Vocational Nursing Program
The Diploma in Vocational Nursing program at the Baptist Health System School of Health Professions prepares students with entry-level skills for the practice of vocational nursing in the care of patients across the life span with commonly occurring predictable health needs in a variety of health care settings.
What is an LVN?
An LVN (licensed vocational nurse) is a nursing professional with certification in vocational nursing. The LVN provides nursing care at the direction of physicians and/or registered nurses. Entry-level skills provide the basis to care for patients across the life span with commonly occurring health needs in a variety of healthcare settings.
LVN Employment Outlook
Employment areas may include acute care settings (hospitals), long-term care (nursing homes), physician offices, home health and clinics.
Employment of licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses is projected to grow 6 percent from 2021 to 2031. The median annual wage for licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses was $48,070 in May 2021. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses.
Actual salaries and employment opportunities may vary depending upon geographic location, market employment trends by local area, employer size, employee experience and employee credentials. Prospective students should research the local employment opportunities as a part of their decision-making processes.
LVN Program Details
Institutional Accreditation
Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES)
www.abhes.org
Programmatic Approval
Texas Board of Nursing (TBON)
www.bon.texas.gov
To be considered for admission to the Vocational Nursing program, applicants must meet the following TEAS exam requirement.
TEAS Exam
Applicants must take the TEAS exam and achieve a minimum overall score of Proficient (58.7%).
- Applicants can register for the TEAS exam at https://atitesting.com/.
- Both in-person and remote online methods accepted
- Scores must be met on one single exam
- Scores cannot be older than two years from the deadline of the semester you are applying to
- Unlimited number of attempts and no waiting period between attempts
Admissions FAQ
Are there any prerequisite courses required for the Vocational Nursing program?
No, there are no prerequisite courses required for admission to the Vocational Nursing program.
What are the applications deadlines?
Application deadlines can be reviewed here.
When will I receive an admissions decision?
Admissions decisions are sent via email approximately two weeks after each deadline.
The current curriculum plan is located in our Academic Catalog.
Provided below are typical class schedules for each delivery. The times listed are general timeframes and not a set schedule. Actual lecture and clinical times may fall within the hours listed below. Please note the days and time vary per course and are always subject to change. All times are in Central Standard Time (CST).
|
Delivery |
Program Starts |
Lecture Schedule |
Clinical Schedule |
|
Blended |
Fall Spring Summer |
Monday – Friday 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Typically meets three days a week |
Monday – Friday 6:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. Typically meets one to two days a week. |
Is this program offered fully online?
No, the Vocational Nursing program is delivered in a blended format. Blended courses are courses in which a portion of the learning activities are delivered virtually in a synchronous format; they are a combination of traditional classroom and e-instruction.
Does this program have an evening schedule?
No, the Vocational Nursing program is not offered on an evening schedule.
How much does this program cost?
For program cost, please visit our Tuition & Fees page.
How long does it take to complete this program?
The Vocational Nursing program is 3 semesters in length and may be completed in one year.
The goals of the Vocational Nursing program are to prepare the vocational nurse graduate for eligibility to sit for the NCLEX-PN and upon passing be granted a license to practice vocational nursing
Curriculum Objectives
Upon completion of the program, the graduate will be able to:
- Assist in promoting an environment conducive to the optimal achievement of patient-centered self-care and function.
- Apply the scientific principles from the biological, psychological, and sociological sciences when participating in planning and providing nursing care to individuals.
- Utilize the nursing process to assist in the identification of patient needs, perform focused nursing assessments, participate in planning nursing care, participate in modification of the care plan, implement appropriate aspects of care, and assist in the evaluation of patient responses.
- Provide direct basic care to patients with predictable needs in structured settings.
- Reinforce the teaching of specific information to patients and significant others that will help prevent illness and/or complications, maintain appropriate health status, and promote established rehabilitative measures.
- Utilize the problem-solving approach to make appropriate judgments/decisions in nursing care situations that are safe and effective for patients, significant others, health care agencies, and self.
- Utilize communication techniques for making observations, reporting and recording, and interacting with patients, significant others, and health care team members.
- Assist in the coordination of care through effective use of organizational skills and identification of appropriate sources for referral.
- Participate in activities that support improvement, safety, and cost effectiveness in health care settings.
- Demonstrate accountability for actions in providing nursing care within limits of nursing knowledge, experience, ethical/legal guidelines, and standards of nursing practice.
Participate in activities that as a member of the profession promote quality health care and the development of vocational nursing practice.
NCLEX Pass Rates
Upon completion of the nursing program, graduates receive an Associate of Applied Science and are eligible to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).
NCLEX-RN pass rates for the last five years can
be found here.