Practical Nursing is a one-year certificate program designed to prepare individuals to assume the roles and responsibilities of the practical nurse. Consult a KCC advisor or the “Information on Health Career Programs” handout for program entry requirements. Upon successful completion of the program, the individual is eligible to apply to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses.
Program eligibility standards apply; consult a KCC advisor.
Students in health career programs are advised to consult the Code of Campus Affairs and Regulations, section 11.4. This regulation concerns completion of all courses in health career curricula being completed with a grade of C or better.
Each student in this program must have a physical exam, criminal background check without any disqualifying convictions, a negative drug screen, and current CPR certification from the American Heart Association (BLS for Healthcare Provider) or American Red Cross (Professional Rescuer: adult, child & infant or AED).
The curriculum of record for students applying to, but not yet accepted into, competitive entry health careers programs will be the Associate in General Studies.
The practical nursing certificate program at Kankakee Community College located in Kankakee, Illinois, is accredited by the: Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400 Atlanta, GA 30326
(404) 975-5000
The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the practical nursing certificate program is: Continuing Accreditation.
View the public information disclosed by the ACEN regarding this program at https://www.acenursing.org/acen-programs-05202024/kankakee-community-college-d29c2.
The Practical Nursing program at Kankakee Community College meets the state education requirements for a practical nursing license in the state of Illinois. KCC has not determined if the practical nursing program at KCC meets the state education requirements in any other state, any U.S. Territory, or the District of Columbia. The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) has resources that may be helpful.
The following achievement data is provided to demonstrate the preparedness of KCC's Practical Nursing graduates:
- NCLEX-PN pass rate: 91% (2020), 73% (2021), 86% (2022), 100% (2023), 100% (2024)
- Program completion average: 68% (2020), 44% (2021), 56% (2022), 77% (2023), Pending (2024)
- Current job placement: 100% (2020), 100% (2021), 100% (2022), 100% (2023), 100% (2024)
DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Students
The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Students is designed to remind students, even on the hardest days in nursing school, why you want to be a nurse. By recognizing nursing students for the above-and-beyond care and compassion shown to patients and their families, we celebrate what it truly means to be a nurse. We honor the nurse-patient connection that makes all the difference to patients and their families in their healthcare experience and that makes great nurses truly great.
KCC is proud to be a DAISY Award Partner, recognizing one of our Student Nurses with this special honor at pinning ceremonies in May, July and December each year. Each DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Students Honoree will be recognized at a public ceremony in her/his school and will receive: a beautiful certificate, a DAISY Award pin, and a hand-carved stone sculpture entitled A Healer’s Touch.
DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nursing Students Nomination
Contact
If you have any questions, please contact:
Kim Brands, BSN, RN
Nursing professor
815-802-8806 or kbrands@kcc.edu
Mary Kyrouac, MSN, RN
Nursing professor
815-802-8818 or mkyrouac@kcc.edu
About The DAISY Foundation
An acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System, The DAISY Foundation was established in 1999 in memory of J. Patrick Barnes who died (at the age of 33) from complications of the auto-immune disease Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP). Patrick’s family was very touched by the remarkable compassion and clinical skill demonstrated by Patrick’s nurses during his illness, so they created DAISY to recognize exceptional nurses everywhere. The DAISY Foundation is dedicated to saying Thank You to Nurses and is now proud to recognize Nursing Students for their care of patients and their families.
Learn more about The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses and The DAISY Award for Extraordinary Faculty at DAISYfoundation.org.
- Examine practices within the definition of a Licensed Practical Nurse as contained in the Nurse Practice Act.
- Implement effective verbal, nonverbal, and written communication with clients, families and health care team members.
- Utilize the nursing process to deliver safe and effective care to clients throughout the life span.
- Relate evidenced-based research findings to nursing care and clinical decision making.
- Organize a caring, person-centered environment where client choices related to cultural values, beliefs, and lifestyle are respected.
- Demonstrate effective utilization of resources to meet client needs.
Health Careers Requirements - Consult this information for steps to apply and enroll in a health program, deadlines, eligibility worksheets, and essential physical capabilities and functions.
General education courses
Courses listed in the General Education requirements section can be completed prior to program acceptance.
Program-specific courses
General education
The biology course(s) must be completed prior to PNUR 1140.
Fall semester
Spring semester
Summer term
Learn more about this program: Practical Nursing, Advanced Certificate