Practical Nursing Application Procedure

Practical Nursing Application Process and Selection Guidelines

Important Note: Due to the closure of EFSC because of Hurricane Idalia, students who have applied by the Sept. 1st deadline will have an extension on completing their admission requirements until 11:59 PM on Monday, Sept. 11th. We know some applicants have had their TEAS and/or TABE tests rescheduled due to the closure. If your new test date is an issue, please contact a Health Sciences advisor.

Thank you for your interest in the Practical Nursing Program, a twelve (12) month clock-hour Career and Technical Certificate (CTC) program which prepares students to become a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). The deadline to apply is every September 1 and the program begins in January. Classes are held on the Melbourne Campus. All application materials must be emailed to the Nursing and Health Sciences Admissions and Advising office (healthscience@easternflorida.edu) by the September 1 deadline.

Admission requirements are subject to change for compliance with accreditation standards. Review the information below and check with a health science advisor for any admission updates.

Selection Guidelines

Please use the following checklist and information to guide your application. Specific steps for the application process are explained in the accordion below these guidelines.

TEAS Requirement:  All applicants must take the current version of the TEAS (Test of Essential Academic Skills) test. Required TEAS scores must be a minimum of 69% in Reading. Students may take the TEAS three times per academic year. However, students may only take the TEAS once a year at an EFSC testing center. Students may take other attempts at other institutions or via a remote option. The highest score will be used. Scores for the TEAS are good for two years. View EFSC's TEAS page for details about on-campus and remote test registration.

GPA Recommendation: For those with existing college-level credit, applicants are recommended to have at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA by the application deadline. For the College GPA to be considered, at least 12 credit hours of college courses must be completed with 4 credits of those credits in science (with lab). Students are responsible for providing the Health Sciences and Nursing Admissions and Advising office with copies of their unofficial transcripts from all colleges attended, including EFSC. Faxed transcripts will not be accepted.

TABE Requirement - Must be satisfied by ONE of the following three criteria:

1. Submit the required TABE scores: TABE (Test for Adult Basic Education - 11/12 Level A) is required by Career and Technical Education (CTE) as an exit exam to graduate from Vocational programs. The required score to obtain for graduation is 11th grade level in all three sections – Reading, Language and Mathematics. Per Florida Statute, enrolled students must complete TABE testing by the sixth week of class so EFSC recommends completing the TABE before admission to the Practical Nursing program. Applicants obtaining scores lower than the required minimum should follow EFSC's TABE Remediation Process to improve their test scores before program completion. NOTE: The TABE test can be taken only ONCE every 6 months. TABE scores are good for two years. The EFSC Assessment Centers on the Cocoa and Melbourne campuses are now offering on-campus testing for the TABE.

2. Submit a qualifying TABE Exemption form: Review the EFSC TABE Exemption process and if you qualify, work with the testing center staff or advisor to obtain the required exemption form. Students must provide a copy of their TABE exemption form by the application deadline.

3. Provide proof of qualifying Degree completion: Students who have already earned an A.A. degree, or higher, will be exempt from the TABE test. Applicants must provide a copy of the diploma, degree and/or transcript to confirm the degree earned. Obtaining a TABE exemption form, that confirms the earned degree, can also be used, and must be provided by the deadline.

Recommended: It is recommended that Practical Nursing applicants meet with a Health Science advisor during the semester that they are applying.

Experiential Standards

Special consideration will be given to any applicant who has earned any of the following:

1. Completion of a previous healthcare program from an accredited institution
2. Healthcare work experience
3. Military service (2 years or more)
4. Completion of an AA or AS degree in any field
5. Completion of a Bachelor’s Degree in any field
6. Completion of a Master’s Degree in any field

Attributes

As part of the application process, you get to tell us about yourself, your motivations for a nursing career, and your interests in EFSC as your selected institution of higher learning. Complete the following and submit as part of the application packet described in the Application accordion below:

1. Personal writing essay: This essay is a writing sample illustrating your communication and writing skills, and motivation for entering the profession of nursing. Please tell us why you want to be a nurse in 250-500 words. This is your personal statement.

2. Recommendation Letters: Please submit 1-3 recommendation letters pertinent to academic and/or healthcare experience. Letters of Recommendation must be signed.

3. Co-Curriculars/Honors/Awards/Accolades: Please share your participation in extracurricular activities, community involvement, honors and/or awards and/or leadership roles.

4. Certifications/Credentials/Work Experience/Life Experience

5. Complete five (5) short questions with answers that address the following:

1. Working with people from different backgrounds or cultures can be complex. Can you tell us about a time when you were challenged to adapt to people from different backgrounds or cultures from your own? What did you do to resolve the situation?
2. Provide us with five (5) adjectives describing your strengths and five (5) adjectives describing your weaknesses.
3. Identify five essential character traits you believe are needed in nursing.
4. Describe any community service, leadership experience, and/or healthcare experience you believe will contribute to your success in nursing school and career in nursing.
5. Obtaining a college degree requires persistence and the ability to stay focused on the end result. Share with us a long-term goal that you had, the steps/process you took to obtain that goal, and how you overcame any obstacles that you encountered. This goal could be academic, personal, or extracurricular in nature.

Accepted Student Requirements

Please note that applicants should be prepared to meet these requirements. After receiving acceptance into the Practical Nursing Program, students must complete the following as full acceptance will not be finalized until these requirements are met. Information on documenting the first two items will be in the acceptance packet.:
1. Complete Level II criminal background check and drug screening
2. Immunizations documented based on the timeline in the acceptance packet
3. EFSC uses healthcare and community sites for clinical hours throughout the program. Students accepted into the program will be responsible for transportation to all class (campus) and clinical sites required by the program.

PN Application Information and Steps

Follow the steps below, guided by the Selection Guidelines shared above. If you have questions, reach out to Health Sciences Advising at 321-433-7575 or healthscience@easternflorida.edu