Career Corner: Vocational Nursing

Welcome to Career Corner, a regular feature inCougar Newswhich highlights workforce programs at Collin College. Today, we are taking a look at the Vocational Nursing program.

Are you interested in a career in the nursing field? Did you know that you can become a vocational nurse in one year by taking classes in the new Vocational Nursing program?

Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVN) help patients and work in a high-demand career field under the supervision of doctors, dentists, mid-level practitioners, and Registered Nurses (RN). These medical professionals work in a variety of health care settings ranging from acute care hospitals to insurance companies.

In Spring 2021, the new Vocational Nursing program will offer its first classes at the Technical Campus. In Fall 2021, classes will also be available at the Wylie Campus. Approved by the Texas Board of Nursing, this program offers students preparation for the National Licensure Examination-Practical Nurse (NCLEX-PN).

According to Jane Lopes, director of the Vocational Nursing program, students will learn in small class settings from professors with nursing experience and gain hands-on experience in clinical rotations.

We have a complete nursing pathway at Collin College, but each program has its own admission criteria Lopes said. Students have the opportunity to advance their careers after becoming established as LVNs.

They can apply for the LVN-to-RN bridge program and take classes to become an RN. At the completion of the one-year LVN-to-RN bridge program, graduates earn an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) and can take the RN licensing exam. After attaining an ADN and an RN license, students who have met the prerequisite requirements can apply for Collin Colleges Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. Students can attend full time and earn a BSN in one year or attend part time and complete the degree in two years.

Careers in Vocational Nursing
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
Average Salary: $52,300
Job Growth: 26.2%

Data obtained from JobsEQ (Collin County), O*NET, and Workforce Solutions of North Central Texas. Job growth projected from 2020-2027. The earning potential for employees with certifications and Associate of Applied Science degrees may exceed the average salary.

Program
Vocational Nursing Level 2 Certificate (46 credit hours)

 

Applications for the August 2021 admission will be taken from Jan. 19, 2021-May 21, 2021. Classes will be available at the Technical and Wylie campuses.

To RSVP for an upcoming information session or for more information about the program, visitwww.collin.edu/department/lvn/. To download the Vocational Nursing information sheet, visit www.collin.edu/academics/info/VocationalNursingInfoSheet.pdf. For curriculum information, visit www.collin.edu/academics/programs/NURS_2Overview_Vocational_Nursing.html.

If you have questions about the program, email Jane Lopes, director of the Vocational Nursing program, at jlopes@collin.edu.

For more information about other workforce programs, check out the information sheets atwww.collin.edu/academics/info/or visitwww.collin.edu/academics/AcadPrg_careerclusters.html.