Met all clinical requirements and attained all required competencies.
✓ Met all financial obligations.
✓ Completed an exit interview.
✓ Returned their swipe card, ID card, etc.
✓ Participated in all Career Services Workshops offered.
GPA Requirement: GPA of 3.0
Completion Window: Students who have not fulfilled their graduation requirements have 40 weeks from their originally scheduled graduation date to complete all missing requirements.
Certification & Licensure
Professional credentials and licensing requirements.
Certification Exam
NCLEX-PN administered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN)
Licensure Required
Licensure is required to begin work in this field within the state(s) where students are currently located.
Click here for licensure requirements for all other states ↗Mission & Goals
What we aim to achieve and how we measure success.
Mission Statement
The program mission is to assist the communities to achieve the highest level of health and wellness through education, prevention and treatment. To accomplish our mission, we strive to promote the worth and uniqueness of the learner. We enhance the learner's respect for the dignity, spiritual and cultural dimensions of the community by creating an environment in which the development of each student's values and professional identity can be cultivated. We believe that Nursing is a unique, humanitarian profession whose central purpose is assisting individuals and their families to maintain and maximize health throughout the lifespan. We believe that Learning is a process which occurs in a student-centered environment open to diversity, tolerant to differences, and grounded in equality and fairness to all. We believe that Teaching is facilitated by the educator, for the learners' acquisition of knowledge, skills, and attitudes required for quality, safe, competent delivery of nursing care. We believe that Health is a state of complete physical, mental, spiritual, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. We believe that Humans are holistic beings, composed of bio/psycho/social/spiritual traits which make them unique and valued persons. We believe that Environment is the collection of people, places, things, and conditions that surround us and affect our everyday lives.
Goals
- • The Practical Nursing Program offers a program of education at the certificate level.
- • The goals of the program are to have students who will be clinically competent, communicate effectively, use critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and grow and develop professionally.
- • Upon graduation, students will receive a certificate of completion.
- • The program is guided by the American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics, which provides 10 provisions for ethical nursing practice. Read the Code of Ethics for Nurses
Objectives
Quality of care
Assume responsibility and accountability for the quality of nursing care provided to patients and their families in a variety of health care settings.
Safe nursing practice
Function to the full scope of safe nursing practice, inclusive of management or leadership opportunities, as dictated by specific state practical nursing regulation.
Team collaboration
Collaborate with other members of the interprofessional team to identify and access community resources with a focus on patients, families, and community health resources.
Relationship-centered care
Function, according to scope of practice requirements, as an ethical licensed practical nurse collaborating and communicating successfully with patients, families, and members of the interprofessional team.
System-based care
Accept responsibility for the licensed practical nurse's collaborative role within a community-based health care system, consistent with ethical and professional standards.
Personal and professional development
Advocate for the licensed practical nurse's unique role contributing to equal access to safe, high quality, affordable health care, with a special emphasis on management of long-term, chronic care for underserved and other vulnerable populations.
Course Schedule
Class and clinical scheduling information.
The Practical Nursing Program is a full-time residential program. The program is 12 months, divided into four quarters over 40 weeks. Students are provided with their schedule prior to the start of each term.
Location
The program is offered in a residential format at the Brooklyn and Staten Island campuses.
Schedule Details
Courses may be scheduled Monday through Friday. Clinical rotation schedules are subject to change based on site availability.
Upcoming Cohorts
LPN 26-09 - Daytime
Brooklyn, Staten IslandStarts: September 22, 2026
Ends: July 2027
Schedule: Daytime
Clinical Schedule
Clinical experience totals 413 hours, including simulation in the first quarter (35 hours) and 126 hours of clinical experience in each of quarters 2, 3, and 4.
Program Curriculum
Courses, hours, and what you'll learn.
The Practical Nursing Program curriculum totals 1013 clock hours across four quarters: Quarter 1 (215 hours), Quarter 2 (266 hours), Quarter 3 (286 hours), and Quarter 4 (246 hours). General education courses in anatomy and physiology, psychology, microbiology, and human growth and development support the nursing core.
Quarter 1
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| BIO 1150 | Anatomy and Physiology |
| PSY 1210 | Introduction to Psychology |
| PN 1150 | Fundamentals & Concepts of Nursing |
| PN 1150L | Fundamentals & Concepts of Nursing Lab |
| PN 1160 | Introduction to Pharmacology |
| PN 1190 | Practical Nursing Clinical Experience I |
Quarter 2
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| PN 1220 | Pharmacology |
| BIO 2210 | Microbiology |
| PN 1250 | Medical Surgical Nursing I |
| PN 1250L | Medical Surgical Nursing I Lab |
| PN 1290 | Practical Nursing Clinical Experience II |
Quarter 3
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| PN 1310 | Maternal & Child Nursing |
| PN 1310L | Maternal & Child Nursing Lab |
| PSY 1221 | Human Growth and Development |
| PN 1340 | Mental Health Nursing |
| PN 1340L | Mental Health Nursing Lab |
| PN 1390 | Practical Nursing Clinical Experience III |
Quarter 4
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| PN 1450 | Medical Surgical Nursing II |
| PN 1450L | Medical Surgical Nursing II Lab |
| PN 1490 | Practical Nursing Clinical Experience IV |
| PN 1495 | Practical Nursing Capstone |
Progression Policy
How students advance through the program.
Course and cumulative GPA requirements: An overall grade average of 80% or better must be maintained for successful completion of a course. A grade of less than 80% is considered a failing grade. Progression courses: - PN 1220 Pharmacology (Quarter 2) - PN 1450 Medical Surgical Nursing II (Quarter 4) - PN 1495 Practical Nursing Capstone (Quarter 4) A student must pass all courses in the program in order to graduate. A student must pass all courses in a quarter in order to progress to the next quarter in the program. If a student fails one course in a quarter, progression course failure results in termination from the program. A non-progression course must be made up as per the Make-Up Policy published in the Institutional Catalog.
Grading Scale
How coursework is evaluated.
| Letter Grade | Numerical Equivalent | Quality Points | Legend |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 90-100 | 4.0 | Excellent |
| B+ | 85-89 | 3.5 | Very Good |
| B | 80-84 | 3.0 | Very Good |
| C+ | 75-79 | 2.5 | Satisfactory |
| C | 70-74 | 2.0 | Satisfactory |
| D | 65-69 | 1.0 | Unsatisfactory |
| F | 0-64 | 0 | Failure |
| P | – | – | Pass |
| TF | – | – | Transfer Credits |
| INC | – | 0 | Incomplete |
| W | – | – | Official Withdrawal |
| FW | – | 0 | Failure due to Unofficial Withdrawal |
| FT | – | 0 | Failure due to Termination |
Admissions Requirements
Prerequisites and eligibility requirements.
Applicants must meet the following requirements to be considered for admission to the Practical Nursing Program.
General Requirements
- • Applicants must be 18 years of age or older prior to orientation.
- • Applicants must have completed a recognized high school or equivalent. Individuals who attended an online high school, or who were homeschooled, should contact the Admissions Department to determine their eligibility to enroll.
- • Applicants must be in good mental and physical health, free from any physical handicaps which would interfere with their work. Ultimately, individuals must meet the Technical Standards for Admissions listed for each program.
- • Sufficient score on the ATI (TEAS) admissions exam (minimum cut score: 59; candidates who do not achieve the cut score must wait three weeks to retest). Two reference letters. Personal statement/admissions essay. Receive a favorable recommendation following the admissions interview. Pass all required screenings and clearances within the required timeframe.
Technical Standards
This policy outlines the technical standards that each applicant/student must be able to accomplish.
Each applicant/student must be able to:
- • Demonstrate motor abilities suitable for the practical nurse.
- • Demonstrate manual dexterity suitable for the practical nurse.
- • Demonstrate perceptual and auditory abilities suitable for the practical nurse.
- • Demonstrate behavioral, interpersonal, and emotional abilities suitable for the practical nurse.
- • Maintain a safe environment for patients, families, and co-workers.
- • Each technical standard is further defined in the Catalog.
Any applicant who does not meet the technical standards as outlined above is ineligible for admission to the school.
Any student whose status changes while enrolled and no longer meets the technical standards as outlined above may not be allowed to continue to progress through the program.
Application Fee
$50.00
Admission Process
Step-by-step admissions instructions.
- 1
Application & Documents
Applicants should complete the general program application (www.cahe.edu/apply) along with a $50.00 (non-refundable) application fee. All required supplemental documents may be found on the "Application Checklist" and should be mailed or submitted in person. Documents may either be submitted individually or together. All documents should be in prior to the scheduled interview date.
- 2
ATI TEAS Exam
Applicants must achieve a sufficient score on the ATI (TEAS) admissions exam. The cut score is set at a minimum of 59. Candidates who do not achieve the cut score must wait three weeks to retest. Applicants scheduled to take the exam will be provided information on how to best prepare and study.
- •Minimum ATI TEAS score: 59.
- •Candidates who do not achieve the cut score must wait three weeks before retesting.
- •Those who successfully pass the exam will move forward to the final step of the admissions process (interview with program staff).
- 3
Interview
A formal interview is required of all applicants as the last step in the admissions process. Applicants are encouraged to dress professionally and to familiarize themselves with the field and program structure.
Tuition & Fees
Tuition, fees, and payment-related details.
Academic Year: 2026-2027
Tuition for the Practical Nursing Program (2026-2027) is $6,350.00 for each of the program's 4 quarters, and a total of $25,400.00 for the entire program. Fees for the Practical Nursing Program (2026-2027) are non-refundable once the student has begun instruction during the quarter to which they apply. There is no additional hourly charge for required make-up sessions; however, students remain responsible for all associated program costs.
Tuition
Total Tuition: $25,400 plus fees, or $28,000.
fees listed below
| Due | Amount |
|---|---|
| Upon Registration | $500 |
| Prior to First Quarter | $12,200 |
| Prior to Third Quarter | $12,700 |
Fees
| Category | Due | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Registration Fee Non-refundable | Upon Registration | $100 |
| Clinical Fee Covers malpractice/liability insurance, operation and maintenance of the student lab, and affiliated clinical internship sites. | Prior to First Quarter | $500 |
| Technology Fee Supports access to online learning resources, the learning management system, student portal, and digital library. | Prior to First Quarter | $750 |
| Clinical Fee Covers malpractice/liability insurance, operation and maintenance of the student lab, and affiliated clinical internship sites. | Prior to Third Quarter | $500 |
| Technology Fee Supports access to online learning resources, the learning management system, student portal, and digital library. | Prior to Third Quarter | $750 |
Repeat Course Fee: This fee of $500 will apply to any term that a student is repeating a course that they previously failed.
Additional Costs
Clinical Clearance
$460
Students are required to have a physical examination and be medically cleared by a private physician as well as have a criminal background check performed. The background check is done through ClinClear/SRA, a third-party screening service. More information regarding clinical clearance will be provided in the orientation packet. Additionally, students must maintain active health insurance throughout the program.
iPad and Accessories
$465
Students are required to use the school-issued iPad when participating in virtual lectures, completing assignments, accessing Canvas and participating in exams. The cost of the iPad is due prior to Orientation and is non-refundable once the student has received the iPad.
Textbooks
$750
Students are required to purchase all textbooks on their own.
Required Supplies
At student's expense
Students are required to possess a GPS-enabled mobile device with internet access to utilize for academic and administrative purposes.
Room and Board
At student's expense
Students are required to make their own arrangements for housing. Room and board is at the student's expense.
Credentialing Examination
See board for current fees
Upon graduation, the student must apply for the NCLEX-PN examination, administered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN). Exam fees are at the student's expense.
Professional Organizations
At student's expense
Students may wish to join one or more of the professional organizations in the field. Membership fees are at the student's expense.
Field Trips and Meetings
At student's expense
Field trips and meetings are at the student's expense.
Financial Aid
Financial Aid is not yet available for this program. Private Loans, payment plans are available. We will be offering a special scholarship for this start date, more info to follow soon.
Payment Plans
Due Date — Amount of Tuition Due Prior to the first day of class — 25% of balance First of each month — 20% First of each month — 20% First of each month — 20% First of each month — 20% First of each month — 20% All monies due under a payment plan are subject to a 3% administrative fee.
Refund Policy
Cancellation and refund details.
Enrollment Agreement Cancellation Policy
Students may cancel their enrollment agreement within seven (7) business days of signing the enrollment agreement, and will receive a refund of their registration fee and any tuition paid to date. Thereafter, a student will be liable for the non-refundable registration fee and any tuition liability as of the student's last date of physical attendance, pursuant to the Refund Policy as published in the Catalog.
After the first day of instruction, the student will be liable for the registration fee and any tuition liability as of their last day of physical attendance, defined as the last day in which the student participated in academically-related activity, including projects, clinical experience or examinations. The non-refundable application and registration fees, as well as items of extra expense to a student (e.g. uniform, clinical and technology fees) will not be considered in tuition refund computations. Total tuition liability is limited to the quarter during which the student withdraws or is terminated, as well as any previous quarters completed. The following is the refund policy:
Refunds are calculated based on the total quarter's tuition due, not the total tuition paid by the student up to that point. The Center will retain the percentage of tuition it is entitled to keep prior to issuing a refund. In the event that a student has not paid their tuition in full by the date the refund is calculated and/or a refund is required based on the Return to Title IV regulations (see Financial Aid policy as published in the Institutional Catalog), any money due to the Center based on the Center's refund policy will be deducted from the refund amount. After the above calculations, should a student still have a financial obligation, they must pay their financial obligation in order to remove the financial hold placed on their account. In addition, the Center for Allied Health Education will not release any transcripts or academic records until any outstanding financial obligation is met.
Accreditation
Programmatic and institutional accreditation.
CAHE's Practical Nursing Program is accredited by The Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). Accreditation is granted after a programmatic review and site visit. Graduates are prepared to take the NCLEX-PN examination, administered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN). The practice of nursing within New York State requires licensure. For complete information, including fees, please go to http://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/nurse/nursing.htm . The specific requirements for licensure are contained in Title 8, Article 139, Sections 6905 and 6906 of New York State Education Law and Part 64 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education. Copies of the relevant sections of NYS Education Law and the Commissioner's Regulations are also available upon request by e-mailing opforms@mail.nysed.gov or by calling 518-474-3817 ext. 320. The preferred method to apply for practical nurse licensure is online at: https://eservices.nysed.gov/professions/professions/010
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ABHES
AccreditationABHES is recognized as an accrediting agency by the United States Secretary of Education. Accreditation is granted after a programmatic review and site visit.
- Address:
- 6116 Executive Blvd., Suite 730, North Bethesda, MD 20852
- Phone:
- 301.291.7550
- Website:
- www.abhes.org
-
NCSBN
CertificationAdministers the NCLEX-PN (National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses).
- Address:
- 111 E. Wacker Drive, Suite 2900, Chicago, IL 60601
- Phone:
- 312.525.3600
- Website:
- www.ncsbn.org
Employment Opportunities
Where graduates work and what certifications open the door.
NCLEX-PN
Credentialing exam
NCLEX-PN administered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN)
State licensure required to practice. See professional licensure by state .
Clinical Geography
Where students train across the New York metro area.
Clinical education connects classroom learning to affiliated healthcare sites across Brooklyn, Staten Island, and other nearby parts of the New York metro. Placements depend on program requirements, site availability, and affiliation arrangements—not every student is assigned to the same site.
Training locations for this program
- Brooklyn
- Staten Island
Site names, neighborhoods, and program coverage on the Clinical Education Sites hub reflect representative partner affiliations. Specific student placements vary by cohort, schedule, and clinical capacity.