Practical Nursing Admission Requirements

Applicants must first complete an admission application to Holmes Community College and be fully admitted. To be considered for acceptance into the Practical Nursing program, a student must complete the following steps:

• Be fully admitted to Holmes Community College. See ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS in Holmes bulletin or on Admissions webpage.

• Applicants for the Hybrid Option must have official verification of a minimum composite score of 15 on the ACT if taken before October 28, 1989, or a minimum composite score of 18 on the ACT if taken after October 28, 1989. ACT scores must be on file with the Office of Admissions & Records at Holmes Community College prior to completing the Health Sciences application.

• Applicants for the Full Time Day Track and the Evening and Weekend Track must have official verification of a minimum composite score of 12 on the ACT if taken before October 28, 1989, or a minimum composite score of 16 on the ACT if taken after October 28, 1989. ACT scores must be on file with the Office of Admissions & Records at Holmes Community College prior to completing the Health Sciences application.

• Provide official transcripts from all schools and/or colleges attended to the Office of Admissions & Records. Applicants with any college credit must have a minimum grade point average of 2.0 on prerequisite courses completed to be considered for the program. Students may apply and be accepted prior to completion of prerequisite courses; however, prerequisite courses MUST be successfully completed prior to beginning program coursework.

• Complete and submit the Health Science Programs application (located in MyHolmes), selecting Practical Nursing Program, by the appropriate deadline.

• Must have successfully completed with a C or better the following courses before program start date:

o BIO 2514 Anatomy & Physiology I

o BOT 1613 Medical Terminology I or BIO 1813 Medical Terminology for Health Professions

When the deadline for Practical Nursing applications closes, data analysis will provide a scoring for all eligible applicants, and candidates will be chosen according to ranking. After notification of acceptance, the student will be required to provide documentation of the following requirements prior to the start of the program. Students will be responsible for fees or costs associated with these requirements. All information concerning the requirements below will be provided after class selection and/or during the mandatory orientation session:

1. Passage of physical examination per Health Examination Report

2. Current certification American Heart Association Basic Life Support CPR

3. Passage of a healthcare criminal background check

4. Passage of drug screening

5. Current and complete immunization record

Progression

A final eighty (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 an eighty (78) before they can participate in the clinical portion of Nursing Fundamentals and Clinical (PNV 1444). Students must also pass the clinical portion of the course in order to progress in the program.

 A drug calculation critical will be administered as part of 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 calculator will be allowed 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 or PNV 1666 Medical Surgical Concepts and Clinical, for the Evening and Weekend Track students, therefore cannot complete the requirement of the course. If any student does not pass the drug calculation critical on the last attempt, they will receive a failing grade for PNV 1682 and PNV 1524 for Full Time Day Track students, or PNV 1524 for Hybrid options or PNV 1666 and PNV 1524 for Evening and Weekend Track students. 

Prior Credit

Prior learning credit is granted only for Holmes Community College Practical Nursing courses for a student who re-enters the program within a fifteen month period of leaving the program. The student re-entering the program during the fifteen month period must repeat all courses for the semester of re-entry.  The student will receive credit for coursework successfully completed prior to the semester of re-entry. The Holmes Community College Practical Nursing Program does not grant prior credit for academic Anatomy and Physiology.

Graduation Requirements

• Successfully complete the requirements of the PN program.
• Submit the college graduation application by the prescribed date.

Legal Boundaries for Licensure

Detailed information regarding the legal boundaries of a LPN may be found here. Additionally, legal and ethical aspects of nursing are directly addressed in the Nursing Fundamentals (PNV 1444) and Nursing Transition (PNV 1914) courses. These issues are reinforced throughout the program. Students are referred to the Mississippi Board of Nursing Administrative Code which states to be considered for licensure in the state of Mississippi, a person must:

• Graduate from an accredited Mississippi Practical Nursing Program
• Provide an official transcript of completion of a practical nursing program
• Comply with criminal background checks and fingerprinting in accordance with Miss. Code Ann. Section 73-15-19 (1) and 73-15-21 (1);
• Submit completed board-approved application, including the notarized authorization to release information form on the Mississippi Board of Nursing website and pay the applicable fee
• Register for the examination with the designated testing service and pay the fee
• Pass the NCLEX-PN

The Board reserves the right to determine who is duly qualified for the examination and licensure.

Based on the legal and ethical ramifications of nursing and in accordance with the Mississippi Board of Nursing Rules and Regulations, the requirements of clinical affiliation, HCC program and College policies, and the Minimum Technical Standards for Admission, Academic Progression, and Graduation in the Practical Nursing Program, Holmes Community College may deny admission, progression, and/or completion of the PN program based on, but not limited to, the following:

• Criminal Background Check***
• Drug/alcohol screens.
• Documented physical and/or emotional impairments that prohibit a student’s ability to function safely as a nurse.

***The Criminal Background Check must be performed by a licensed healthcare provider and results submitted to the respective site by the prescribed date. Criminal Background Check “clearance”, as determined by clinical affiliates, Holmes Community College, and the Mississippi Board of Nursing, must be met by any student entering the program.

Holmes Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, disability, or age in its educational programs and activities, employment, or admissions. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries and grievances regarding non-discrimination, compliance policies, and procedures for the College: Compliance Officer, (662) 472-9429. Written inquiries may be e-mailed to: compliance@holmescc.edu or sent to: Compliance Office, P.O. Box 369, Goodman, MS 39079.