Practical Nurse Diploma - Internationally Educated Nurses at Bow valley

Program Description

The Practical Nurse Diploma - Internationally Educated Nurses emphasizes hands-on learning and prepares graduates to be work ready while providing high-quality nursing care. This program offers learners recognition of prior learning and professional practice while updating your knowledge and skills to meet the current College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta (CLPNA) practice standards and licensure requirements.

This advanced standing program is delivered in-class, blended, and online during the daytime and/or evenings at our downtown Calgary campus. Knowledge and experience are gained through learning theory, lab setting, and a variety of care facilities throughout the program.

Applicants must have prior international Registered Nurse (RN) licensure.

After Graduation

When you graduate, you’ll be eligible to become licensed with the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta if you pass the Canadian Practical Nurse Registration Exam.

There are many opportunities for continued studies after your graduate. A few of these are:

• Athabasca University – Post-LPN Bachelor of Nursing Degree Program
• Thompson Rivers University Open Learning Division – Bachelor of Health Science (57 credits) and Bachelor of General Studies (60 credits)
• University of Calgary – graduates of two-year Bow Valley College diploma programs will be awarded up to five full course junior open options
• University of Lethbridge – Post-Diploma Bachelor of Health Sciences – Public Health 

Advanced Standing

Based on their prior nursing experience, all admitted learners will be granted Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) for the following five courses:

• NURS1401: Clinical 1 - Foundational
• NURS1202: Nursing Foundations 1
• NURS2501: Maternity Nursing
• NURS2502: Pediatric Nursing 
• PSYC1201: Human Growth and Development Across the Lifespan

Mandatory Courses

Learners will proceed through the program as a cohort, completing the remaining courses in three terms. See "Course Listing" below. Courses will be delivered on a compressed timeline. All courses will have the full materials available online, but in-class time will be reduced as it is expected that learners will have ample grounding in the material because of their prior licensures and experience.