Clarion County Career Center Nursing Program Review

Founded in 1976, the Clarion County Career Center (CCCC) was created for the purpose of providing high quality career preparation and technical education to Clarion County area high school students. The instruction at this center, provided to adults as well as high schoolers, is intended to prepare the students for entry level employment in various fields as well as for furthered study at colleges and universities.

Nursing Program

The Practical Nursing program at Clarion County Career Center is offered to post-secondary education students wishing to seek employment in the fast-paced and stable field of nursing. Nursing is a rapidly-growing professional field that gives people the opportunity to nurture and care for patients in a wide variety of settings. At the CCCC, students are rigorously prepared to enter the workforce

Practical Nursing Program

Practical nurses are among the most-desired professions in the medical field. As the need for these professionals increases so does the demand for excellence. The CCCC prepares students to compete in this challenging world.

How Long Does the Nursing Program Take?

The Practical Nursing Program at the Clarion County Career Center is offered as either a full time or part time course of study. The full time program takes one calendar year and begins each year in September. The part time program takes two years and begins every other year in November. Students electing to study part time are able to continue working and fulfilling family obligations while also pursuing their education. This makes this program an ideal choice for adults looking for a career change or advancement.

Admission Requirements

In order to gain admission into the Practical Nursing program at CCCC, applicants must submit a completed application and pass evaluation examinations as well as pass criminal and background checks. As moral character is important to the function of a nurse, there are certain criminal offenses that will prohibit an applicant from taking part in the nursing program. These offenses include murder, assault, child abuse, drug use and other physical and moral offenses. Interested applicants seeking advanced placement must successfully show competence in clinical and nursing knowledge through testing and clinical evaluations. These students will be able to complete the program of study more quickly.

Course Progression

The Practical Nursing Program is designed to introduce core and specialized information in a combination of classroom and hands-on clinical experience formats. Taught in three levels, the program builds upon itself to progressively introduce more difficult materials as the students move toward graduation. At completion of this program students will be prepared to enter the nursing work force and provide basic bedside care to a variety of patients.

Level I

Level I of the Practical Nursing Program lays the foundation for the skills and principles taught during the rest of the program. Students will take Introduction to Nursing, a course that outlines the basic elements of a nursing career. Through this course students will learn to evaluate one’s life and surroundings in such a way that they will learn to “think like a nurse” in a critical manner. Students will also learn the basics of communication skills essential for being an effective nurse.

Students will also take Nursing Principles and Practice, a course that begins teaching both theoretical and clinical components of nursing. During this course students will be introduced to a variety of cultural issues that influence the practice and effect of nursing, especially as is applicable to the life cycle.

 A general education course, Basic Science will reiterate fundamentals of scientific thought regarding such topics as anatomy and physiology. Finally, the important concerns related to nursing a patient being given drug therapy will be addressed in the course Nursing Considerations for Drug Therapy.

Level II

Throughout Level II of the Practical Nursing learning experience, students will focus on specialized forms of nursing. The Childbearing Experience is a course that goes beyond just the basic information of nursing a pregnant woman, or one that has just given birth. Rather, this course discusses the various concerns of a woman prior to pregnancy, during pregnancy, during childbirth and immediately after. Care for the new baby is also discussed, as is the importance of the family role, especially motherhood and fatherhood, in the entire experience of childbearing.

The course Child-Adolescent Nursing builds on the principles taught for caring for a newborn and applies it to the growing needs of young children and adolescents. This includes nutritional, emotional and psychosocial needs, as well as approaching treatment methods such as drug therapy. The clinical aspect of this course will include witnessing the operation of various agencies that serve such patients.

Adult Nursing I is a course devoted to the concerns of the young adult. This course focuses not just on the physical health and monitoring of the patients but the psychosocial, psychological and sociological issues impacting young adults today. This course offers a strong clinical element as well as critical think exercises in applying acquired skills to true life situations such as dietary adjustments and evaluating conflicting treatment elements.

Level III

The final level of the Practical Nursing program completes the learning of the human lifecycle and prepares the student for the realities of a career in nursing. Adult Nursing II approaches the particular nursing needs of the middle aged adult, whereas Adult Nursing III speaks to the needs of the older adult, including concerns regarding end of life. Adult Nursing III in particular focuses on the inclusion of the significant other in the treatment planning and implementation process.

Leadership and Trends in Practical Nursing is a course that explores issues related to the contemporary concerns facing nurses such as ethics, responsibility and communication. During this course students will also prepare extensively for state licensing with practice exams and extensive laboratory and clinical experiences.

Successful completion of the Practical Nursing program at the Clarion County Career Center will give graduates the opportunity to seek immediate employment as an entry level nurse working under the supervision of a Registered Nurse as well as physicians and other medical professionals. This basis of education can also prepare students for furthered education and more advanced career opportunities.

Contact:
Clarion County Career Center
490 Career Lane,
Shippenville, PA 16254