At what time of year could I start the Practical Nursing program?
The program accepts students to start in both September and January of each year.
At what campus is the program offered?
The program is offered at the Mohawk-McMaster Institute for Applied Health Sciences, on the grounds of McMaster University in Hamilton as well as at Six Nations Polytechnic, in collaboration with Six Nations Polytechnic.Are there any additional costs, above books and supplies, for which I need to plan?
Yes. You need to pay for pre-clinical placement clearance costs such as hepatitis injections, CPR training, facial mask fitting and police clearances. The need for these costs will be reviewed with you when you attend a pre-placement visit, a process which will be outlined with you when you accept an offer of admission. All pre-placement preparation must be completed prior to your first clinical experience, the week after classes’ start, so it is important that you begin this pre-placement clearance process as soon as you receive your information package.
What are the admission requirements for the Practical Nursing program?
- Grade 12 English, C or U
- Grade 11 or 12 Math, C or U (M or U recommended)
- Two Grade 11 or 12 sciences (Biology, Chemistry or Physics), C or U
- Note: The admission requirements for science can be:
- Two Grade 11 sciences OR
- Two Grade 12 sciences OR
- One Grade 11 and One Grade 12 science
Will I have classes during the summer months?
The program is a four semester program, which is offered over 16 calendar months. Students, who enter the program either in the September or January intakes, will complete Semesters 2 or three of their program over the spring/summer months.Students are expected to go to school over the Spring/Summer term to complete this program within 16 months. This is not an option, but part of the delivery cycle of this program. If you opt out of the program during any semester, you may be advised back into the academic cycle when the next required semester is offered, based on space availability for classroom or clinical courses. You may have to sit out if there is no spot available when you want to return to full time studies.
Do you offer the Practical Nursing program on a part-time basis or by distance education?
At this time, the program is offered full-time only. We do NOT offer the NURSING courses by distance education. However, some of the non-nursing courses can be taken by distance education. Please review the Program of Studies for non-nursing courses required. Then consult the Mohawk College Continuing Education catalogue for distance education offerings.
What is the teaching methodology in the Practical Nursing program?
Collaborative learning is the teaching methodology used in the nursing courses. Students are responsible for their own learning and for contributing to the learning of their peers using small and large group formats. The faculty member provides structure and acts as a facilitator in classroom activities and provides feedback to students as they learn to apply the content in class. Collaborative learning is used to help students apply their knowledge, so it is imperative that students have their homework or pre-learning completed prior to class so they can participate in small group activities and in-class discussions.
When do clinical placements begin in the program and where are the clinical placements?
Clinical placements begin usually in the third week of the first semester, and continue weekly with one 6 hour clinical shift for the duration of this semester. During Semesters 2 and 3 clinical placements begin in week 1 of the semester with one 12 hour shift per week, until the end of the term.In the first 7 weeks of semester 4 the students will complete 40 hours of service learning arranged by the program. In semester 4 "pro-grad" 280 hours of clinical is completed over 7 weeks. Clinical placements will occur in a variety of health care agencies including throughout Ontario.Your clinical placement can be scheduled any day of the week. Most institutions have 12 hour shifts starting at 7:00 a.m. but start times depends on the agency. Students do not have a choice of clinical sites, and need to be able to get to their assigned clinical placement independently. Some placements are difficult to reach by bus so private transportation may be required.
Does the College provide transportation to the clinical areas?
No. It is the student’s responsibility to provide their own clinical transportation and assume the cost of parking. Students are not guaranteed a clinical spot of choice, or a local agency, so must be prepared to travel to their assigned spot to complete their clinical course.
Am I eligible for a student rate when using the Hamilton bus system (HSR)?
Yes. Students attending the Mohawk-McMaster Institute are eligible for a U-PASS. There is no additional cost for a U-PASS as this has been included in your tuition fees and it covers unlimited travel on the Hamilton bus system for8 months. However, in spring/summer, you may be required to pay for an HSR bus pass.
How many hours of homework might I expect to do in the Practical Nursing program?
You can expect to spend the same number of hours doing homework as you spend in class, eg. 18 hours of class time per week would mean a minimum of 18 hours of homework each week. You could lighten your workload by taking some of the non-nursing courses prior to starting the program; however, this estimate is only an approximate time. It is essential that students come to class having reviewed the material identified prior to class, in order to benefit from the applied learning activities in the classroom.
Is CPR certification required prior to starting the Practical Nursing program?
Yes. Students must have current C.P.R. Health Care Provider (BLS-C) Heart & Stroke certification upon entry into the program. This will be reviewed when you receive information about pre-placement clearance requirements, that must be completed prior to attending a clinical agency or beginning your clinical experience.
Where do I go to take a CPR (Level C) course, once I am accepted into the program?
Mohawk College Continuing Education, St. John’s Ambulance, YMCA, and most municipal recreation departments offer these courses. All expenses related to CPR certification must be covered by the applicant.
How does the Mohawk Practical Nursing program compare to programs offered by other post-secondary institutions?
This Mohawk College program is unique in the following areas:
- Facilities:
- Enjoy Mohawk’s campus on the grounds of McMaster University adjacent to the McMaster University Medical Centre.
- State-of-the-art Learning Resource Centre (nursing lab) with a mini-hospital and clinically simulated rooms.
- Simulation equipment; low and high-fidelity mannequins
- State-of-the-art Clinical Practice Collaboratory
- Faculty:
- Clinically experienced faculty.
- Nursing professors teach both classroom theory and lab classes as well as applied clinical courses.
- RN and RPN Nurse Technologists to assist with clinical skills
- Feedback from Graduates:
- Wide variety of hands-on experience.
- 1:1 supportive student-faculty relationships.
- Co-operative learning with an adult education focus helps me apply the information needed for the role...
How do I find out if any previous courses I have taken qualify me for admission to the Practical Nursing program?
You should attend one of the College Information Sessions held at both the Fennell campus in Hamilton and at the Brantford campus. For dates and times, please check the College Website.
Can I receive any credit for courses taken in the Practical Nursing program should I wish to apply to the BScN program?
Yes. Upon successful completion of the Practical Nursing Diploma program, you may apply to the Post Diploma RPN to BScN Program (E) Stream at Mohawk College. You will receive 30 Units of credit for your Practical Nursing program. For more information, click on Post Diploma RPN to BScN from the nursing home page.
How do I apply to the Post Diploma RPN to BScN Program (E) Stream?
This program is offered by Mohawk College, in collaboration with McMaster University. For this collaborative program, students apply to Ontario College Application Services at the Ontario Colleges Website.
How can I arrange a tour of the Mohawk-McMaster Institute?
To arrange a tour, please contact the Student Engagement Office at: 905-575-1212 ext. 6710, or book a tour online.
Can I transfer from a Practical Nursing program at another college to this program?
Unfortunately, we are not able to support transfer of students from other programs into our Nursing programs. All Nursing programs have similar objectives, however the challenge is that every program is delivered differently and as a result we are not able to grant transfers.
Students who wish to complete our program must follow the admission process by applying to the program, and then apply for exemptions if/when they are accepted.