1. WHAT IS PRACTICAL NURSING?

Practical Nursing is a nursing course consisting of three areas of study:

classroom/theoretical discussions;
skills and procedures laboratory with return-demo &
clinical exposures/RLEs.
After finishing the PN program for at least a year, the graduates may apply for eligibility for the licensure exam; once they meet the requirements from the US Board of Nursing, they may take the NCLEX-PN.

The duties and responsibilities of Practical Nurses include mostly bedside care such as: taking of vital signs, giving medications (including injections), performing basic diagnostic tests, performing assessments, observing patients, dressing wounds and assisting the clients in their ADLs (activities of daily living). They also do patient care planning, first aid, CPR & sterile & isolation procedures. They are under the supervision of an RN, physicians, and/or dentists.

PNs are state licensed and they have to ensure client safety and quality of nursing care or they can face malpractice or negligence.

2. ARE THERE PNs ABROAD?

Yes. In the U.S. they are called LPNs at the East coast and LVNs at the West coast. In Canada, they are known as Registered Practical Nurses, as Enrolled Nurses in Australia and as State Enrolled Nurses in the United Kingdom.

3. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A LICENSED PRACTICAL NURSE (LPN) AND REGISTERED NURSE (RN)?

There is not much difference, except that only the RNs are allowed to do the following tasks:

Admit a client and do the initial assessment; and
Discharge a patient.
Also, RNs (BSN graduates) have better and faster career growths. LPNs grow, too, but they have to enroll in the ladderized program (as done in the US articulation).

4. ARE THERE PN SCHOOLS IN THE PHILIPPINES? IS IT REALLY BEING PROMOTED BY THE GOVERNMENT?

Yes. Per record of TESDA, there are about 100 PN schools in the country. We do not know however if they are all operating as such. Yes, it is supported by the government as the bottom line is getting our graduates to land jobs, both locally, and abroad.

5. WHAT IS LADDERIZATION? IS THE PN COURSE PART OF THE LADDERIZATION PROGRAM OF THE GOVERNMENT?

Ladderization is enabling a college student to acquire vocational and technical skills in any of the first two years in college that will ensure the student to land a job even if he will not pursue a higher year to complete his college education.

The institution offering such ladderized program should register in the Technical-Vocation Education and Training (TVET) program of TESDA.

This means a student, who has yet to complete his four-year course that has a TVET component, will have the opportunity to pursue employment opportunities.

Executive Order 358, also known as the Ladderization of TVET Programs was signed by President Arroyo in September 2004.

EO 358 is one of the program components under the 10-point priority agenda of PGMA which is the creation of 6 to 10 million jobs during her administration.

Ladderization is one of the priority programs of President Arroyo under the Education Program that is pro-poor, as contained in the Presidents 8 by 08 mantra. In the words of Secretary Dodie Limcaoco:

“The President’s Ladderized Program of Education allows the poor families to send their children to college where the student will learn a productive skill even if he does not complete the four year college education. This means that he learns a competency which he could use to find employment, earn money, and continue his education if he so desires. This is the solution to the perennial 1problem of jobless college graduates because their education does not match the requirements of the industry.”

It is hoped that the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the TESDA will soon be working for the ladderization of the PN course into the BSN degree.

6. HOW MANY MONTHS OR YEARS DOES IT TAKE TO BECOME A PN?

Since the curriculum of Kennedy Global is US based, it takes only a year. But for fresh high school graduates, we have a special/expanded course for them. All students of Kennedy Global are trained extensively to pass the NCLEX-PN.

7. ARE THERE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PNS ABROAD?

Yes. In fact the demand for PNs abroad continue to rise. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of LPNs is expected to grow by 14% between 2006 and 2016 – faster than the average for all occupations – in response to the long term care needs of an increasing elderly population and the general increase in demand for health care services.

8. ARE THERE EXAMS TO BE TAKEN BY PN NURSES IN ORDER TO BE EMPLOYED ABROAD?

Yes. For the US, it’s called NCLEX-PN (National Licensure Exam-Practical Nurse). In other countries such as Australia, the application is lodged with the ANMC (Australian Nurse Midwifery Council) and be eligible for the Enrolled Nurse licensure exams. In Ontario, Canada, the PN graduate has to meet all the eligibility requirements to qualify for the Professional Practical Nursing Licensure Exams. No local board however is needed.

9. ARE THERE PN GRADUATES IN THE PHILIPPINES WHO HAVE ALREADY PASSED THE NCLEX-PN?

Yes. Kennedy Global School is proud to say that it has a 97% passing rate for the NCLEX-PN. We accomplished this by maintaining high standards of PN education delivery while we continue to update ourselves and our students with the latest nursing trends and issues to be globally competent.

10. HOW CAN AN LPN BECOME AN RN?

By simply enrolling with the ADN/ASN program for about a year, after which he/she may challenge the NCLEX-RN. It is also an option if he/she wants to study further for the BSN degree. This may take about another year. The latter is usually needed if an RN wants to be in the academe. M.A.N. units are also a must.

11. WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF STUDENTS AND PARENTS AND THE NATION, AS A WHOLE, ON THE RECOGNITION OF PN BY THE GOVERNMENT?

For the students:

Study period is lesser with option to work right after finishing the short course; focus is more defined & with lesser distractions as students enjoy while studying especially when they get into the clinical exposures which happens on the fourth month from enrollment. They appreciate the discipline and responsibility instilled in them by the school and the various clinical affiliations and you can see and feel their enthusiasm.

For the parents:

It’s an option especially for those who have limitations on their financial capacity. Why spend for a straight four-year course when it can be initially done for only a year and land a job? This would mean savings on time, expenditures and unnecessary stresses. Once the family’s finances improve, the student may continue to study further for the degree.

The nation:

A lot of countries like China and Japan have progressed significantly as their people are trained and skilled in technical courses. We can do the same. We have millions of degree holders who are jobless. Why not focus on short courses and produce skilled/competent individuals at a much lesser educational investment and become productive citizens? Also, the foreign remittances of these nurses to their families in the Philippines definitely help in the country’s economy as it will augment its U.S. dollar reserves.

12. CAN BSN GRADUATES, WHO DID NOT PASS THE NURSING BOARD EXAMS BE ACCREDITED AS PNS?

Yes and No. It all depends on which US state/country they would apply for eligibility. Other countries have different requirements, too. Each Board of Nursing is autonomous and has its own set of policies and regulations.

In general, however, BSN graduates are over qualified as PNs. In the Philippines, we encourage BSN graduates to enroll in Kennedy Global’s refresher course and NCLEX-PN review program where they will be trained to successfully pass the U.S. National Commission on Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses. Upon compliance with the above KGS’s program, they will be issued a Certificate of Completion as having passed the PN requirements .

13. WHY SHOULD I ENROLL IN KENNEDY GLOBAL’S PRACTICAL NURSING PROGRAM?

• U.S.- Adapted 1-Year Curriculum;
• Maintains clinical affiliations in Metro Manila and nearby cities;
• Competent management & educators;
• Excellent academic instructions & clinical exposures;
• Small group instruction in practicum and lab settings;
• Emphasis on developing competence and confidence with caring and experienced faculty direction;
• Affordable tuition fees;
• Unlimited use of on-line course reference;
• Personalized and close monitoring of all students’ educational progress;
• Continuous updates on the current nursing trends and issues for global competence;
• Free assistance in the Application for Eligibility to take the US NCLEX-PN;
• 97% NCLEX-PN passing rate;
• Accommodating Staff