Practical Nursing

In partnership with the NWA community, NWTI provides nursing education to meet the educational needs of students seeking licensure from the Arkansas State Board of Nursing. Practical nurses perform bedside nursing skills, interact with patients and their families, administer medications, and function as team members and charge nurses. Practical nurses work in hospitals, long-term care facilities, clinics, outpatient centers, and home health care settings.

The program’s mission is to educate and prepare practical nurses to deliver ethical, professional, competent, and evidence-based health care to individuals, families, and communities and to promote an appreciation for continuous lifelong learning. The Practical Nursing program is approved by the Arkansas State Board of Nursing, the Arkansas State Department of Career Education, and the Council on Occupational Education. Credits for this program are based on minimum requirements established by the Arkansas State Board of Nursing; more actual clock hours of theory or lab may be required by the program.

NWTI’s Practical Nursing Program graduates are in high demand in the NWA community. PN graduates may also qualify to enroll in the Associate Degree Nursing program at NWACC or the Bachelor Degree of Nursing program at the University of Arkansas.

Hospitals in agreement to provide practical experience for the student nurse include Northwest Medical Center – Benton County (Bentonville), Northwest Medical Center – Washington County (Springdale), Washington Regional Medical Center (Fayetteville), Ozark Community Hospital (Gravette) and NW Mercy Medical Center (Rogers). NWTI and the PN program strive to provide the highest standard of education to ensure quality nursing care in the community. Nursing skills and nursing theory are best mastered by a combination of study and concurrent clinical experience.

The following documents are required for admission into the Licensed Practical Nursing Program:

• Completed Application for Enrollment
• $10.00 Application Fee
• Official transcripts of high school credit and graduation and/or GED scores, and official transcripts of previous post-secondary education
• Next Generation Accuplacer® exam scores (taken within the last three years) of at least 240 in Arithmetic and 250 in Reading Comprehension. A $10.00 fee is assessed before taking the Accuplacer® exam at NWTI.
• Two employment references
• Immunization records
• Autobiography
• Arkansas State Board of Nursing background check

Priority at registration for nursing courses is given to applicants according to file completion, interview scores, and entrance testing scores. Additional points are added for holding a CNA certificate and for completing college credits for Medical Terminology, Nutrition, and Anatomy & Physiology. Alternates may or may not be selected depending on acceptable scores. Admission requires an admission physical examination, admission drug screen, and background check.

Classes meet Monday through Thursday, 7:00am – 4:30pm, and the Licensed Practical Nursing program may have clinical hours from 6am to 7pm any day of the week; students will be aware of their clinical hours upon class scheduling. The program runs two semesters and one summer term, with a fall start.

The suggested schedule places Fundamentals of Client Care, Fundamentals of Medication Administration, Foundations Nursing Concepts I and II and Medical Surgical Concepts I in Semester I; Medical Surgical Concepts II, IV Therapy & Pharmacology, Maternal-Child Nursing, Mental Health Nursing and Advanced Nursing in Semester II; and Nursing Transition in the summer.

Application dates. Applications are accepted February 1 – May 31 for the fall start; applications for fall 2027 open February 1, 2027.

Estimated cost. The estimated cost of the program, including in-state tuition, fees, books, supplies and uniforms, is $9,029.

Tuition. For 2026-2027, diploma-program tuition is $85.00 per credit hour in-state and $90.00 per credit hour out-of-state. Fees include a $10.00 application fee, and per-semester administrative ($75), facilities ($75), student support ($170) and technology ($140) fees for full-time students. Practical Nursing also carries a $20.00 per credit hour nursing program fee, an Elsevier 360 fee of $1,162 in fall and in spring, lab fees of $150 (fall and spring) and $100 (summer), a $30 insurance fee, a $45 drug screen fee and a $135 program graduation fee.

Financial aid. The Financial Aid Office administers Title IV funding, the Pell Grant, as well as state aid programs; federal aid may cover school expenses, including tuition and fees, books, and supplies. To determine financial need, complete the FAFSA — NWTI’s school code is 014044. The Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, does not have to be paid back. NWTI chooses not to take part in the Federal Direct Loan program; students interested in an alternative loan can apply for the Sallie Mae Smart Option Student Loan® for Career Training.

Paying your bill. Payments are due the first day of class each semester, but NWTI allows students up to the census date (11th day of class in fall and spring, 5th day in summer) to pay or arrange payment. In extenuating circumstances, a Tuition Installment Plan may be granted for fall and spring, with a 25% down payment. Arkansas citizens aged 60 or older are exempt from tuition for credit courses.

Refunds. Diploma tuition is refunded 100% before the first class meeting, 75% during the first week, 50% during the second week, and not after the second week.

Upon successful completion of the Practical Nursing program, the student is eligible to graduate from NWTI and apply for licensure with the Arkansas State Board of Nursing. Practical nurses work in hospitals, long-term care facilities, clinics, outpatient centers, and home health care settings, and NWTI’s PN graduates are in high demand in the NWA community.

Licensed practical nurses provide a vital service and function under the direction of a registered nurse or a licensed physician in a variety of settings, and may assume a leadership role in delegating assignments to a healthcare team. Completion of the practical nursing program does not guarantee eligibility for licensure by the State of Arkansas. Persons convicted of certain crimes may not be eligible to take the NCLEX-PN according to Act 1312 of 2010.

Theory and clinical activities are taught so that graduates can apply basic nursing skills, critical thinking and scientific principles; use the nursing process; demonstrate safe nursing practice and professionalism in the clinical area; communicate effectively with clients, families and all health care providers; and practise appropriate leadership and delegation skills. Basic communication skills, cultural sensitivity and respect for ethnic diversity are integrated throughout the program.

Course progression. Students must maintain an 80% grade average in each course. If a course grade is still below 80% after it is finalized, the student will be terminated. Students failing any course requirement in fall, spring or summer must restart the program from the fall semester and repeat each nursing course with a passing grade of 80%, with exceptions at the discretion of the Vice President of Instruction and the Nursing Chairperson.

Attendance. Regular attendance is necessary for satisfactory progress; attendance policies are published in the nursing handbook and in each course syllabus. Transfer credit from other approved academic facilities may be approved after evaluation of official transcripts, before registration.