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Vocational Nursing Program at Collin College
BECOME A NURSE IN 12 MONTHS!
Do you have a desire to help people?
Do you want to be a hero at work?
Are you willing to dedicate one year to study?
If the answer is YES to all 3 questions,
the VOCATIONAL NURSING PROGRAM
may be for you!
All of the Nursing Programs at Collin College are approved by the Texas Board of Nursing
(TBON) and Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB)
and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
The Vocational Nursing Program is a new program at Collin College as of January 2021.
The Associate Degree Nursing Programs at Collin College are fully accredited by the Accreditation
Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).
The RN-to-BSN Program is a candidate for ACEN accreditation.
The VN Program will pursue ACEN accreditation when eligible to apply.
Collin College is recognized as a Center of Excellence in Nursing Education by the
National League for Nurses.
Click on the links below for information.
An LVN is a Licensed Vocational Nurse. An LVN is also known as an LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) in other American States. LVNs/LPNs work under the supervision of a Registered Nurse (RN), Nurse Practitioner (NP), physician, physician's assistant or dentist. 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 (LTAC) hospitals, memory units, dialysis centers, schools, clinics, adult and child daycare centers, correctional facilities, psychiatric and substance abuse facilities, doctor offices, surgery centers, hospice, home healthcare, and insurance companies.
How much does an LVN earn?
The AVERAGE annual salary for an LVN working in Collin County is $52,300 is higher than the State average. (JobsEQ.com)
The AVERAGE annual salary for an LVN in the State of Texas is $47,370. (www.bls.gov)
Salary and shift differentials increase with experience and the nurse’s chosen clinical
setting.
Examples of settings and average salaries in Texas according to the US Bureau of Labor
Statistics (www.bls.gov) as of May, 2019 are:
Nursing Homes/Skilled Nursing Facilities ………………..... $49,780
Home Health/ Hospice …………………………………………… $49,900
Medical/Surgical Hospitals ……………………………………. $46,120
Assisted Living Facilities ………………………………………… $49,570
Psychiatric/ Substance Abuse Facilities ………………………. $47,750
Physician Offices ……………………………………………………. $44,780
Outpatient Care Centers ………………………………………….. $53,130
Insurance Carriers ………………………………………………….. $53,130
How does an LVN get licensed?
At the completion of a State approved Vocational Nursing Program, the successful graduate
will take a State Board examination. This exam is called the NCLEX-PN (National Council
Licensing Exam for Practical Nurses). Because this is national examination, it is
easy to transfer a Texas LVN license to other States. This is called “license reciprocity”.
The Texas Board of Nursing (TBON) must approve each applicant’s eligibility to attend a nursing program and attain nursing licensure upon graduation. All accepted applicants must undergo an FBI criminal background check with fingerprinting and photographing. For patient safety, most clinical sites require this information before a student can attend their clinical experiences. As such, applicants will be removed from the acceptance list unless the Board of Nursing grants approval and proof is submitted to the Program Director.
The details of previous arrests or criminal convictions will be evaluated by the TBON. Depending upon the severity of the crime(s), the TBON may require a Declaratory Order for them to further investigate. This process can take several months to complete. It is strongly advised to have copies of ALL court documents, attorney reports, and anything else for which the TBON may ask, readily available to send upon request. Do NOT send anything to the TBON unless you are instructed by the TBON to do so.
For further information, refer to the Texas board of nursing website at https://www.bon.texas.gov/licensure_eligibility.asp
All of the Nursing Programs at Collin College are approved by the Texas Board of Nursing (TBON) and Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB)
and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
The Vocational Nursing Program is a new program at Collin College as of January 2021.
The Associate Degree Nursing Program tracks at Collin College are fully accreditied
by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).
The RN-to-BSN Program is currently a candidate for ACEN accreditation.
The VN Program will pursue ACEN accreditation when eligible to apply.
Collin College is recognized as a Center of Excellence in Nursing Education by the National League for Nurses (NLN).
Can I advance from an LVN to become an RN (Registered Nurse)?
Once established as a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN), there are educational options
for “bridging” or advancing to become an RN for which the LVN can apply. The LVN-to-RN
Bridge Program at Collin College is a one-year program. At the completion of the
LVN-to-RN Bridge Program, the graduate will attain an Associate Degree in Nursing
(ADN) and can take the RN licensing exam.
After attaining an ADN and RN license, can I advance to a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing?
Yes. Collin College offers a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing (BSN) program. Students
must have an ADN degree, certain pre-requisite courses and RN license to apply to
the BSN program. Students who attend the BSN program full-time can complete the
degree in 1 year. Students who attend the BSN program part-time can complete the
degree in 2 years.
How much will the Collin College Vocational Nursing Program cost?
Tuition and fees are based on a student’s “Place of Legal Residence”.
It is important to note that these fees are APPROXIMATE and may increase at any time during the program.
Current resident of Collin County (1 yr or more) ………………………........……. $ 8,049 Total
Out-of-Collin County resident ………………………………………………………….. $ 10,257 Total
This ESTIMATED cost includes everything required for the program such as uniforms, supplies, textbooks, personal laptop computer, ATI learning materials, malpractice insurance, drug testing, application to the Texas board of Nursing and LVN licensing exam, etc...
Does Collin College offer a payment plan?
Yes. Refer to Collin College website for details or call the Bursar’s Office.
Is financial aid available?
There are scholarships and grants for financial need and/or previous academic success.
All students requesting financial aid will need to complete and submit a Free Application
for Federal Student Financial Aid (FAFSA) form. Scholarships are also available
through private companies and civic service groups (ie. Tylenol Corp. or Lions Club,
etc). Contact the Collin College Financial Aid Office for information and assistance.
Collin College offers a 12-month (consecutive) full-time, vocational nursing program. Classes meet Mondays through Fridays. Students can expect to be in class or studying for 40 – 55 hours per week. Clinical experiences are included in this time and may be during the day or evening depending on clinical site availability.
Is there a part-time option for the Vocational Nursing Program?
No. There is no part-time option. This is a full-time program as explained above.
Is there an attendance requirement?
All vocational nursing programs in the State of Texas are clock-hour programs as regulated
by the Board of Nursing and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. This means
that the student must have a minimum number of class hours and a minimum number of
clinical hours. Therefore, attendance is crucial for successful completion. Only
a minimal number of absences are allowed. Students with dependent children or dependent
parents must have adequate daycare arrangements with a reliable back-up plan for their
care. Also, many clinical days start at 6:00 AM (before most daycare centers open)
so arrangements must be made for the dependent’s transportation by someone other than
the student.
Are personal laptop computers needed?
All students are REQUIRED to have their own laptop computers which are brought to
class daily.
Are personal vehicles needed for transportation?
All students are REQUIRED to have reliable transportation. Although carpooling
is often done within student groups, there will be times when individual students
have clinical assignments outside of the usual site for special learning experiences.
It is the student’s responsibility to arrive and leave promptly.
Are students drug tested?
All students are drug tested prior to admission and routinely at random times throughout
the program. Collin College has an absolute, no tolerance policy regarding non-prescribed
controlled drugs or illegal recreational substances.
When does each campus start a new Vocational Nursing class?
Collin College offers the VN program on two (2) campuses.
Technical Campus in Allen: January admission through the following December (Application deadline is October
30th)
Wylie Campus: August admission through the following August (Application deadline is May 21st)
Is tutoring available for help with coursework and skills?
Faculty members are available to tutor during office hours or by appointment.
Is CPR certification required?
All accepted applicants must have completed an American Heart Association CPR course
for healthcare providers and hold a current CPR card prior to starting the program.
It is the applicant’s responsibility to obtain this certification. Contact the
American Heart Association (AHA) for locally offered courses. Please note: CPR certification
must be done via AHA.
Spring Admission in Allen: Level 1 (Spring Semester) VNSG 1270 Nursing Principles I
VNSG 1570 Skills I
VNSG 1577 Nursing Care I
VNSG 1261 Clinical I
BIOL 2404 Human A+P – Basic
Mini-mester (Maymester) VNSG 1230 Mat./Neonatal Nsg.
Level 2 (Summer Semester) VNSG
1571 Skills II
VNSG 1578 Nursing Care II
VNSG 1262 Clinical II
Level 3 (Fall Semester)
VNSG 1271 Nursing Principles II
VNSG 1579 Nursing Care III
VNSG 1238 Mental Illness
VNSG 1205 NCLEX-PN Review
VNSG 2363 Clinical III
Fall Admission in Wylie: Level 1 (Fall Semester) VNSG 1270 Nursing Principles I
VNSG 1570 Skills I
VNSG 1577 Nursing Care I
VNSG 1261 Clinical I
BIOL 2404 Human A+P – Basic
Mini-mester (Wintermester) VNSG 1238 Mental Illness
Level 2 (Spring Semester) VNSG
1271 Nursing Principles II
VNSG 1571 Skills II
VNSG 1578 Nursing Care II
VNSG 1262 Clinical II
Mini-mester (Maymester) VNSG 1230 Mat./Neonatal Nsg
Level 3 (Summer Semester) VNSG
1205 NCLEX-PN Review
VNSG 1579 Nursing Care III
VNSG 2363 Clinical III
The minimum age is 16 years old. There is no maximum age.
What is the educational requirement to be considered for admission?
The student must hold a recognized high school diploma (or) a GED certificate (or)
HiSET certificate from the United States.
Internationally-educated students (high school outside of the USA) must contact the
International Student Office at ISO@collin.edu
Which entrance exam is required for admission?
All applicants must take the TEAS exam administered by ATI Testing. Details about this exam and instructions for registration will be provided at
information sessions. This exam is a timed, computer exam that tests competency
in 4 sections: Reading; Math; English; and Science.
An applicant MUST score a minimum of 50% on each of the Reading, Math and English Language sections to be considered for admission to the Vocational Nursing Program. An applicant may take the exam twice during an application period. The best score on each of the 4 sections will be given ranking points for admission. We will NOT use composite scores for ranking points.
Is the Vocational Nursing admission criteria the same as the criteria for the traditional
ADN, LVN-to-RN Bridge, and BSN Programs?
No. Each program has its own admission criteria. Admission criteria specifics are
listed below and will be discussed at the Vocational Nursing Information Sessions.
VOCATIONAL NURSING ADMISSION POINTS
Applicants will be ranked for admission by a point system.
Applicants with the highest points will be offered a spot in the program.
TEAS Exam Reading Score (Any score less than 50% will NOT be considered for admission.)
95-100% = 20 points // 90-94% = 19 points // 85-89% = 18 points // 80-84% = 17 points
// 75-79% = 16 points // 70-74% = 15 points // 65-69% = 14 points // 60-64% = 13
points // 55-59% = 12 points // 50-54% = 11 points
TEAS Exam Math Score (Any score less than 50% will NOT be considered for admission.)
95-100% = 20 points // 90-94% = 19 points // 85-89% = 18 points // 80-84% = 17 points
// 75-79% = 16 points // 70-74% = 15 points // 65-69% = 14 points // 60-64% = 13
points // 55-59% = 12 points // 50-54% = 11 points
TEAS Exam Language Score (Any score less than 50% will NOT be considered for admission.)
95-100% = 10 points // 90-94% = 9 points // 85-89% = 8 points // 80-84% = 7 points
// 75-79% = 6 points // 70-74% = 5 points // 65-69% = 4 points // 60-64% = 3 points
// 55-59% = 2 points // 50-54% = 1 point
TEAS Exam Science Score
90-100% = 5 points // 80-89% = 4 points // 70-79% = 3 points // 60-69% = 2 points
// 50-59% = 1 points // <50% = 0 points
Previously completed BIOL 2404 or VSNG 1420
Grade of A= 6 points // Grade of B= 5 points // Grade of C= 2 points
Previously completed A+P I (BIOL 2401 or SCIT) Grade of A = 4 points // Grade of B = 3 points // Grade of C = 1 point
PLUS
Previously completed A+P II (BIOL 2402 or SCIT) Grade of A = 4 points // Grade of B = 3 points // Grade of C = 1 point
Honorable discharge from military service or active military reserves Yes = 3 points
Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) (Certification status will be checked on the hhs.texas.gov website) Yes = 2 points
Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) (Certification status will be checked on the nremt.org website) Yes = 2 points
Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) (Certification status will be checked on the hhs.texas.gov website) Yes = 2 points
Attendance at Collin College Vocational Nursing Information Session Yes = 5 points
(Only one attendance will count for points. Max = 5)
There are no pre-requisite courses. However, it is strongly encouraged that candidates take the BIOL 2404 – Anatomy and Physiology (Basic) course before starting the program. This will lessen the workload during the very difficult first semester. VNSG 1420 – Anatomy and Physiology for Allied Health which is taught at other Texas State colleges is equivalent to BIOL 2404 and would be acceptable. Extra points towards admission selection are given to applicants who have previously completed A+P.
A+P is a program requirement that must to be completed before the end of the first semester. It is NOT advisable to attempt to take the BIOL 2404 course consecutively with the other 14 credits of first semester work.
If a candidate has already successfully completed BIOL 2401 and BIOL 2402 (A+P I & II) at another college, the Registrar must evaluate the accreditation of the college and the course syllabus content to waive the BIOL 2404 requirement.
Other than the A+P requirement, there are no other Vocational Nursing courses that can be taken prior to admission.
Information sessions will be held on ZOOM through January 14th due to the COVID-19
pandemic.
Five (5) admission ranking points will be awarded for confirmed attendance.
Meeting start promptly at 10:00 AM. No one is admitted late so log-on 10 minutes early.
Here are the upconing ZOOM session dates and times:
Thursday, January 14, 2021 from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Thursday, January 21, 2021 from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Thursday, January 28, 2021 from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Thursday, February 4, 2021 from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Thursday, February 11, 2021 from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Thursday, February 18, 2021 from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Thursday, February 25, 2021 from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Thursday, March 4, 2021 from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM
To join the information session, click on the following link (or) copy and paste the
link into your internet browser: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89213097148
Step #1: Attend a Vocational Nursing Information Session. See the website for dates, times and locations. These information sessions last
approximately 1½ hours at which time the program will be explained in detail and relevant
questions will be answered. Candidates should have a writing instrument and a notebook.
Parents and spouses are welcome to attend but children (under 15) will NOT be admitted
to the meeting. Sessions always begin promptly at the posted time and no one is admitted late.
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Step #2: Apply for admission to Collin College. Upon acceptance to the college, students will receive a Campus-Wide Identification (CWID) number and a Collin College e-mail account. Both are important and necessary when completing the application for the Vocational
Nursing Program.
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Step #3: Register for the TEAS exam at ATItesting.com. Make sure to assign the test results to be delivered to Collin College. (If you don’t, the ATI company will require payment for requests later.)
Study guides for this exam may be purchased through the ATI website or major bookstores.
The exam will test: 1) Reading speed and comprehension,
2) Command of the English language (grammar, vocabulary and spelling),
3) Science knowledge (and)
4) Mathematic ability.
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Step #4: Take the TEAS exam. Again, make sure your test results are delivered to Collin College. A student may
take the TEAS exam twice within the application period. To be considered for admission,
TEAS results must be taken within one (1) year of the application deadline.
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Step #5: Fill out the Vocational Nursing Application on-line and print it when completed.
All accompanying documentation must be COPIED on 8.5” x 11” paper. No photographs or screen shots will be accepted.
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Step #6: In a large sized envelope (9”x12”), enclose:
MANDATORY for ALL APPLICANTS:
a) Completed Vocational Nursing Application
b) 8.5"x11" copy of High School transcript (not diploma), or GED certificate,
or HiSET certificate
c) 8.5"x11" copy of Official TEAS results showing all 4 sections’ scores (Include both sets of results if TEAS is taken twice)
It is solely the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that
TEAS test results are complete with scores for ALL 4 sections of the
exam and properly submitted with the application.
OPTIONAL if applicable:
d) Transcript showing any previously completed A+P (Unoffical copy if taken at Collin) (Official,
unopened transcript if taken elsewhere)
e) Proof of military service (if applicable)
f) Proof of CNA certification (if applicable)
g) Proof of EMT certification (if applicable)
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Step #7: Label, hand-deliver and deposit the completed Step #6 envelope into the
labeled drop box:
Director J. Lopes, Vocational Nursing Program
Collin College Wylie Campus
Campus Commons Bldg - Suite 301
390 Country Club Road
Wylie, TX 75098
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Step #8: Applicants will be ranked on a point system according to their TEAS scores, A+P grades, and bonus points for US military service, CNA or EMT certifications, and attendance at a VN Information Session. Incomplete applications will not be considered for admission. All applicants will be notified of initial acceptance or non-acceptance via e-mail shortly after the application deadline date.
Applicants with complete application and acceptable scores on TEAS who do not rank
high enough for initial acceptance to the class will be placed on a wait list. Accepted
studuents who do not complete all requirements in Step #9 will be replaced with people
onthe wait list.
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Step #9: ALL initially-accepted students MUST attend an orientation session approximately one month prior to the program start. Before the orientation, accepted students will have to obtain an FBI criminal background check, blood titer and TB results, and CPR certification. Instructions will be sent with the letter of acceptance. Failure to attend the orientation session will forfeit the student’s place in the class and a candidate from the wait-list succession will be selected. Unacceptable criminal background checks without Board of Nursing (Declaratory Order) approval will be stricken from the acceptance list and a wait-list candidate will be selected.
Failure to submit a current CPR card, acceptable blood titer and TB results, and other required documentation by the date of the orientation session will forfeit the student’s place in the class and a candidate from the wait-list will be selected.
Application period for the August 2021 admission is February 15, 2021 through May
21, 2021.
Application will be posted during that time.