Practical Nursing Technical Diploma

If you’d like to learn more about the Practical Nursing program, we’d love to talk with you. We’re here to answer any questions and guide you through our application process step-by-step. Send us your contact information, and we’ll help you get started right away!

Practical Nursing

Program Number: 315431

Your Degree:

Technical Diploma

Area of Study:

Health Sciences

Delivery Method:

100% In Person

Estimated Time to Complete:

33 Credits | Finish diploma in 1.5 years

Financial Aid Available

Estimated Program Cost

$7,191.17

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Financial Aid

Applying for financial aid and scholarships help you pay for your education.

Learn About Paying for College

Program Overview

Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) play an essential role in the healthcare team by providing patients with basic care and comfort. They work under the supervision of doctors and registered nurses (RNs), helping with data collection, contributing to nursing care plans, and reinforcing the teachings RNs or other appropriate healthcare personnel provide to patients.
Practical nursing is an excellent career choice for people who enjoy working with people and caring for individuals with physical or emotional concerns. Successful nursing students must be willing to learn, have effective communication and interpersonal skills, and be interested in healthcare as a career.
Study Practical Nursing in Fort Atkinson or Madison
The Practical Nursing program is available in Fort Atkinson or Madison at the Goodman South campus.
No matter which campus you choose, you will learn the nursing profession’s skills, concepts, and ethics from our expert and supportive nursing faculty members who live and work in the community.
How You’ll Learn
Madison College’s nursing faculty have a wide range of professional backgrounds, so you can learn about nursing specialties ranging from pediatrics to emergency, critical care, mental health, surgical, hospice and more.
You’ll enjoy hands-on learning in our state-of-the-art nursing facilities, which feature fully functioning labs using low-fidelity and simulated patient settings.
Clinicals held at healthcare facilities in the community are integral to our program. You’ll enjoy real-world nursing experiences immediately because our program combines classroom study with lab work and clinicals to teach you concepts and develop your nursing skills.

Nursing students perfect their technique on high-tech medical mannequins before working with live patients in a clinical setting.
Practical Nursing Program Details
Wisconsin law requires background checks for persons who provide care for others or have access to people who receive care. This law applies to students in many School of Nursing programs. Please review information about the caregiver background check on the Health Sciences and Nursing Programs Forms and Policies page.
Practical Nursing Program Outcomes
After completing the Practical Nursing program, graduates may be eligible to sit for the NCLEX-PN exam to become Licensed Practical Nurses and practice as LPNs.
Madison College Practical Nursing Degree 2024 Composite NCLEX Score: 96.77% (ACEN Standard 6)
National Average: 82.38%
Nursing Licensure
Madison College’s nursing programs prepare students to obtain the required licensure to be employed and practice in Wisconsin. However, the college does not guarantee that its curriculum matches other states’ requirements for preparation, examination or licensure. View which states the Practical Nurse program meets licensure or certification on the Professional Licensure and Certification Disclosure webpage
Multi-State Nursing Licensure
Wisconsin participates in an enhanced, multi-state nursing licensure compact as of January 19, 2018. Multi-state nurses meet uniform licensure requirements for all participating states, meaning that nurses with a Wisconsin license may be eligible to practice nursing in other states.
Please refer to the NCSBN website for current information on licensure, employment and practice regulations in other states.
For questions related to the enhanced nurse licensure compact (eNLC), contact the contact the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services at dsps@wi.gov.
Accreditation
The Practical Nursing program is approved as a candidate for initial accreditation by the:
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400, Atlanta, Georgia 30326
404.975.5000 | http://acenursing.org

The Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services also approves the practical nursing program for enrolling students in a nursing program.
Your Credits Allow You to Ladder Up!
Be ready to take your career to the next professional level with Madison College. As an LPN, you may be eligible to advance your educational preparation to become a registered nurse.
Additional Nursing Program Resources
Learn about nursing program essential functional abilities that students enrolled in Madison College’s nursing programs must be able to perform.
Download the School of Nursing Student Handbook (PDF) to learn more about the nursing program’s requirements, policies, procedures and more.

More Nursing Program Options
Madison College’s nursing program offers different pathways to begin or advance your nursing career.
View All Madison College Nursing Programs
Curriculum and Experience
Prospective program students, the information below reflects the basic requirements for students admitted for the 2025-2026 academic year. To learn more about Madison College, visit us.
Current and newly admitted program students, go directly to your Degree Progress Report to view:
- Progress toward your specific requirements
- Alternative (in lieu of) courses to meet specific requirements
If you have questions after reviewing your degree progress report (advisement report), please see Advising Services.
Pre-Program Courses
30-543-300
Nursing Assistant
3 credits
31-543-356
Growth and Development
2 credits
31-501-153
Body Structure & Function
3 credits
10-801-195
Written Communication
3 credits
10-801-196
Oral/Interpersonal Communication
3 credits
First Semester
31-543-301
Nursing Fundamentals
2 credits
31-543-302
Nursing Skills
3 credits
31-543-303
Nursing Pharmacology
2 credits
31-543-304
Nursing: Intro to Clinical Practice
2 credits
Second Semester
31-543-305
Nursing Health Alterations
3 credits
31-543-306
Nursing Health Promotion
3 credits
31-543-307
Nursing: Clinical Care Across the Lifespan
2 credits
31-543-308
Nursing: Intro to Clinical Care Management
2 credits
Admission
To Apply
Students need to complete the petition process to get into core-program classes for this program. Before submitting an application, it’s important to review the Petition Process webpage which also includes estimated wait times for each program.
View the admission requirements for application deadlines, materials, and requirements

There is currently 0-2 semesters between acceptance into pre-program and the start of core classes. The estimated time to enter the core-program is subject to change based on the variable number of students ready to petition each semester.

During the course of the program, you must demonstrate the ability to perform these essential functions safely, reliably and efficiently within the scope of practice. If you need accommodations to help you perform these functions, contact our Disability Resource Services office.

Learn more about the Madison College experience and get help with the admissions process
After Acceptance
Once you have been accepted in a pre-program status, your next step is to complete the Petition Requirements. See the Petition information in the next section.
Additional Notes
Students are required to meet the current admission and petition requirements. Requirements are subject to change based on updates to accreditation requirements or Madison College program assessment data.
Questions?
Contact Enrollment Services at EnrollmentServices@madisoncollege.edu or 608.246.6210.
Get Started!
Apply to Madison College and take the first step towards your Practical Nursing career.
It's Free to Apply
Petition
After Admission (Petition Requirements)
Run a Degree Progress Report to confirm which pre-program requirements are satisfied/not satisfied and specific ways to satisfy requirements.
Complete the Petition Requirements for Practical Nursing. Courses must be completed with a grade of C or better. A grade of C- will not be accepted.
Mandatory workshop in BlackBoard
Prerequisites:
Math (testing, college coursework or bachelor’s degree in a related biological science)
Chemistry or Biology (high school or college coursework)
Course Requirements:
Nursing Assistant (course or Proof of certification as a Nursing Assistant)
English 1 or Written Communication
Body Structure and Function or General Anatomy and Physiology or Anatomy Physiology 2
Human Growth and Development
Oral/Interpersonal Communication or Speech
Testing Requirement: Within four years (2025-2026 applicants = September 1, 2021 to present)
HESI: Cumulative score of 70%+
Due to the customizable nature of HESI, the test must be completed at Madison College

ACT: Composite score of 18+
Petitioning
This program petitions for entry into the following terms:
Fall - Petition window opens on April 1
Spring - Petition window opens on September 1
Review the Petition Process for details on how and when to petition.
After Petitioning
If awarded a seat, you will receive instructions regarding the below required items. If you do not complete the required items, it may result in losing your seat and starting the application process from the beginning. Please view the Health and Nursing Programs Policies for more information.
Healthcare Provider CPR Certification
Health Screening Form
Background Information Disclosure Form (Criminal Background Check). An acceptable background check is required prior to starting clinical courses.
Enrollment in core program courses. Students who are awarded a seat are expected to start the core program courses for the awarded term. Students who choose not to begin the core program courses or are not able to begin core program courses may be discontinued from pre-program status.
Mandatory Nursing Orientation via BlackBoard
Questions?
Contact Enrollment Services at EnrollmentServices@madisoncollege.edu or 608.246.6210.

Career Outcomes

After completing the Practical Nursing program at Madison College, you will be able to:

Integrate Practical Nursing identity reflecting integrity, responsibility and nursing standards.
Communicate basic information using multiple sources in nursing practice.
Utilize theoretical knowledge to participate in decision making.
Apply the nursing process to basic client care across diverse populations.
Function as a healthcare team member to provide safe and effective care.

Graduate Summary

Graduate Report Summary Overview
Count Percents	2022	2023	2024
Number of Program Graduates	13	19	33
Number of Surveys Sent	13	19	33
Number of Surveys Returned	9	15	23
Percent of Surveys Returned
Available for Employment	5	14	16
Percent Available for Employment	55.6%	93.3%	69.6%
Not in Labor Market
Percent Not in Labor Market	44.4%	6.7%	30.4%

Available for Employment
Count Percents	2022	2023	2024
Graduates Employed	5	14	15
Percent of Graduates Employed	100.0%	100.0%	93.8%
Employed in Related Occupation	4	13	13
Percent Employed in Related Occupation	80.0%	92.9%	86.7%
Employed in Unrelated Occupation	1	1	2
Percent Employed in Unrelated Occupation	20.0%	7.1%	13.3%
Employed - No Response	0	0	0
Percent Employed - No Response	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%
Seeking Employment	0	0	1
Percent Seeking Employment	0.0%	0.0%	6.3%

Reaction To Training at Madison College
Count Percents	2022	2023	2024
Student satisfaction Mean (Out of 4)	3.3	3.7	3.1
Number of Satisfaction Responses	9	15	18
Very Satisfied (4)	5	10	9
Percent Very Satisfied	55.6%	66.7%	50.0%
Satisfied (3)	3	5	5
Percent Satisfied	33.3%	33.3%	27.8%
Unsatisfied (2)	0	0	1
Percent Unsatisfied	0.0%	0.0%	5.6%
Very Unsatisfied (1)
Percent Very Unsatisfied	11.1%	0.0%	16.7%

Primary Reason for Attending Madison College
Count Percents	2022	2023	2024
Number of Primary Reason Responses	9	15	23
Preparation for Getting a Job
Percent Preparation for Getting a Job
Career Change
Percent Career Change
Improvement of Existing Skills
Percent Improvement of Existing Skills
Preparation for Further Education
Percent Preparation for Further Education
Personal Interest
Percent Personal Interest
Other
Percent Other	0.0%	0.0%	4.3%

When Employment was Obtained
Count Percents	2022	2023	2024
Number of When Employment Obtained Responses	5	14	15
Before Enrollment	0	2	5
Percent Before Enrollment	0.0%	14.3%	33.3%
While Attending the College	0	3	1
Percent While Attending the College	0.0%	21.4%	6.7%
After Training at the College	5	9	9
Percent After Training at the College	100.0%	64.3%	60.0%

Location of Employment (related and unrelated)
Count Percents	2022	2023	2024
Number of Employment Location Responses	5	14	15
In College District	5	13	9
Percent In College District	100.0%	92.9%	60.0%
In Wisconsin, Not in District	0	1	5
Percent of In Wisconsin	0.0%	7.1%	33.3%
Outside of Wisconsin	0	0	1
Percent Outside Wisconsin	0.0%	0.0%	6.7%
Employer Location Unknown	0	0	0
Percent Location Unknown	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%

Salary Trend
Salary Trend		2022	2023	2024
Full Time Employment (Related Job)	Full Time Salary Count	3	8	9
	Average Monthly Wage	$4,287	$4,002	$4,476
	Average Hourly Wage	$24.92	$23.27	$26.02
	Average Work Hours per Week	38.7	42.3	39.3
Part Time Employment (Related Job)	Part Time Salary Count	1	5	4
	Average Hourly Wage	$25.00	$23.74	$22.97
	Average Work Hours per Week	32.0	30.0	29.5

Graduate Employers

Graduate Employers for academic year: 2024
Employer(s)	Job Title	City*	State**
Aurora Health Care	Licensed Practical Nurse	Grafton
Beloit Health & Rehabilitation Center	Licensed Practical Nurse	Beloit
Brookdale	Health Wellness Coordinator
Capitol Lakes	Licensed Practical Nurse
Children's Hospital of Wisconsin	Licensed Practical Nurse	Milwaukee
Dean Health Systems	Licensed Practical Nurse	Sun Prairie
Internal Medicare & Pediatrics	Licensed Practical Nurse	Fort Atkinson
Monroe Clinic & Hospital	Licensed Practical Nurse	Monroe
SSM Health	Roomer
St Mary's / Dean Ventures	Licensed Practical Nurse	Whitewater
Swedish American Hospital	Medical Assistant	Byron	IL
UW Health Rehabilitation Hospital	Licensed Practical Nurse
Waunakee Valley Senior Center	Licensed Practical Nurse	Waunakee

* - Only cities outside of Madison will display.

** - Only states outside of Wisconsin will display.

*** - If you have a position to post, please contact Career and Employment Services at jobpostings@madisoncollege.edu

Your first step is to apply to Madison College. It's easy and free to apply, so get started today!

Contact the School of Nursing

Madison Truax Campus
Health Building, 103

1705 Hoffman Street
Madison, Wisconsin 53704

nursing@madisoncollege.edu
608.246.6780

Hours

Monday – Thursday: 8 am - 4:30 pm
Friday: 8 am - 4:30 pm (Virtual)

Program Overview

Study Practical Nursing in Fort Atkinson or Madison

How You’ll Learn

Practical Nursing Program Details

Practical Nursing Program Outcomes

Nursing Licensure

Multi-State Nursing Licensure

Accreditation

Your Credits Allow You to Ladder Up!

Additional Nursing Program Resources

More Nursing Program Options

Curriculum and Experience

Admission

Petition

Career Outcomes

Related Programs