Practical Nursing

Practical Nursing Programs at Holmes Community College offers three different options – Full Time Day, Part-Time Evening/Weekend, and a Part-time Hybrid. The Full Time Day option (Attala, Grenada, and Ridgeland) accepts students each August and lasts 3 semesters. The Full Time Day option (Grenada) begins in January and last 3 consecutive semesters. The Evening/Weekend option (Ridgeland) accepts students every other summer (even years) and spans 5 consecutive semesters. Hybrid (online lectures, in person lab and clinical) accepts students every other fall (even years) and lasts 5 consecutive semesters. Additional information on these options can be found in the Curriculum section.

Progression

A final seventy-eight (78) average in each course is required to progress to the next semester in the Practical Nursing Program.

All students must pass the theory portion of Nursing Fundamentals and Clinical (PNV 1444) with a seventy-eight (78) before they can participate in the clinical portion of Nursing Fundamentals and Clinical (PNV 1444). Students must pass both theory and clinical portions of a course, as applicable, in order to progress in the program.

A drug calculation test will be administered in PNV 1524 IV Therapy and Pharmacology. This test will NOT be a multiple-choice test and the student will be required to show their work to receive credit for the answer. A basic calculator will be allowed and/or provided during the test. Students may retest two times. Students who do not attain the required 90% on the exam will NOT be allowed to administer medications in clinical as part of PNV 1682 Adult Health Concepts and Clinical, therefore cannot complete the requirement of the course. If any student in the full time track does not pass the drug calculation critical on the last attempt, they will receive a D for PNV 1682 and PNV 1524 and cannot progress in the program. For the Evening and Weekend and Hybrid part-time tracks, the student will receive a D in PNV 1524 and cannot progress in the program.

Student Withdrawal

A student who finds it necessary to withdraw from the Practical Nursing Program will follow the withdrawal policy outlined in the college Bulletin with the following notes:

The 50%-75% deadline for withdrawal follows the PN semester, not necessarily that of the college semester.
If a student chooses to withdraw from a portion of the semester’s course work, he/she may complete the remaining courses.
A student who withdraws from all or part of a semester’s course work will not progress to the next semester in the Practical Nursing program.

A student may request to withdraw by completing and submitting the electronic Withdrawal Request Form located in MyHolmes portal. Once submitted, the instructor of the course will be notified of the request and must continue the process by electronically submitting the student’s last date of attendance for the course. When the last date of attendance is received by the Administrative Office, the request will be processed, and the student will be removed from the course.

Granting Credit for Prior Learning

The Holmes Community College Practical Nursing Program does not grant credit for academic Anatomy & Physiology.

Legal Limitations for Licensure

Detailed information regarding the application for licensure to practice as a licensed practical nurse may be found at www.msbn.ms.gov The Mississippi Nurse Practice Act states “The board may, in its discretion, refuse to accept the application of any person who has been convicted of a criminal offense under any provision of Title 97 of the Mississippi Code of 1972, as now or hereafter amended, or any provision of this article.”

Graduation

Graduation requirements for the PN program include the following:

Successfully complete the course of study and requirements of the Practical Nursing program and submit the college graduation application by the prescribed date.

Students who participate in the May Holmes Community College graduation ceremony may be eligible to participate in the Practical Nursing pinning ceremony upon successful completion of the course of study.

As a requirement of the United States Department of Education (USDE), the following link provides professional licensure requirements for each state: Board of Nursing Licensure Requirements This link provides requirements for out-of-state nursing programs whose graduates want to test or endorse into another state.