Nursing

Nursing at Collin

This is a twelve (12) month program to receive certification in Vocational Nursing at Collin College and then to become eligible to take the NCLEX-PN exam for licensure as a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) by the Texas Board of Nursing. LVNs/LPNs work under the supervision of an RN, physician (MD or DO), nurse practitioner (NP or APRN), dentist or physician's assistant (PA). They can perform basic nursing duties independently and assist RNs and physicians in more complex nursing situations. LVNs/LPNs work in a variety of healthcare settings including many areas of acute care hospitals, skilled nursing facilities/nursing homes, assisted-living facilities, long-term acute care hospitals, rehabilitation hospitals, psychiatric hospitals, substance abuse centers, dialysis centers, schools, clinics, adult and child daycare centers, correctional facilities, doctor offices, surgery centers, hospice and home healthcare among others.

ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS:

Minimum educational credentials required by the Texas Board of Nursing (TBON) to be admitted to an LVN Program are a high school diploma or GED/HiSET certificate.

Attendance at a Vocational Nursing Information Session is required. See www.collin.edu/department/lvn/ for dates, times and locations. This session takes approximately 75 minutes to explain details of the program.

Admission to the VN Program is a selective process. Students will be selected for the program based on a point system. The Collin College LVN Program will use the TEAS (Test of Essential Academic Skills) entrance exam by Advanced Technology Institute (ATI). Score on the TEAS entrance exam will be highly prioritized for admission. To graduate, a final grade of C or better must be earned in every nursing course required for the program.

To comply with the Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommendations and the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) Hospital Council requirements, blood titers are required to show immunity to measles, mumps, rubella, varicella, and hepatitis B. Vaccinations against influenza and COVID-19 (when available) are required. Tuberculosis testing and annual physical exams are required.

Current CPR certification and personal medical insurance are required during the entirety of the program.

Drug screening will be done randomly on admission and throughout the program with non-positive results required.

Licensure Notice: All students must undergo an FBI criminal background by the Texas Board of Nursing (TBON) and be approved by TBON to attend a nursing program. Students who have been involved with the criminal system, are advised that your background could keep you from being licensed by the State of Texas.

Upon initial acceptance to the program, the TBON will require an FBI criminal background check. If you can answer, "YES" to any one of the questions below, the TBON may require you to submit police reports, lawyer and court reports, probation records and/or other documents at their discretion to approve your eligibility to be enrolled in a nursing program and take the licensure exam upon graduation.

• Have you ever been convicted of a misdemeanor (other than a class C misdemeanor traffic violation)?
• Have you ever been convicted of a felony?
• Have you ever pled nolo contender, no contest, or guilty?
• Have you ever received deferred adjudication?
• Have you ever been placed on community supervision or court-ordered probation, whether or not adjudicated guilty?
• Have you ever been sentenced to serve jail or prison time or court-ordered confinement?
• Have you ever been granted pre-trial diversion?
• Have you ever been arrested or have any pending criminal charges?
• Have you ever been cited or charged with any violation of the law?
• Have you ever been subject of a court-martial; Article 15 violation; or received any form of military judgment, punishment, or action?

Applicants may NOT apply for a Declaratory Order of Eligibility (DOE) from the Texas Board of Nursing before initial acceptance to a nursing program. Applicant names must be submitted by a College of Nursing.

Collin County healthcare facilities support the Collin College Nursing Programs. Several healthcare facilities throughout the Metroplex are used for the clinical experience.

FUNCTIONAL ABILITIES/CORE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS STATEMENT

After initial acceptance to this program, all students are required to meet specific functional abilities - with or without accommodations - for successful completion of the program and to function safely and effectively in the variety of the profession's settings. The specific functional requirements are found in the Functional Abilities/Core Performance Standards documents provided in the program information on the Nursing website http://www.collin.edu/nursing. Students who think they may not be able to meet the functional standards and need accommodation are encouraged to contact the college ACCESS department as soon as this program is of interest.

ACCREDITATION/APPROVALS

The Collin College Vocational Nursing Program has been approved by the Texas Board of Nursing (TBON), and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB).

SCHOLARSHIPS

Various scholarships are available to students when they have been accepted into the Nursing Program. Most scholarships are awarded based on financial need. Other types of monetary support are available through the college's Financial Aid Office.