Vocational Nursing (C)
Certificate

Purpose Statement
The Vocational Nursing Program is a competency-based program designed to prepare Lamar State College-Orange graduates to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN/VN) to be a licensed vocational nurse (LVN). The LVN functions under the direction of a registered nurse and/or licensed physician to provide nursing care to people who are in need of medical diagnostic evaluation and are experiencing acute or chronic illness. Graduates of the LSC-O VN Program are currently employed in hospitals, physicians' offices, outpatient medical centers, long-term care facilities and home health agencies. The VN Program is ideal for those who desire careers in nursing but do not wish to spend two or more years in an educational program.

The VN Program is the foundation on which the Associate of Applied Science Upward Mobility Nursing Program is built. The Upward Mobility Nursing Program is a competency-based program whose graduates are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN) to be registered nurses (RN).

Vocational Nursing Student Handbook
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Director
Lorrie LeBlanc
Allied Health Building Rm. 227
(409)882-3308
Lorrie.LeBlanc@lsco.edu

Special Admissions
To be considered for admission to the Vocational Nursing Program at LSC-O, a student must

• be accepted as a student at Lamar State College-Orange;
• take the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or American College Test (ACT). Students with 12 semester hours of college-level work may substitute the formula: Grade Point Average X 400 = SAT Equivalent Score for an actual SAT or ACT score;
• submit transcripts from an accredited high school and/or GED scores to the Allied Health Division;
• submit transcripts of all college work to the Allied Health Division;
• satisfy the TASP requirements. Students MUST pass the State TASP or ASSET test prior to being accepted and copies of TASP scores must be on file in the Allied Health Division with the application and TAAS scores;
• have a grade of "C" or better in BIOL 2401 and BIOL 2402 Anatomy and Physiology. Although completion of BIOL 1322 Principles of Nutrition and PSYC 2308 Child Psychology is not required for admission to the VN Program, those grades will add points on the admission rating scale;
• have a minimum grade of "C" or better in VNSG 1323-Basic Nursing Skills and a satisfactory "S" grade in VNSG 1160-Clinical I Practical Nurse or a minimum score of 80 on the VNSG 1323/VNSG 1160 Basic Nursing Challenge Exam. *
• submit a complete application to the Allied Health Division; and
• show proof of good mental and physical health.

* Experienced nurses' aides or certified nurses' aides (CNAs) may be exempt from the VNSG 1323 Basic Nursing Skills and VNSG 1160 Clinical I classes by passing the Basic Nursing Challenge Exam with a minimum scores of 80 with the permission of the director of Vocational Nursing Programs. The challenge exam is given at the LSC-O Testing Center. Contact the Testing Center at (409) 882-3330 for an appointment to take the exam. The cost of the challenge exam is $25.

Students must maintain "C" or better grades in ALL courses on the degree plan and overall 2.0 grade point averages (GPAs) to graduate from the LSC-O VN Program. Complete information about the Vocational Nursing Program, including admission requirements, application deadlines and current application forms, is available from the Allied Health Division.

Completion of the VN Program does NOT guarantee that a graduate may take the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nursing (NCLEX-PN). The Texas Board of Vocational Nurse Examiners may disqualify an applicant from obtaining licensure who

• has been convicted of a felony that relates to the duties and responsibilities of a licensed vocational nurse;
• has had a misdemeanor conviction or been convicted of a felony offense not related to the duties and responsibilities of a vocational nurse;
• has been treated for a psychiatric occurrence within the past three (3) years;
• has been, within the past three (3) years, engaged in the intemperate use of drugs or alcohol; or
• has been denied licensure or disciplined by any licensing/certifying authority.

Degree Program