Practical Nurse 2

Course Description

PRN0092 – Practical Nurse 2 is a Postsecondary Adult Vocational (PSAV) clock-hour course in the Practical Nursing program (CIP 51.3901), the second major module in Florida's Practical Nursing program sequence. The course builds on the foundational competencies established in PRN0091 to develop intermediate practical nursing skills, including expanded medical-surgical nursing care, advanced medication administration, intravenous therapy basics, and care of patients across the lifespan with common medical-surgical conditions.

Coursework integrates classroom instruction with substantial nursing skills lab time and supervised clinical experience in acute care, long-term care, and specialty settings. Students develop competency in caring for patients with conditions of the cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, musculoskeletal, integumentary, and endocrine systems at the LPN scope of practice.

This course is offered at approximately 32 Florida technical colleges as the second major module within the 1,350-hour Florida Practical Nursing program. Hours invested in PRN0092 count toward the total program requirement and prepare students for the more advanced content of PRN0096 (Practical Nurse 3) and ultimately for the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN).

Learning Outcomes

Required Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Apply the nursing process to the care of medical-surgical patients across body systems at the LPN scope of practice.
• Perform advanced medication administration, including parenteral routes (subcutaneous, intramuscular, intradermal), advanced dose calculation, and IV medication administration where permitted by Florida LPN scope and program/clinical site policies.
• Apply principles of intravenous (IV) therapy, including IV initiation (where permitted), IV site care, IV fluid administration, and recognition of IV complications.
• Provide nursing care for patients with cardiovascular conditions, including hypertension, heart failure, coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, dysrhythmias (basic recognition), and peripheral vascular disease.
• Provide nursing care for patients with respiratory conditions, including asthma, COPD, pneumonia, tuberculosis, pulmonary embolism, and oxygen therapy administration.
• Provide nursing care for patients with gastrointestinal conditions, including peptic ulcer disease, GERD, inflammatory bowel disease, hepatitis, cirrhosis, pancreatitis, and bowel obstruction.
• Provide nursing care for patients with genitourinary conditions, including UTI, kidney stones, BPH, renal failure, and Foley catheter management.
• Provide nursing care for patients with musculoskeletal conditions, including fractures, joint replacement, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, traction, and casting/splint care.
• Provide nursing care for patients with integumentary conditions, including pressure injuries (staging and prevention), wound care (basic), surgical wound care, and burns.
• Provide nursing care for patients with endocrine conditions, including diabetes mellitus (types 1 and 2, including insulin administration and glucose monitoring), thyroid disorders, and adrenal disorders.
• Apply principles of perioperative nursing care, including pre-operative preparation, intra-operative awareness, post-operative care, pain management, and recognition of complications.
• Apply principles of fluid and electrolyte balance, recognizing common imbalances and the LPN role in monitoring and intervention.
• Apply therapeutic communication with medical-surgical patients and families, including patient education, discharge planning support, and managing patients with chronic conditions.
• Document nursing care accurately and completely in electronic health records consistent with legal, regulatory, and professional standards.

Optional Outcomes

• Earn the IV Therapy Certification for LPNs as available in Florida (where included in the program).
• Apply principles of oncology nursing care at an introductory level.
• Apply principles of cardiac monitoring and basic dysrhythmia recognition.
• Apply principles of pain management at greater depth, including opioid administration and PCA pumps where permitted by scope.
• Engage with specialty unit clinical experience (med-surg, telemetry, post-surgical) where program clinical placements allow.

Major Topics

Required Topics

• Advanced Pharmacology and Medication Administration: Major drug classifications; common medications by body system; parenteral medication preparation and administration (subcutaneous, IM, intradermal); insulin administration; controlled substances; high-alert medications; medication reconciliation; advanced dose calculation.
• Intravenous Therapy: IV solutions and indications; IV initiation technique (where permitted); IV site selection and care; IV pump operation; recognition and management of IV complications (infiltration, phlebitis, infection); IV medication administration where permitted by Florida LPN scope.
• Cardiovascular Nursing: Cardiovascular assessment; hypertension management; heart failure; coronary artery disease and acute coronary syndromes; basic ECG/dysrhythmia recognition; cardiac medications; vascular conditions (DVT, PAD).
• Respiratory Nursing: Respiratory assessment; oxygen therapy (cannula, mask, NRB); incentive spirometry; chest physiotherapy; care of patients with asthma, COPD, pneumonia, TB, pulmonary embolism; tracheostomy care basics; suctioning.
• Gastrointestinal Nursing: GI assessment; care of patients with GERD, peptic ulcer disease, IBD, hepatitis, cirrhosis, pancreatitis; NG tube insertion (where permitted) and management; tube feeding; ostomy care.
• Genitourinary Nursing: GU assessment; UTI; kidney stones; BPH; chronic kidney disease and renal failure; dialysis basics; Foley catheter insertion (where permitted), care, and removal; bladder irrigation.
• Musculoskeletal Nursing: Musculoskeletal assessment; fractures; cast and splint care; traction; total joint replacement; osteoporosis; osteoarthritis; rheumatoid arthritis; assistive devices.
• Integumentary Nursing and Wound Care: Skin assessment; pressure injury staging and prevention; basic wound care; surgical wound care; drainage management; wound vacuum-assisted closure (VAC); burns (Rule of Nines, types of burns, basic burn care).
• Endocrine Nursing: Diabetes mellitus (type 1, type 2, gestational); insulin types and administration; glucose monitoring; recognition and management of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia/DKA; thyroid disorders (hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism); adrenal disorders.
• Perioperative Nursing: Pre-operative preparation (consent, NPO, skin prep); intra-operative awareness; PACU and post-operative care; pain management; respiratory and circulatory complications; wound care; discharge planning.
• Fluid and Electrolyte Balance: Fluid status assessment; common imbalances (sodium, potassium, calcium); IV fluid replacement; daily weights; intake and output; recognizing dehydration and fluid overload.
• Pain Management: Pain assessment (PQRST, OLD CART); pharmacological management (non-opioid, opioid, adjuvant); non-pharmacological strategies; pain in special populations (older adult, cognitively impaired, opioid-tolerant); opioid stewardship.
• Patient and Family Education: Teaching strategies; learning needs assessment; addressing health literacy; discharge education; medication teaching; managing chronic disease education.

Optional Topics

• Oncology Nursing (Introduction): Common cancers; chemotherapy and radiation therapy basics; managing chemo-related side effects; care of the patient with cancer.
• Cardiac Monitoring and Dysrhythmia Recognition: Lead placement; common dysrhythmias; emergency response to dysrhythmias.
• Specialty Clinical Experience: Telemetry units, surgical units, oncology units, dialysis units (where program placements allow).
• Florida-Specific Topics: Florida hurricane preparedness in healthcare; Florida regional health concerns (vector-borne illness, mass-casualty preparedness).

Resources & Tools

• Common Texts: Foundations of Nursing (Christensen/Kockrow), Foundations and Adult Health Nursing (Cooper/Gosnell), Adult Health Nursing (Cooper/Gosnell), Pharmacology for the Practical Nurse (Edmunds), NCLEX-PN review books, drug references (Davis's Drug Guide for Nurses, Saunders Nursing Drug Handbook)
• Lab Equipment: Skills lab with hospital beds, patient simulators (low- and high-fidelity), vital signs equipment, IV training arms and pumps, medication carts, foley catheterization trainers, EHR simulation, oxygen delivery equipment
• Reference Standards: Florida Statutes Chapter 464; Florida Administrative Code Chapter 64B9; FLDOE Curriculum Framework for Practical Nursing; CDC infection control; OSHA bloodborne pathogen standards; HIPAA; The Joint Commission patient safety goals
• Online Resources: ATI Testing or HESI nursing review platforms; Lippincott CoursePoint; Evolve (Elsevier); Lexicomp drug reference; Florida Board of Nursing portal
• Professional Organizations: NFLPN; NAPNES; Florida Nurses Association; Florida Health Care Association (long-term care)

Career Pathways

PRN0092 is a core module in the Florida Practical Nursing program. The career pathways available after full program completion and licensure are identical to those for PRN0091 — see that course for the full list. Practical nurses work in long-term care, acute care, home health, ambulatory care, and specialty settings throughout Florida. Most Florida LPN graduates ultimately pursue LPN-to-RN bridge programs at Florida colleges.

Special Information

Position in the Program Sequence

PRN0092 is the second major module of the Florida PSAV Practical Nursing program (1,350 hours total). Students must successfully complete PRN0091 (Practical Nurse 1) to progress into PRN0092, and must complete PRN0092 to progress into PRN0096 (Practical Nurse 3). Hours invested count toward the program total. Students generally must achieve a minimum grade in PRN0092 (typically B or 80%) to progress.

Florida LPN Scope of Practice

Per Florida Statutes Chapter 464 and Florida Administrative Code Chapter 64B9, the LPN scope of practice in Florida includes performing selected nursing acts under the direction of a registered nurse, licensed physician, dentist, podiatric physician, or osteopathic physician. The LPN may perform IV therapy if they have completed a Florida Board of Nursing–approved IV therapy course (often included in the PN program); without that approval, IV therapy is outside scope. Specific scope details should be verified with the Florida Board of Nursing as scope rules evolve.

Clinical Rotations

PRN0092 includes substantial supervised clinical experience in acute-care medical-surgical units, long-term care facilities, and other settings depending on the program's clinical affiliations. Clinical experience is essential for translating classroom and skills-lab learning into patient-care competency.

NCLEX-PN Preparation

Content of PRN0092 directly maps to substantial portions of the NCLEX-PN test plan, particularly Physiological Adaptation and Pharmacological Therapies. Students typically complete standardized assessment tools (ATI or HESI) throughout the program to monitor preparation and address knowledge gaps before the NCLEX.

Articulation

Hours and content from PRN0092 are recognized in Florida LPN-to-RN bridge programs. Students should consult the receiving institution for specific articulation credit awards.