Vocational Nursing Program at Collin College
BECOME A NURSE IN 12 MONTHS!
Do you have a desire to help people?
Are you willing to dedicate one year to full-time study?
If YES, 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).
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 $51,850. (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, 2021 are:
Nursing Homes/Skilled Nursing Facilities …………$53,670
Home Health/ Hospice ……………………………. $52,670
Medical/Surgical Hospitals ………………………. $48,050
Assisted Living Facilities …………………………. $52,460
Psychiatric/ Substance Abuse Facilities …………… $52,440
Physician Offices …………………………………. $46,950
Outpatient Care Centers …………………………… $58,170
Insurance Carriers …………………………………. $59,770
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), 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 https://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 https://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) ………………………........……. $ 8,400 Total
Out-of-Collin County resident …………………………………………………… $ 10,600 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...
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 5:15AM or 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 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.
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 was May 18, 2023)
Celina Campus: August admission through the following August (Application deadline was May 18, 2023)
Technical Campus in Allen: January admission through the following December
(Application deadline for January 2023
is October 18, 2023)
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
Fall Admission in Celina: 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 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.
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 4 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 prerequiste
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.
Information sessions will be held on ZOOM.
Five (5) admission ranking points will be awarded for confirmed attendance.
Meetings start promptly at 10:00 AM or 7:30 PM. No one is admitted late so log-on 10 minutes early.
To join a MORNING information session, click on the following link (or) copy and paste the link into your internet browser:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82640018629
Wednesday, March 22, 2023 at 10:00 AM
Wednesday, April 5, 2023 at 10:00 AM
Wednesday, April 19, 2023 at 10:00 AM
Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at 10:00 AM
Wednesday, May 10, 2023 at 10:00 AM
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To join an EVENING session, click on the following link (or) paste the link into your internet browser:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84553304824
Tuesday, April 25, 2023 at 7:30 PM
Tuesday, May 9, 2023 at 7:30 PM
Tuesday, May 16, 2023 at 7:30 PM --- Last session before Fall 2023 application deadline
Step #1: Attend a Vocational Nursing Information Session. See this webpage 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. 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.edu 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. 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.
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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.
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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.
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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
(Unoffical copy if taken at Collin) (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)
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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.
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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, 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
studuents who do not complete all requirements in Step #9 will be replaced with people
on the wait list.
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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 August 2023 admission is May 18, 2023 at 3:00 PM.
Fall 2023 Vocational Nursing Application