SUNY Niagara’s Practical Nursing certificate program is committed to the education of practical nurses and the promotion of wellness in the community. The Practical Nursing program offers clinical experiences at hospitals, health care facilities, and community agencies in Niagara, Orleans, and Erie counties to provide students with important clinical experiences in all areas of health care. Graduates of the program are eligible to take the National Council License Examination (NCLEX-PN) for Practical Nurses through the State Education Department.
The mission of the practical nursing program at SUNY Niagara is to educate individuals who will provide safe, patient-centered nursing care in today’s diverse healthcare environment, while demonstrating caring behaviors, utilizing critical thinking, maintaining professional integrity. Graduates of the practical nursing program are eligible to start their nursing career upon completion of the licensing exam in a variety of settings or continue on to an AAS in nursing.
Visit the Nursing Information Center.
Program Goals and Objectives
- Be employed in a position for which the program prepared them and express satisfaction with the program.
- Students are expected to complete the program in four semesters, including Fall, Spring and two Summer sessions.
- The graduates will be reported by the New York State Education Department to have passed the NCLEX-PN licensure exam at a rate equal to or exceeding the national and New York State mean.
Professional Licensure Disclosure
Effective July 1, 2024, federal regulation requires institutions of higher education to make a determination whether a Title IV eligible academic program that leads to professional licensure or certification meets the educational requirements for licensure/certification in the U.S. State where the institution is located and the U.S. States where “distance education” students are located at the time of initial enrollment in the program, as well as U.S. States where the program is advertised as meeting such requirements, and if applicable, the U.S. State where students attest they intend to be licensed/certified.
The Practical Nursing Certificate program at SUNY Niagara is registered by the New York State Education Department and thus meets the educational requirements for licensure/certification for New York State.
Through a good faith effort, and for the purpose of complying with the federal regulation, we have determined that Practical Nursing Certificate program at SUNY Niagara, if successfully completed, is sufficient to meet the educational requirements for licensure/certification in the following U.S. States:
New York – https://www.registerednursing.org/nclex/
It is important to note that SUNY Niagara is not the licensure/certification authority in these U.S. States and cannot assess whether an individual candidate will be issued a license/certificate in these U.S. States and instead it is incumbent on each individual candidate to contact the licensure/certification authority in the applicable U.S. State for any further guidance on the requirements for licensure/certification requirements and application processes.
Employment Statistics
According to the most recent Employment and Continuing Education survey of 2017 graduates responding, 90% are employed.
Student Achievement Data
NCLEX-PN pass rate for August 2024 graduates is 100%
The completion rate for the 2022 -2024 (150% of time) cohort is 62%
The completion rate for the 2023-2024 (100% of time) cohort is 37%