Mercer County Vocational - Technical Center

Nursing Programs Offered

LPN Program Details

The Practical Nursing Program is structured to prepare the adult student for a career as a practical nurse, with a position in the health care field assisting the registered nurse, physician, or licensed dentist. The curriculum is divided into units of study proceeding from the simple to the complex, including theory and clinical practice.

We, the faculty of the school of Practical Nursing, feel the philosophy of our program is consistent with the overall philosophy of the Mercer County Technical Education Center. Our philosophy is based upon our beliefs regarding humanity, environment, education, health, nursing and the role of practical nurse in health care.

We believe in a holistic approach in the practice of nursing and that each individual is unique and has innate value. Humans are social beings influenced by heredity, culture, and life experiences that contribute to their growth and development.

We acknowledge that the primary purpose of nursing is to provide quality care throughout the life continuum. The practical nurse has a definite role in the hierarchy of nursing, meeting health care needs under the supervision of the registered professional nurse or physician.

Our program is designed to provide learning experiences structured to proceed from the simple to the complex in a variety of settings. We believe education is a continuous process that increases cognitive and psychomotor skills while under the supervision of qualified instructors.

The teaching-learning process is a method for the acquisition of knowledge and skills. The student assumes an active role as the learner under the guidance of the instructor, who facilitates the learning process in the classroom and clinical settings. As educators of future practical nurses our aim is to build a program that enables students to be self-directed and goal oriented while enhancing their abilities to achieve career and educational objectives.

An atmosphere conductive to learning is necessary for each student to achieve his or her potential. We strive to maintain a harmonious environment for students and faculty. An attitude of professionalism is fostered to reflect in appearance, communication, skills, confidentiality, and to uphold the standards of nursing practice for the practical nurse.

We believe the nursing process, as a problem solving method, provides high quality patient care through an organized sequence of steps while practicing within the legal scope of practical nursing for the entry-level practical nurse.

The student is taught to respect the right of patients with different values, cultures, nationalities, life styles, and to demonstrate legal accountability and ethical conduct in working with patients and their families.

Those who complete this class will have a strong theoretical foundation as well as competent clinical skills and will be eligible for the NCLEX examination for licensure.

In order to maintain continuing competence, students are encouraged to further their education after graduation by enrolling in college programs and to stay current in their field through continuing education subjects, independent study, and self-study.

We encourage the student to become involved in community services before and after graduation as a means of sharing with others the knowledge and skills they have gained through our program.