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Practical Nursing (C)

Practical Nursing - Certificate

This program is designed to train individuals for a career as a practical nurse. Students who complete our Certificate of Practical Nursing will have the academic foundation needed to take the National Licensure Exam (NCLEX-PN) for licensure as a licensed practical nurse (LPN). LPNS provide basic care under the direction of registered nurses or physicians and enjoy employment in a variety of healthcare settings. VHCC PN Program is on conditional approval under certain terms and conditions from VA Board of Nursing.

Steps to Become a Practical Nurse

We’re happy to help you along your journey of becoming a practical nurse! Licensed practical nurses (LPNS) are in high demand in a number of different roles and at a variety of healthcare facilities, ranging from hospitals, nursing homes and long-term care facilities to hospice care, rehab clinics and medical offices. 

  1. Meet with our Health Ready Coach. Your first step is making an appointment to meet with our health ready coach, Josh Greenwell. Josh will guide you in getting started and will help you with everything from completing the financial aid process to making sure you have all the tools you need to be well-prepared to take the TEAS. 
     
  2. Apply to Virginia Highlands. Please note, admission to the college is the first of two applications. This first step does not guarantee admittance to our practical nurse program. 
     
  3. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Need help with the FAFSA? We’re happy to walk you through the online application. Visit us in the Campus Connection Center of the ISC building or give us a call at 276-739-2438.
     
  4. Complete any needed prerequisites. Not sure of the pre-requisites you need? See the Practical Nursing checklist of everything required. Use this checklist when you meet with our nurse ready coach!
     
  5. Take the Test for Essential Academic Skills (TEAS). Admission to the practical nursing program requires a program percentile rank of at least 40th on the TEAS Practical Nursing Preadmission Test. Concerned about the test? Talk with your nurse ready coach. She’ll direct you to the tools to help you prepare.
     
  6. Complete the Online VHCC Practical Nurse Program Application*. After completing all of the steps above, you’re ready to apply for our practical nurse program! 

*April 15 is the early application deadline for priority admission to the practical nursing program. Applications submitted after this date will be considered according to remaining seats available until July 15th, 2024.  

This program qualifies for G3 scholarship funding!

Image removed.G3 covers tuition and fees for individuals living in Virginia who qualify for state financial aid.

Learn More

Why Choose VHCC?

Affordability. With in-state tuition (Virginia residents and those living within a 30-mile radius of campus) at $167.40 per credit hour, you’ll SAVE BIG when you start here! Most save between $10K-$50K, in tuition costs alone, when starting at VHCC.

Guaranteed transfer agreements with 30-plus colleges & universities! Start at VHCC and meet specified transfer agreement requirements and you’ll enjoy guaranteed admission to Virginia Tech, Radford, King University, Emory &Henry College, ETSU and more!

17:1 student to instructor ratio with award winning faculty! VHCC ranked among the top 5 percent of community colleges nationwide for providing an educational experience that encourages a personal relationship between instructors and students.

Career services & job placement. Our instructors and career coaches are recognized by regional industry leaders and enjoy tremendous success connecting our students with employment opportunities upon degree completion.

No application fee. Our simple, online application is free. Complete the application and you’ll receive an email listing your easy next steps!

No SAT or ACT required for admission. The SAT and ACT are merely numerical indicators of college readiness. With dynamic instruction and academic mentoring, we’ve found our students enjoy tremendous success, both at VHCC and in their future educational and career pursuits.

FREE academic mentoring. At VHCC, we provide FREE, one-on-one academic mentoring for 11 subjects, with dedicated workspace for group study and computer lab access. With this level of support, our students enjoy tremendous academic success!

Financial aid & scholarships available! More than 80% of our students receive financial aid! In 2018, we awarded more than $6 million in financial aid and scholarships.

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