Vocational Nursing

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?

Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses

Avg. Starting Salary: $45,100

Average Salary: $54,300

Projected Job Growth: 26.7%

The average salary listed reflects the mean average wage for workers in this industry,

while the average starting wage is tied to workers at the beginning of their careers.

The earning potential for employees with certifications and associate of

applied science degrees may exceed the average salary.

Data for Collin County was obtained from JobsEQ and O*Net.

Average salary for occupation is as of 2023 and job growth projected is from 2023-2029.

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 www.bon.texas.gov/licensure_eligibility.asp.

All of the Nursing Programs at Collin College are approved by the Texas Board of Nursing (TBON), Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

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 three-semester 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.  Please see this webpage for specifics about the LVN-to-RN Bridge Program www.collin.edu/nursing/LVNtoRN/index.html. 

After attaining an ADN and RN license, can I advance to a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing?
Yes. Collin College offers an on-line 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.   The BSN program is fully on-line.  Please see this webpage for specifics about the RN-to-BSN Program www.collin.edu/nursing/bsn/index.html.

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) ………………… $9,000  Total
Out-of-Collin County resident ……………………………………… $11,900  Total

This ESTIMATED cost includes all mandated requirements for the program such as tuition, fees, uniforms, supplies, textbooks, personal laptop computer, ATI learning materials, malpractice insurance, drug testing, skills trainer and skills kit, application to the Texas Board of Nursing and LVN licensing exam, etc...

Is the full cost paid at the start of the program?  
No.  Payments are paid for each semester.

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. Additional scholarships are also available through private companies and civic service groups (ie. Tylenol Corp., Lions Club, etc). Contact the Collin College Financial Aid Office for information and assistance.  Veterans should contact the VA Department at Collin College.

Collin College offers a 12-month (consecutive) full-time, Vocational Nursing Program. Classes meet Mondays through Fridays all day long. Students can expect to be in class or studying for 60-65 hours per week. Clinical experiences are included in this time and may occur 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 5:15 a.m. or 6 a.m.  (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 equipped with Microsoft Office which are brought to class daily.  ChromeBooks are NOT permitted as they are not compatible with the nursing software programs required.

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.

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.

Do I need to take the TSI exam if I didn't take the SAT or ACT?
Yes. Any score is accepted. Search "TSI" on the collin website (www.collin.edu) to register.

When does each campus start a new Vocational Nursing class?
Collin College offers the VN program on three (3) campuses.

Wylie Campus: August admission through the following August  (Application deadline is May 16, 2024)

Celina Campus: August admission through the following August  (Application deadline is May 16, 2024)

Technical Campus (located in Allen):   January admission through the following December 
Application period is Sept 5 through Oct. 18, 2023.
(Application deadline for January 2024 is Oct. 18, 2023)

What is the minimum and maximum student age for admission?
The minimum age is 16 years old. There is no maximum age.

What is the educational requirement to be considered for admission?
The applicant must be accepted as a student in Collin College.

Do I need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19?

Yes. Although Collin College does not require this for academic courses, our clinical sites do require that students and faculty be fully vaccinated. Without being fully COVID vaccinated, students would not be able to to meet the clinical objectives required by the Texas Board of Nursing for successful completion of the Program, graduation and LVN licensure. There are NO EXCEPTIONS and NO EXEMPTIONS.

Do you accept students who have previously been in other nursing programs?
At this time, the VN Program is unable to accept transfer students and/or students who have been unsuccessful in other nursing programs.  Exceptions are only made at the discretion of the Dean of Nursing on behalf of previous Collin College nursing students. 

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 four sections:  Reading; Math; English; and Science. 

An applicant MUST score a minimum of 60% on each of the Reading and Math sections and a minimum of 50% on the English Language section 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 60% 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 

TEAS Exam Math Score
(Any score less than 60% 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 

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
(There is no minimum score requirement for science as A+P is not a required prerequisite course but points will be given for scores of 60% or above.)
90-100% = 5 points // 80-89% = 4 points // 70-79% = 3 points // 60-69% = 2 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 = 5 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 = 3 points

Registered Medical Assistant (RMA)
(Certification status will be checked on the hhs.texas.gov website) Yes = 3 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. 

The information session about the LVN Program is the link below. Watch the information session and email the director of the Vocational Nursing program that you watched the session in order to confirm that you did view the session. Five (5) admission ranking points will be awarded for confirmed attendance. You will receive a confirmation email after you send the email that you did watch the information session.  

Click this link for the information session

Step #1: Watch the Vocational Nursing Information Session. In the information session, the program will be explained in detail. Email the director of the Vocational Nursing Program after viewing the session.

 

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.edu e-mail account. Both are important and necessary when completing the application for the Vocational Nursing Program.

 

Step #3: Register for the TEAS exam at ATItesting.com. The exam can be taken anywhere it is offered in the United States.

Study guides for this exam may be purchased through the ATI website or major bookstores or public libraries or the Collin College library.   Practice exams may be purchased and completed via the ATI website before taking the actual TEAS exam, if desired.   Remediation/tutoring is available through the Collin College Tutoring Center free of charge to Collin College students with a CWID number.

The exam will test the following at a 12th grade level:  
1) Reading speed and comprehension,
2) Command of English language (grammar, vocabulary, spelling),
3) Science knowledge     (and)
4) Mathematic ability.

 

Step #4: Take the TEAS exam.   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.

 

Step #5: Fill out the VN Program application located on this webpage.  Type directly on 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.

 

Step #6: In a large sized envelope (9”x12”), enclose: 
     MANDATORY for ALL APPLICANTS:
     1)  Completed, TYPED Vocational Nursing Application
     2)  8.5"x11" copy of Official TEAS results showing all 4 sections’ scores   (Include both sets of results if TEAS if 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 DOCUMENTS if applicable:
     1.)  Transcript showing any previously completed A+P  
           (Unofficial copy if taken at Collin or an official, unopened transcript if taken elsewhere)
     2)  Proof of military service (if applicable)  
     3)  Proof of current State CNA certification (if applicable)
     4)  Proof of current National EMT certification (if applicable)
     5)  Proof of current National RMA or CMA certification (if applicable)

 

Step #7: Label and hand-deliver the completed Step #6 envelope to the locked drop box at the location listed below: 

Vocational Nursing Program Director
McKinney Central Park Campus - Office H314
2200 W. University Drive
McKinney, TX  75071

               DO NOT DELIVER THE APPLICATION TO ANY OTHER CAMPUS.
               Applications delivered to other campuses will not be processed.
              DO NOT MAIL YOUR APPLICATION. 
              If your application arrives late, it cannot be considered.

 

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, CNA, RMA, 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 students who do not complete all requirements in Step #9 will be replaced with people on the wait list.

 

Step #9: ALL accepted students MUST attend an orientation session approximately six weeks prior to the program start. Before the orientation, accepted students will have to obtain an FBI criminal background check. 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, COVID vaccination proof, TB results, proof of medical insurance and other required documentation by the deadline date supplied will forfeit the student’s place in the class and a candidate from the wait-list will be selected.

Application deadline for the January 2024 is Oct. 18, 2023 at 3 pm.

Click on the link below for the application form.

APPLICATION FORM