Course Descriptions

Professional Curriculum Information

MDM101 - Mathematics for Medication - This course explores modes of administration and dosage calculations. The student will prepare for safe administration of medication in the practice setting. Topics studied will focus on the implications for, and application to, the role of the Registered Practical Nurse.

PNA100 - Anatomy and Physiology for the Practical Nurse – This course is the study of normal anatomy and physiology. Study includes organization of the body, the cell, tissue, organs and four of the major body systems. An introduction to microbiology is included.

PNC121 - Practical Nursing Clinical – Preparation – This course allows the student to prepare for clinical practice through applied theoretical concepts. Students will engage in learning opportunities to promote professional identity and behaviour as a member of the multidisciplinary health care team. The student will rehearse thinking like a nurse, which promotes the nursing process and developing care plans, communication skills, guidelines for documentation, as well as organizing, evaluating and engaging in activities that are essential to the care of the individuals and their families. Students will investigate the practice concepts of connectedness, competency, health and healing, professionalism, and critical thinking in addition to understanding evidence-informed practice.

PNH101 - Healing Practices for the Practical Nurse – The course provides the foundation for understanding the well client from infant to older adult. PNH101 begins with concepts of health and illness in the context of social determinants of health and outlines the major components of health for each stage of growth and development. Emphasis will be on anticipated transitions, health promotion and relevant nursing considerations. Recognition of diversity in regards to age, gender, race and culture are given.

PNL110 - Practical Nursing Skills Lab – This course gives the student the opportunity to apply theoretical concepts and practice skills that maintain and promote health and healing. Students will demonstrate a safe level of performance in the lab before implementing the skills in nursing practice settings. Attendance on campus for lab is mandatory.

PNR100 - Role Development for the Practical Nurse – This subject is an introduction to Practical Nursing as a profession. Students will examine professional behaviour in themselves and in others including the roles and responsibilities of the practical nurse. Additionally, students learn about the history of nursing, the Canadian Healthcare System, legislation as it relates to nursing, the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) and the professional organizations that influence nursing practice. The multidisciplinary healthcare team and culture with an emphasis on nursing care is studied as well.

COM101- Communicating Across Contexts – This course introduces students to the core concepts of communication. Students will cultivate an awareness of these concepts by analyzing how they are used in a variety of texts and contexts, and they will apply these concepts strategically in their own writing. Through a variety of writing tasks centred on these core concepts of communication, students will develop the transferrable reading and writing skills essential for success in their post-secondary studies, workplaces, and communities.

PSY100 - Introduction to Psychology - The discipline of psychology is the study of human behaviour. It is concerned with the observation behaviour of an individual and its relationship to unseen mental and physical processes, as well as of external events. Introduction to Psychology will provide a framework within which the student can begin to explore the human personality.

PNA200 - Anatomy and Physiology for the Practical Nurse - This course continues with the study of normal anatomy and physiology begun in PNA100. Additional body systems will be studied.

PNC220 - Practical Nursing Clinical - Students will apply theoretical concepts in a nursing practice setting. Working with health care professionals and clients they will make a positive contribution to the health and healing of individuals and families by providing holistic nursing care. Students will work in Long-term-care or Alternate Level of Care settings for a twelve-week period, 10 hours per week. Variations in the schedule may be necessary. Students will consider resources in the community and Health Care Agency. Under the direction of the Seneca College Clinical Supervisor, students will collaborate with agency staff, the patients/residents and their families to promote health and provide safe and effective nursing care.

PNE203 - Health Assessment for the Practical Nurse - This course is designed to assist the Practical Nursing student in performing a complete physical and health assessment across the lifespan. The course focuses on learning physical assessment techniques using a systems approach, skills on interviewing techniques and collection of subjective and objective data. Students will consolidate assessment theory in the classroom and practice holistic nursing assessment in the skills lab.

PNH201 - Healing Practices for the Practical Nurse – This course explores the nursing practices and interventions that support health and enhance healing for clients and families experiencing various health challenges. A specific focus is placed on the topics of maternal newborn health and child health challenges.

PNL210 - Practical Nursing Skills Lab - This subject is a continuation of PNL110. Students will continue to apply theoretical concepts and practice skills that maintain and promote health and healing. Students will have the opportunity to practice a variety of nursing skills and work towards clinical mastery.

PNC320 - Practical Nursing Clinical - Students will continue to apply theoretical concepts in a nursing practice setting. Students will be assigned to work in healthcare agencies on a variety of healthcare units. They will work with health care professionals while making a positive contribution to the health of individuals and families. The emphasis of the third semester clinical will be on medication administration, nursing care plans, developing an understanding of community resources and patient/family health teaching. Students will be in the clinical setting for a twelve-week period, 12 hours per week.

PNH 301 - Healing Practices for the Practical Nurse - This course continues from PNH201. The focus will be on practices that support health and enhance healing for clients and families experiencing various health challenges.

PNM300 - Practical Nursing Pharmacology - This course builds on knowledge from previous courses, such as math, skills lab, anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology to develop an understanding of the therapeutic and adverse effects of drugs on the body. The course examines pharmacological concepts and nursing practices required to safely care for clients in need of pharmacological treatments. General principles of pharmacology, drug actions at the physiological level, common drug classifications, pharmacotherapeutics, and principles of medication preparation and administration related to the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) competencies are studied. Topics studied will focus on the implications for, and application to, the role of the Registered Practical Nurse in medication administration.

PNR300 - Role Development for the Practical Nurse - The student will study nursing concepts and the legal, moral and ethical issue identified in health care, which impacts scope of practice, patient safety and outcomes as well as the collaborative roles of healthcare teams assisting to address ethical dilemmas. This course will help students to examine and communicate their own belief and ethical values that are important in providing care. Students will explore strategies to help address ethical conflict and moral distress that they may encounter in practice setting. They will develop an understanding of the therapeutic nurse-client relationship ethical framework, ethical responsibilities, and the legal rights of patients receiving care (for example, safe, compassionate, competent and ethical care, values, advocacy, decision making, and accountability).

PNP301 - Pathophysiology for Practical Nurses - This course will be an introduction to human disease and will focus on the fundamental principles of homeostatic mechanisms. The student will explore how alterations in homeostatic mechanisms will disrupt the integrity of human function. Overall, the mechanisms of disease will be studied in a systems format and will be considered for the effect that they produce on the structure and function of the body. Common diseases will be used to illustrate the biological concepts of pathology.

PNC420 - Practical Nursing Clinical - Clinical placement provides the necessary learning environment for students to apply their theoretical knowledge and skills to client care situations. Students will prepare for their placement setting by accessing a variety of resources and interacting with the clinical supervisor, health care team and peers. Students will research client related information and prepare to integrate the 5 practice concepts studied independently, and in related nursing and general education courses. Students who do not complete the necessary independent study or do not prepare for the nursing care required will be considered unprepared for the clinical experience. For safety reasons, the clinical supervisor may prohibit this student from providing client care and may require the student to leave the clinical area.

PNH401 - Healing Practices for the Practical Nurse - This course continues from PNH301. The focus will be on practices that support health and enhance healing for clients and families experiencing various health challenges.

PNR400 - Role Development for the Practical Nurse - This course explores the transition from student to health care professional with an emphasis on leadership competencies, teamwork, legislation, the organization of health care, and career planning. Topics studied will focus on the implications for, and application to, the role of the Registered Practical Nurse and their scope of practice.

PNP401 - Pathophysiology for the Practical Nurse - Students will build on PNP301 and continue the study of human disease. The mechanisms of disease will be studied by body systems. The processes will be related to a variety of common diseases. Overall, the mechanisms of disease will be studied in a systems format and will be considered for the effect that they produce on the structure and function of the body. Common diseases will be used to illustrate the biological concepts of pathology.

PNC520 - Practical Nursing Clinical Consolidation - All professional and general education subject requirements must be complete prior to beginning PNC520. Students will enter into their final consolidation practicum an intensive and demanding clinical practice course. Under the guidance and mentoring of a preceptor that is a registered practical nurse, the student will collaborate to develop and refine their clinical practice skills and meet the learning outcomes of this course. The student shares the preceptor's full-time clinical practice schedule. Hours and days of the week will vary and may include day, evening or night shifts and weekends. Clinical practice hours do not include course orientation on campus. The student is required to complete 400 supervised clinical hours. During this time, he/she/they will strive to gradually assume the full workload of an RPN at that clinical agency.

General Education Courses

Students must successfully complete at least 3 general education courses. Students must complete 1 general education course from each category. 1 course from Arts & Humanities, 1 course from Sciences & Social Sciences, and 1 course from either category – for a total of 3 general education courses.

1. Sciences & Social Sciences

2. Arts & Humanities

3. Sciences & Social Sciences or Arts & Humanities

*Please note that PSY100 and Communicating Across Contexts (COM101) are not counted towards the three additional general education requirements. *

Many students choose to complete their gen eds during the summer break to reduce the course load during the regular semester. Note that gen ed courses must be complete prior to beginning your final PNC520 consolidation placement. Please contact the Gen Ed Coordinator to discuss specific gen ed course requirements.