NTI: Personal Support Worker to Practical Nursing Bridge

Overview

This pathway program is open to any Personal Support Worker (PSW) in Ontario who would like to enrol in a Practical Nursing (PN) program that will prepare them to qualify as Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) in Ontario. The courses are designed to offer flexible study options for working PSWs for core components of the pathway to Practical Nursing programs offered at Ontario’s public colleges. All courses are online through the OntarioLearn’s Nursing Transformation-PSW to PN Pathway program.

Students who successfully complete each of the pathway courses with a minimum passing grade of 60% (*80% in Math for Practical Nurses) are eligible to apply through the Ontario Colleges’ Application Service (OCAS) for direct admission into Semester Two of a PN Diploma Program at a public college in Ontario. Graduates of approved PN programs are eligible to apply to the College of Nurses of Ontario to write the registration exam to practice in Ontario as an RPN.

Admission Requirements

The PSW to PN bridge courses are available to PSWs who:

• Have Canadian citizenship or Canadian permanent resident status or appropriate authorization under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada) that permits an individual to engage in the practice of nursing in Ontario.
• Graduated with a 65 percent cumulative average from a PSW program in Ontario that meets the Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities program standards (includes PSW programs offered by the public colleges, private career colleges, and school boards in Ontario
• AND have worked as a PSW in Ontario within the past five years on at least a part-time or casual basis.

Program Admission

Students are required to complete and submit this form to indicate that the program's admission requirements have been met and upload their official transcripts.

You must complete the application form, provide required documentation, and receive an Admission Acceptance Letter before you can register for courses in this program.

STEP 1: Complete the Application form

STEP 2: Email the following required documentation to ConEd@flemingcollege.ca

Note, if you do not meet these criteria and are interested in exploring options for becoming a Practical Nurse, please visit Fleming’s Practical Nursing program page.

Next Steps:

The Fleming College Practical Nursing (PSW-PN bridge) is for Students who successfully complete each of the PSW to PN bridge courses with the minimum grades listed in the Admission Requirements.

Successful candidates will be granted advanced standing into semester 2 of the Fleming College Practical Nursing (PNII) program.

Please Note: Completion of the Bridging Program does not guarantee entrance into the Practical Nursing Program. There will be a minimum of one semester between your completion of the bridging program and consideration of your application into the second semester of the Practical Nursing Program.

Will I Need To Be Online At A Specific Time?

Our courses are flexible and while each course will have a schedule to follow, coursework may be completed at any time within the week.

Funding

PSWs enrolled in the PSW to PN bridge may be eligible for tuition reimbursement through the Bridging Educational Grant in Nursing (BEGIN) program offered by the Registered Practical Nurses Association, also known as WeRPN.

BEGIN provides Ontario PSWs and RPNs with tuition reimbursement grants to explore new pathways in nursing and expand their careers. Visit the WeRPN BEGIN Student Toolkit for eligibility and program details. For more information visit begin.werpn.com or email info@begin.werpn.com

NTI: PSW To PN Bridge Courses

The PSW to PN bridge consists of seven courses and are offered online, with monthly intakes, are asynchronous. Students are not required to take all courses simultaneously.

• NTI: Anatomy & Physiology (NRSG272)
• NTI: Nursing Theory Bridge (NRSG273)
• NTI: Nursing Professionalism (NRSG274)
• NTI: Math Foundations for Nurses (NRSG295)
• NTI: Math for Practical Nurses (NRSG275)
  NRSG295 is a required pre-requisite for this course
• NTI: Health Assessment (NRSG276)
• NTI: Transition to Practical Nursing (NRSG277)

Courses in NTI: Personal Support Worker to Practical Nursing Bridge

Details and registration below

PSW to PN Bridge Online

• NTI: Anatomy & Physiology (NRSG272)
• NTI: Nursing Theory Bridge (NRSG273)
• NTI: Nursing Professionalism (NRSG274)
• NTI: Math Foundations for Nurses (NRSG295)
• NTI: Math for Practical Nurses (NRSG275)
• NTI: Health Assessment (NRSG276)
• NTI: Transition to Practical Nursing (NRSG277)

PSW to PN Bridge Online

NTI: Anatomy & Physiology

NRSG272

This course supports an understanding of how the integrity of the human body, in the biological sense, influences health. The content focuses on the anatomical structure and physiological function of all body systems. Throughout the course the learner will examine how the body systems individually and collectively contribute to the maintenance of homeostasis, and thus optimal health of the overall system.

NTI: Nursing Theory Bridge

NRSG273

In this course, you will identify nursing concepts and theories optimal for nursing care. You will explain the nursing metaparadigm and theoretical principles of nursing science. You will apply the nursing process to identify and plan holistic (client-centred) nursing care for clients with a variety of health conditions, with consideration to health promotion, health education, and the determinants of health. You will identify dimensions of human needs with an emphasis on the significance of self-responsibility, cultural diversity, and individuality.

NTI: Nursing Professionalism

NRSG274

In this course, you will discover the role and evolution of the professional practical nurse. You will explore concepts of professionalism. You will describe legal and ethical standards by using practice standards and guidelines from the College of Nurses of Ontario to gain insight into professional roles and responsibilities. You will apply theoretical models of learning that support critical thinking while interacting with clients and that use specific strategies, such as learning, teaching, facilitating, and promoting change.

NTI: Math Foundations for Nurses

NRSG295

In this course, you will be building foundational mathematical knowledge necessary for clinical nursing practice. These crucial mathematical concepts and calculations are essential to providing safe and competent care to patients. The focus of this course is understanding how to perform the mathematical operations necessary in clinical practice using practical application and repetition. Students will practice foundational mathematical operations including decimals, fractions, ratios, and percentages; effectively perform unit conversions, and understand introductory medication administration concepts. These fundamental skills will be built upon further in NRSG275."

NTI: Math for Practical Nurses

NRSG275

In this course students will demonstrate proficiency in mathematical calculations as they apply to the nursing clinical practice setting. Students will examine principles of medication administration, Medical Terminology and Abbreviations; Understanding Medication Orders and Analyzing Labels; Dosage Calculation; Safety and Practice; Oral Medications; Parenteral Medications; Reconstitution of Medication to Solutions; Intravenous Solutions and Equipment; Intravenous Calculations; Heparin and Insulin; Pediatrics. Pre-requisite of NRSG295 is required.

NTI: Health Assessment

NRSG276

This course will develop your foundational understanding and skill of a normal health assessment and physical examination of the healthy adult client. You will explore common abnormal findings in physical examination and develop knowledge and skill related to holistic, inclusive, and culturally safe health assessment and physical examination approach. You will demonstrate, document, and communicate a complete holistic and comprehensive head to toe assessment of the healthy adult client. This course includes theoretical and virtual lab components.

NTI: Transition to Practical Nursing

NRSG277

In this course, you will examine the transition in role from Personal Support Worker (PSW) to Registered Practical Nurse (RPN). This course will include a simulation bootcamp to assist in the identification of the transition in scope from PSW to RPN. Throughout the theory in this course, you will examine from various lenses the change in role from PSW to RPN. This will include an examination of scope of practice, nursing process, communication and documentation as well as critical thinking, decision-making and clinical judgment. Through the identification of your current scope you will be able to clearly see the transition required in your continued studies to become an RPN.