What is the difference in job duties of each?  What education, certification and or licensure is 

needed for each?  Find out in this short presentation.

We will cover: CNA (Certified/Basic Nursing Assistant) LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) ADN (Associates Degree Nursing – Registered Nurse)

•Provides hands‐on care• Performs routine tasks under the supervision of nursing and medical staff such as:

•Helps patients to eat, dress and bathe•Serves meals, make beds and tidy up rooms•May take temperature, pulse rate, respiration rate or    blood pressure

•Escorts patient to appointments or on walks•Cleans patient’s bed and body

CNA Career Options Include: Nursing homes Hospitals Mental health settings Home health care

CNA (Basic Nurse Assistant)Academic requirements 8 credits Offered twice each semester and once in summer Not eligible for Financial Aid, so need other funding sources No prerequisite courses Must be able to provide Social Security number for Illinois state 

background check Must pass and exam after completion of the program to become a CNA 

(Certified Nurse Assistant) Individuals are eligible to take exam if they

1. Complete BHC’s Basic Nurse Assistant Training class2. Complete the 1st level of BHC’s Associate Degree Nursing program (NURS 

112 and NURS 138)

•Takes vital signs such as temperature, blood pressure, pulse and respiration•Treats wounds, prepare and give injections•Observes patients and report adverse reactions to medications and treatments to physicians•Collects samples from patients for testing,•Feeds patients and record food and fluid intake and output•Assists patients with bathing, dressing, personal hygiene•May help with ICU or post‐operative recovery rooms

LPN Career Options Include: Hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare facilities Nursing homes Private doctor’s offices Public health agencies Home health care services Private duty Temporary help agencies

To become an LPN you must…

Complete Black Hawk College’s Practical Nursing Certificate programSuccessfully pass the NCLEX‐PN (National Council Licensure Exam). 

LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) Fall start program only (apply in February) Take TEAS (Test for Essential Academic Skills) test Pre‐requisites include:

Take Math 080 or test out based on Compass Take Writing requirement (Eng 101 or Comm 100) Take Anatomy and Physiology (either PN 110 or Biol 145)

Recommendations to succeed at TEAS Study – Study guide available at www.atitesting.com Take reading class if recommended on Compass Take Eng 101

•Record patient’s medical histories and symptoms, help perform diagnostic tests and analyze results, operate medical machinery, administer treatment and medications, and help with patient follow‐up and rehabilitation•Teach patients and their families how to manage their illness or injury•May choose to continue on to get a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) to allow for more responsibilities

RN Career Options Include: Hospitals and clinics Nursing homes Private offices and clinics Private and public schools and colleges Government agencies/military Visiting nursing associations

RN (Registered Nurse) To become an RN you must complete our Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) program and successfully pass the NCLEX test.  

The ADN program admits 40 students each fall and spring based on a point ranking system (NOT a wait list!)  Students who earn the highest ranking are selected for admission. Ranking is based on cumulative GPA, Nursing Entrance test, required course grades, and any previous degrees obtained.

See next page for courses

MathMATH 080 (Basic Math Skills – 3 credits)MATH 081 (Basic Algebra – 3 credits)MATH 086 (Fundamentals of Algebra – 5 credits)MATH 091 or 090 (Intermediate Algebra – 3-5 credits)MATH 085 (Plane Geometry – 3 credits)

Prerequisites as determined by Compass

ReadingREA 093 (Academic Reading I – 3 credits)REA 098 (Academic Reading II – 3 credits)

English WritingENG 081 (Writing Fundamentals I – 3 credits)ENG 091 (Writing Fundamentals II – 3 credits)

For Psyc 200 (Human Growth and Development)• SBS 100 if needed based on Compass Reading Score– (Intro to Social

and Behavioral Sciences – 3 credits)• PSYC 101 (Intro to Psychology – 3 credits)

For Biol 146 (Anatomy and Physiology II)• Biol 145 (A or B grade required) Prerequisites include

• *CHEM 110 or 101 (Intro to Chemistry or General Chemistry – 4 credits)• *BIOL 100, 101, or 105 (Intro to Biology, General Human Biology, or

General Biology I – 4 credits)• College level in reading or completion of REA 098• College level writing or completion of Eng 091• Algebra level or Completion of Math 080

• * An Anatomy and Physiology placement test is available. If passed with a 70% a student would be waived out of the CHEM and BIOL requirement for BIOL 145. For more information go to www.bhc.edu/compass.

Prerequisites to Program Requirements

Program RequirementsProgram Requirements

Gen. Eds. (completion increases ranking at time of application) Nursing Courses Nursing Program Level *BIOL 146 (Anatomy Physiology I – 4 credits)

PSYC 200 (Human Growth and Development – 3 credits)

NURS 112 (10 credits)

NURS 138 (1 credit)

LPN Only – take NURS 112P

1

NURS 112P is for LPN transition ENG 101 (English Composition - 3 credits) NURS 122A (5 credits)

NURS 122B (5 credits)

2

*BIOL 261 (Microbiology – 4 credits)

Choose one:

Phil 100 (Logic – 3 credits) OR

Phil 103 (Ethics – 3 credits) OR

Spec 175 (Intercultural Communications – 3 credits) OR

Anth 102 (Cultural Anthropology – 3 credits) OR

Foreign language (Spanish, French or German – 4 credits)

Summer Courses Supplementary NURS courses may be recommended or required at this time (or at other points)

Math Elective – Choose one:

Math 108 (Statistics for Gen. Educ. – 3 credits) OR

Math 110 (Math for Gen. Educ. – 3 credits) OR

Math 112 (College Algebra – 4 credits) OR

Math 116 (Trigonometry – 3 credits) OR

Math 118 (Precalculus – 5 credits)

NURS 216 (10 credits) 3

SOC 101 (Principles of Sociology – 3 credits) NURS 226 (10 credits)

NURS 230 (1 credit)

4

Completion of the Prospective Nursing Student Online Orientation needs to be completed by the time a student applies to the ADN program.  However, students are encouraged to do this earlier.  The Orientation can be found at www.bhc.edu/nursingorientation.  You DO NOT have to have all of the general education requirements done before applying.   “B” or higher is required in both Biol 145 and 146.

•Students need to complete an ADN program application packet. •Applications packets and deadlines are available online at www.bhc.edu/nursing . •Students must complete the Prospective Nursing Student Online Orientation at www.bhc.edu/nursingorientation. Login to myblackhawk is required to access the orientation. •Students must take the Nursing Entrance Exam (TEAS) before application due date.

Spring Admission ‐ Apply by September 15th (Priority Date).  Final application date is end of September.

Fall Admission ‐ Apply by February 15th (Priority Date).Final application date is end of February.

•Students should apply early in the priority filing period. Not all eligible applicants will be admitted regardless of the date of submission of their application. •The student who wishes to enter the Associate Degree Nursing Program must meet requirements based on his or her classification  (i.e. college student, high school, advanced standing). •Preference will be given to Illinois residents. 

•Students must achieve a “B” in BIOL 145 and 146 in order to proceed to the next level in nursing. •GPA must be 2.7 or higher (the higher the better!)•Completion of all prerequisites for required courses with a grade of C or above •Completion of all developmental courses with a grade of C or above •Completion of Nursing entrance exam •Have earned a high school diploma or the equivalent

•Completion of the Prospective Nursing Student Online Orientation is required by the semester you apply.  However, prospective students are also encouraged complete it earlier.  The orientation can be accessed at www.bhc.edu/nursingorientation.  MyBlackhawk login will be required to access the orientation.

All students who apply must Complete  steps to enroll at Black Hawk College. www.bhc.edu/registrationchecklist

Complete the Pre‐Admission Test Complete the ADN Program Application for Admission at www.bhc.edu/nursing

Submit all of their documentation (all transcripts ‐including BHC ‐ and Compass scores).  

Complete Prospective Nursing Online Orientation at www.bhc.edu/nursingorientation. Login to myblackhawkis required to access the orientation.

Are you interested in pursuing one of these degrees or certificates?

Visit www.bhc.edu/nursing for more information

Complete the steps to enroll at BHC.  Go to www.bhc.edu/registrationchecklist for the steps.

You can also contact an advisor at 309‐796‐5100 or ADVQC@bhc.edu for more information.