Diploma of Practical Nursing
DURATION
63 Weeks
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2025
TUITION FEES
CAD 42,107 *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* for international costs | Canadian costs: CAD 10,106.22
Introduction
Practical nurses in Ontario play an integral role in the healthcare sector administering some medications, performing medical procedures, and promoting healthy lifestyle choices to patients, families, and caregivers. Suppose you’re excited about the opportunity to begin an in-demand career built on respect and a highly specialized set of skills. In that case, Fanshawe’s Practical Nursing program will move you closer to your dream.
Your Learning Experience
You’ll begin by studying anatomy, nutrition, pharmacology, and the nuances of strong interpersonal skills with patients, families, colleagues, and community members. You’ll learn to work as autonomous and collaborative partners with clients and other healthcare providers and effectively within the practical nurses’ professional role and scope of practice. The curriculum continues to evolve in response to current nursing and healthcare evidence and trends. You'll also study theory in the classroom, practice your nursing skills in our simulation labs, and get plenty of hands-on clinical practice in acute, community, and long-term care settings, under the guidance of a qualified supervisor.
With clinical practice and simulations integrated throughout the curriculum, Fanshawe’s Practical Nursing diploma program gives students the skills and knowledge to succeed. You’ll be qualified to write the Canadian Practical Nurse Registration Examination when you graduate. If successful, you’ll become eligible for registration with the College of Nurses of Ontario as a Registered Practical Nurse (RPN).
Fanshawe’s RPN program is an accredited five-level, 63-week diploma program focused on educating graduates to work with individuals, families, groups, and entire communities in a variety of settings.
This program is offered part-time and full-time at more than one campus for your convenience. Learn more about the programs and services of Fanshawe’s campuses in London (London Campus) and Woodstock.
Due to the academic and clinical rigor required in the Practical Nursing program, applicants applying directly to this program from secondary school are encouraged to consider applying to the Pre-Health Sciences Pathway to Advanced Diplomas and Degrees program. The Pre-Health Sciences Pathway to Advanced Diplomas and Degrees program is an excellent preparatory program for those considering a career as a healthcare professional.
Eligibility for registration in Ontario, in any regulated health discipline, requires the candidate to provide information regarding any criminal offence or physical/mental condition that may affect practice.
CIP Code: 51.3901
Admissions
Curriculum
Level 1
Take all of the following Mandatory Courses:
- Anatomy & Physiology 1
- Math for Medications
- Health & Transitions 1
- Laboratory Practice 1
- Professional Nursing Practice 1
- Personal & Working Relationship
- Reason & Writing 1 for Health Sciences
- Self & Others
Level 2
Take all of the following Mandatory Courses:
- Anatomy & Physiology 2
- Professional Nursing Practice 2
- Nutrition for Life
- Laboratory Practice 2
- Health & Transitions 2
- Pharmacology
Level 3
Take all of the following Mandatory Courses:
- Healing & Episodic Health Challenges 1
- Professional Nursing Practice 3
- Health Promotion
Level 4
Gen Ed - Take a 3-credit General Education elective course.
Take the following Mandatory Courses:
- Professional Nursing Practice 4
- Nursing Issues
- Healing & Episodic Health Challenges 2
Level 5
Take the following Mandatory Courses:
- Professional Practice 5
Program Outcome
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
- Communicate therapeutically with clients and members of the health care team.
- Assess clients across the life span, systematically and holistically.
- Plan safe and competent nursing care, based upon a thorough analysis of available data and evidence-informed practice guidelines.
- Select and perform nursing interventions using clinical judgment, in collaboration with the client and, where appropriate, the health care team, that promote health and well-being, prevent disease and injury, maintain and/or restore health, promote rehabilitation, and/or provide palliation.
- Evaluate the outcomes resulting from all interventions in the nurse-client interaction and modify the plan of care as required.
- Act equitably and justly with clients and members of the health care team.
- Adapt to a variety of healthcare settings, using different leadership skills and styles as appropriate to each setting.
- Contribute to creating a healthy and safe work environment in a variety of healthcare settings.
- Practice in a self-regulated, professional, and ethical manner, complying with relevant legislation and with the standards of both the regulatory body and the practice setting to provide safe and competent client care.
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
Graduates of Fanshawe’s Practical Nursing program have the communication and problem-solving skills needed to feel confident in pursuing careers in a variety of settings, including hospitals, nursing homes, long-term care agencies, schools, clinics, private homes, community service agencies, and rehabilitation centers.
Did you know Fanshawe consistently ranks high in graduation employment rates among large colleges in Ontario?
Here are some examples of career opportunities for graduates of Fanshawe’s Practical Nursing program:
School Nurse
A motivated and caring individual providing direct care to students.
Registered Practical Nurse
Contribute to patient care in a wide variety of hospital departments, including surgical care, mental health, emergency room, etc.
Community Care
Assess, plan, implement, and provide personal and nursing care – including delivering oral, subcutaneous, and intramuscular medications – for clients in the comfort of their own homes.