Practical Nurse Diploma

Get the Real-World Skills to Become a Practical Nurse in British Columbia

Becoming a Practical Nurse is a rewarding and inspiring career path, ideal for individuals who thrive in fast-paced environments, enjoy working with people and are interested in a career that contributes to the comfort and well-being of others. The Practical Nurse Training Program is offered in: Campbell River and Nanaimo. The Provincial Practical Nursing Program (PPNP) is designed to provide learners with the knowledge, skills, judgments, and attitudes to perform to the full range of competencies as identified by the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of British Columbia (CLPNBC). Upon successful completion of the program, learners will possess the competencies to successfully complete the Canadian Practical Nurse Registration Exam (CPNRE). After passing the Canadian Practical Nurse Registration Exam, graduates of this program find themselves highly employable in one of the fastest-growing areas in the health care system. This program has been reviewed and approved by the registrar of the Private Training Institutions Branch (PTIB) of the Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills & Training.

Practical On-the-Job Training

The philosophy of this Practical Nursing Training Program is based on Discovery Community College’s commitment to hands-on training and to graduating work-ready students. By immersing students in a real-life working environment, our programs better prepare you for the transition from classroom to workplace. Upon successful completion of this program, you’ll possess the knowledge, skills, behaviors, and sound clinical judgments that will enable you to be successful in a variety of medical settings.

Rising Demand for Practical Nurses in Canada

Our growing and aging population is creating a rising demand for all types of qualified Health Care professionals and Practical Nurses are in particularly high demand. In fact, the Government of Canada projects that “the number of job seekers in this occupation will not be sufficient to fill all the job openings over the 2009-2018 period”. That means that over the coming years in this country there will be more Practical Nursing jobs available than there are trained professionals to fill them. That’s good news for individuals getting started in this rewarding field. According to a Working in Canada report, Practical Nurses on Vancouver Island earn an average of $24.72 per hour.