DCIU practical nursing program finds new home in Broomall

The Delaware County Intermediate Unit’s practical nursing program has a new — and improved — location.

To accommodate rising enrollment, DCIU said on Jan. 15 that it has moved the program to a facility at the Marple Education Center in Broomall that features enhanced simulation labs and more classroom capacity.

In February, 50 new students will start in the practical nursing program, and there is a waitlist of more than 30 applicants.

The 12-month program, which features a 1,500-hour curriculum, prepares graduates to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses. The program includes coursework in anatomy, pharmacology, medical-surgical nursing, pediatrics and maternal health to prepare students for careers as licensed practical nurses, who work under the supervision of registered nurses and physicians in hospitals, nursing homes, private homes, and schools.

DCIU’s practical nursing program began in 1990; it is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, approved by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing and consistently ranked among the top nursing programs in Pennsylvania by Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce.

“This is an exciting time for our program,” said Stacy Delaney, supervisor of the Practical Nursing Program. “We are proud of how it continues to grow and evolve, and we look forward to welcoming even more students as they begin their pathway toward becoming licensed practical nurses.”