Practical Nursing Programs

Upon successful completion of the program the student will:

1. Apply the nursing process to the care of culturally diverse clients who have common, well-defined health care needs throughout the lifespan.

2. Use therapeutic communication in all interactions with clients, groups of clients, and members of the interdisciplinary team.

3. Apply principles from the physical, biological and social sciences and nursing theory in the provision of competent nursing care.

4. Manage the nursing care of individuals with common, well-defined health care needs in structured settings in accordance with ethical, legal and professional standards.

5. Implement goal-oriented education plans to promote the health of individual clients or groups of clients.

Students are expected to meet attendance and evidence of health and immunization requirements and maintain a course average of 78%, current certification in Basic Life Support of Health Care Providers, Health Insurance Coverage, and Student Nurse Liability Insurance.

Candidates for admission to the practical nursing program are required to:

1. Take a Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) exam Version 7 administered at Tri-County. The following minimum individual scores must be attained.
   

   Reading 64.3%	Math 46.7%
   Science 35.4%	English 56.7%

   Upon passing the TEAS Test applicants will complete and submit an application form along with a non-refundable $25.00 application fee.

   Preferred method of payment is a bank/certified check or money order, made payable to: Tri-County RVTHS

2. Copy of your driver’s license (front & back)
3. Proof of age of 18.
4. Students must have access to a laptop or desktop computers, access to internet and a printer.
5. Provide three references. References are to be professional: either current or former supervisor, employer, or instructor.
6. Provide satisfactory evidence of high school graduation or its equivalent. Home School certificate and evidence homeschool education meets state law requirements. No photocopies will be accepted.

   For students that attended high school outside of the United States, please provide the department your actual certificate and your high school transcript must be by the CED. No photocopies will be accepted.

   Center for Educational Documentation (CED)
   PO Box 170116
   Boston, MA 02117
   Tel: (617) 338.7171
   http://www.cedevaluations.com

   Candidates are responsible for all fees and expenses associated with the translation of their transcripts.

   www.cedevaluations.com/evaluation_process.html

7. Mail completed applications to:
   Tri-County RVTHS
   147 Pond Street
   Franklin, Ma 02038
   Attn: Practical Nursing program
8. After your completed application is received you will be invited in for an interview to meet with the Director of Practical Nursing and you will be asked to write a handwritten essay, on a given topic, assigned by the Director.
9. Applications will also be reviewed by the Admissions Committee.
10. In-district tuition is applicable to the Day program ONLY for residents in the following towns:

Franklin	Medfield	Medway	Millis
Norfolk	Plainville	Seekonk	Walpole
Wrentham	Sherborn	North Attleboro

In order to qualify for In-district tuition, the following documents must have current In-District address within the past 3 months and must be presented to the department.

Valid Massachusetts Driver’s License & Signed Lease Agreement, Mortgage Statement OR most recent Employment Paystub

11. Enrollment in the program is dependent upon the submission of all required documents, fees and Health and Immunization Requirements by August 31.
12. Applicants must submit to a Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) release at Orientation. Enrollment in the program will be dependent upon the CORI results.

    Health Record Management and Tracking Service
    The Tri-County Practical Nursing Program requires all enrolled students to utilize the health record management and tracking service, Pre-check, for all required health documents. Pre-Check is affiliated with Sentry MD, which does the actual record tracking. The cost to the student for this service is $29.50 one year program and $35.00 for two-year program.
    All enrolled students must also utilize Pre-Check for their mandatory 10-panel drug screening. The cost to the student is $42.00/annually. Students will have a wide variety of collection sites available that will provide easy access for drug screening.

    Please note that students will not be eligible to enter the program without the required immunizations and health documents.

    Additional required documentation will be detailed upon acceptance into the program

As part of the pre-admission process for the Tri-County Practical Nursing Program, applicants must take the TEAS Exam, Test of Essential Academic Skills, as entrance exam for the Practical Nursing Program.

Pre-Admission Exam Scores:
Reading- 64.3%         
Math – 46.7%
Science – 35.4%
English- 56.7%

TEAS Exam Preparation

To prepare for the Practical Nursing entrance exam (TEAS exam), students are able to purchase the “ATI 7th Edition Student Test Prep Guide” online.

TEAS Testing Dates 

Day and Evening program beginning September 2023.

January 28, 2023, 8:15 am – 1:30 pm Register Here                          
March 4, 2023, 8:15 am – 1:30 pm Register Here

**Registrations for any of the testing dates are taken on a first-come, first served basis.  Payment is required at time of registration.  Walk-in registrations on the day of the exam will NOT be accepted.

To download the TEAS Test Information Sheet click here (PDF)

Click on PDF to download the TEAS Pre-Entrance Testing Registration Form and information for the 2022-2023 Practical Nursing Program (PDF)

Students must meet all health requirements of the program by providing (upon Acceptance) the following documents by August 31.

1. Proof of Physical Exam within 6 months of the program start date

2. Proof of Immunizations according to the DPH (Department of Public Health):

Hepatitis B vaccine (3 doses are mandatory and evidence of immunity)
MMR vaccine and evidence of immunity
Tdap 
Negative TB testing (2 step)
Varicella vaccine & evidence of immunity

3. Seasonal Flu Shot

4. Proof of current CPR (Basic Life Support for Healthcare Provider and AED) Certification, America Heart Association or the American Red Cross and must be maintained throughout the entire program

5. Proof of current Health Insurance throughout the entire program

6. Proof of Liability Insurance Policy for student nurse.  (nso.com to purchase insurance)

Students entering the practical nursing program must be able to meet the technical standards required of practical nursing students and must be able to demonstrate the ability to:

1. Read and comprehend textbook material at a minimum of the 11th grade level.
2. Communicate and assimilate information whether spoken, printed, signed or computer voice format in fluent English.
3. Gather, analyze and draw conclusions from data.
4. Stand for a minimum of two (2) hours.
5. Walk for a minimum of six (6) hours, not necessarily consecutively.
6. Stoop, bend and twist for a minimum of thirty (30) minutes at a time and be able to repeat this activity at frequent intervals.
7. Lift 40-pounds or assist with transfer of a person.
8. Determine by touch: hot/cold, wet/dry, hard/soft.
9. Use the small muscle dexterity necessary to perform precision psychomotor skills.
10. Maintain hearing sufficient to respond to spoken words, monitor signals, call bells and vital sign assessment equipment.
11. Identify behaviors that would endanger a person’s life or safety and intervene quickly in a crisis situation with an appropriate solution.
12. Remain calm, rational, and decisive and in control at all times, especially during emergency situations.
13. Exhibit interpersonal skills appropriate to professional interactions.
14. Maintain cleanliness and personal grooming consistent with close personal contact.
15. Function without causing harm to self or others while performing nursing care.
16. Maintain vision sufficient for the performance of precision skills and be able to discern color, for example, cyanosis, pallor, jaundice and color changes.
17. Demonstrate emotional stability.
18. Be free of communicable diseases.

*Technical standards must be met with or without accommodations.

Day & Evening Program (2023-2024)**
Application Fee (non-refundable) $25

IN-DISTRICT TOWNS ARE AS FOLLOWS:

*In-district tuition is applicable to the day program only for resident in the following towns: Franklin, Medfield, Medway, Millis, Norfolk, North Attleboro, Plainville, Seekonk, Walpole, Wrentham, and Sherborn.

*To qualify for in-district or in-state tuition, proof of residency will be confirmed with two of the following: valid Massachusett’s driver’s license, signed lease agreement or mortgage statement or a current employment pay stub. Driver’s address on license must be the same as on the pay stub or lease agreement or mortgage statement. Upon acceptance a $500.00 registration fee is required to hold applicant’s seat. This fee shall be applied to the cost of tuition.

When class commences, In-District & Out of District Tuition cannot be changed.

The student fee includes the cost of ATI on-line testing package, laboratory kit and graduation expenses. (Graduation attire not included.)

** Tuition for all Tri-County Postsecondary programs is subject to change for the upcoming school year.

There is a $20 fee for any returned checks.

PREFFERED METHODS OF PAYMENT:
Bank/Certified check or Money Order payable to Tri-County RVTHS.
There will be a 3% fee for all credit card transactions

Mailing address is:
Tri-County RVTHS
147 Pond Street
Franklin, MA 02038
ATTN: Postsecondary Education

Once accepted into the program, to secure enrollment, all students must pay a $500 deposit fee. Please make payments payable to: Tri-County RVTHS

Students incur additional expenses for items such as, uniforms, books, supplies, equipment, NCLEX test fee, license, and optional NCLEX review. Living and transportation expenses related to school attendance or clinical rotation are the responsibility of each student.

The list below outlines the most common additional student expenses that are not covered by the tuition and fees and is meant to serve as an estimate only.

Textbooks $ 1,100
School Uniforms $200
Student Nurse Liability Insurance $40
Health Record Management Service Fee $29.50-$35
Drug Testing fee $42.00/annually
Graduation uniform $50-$100
EHR Tutor (Electronic Medical Record) $65
CED (translation of foreign H.S transcripts, if necessary) $90
Clinical parking fees (approx.) $50
NCLEX-PN exam fee $200
Nurse License Application $230

This payment program is available only to students enrolled in either practical nursing program.

Tri-County has contracted FACTS to offer our postsecondary practical nursing students a payment plan option to help make tuition payment a little less stressful for themselves and their families. This payment plan offers two different monthly payment options — either automatic withdrawal from a bank account or automatic payment through a credit card. (Please note that there is an additional convenience fee charge for each credit card payment.) Students have the option of paying their tuition balance in full or of spreading the payments over either nine or ten months. Completing a simple online form is all it takes to enroll in this plan. There is a one-time $50 non-refundable enrollment fee for this service, and no additional interest is charged or fees assessed if payments are received on time. For more information about the FACTS Payment Plan at Tri-County please visit our Postsecondary Programs Page and look under “Additional Information”

Please note that students who have not paid the entire tuition balance on or before the first day of class must enroll in the FACTS program to set up a payment plan.

FACTS PAYMENT PLAN:
A monthly payment plan is available to students. A $50.00 registration fee is required. Monthly payments for the balance of tuition will be made by the 15th of each month. Late payment fees apply. If paying with a credit card, there is an additional 3% fee.

How to set up a Payment Plan:
www.tri-county.us

• Select – Adult Education
• Select – Post-Secondary Programs
• Select – FACTS Payment Plan information
• Select – Follow this link to enroll or monitor your account

Enrollment for the Payment Plan begins August 1. Please complete by August 25.

Federal Financial Aid for practical nursing students is available to qualifying students through the Federal Financial Aid System. Federal Financial Aid is not available for Nursing Assistant. Currently, the only Financial Aid funds available for students attending Tri-County are PELL Grants. Student loans through the Federal Financial Aid System are not available for programs at Tri-County.

Students enrolled or planning to enroll in either the full-time day or evening practical nursing program can find out if they qualify by filling out a FAFSA form which can be done at http://www.fafsa.gov/. It is necessary to enter Tri-County’s school code, which is 041220 to have pertinent information automatically forwarded to us.

For more information about Federal Financial Aid, visit: http://fafsa.gov

For more information about Financial Aid at Tri-County please visit our Postsecondary Education Page and look under “Additional Information”

FINANCIAL AID:
Pell Grant is the ONLY form of Financial Aid that Tri-County accepts. We encourage every student to apply although not all students will receive a grant. Application is made through FAFSA.gov using Tri-County’s school code of 041220. Eligibility is determined by FAFSA on each individual’s information. (Please do not confuse Pell Grants with Federal Financial Aid Loans). Pell Grants are awarded usually only to students who have not earned a Bachelor’s or professional degree. Tri-County does not accept any kind of Federal Loan. Priority deadline for filing your FAFSA is July 1.

ACCEPTED STUDENTS:
If you have any questions completing your FAFSA, please contact Director of Adult Education,
Bob Foley 508-528-5400 x: 119 foleyr@tri-county.us

Refunds are processed upon receipt of a written notice of withdrawal. Refunds are processed automatically, using the date that the written withdrawal notice is received, the amount of the refund is determined as follows:

• 100% of fee minus $100 withdrawal fee on or before the first day of classes
• 60% of fee minus $100 withdrawal fee before the end of the first week of classes
• 40% of fee minus $100 withdrawal fee on or before the end of the 2nd week of classes
• No refund will be given after the second week of classes

If the school, for any reason cancels the program, all fees and tuition shall be returned.

Practical Nurse 10-Month Program Gainful Employment Disclosure 2019 Click here for the PDF
Practical Nurse 20 Month Program Gainful Employment Disclosure 2019 Click here for the PDF

Office Hours:
Monday – Friday 8:00am-4:00pm

Kristen Valorie-Postsecondary Administration
Phone: 508-528-5400 x: 117 fax: 508-528-3698
email: valorie@tri-county.us

Patricia Munger-Director, Practical Nursing
Phone: 508-528-5400 x143 fax: 508-528-3698
email: munger@tri-county.us