Westfield High – Practical Nursing Cohort

Mar 2026 · 2nd Semester

This newly revised and Board of Nursing approved program will run as a 15- month uninterrupted cohort. This cohort will run designated weeks of summer immediately following end of junior year, every other day for 5 hours (B days) during senior year and will continue through the summer immediately following HS graduation. Practical Nursing offers preclinical nursing instruction and includes nursing education in communication, anatomy and physiology, medical math, anatomy and physiology, and introduction to pharmacology. Competency-based instruction provides students with the skills needed to provide basic bedside nursing care used for hospitalized, nursing home, and homebound patients. Following successful completion of Practical Nursing 1 and 2, students may continue in the post-secondary clinical level end of senior year through the summer immediately after graduation. Classes are held at the Plum Center for Lifelong Learning while community healthcare agencies serve as sites for the practical application of the learned competencies. Students must purchase uniforms and liability insurance and meet current health agency requirements to participate in clinical experiences. Students successfully completing the post-secondary course are eligible to sit for the Virginia Practical Nursing Licensing Exam (NCLEX-PN) provided they have a Social Security Number or a control number issued by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles as required by the Virginia Board of Nursing.