Hardon Education's Practical Nursing program is designed to prepare students to practice within the scope of the practical nurse, delivering competent and culturally relevant care to a diverse patient population. The program is structured based on professional standards of the Indiana State Board of Nursing (ISBN) and expected competencies for the practical nursing graduate as described by the National Association for Practical Nurse Education & Service (NAPNES). The program is structured to layer learning as students' progress through the program of study. Students begin by becoming familiar with healthcare settings, the history of nursing and healthcare, and the role of the practical nurse. Science is incorporated to introduce and provide students' knowledge about anatomy and physiology, concepts of pharmacology, and microbiology. As they progress through the program, students are introduced to specific patient populations and common concerns and issues experienced with those patient populations. This includes instruction for professional standards and best practices when caring for gerontological, adult, psychiatric, pediatric, and obstetrics patients. Many of the core nursing courses have a corresponding clinical component whereby students are offered hands-on learning experiences in the clinical facility and high-fidelity simulation lab. As students' progress through the program of study, they are expected to meet increasingly difficult objectives while mastering concepts of critical thinking, the nursing process, and providing holistic care that is ethically and legally sound.