Vocational Nursing
The primary role of the licensed vocational nurse is to provide nursing care in structured healthcare settings, under the direction of a registered nurse or licensed physician, for clients experiencing common, well-defined problems with predictable outcomes. The graduate is eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN). The program is designed to be completed within one calendar year. The curriculum is based on sequential learning; therefore, a student must have a grade of “C” or better in all courses to progress to the next sequence of Vocational Nursing courses. The Vocational Nursing program is approved by the Texas Board of Nursing.
Overview
Level Two Certificate Program
The Vocational Nursing program is a 46-credit-hour curriculum leading to a certificate
in Vocational Nursing in the State of Texas.
The primary role of the licensed vocational nurse is to provide nursing care in structured
health care settings, under the direction of a registered nurse or licensed physician,
for clients experiencing common, well-defined problems with predictable outcomes.
The graduate is eligible to take the NCLEX-PN licensure examination. The program
is designed to be completed within one calendar year after completing prerequisites
and acceptance into the program. The curriculum is based on sequential learning;
therefore, a student must have a grade of “C” or better in all courses to progress
to the next sequence of VNSG courses. The Vocational Nursing program is approved
by the Texas Board of Nursing, 333 Guadalupe Street, Suite 3-460, Austin, Texas 78701-3944.
The faculty of the Galveston College Vocational Nursing program are acutely aware
of their mission to move students from novice learner to professional healthcare provider.
The Vocational Nursing program graduate is expected to demonstrate certain skills
that reflect a professional demeanor. The program prepares the graduate to be a:
Member of the Profession
- Function within the nurse’s legal scope of practice and in accordance with the policies and procedures of the employing healthcare institution or practice.
- Apply a working knowledge of patient’s rights, protecting the rights and dignity of the patient and respecting the rights of others to have their own value system.
Provider of Patient-Centered Care
- Utilize the nursing process, evidenced based practice and a commitment to caring for culturally diverse patients across the lifespan and wellness-illness continuum.
- Use clinical reasoning and a problem-solving approach as the basis for decision making in practice, based on application of scientific principles and clinical data.
- Provide patient centered nursing care for patients in structured healthcare settings who are experiencing common, well-defined health problems with predictable outcomes.
- Demonstrate responsibility and accountability for the quality of the care provided to patients and their families.
- Utilize effective communication and collaborate with patients, families, and interdisciplinary healthcare team members.
Patient Safety Advocate
- Adhere to the Texas Nursing Practice Act and Texas State Board of Nursing Rules that emphasize safety.
- Accept and make assignments that take into consideration patient safety and organizational policy.
Member of the Healthcare Team
- Collaborate in the development and implementation of teaching plans for the patient and their families with common health problems and well defined health learning needs.
- Assist in the coordination of human, information, and material resources in providing patient centered care.
All prospective candidates who wish to be admitted to the Vocational Nursing program
should contact the Nursing Department. Applicants must:
- Complete the requirements for admission to the College. Admission to Galveston College does not guarantee admission to the Vocational Nursing program.
- Satisfactory completion of Texas Success Initiative (TSI) requirements.
- Have an overall GPA of 2.5 as well as a GPA of 2.5 on all prerequisite courses for admission consideration.
- Satisfactory completion of BIOL 2401 within five years of the program start date.
- Satisfactory completion of an Intermediate Algebra course (MATH 0304) or Foundation of Statistics course (MATH 0308), or a passing placement test score within five years of the program start date. Mathematics courses are accepted according to Galveston College requirements.
- Be in good standing at Galveston College.
- Personally complete the Nursing Program Application. (This is a separate application from the Galveston College application.) This application is to be filled out and turned into the Nursing Department.
- Obtain a clear background check. Any LVN applicant who has been convicted of a crime other than a minor traffic violation, or treated for certain mental illnesses and/or chemical dependency must petition the Texas Board of Nursing for a Declaratory Order concerning their eligibility to the NCLEX.
- Information about the Declatory Order can be found at www.bon.texas.gov and then type Declatory Order in the search window, print form; if the answer to any question 1-5 is “yes” a Declatory Order must be filed.
- Provide evidence of first Hepatitis B vaccination prior to the first day of class. All other immunizations must be complete prior to entering the program.
- Pharmacology (VNSG 1331) may be completed in advance, but no more than 24 months prior to beginning the VN program. RNSG 1201 Pharmacology may substitute for VNSG 1331.
- Prospective applicants will be required to pass an entrance test, as part of the admission criteria. Students must register with the Nursing Department to obtain information about the entrance examination and passing score. A passing score on the exam is valid for one year.
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Courses**
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|||
| Credit Hrs. | |||
| BIOL | 2401 | Anatomy and Physiology I | 4 |
| VNSG | 1227 | Essentials of Medication Administration | 2 |
| 6 |
* NOTE: BIOL 2401 and BIOL 2402, Anatomy and Physiology may be substituted for VNSG
1320. VNSG 1320 will not be counted for credit toward LVN to ADN Transition program.
Math – TSI Satisfied in math is NECESSARY to take VNSG-1320.
** MATH 0304 Intermediate Algebra or MATH 0308 Foundation of Statistics is a requirement
to be met for admission to the program by placement or course completion according
to Galveston College requirements.
Applications will be accepted in the Nursing Department beginning January 5th of each year for the next academic year. Only those prospective students whose files
are completed by March 5th will be considered for admission in the summer according to specific criteria. Applicants
completing prerequisites by the end of the spring semester may be considered on a
space available basis.
Successful applicants will:
- Be informed by mail of acceptance to the program. All entering students will be required to attend a mandatory nursing orientation for new students. All entering students will be notified by mail of the date and time of the mandatory scheduled orientation session.
- Submit a completed personal health history form furnished by the UTMB Office of Student Health. Health history and required immunizations will be at student expense. Immunizations must be completed prior to beginning the program.
- Be certified in (American Heart only) Basic Life Support Health Care Provider (CPR) at program entry and maintain certification throughout the course of study.
- Be required to produce a clear drug screening test as directed by the school.
- Obtain a clear background check, eligibility letter, or a Declaratory Order from the Texas Board of Nursing.
Students should be advised that permission to take the NCLEX-PN for licensure as a
vocational nurse is regulated by the Texas Board of Nursing. Students who have been
previously been convicted of a crime other than a minor traffic violation, or have
been hospitalized or treated for certain mental illness and/or chemical dependency,may be required to complete a Declatory Order. For further information, students may contact the Texas Board of Nursing in Austin
at 512-305-7400.
Students who desire to enter the Galveston College Vocational Nursing program after
taking nursing courses at another college or university should contact the Nursing
Director. Admission of transfer students is based upon an individual review of previous
course work and space availability.
The student desiring transfer credit must:
- Meet admission requirements for Galveston College and the Vocational Nursing program including entrance examination.
- Currently hold an overall GPA of 2.5, as well as a GPA of 2.5 on all prerequisite courses.
- Arrange to have transcripts from all former institutions including high school or a G.E.D. certificate sent to the Admissions Office at Galveston College.
- Submit course syllabi for review to the Nursing Director.
- Transfer students must complete 18 credit hours on this campus.
- Complete examinations and skills check-offs according to the procedure for transfers.
- Enter the VN program during the first or second semester.
- Complete a minimum of Medical-Surgical Nursing I and II prior to graduation from Galveston College.
- Submit clear background check, eligibility letter, or Declaratory Order from the Texas Board of Nursing prior to the first day of class. Students must complete the Nursing Program application (This is a separate application from the Galveston College application.) This application is to be filed with the Nursing Department.
- Comply with any random and/or unannounced drug screening test after acceptance into the nursing program.
- Provide evidence of first Hepatitis B vaccination prior to the first day of class.
Grading System and Repetition of Courses
The grading system for the Vocational Nursing program is:
A = 91 – 100
C = 75 – 80
B = 81 – 90
F = Below 75
The student is required to:
1. Achieve a grade of “C” (75) or better in all nursing courses required in the
VN curriculum to progress in the nursing program. Grades will not be rounded.
2. Achieve a grade of “C” or better in all science and general education courses
required in the VN curriculum to progress in the nursing program. Students must complete
all concurrent courses within a semester to progress to the next semester.
3. Complete nursing and science courses in sequence and within a period of five
years. Students are subject to failure or dismissal at any time for documented incidents
of unsatisfactory/unsafe clinical performance.
4. Pass specialty exams at the completion of VNSG courses as outlined in course
syllabi.
Students with a grade of “W,” “F,” or “AWN” in any nursing course are dismissed from
the VN Program and must re-apply to repeat the course on a space-available basis after
meeting the criteria for re-admission. Students must also satisfy all requirements
to remove “scholastic probation” status prior to re-admission.
Students applying for transfer or readmission who do not have any failures in nursing
courses will have priority over a student with one nursing failure.
Students with a total of two failures in nursing courses will be dismissed from the
VN program. Students may re-apply following specified criteria after a period of
two (2) years.
Re-admission policies relate to students who are admitted to the Vocational Nursing
Program, leave prior to completion and apply to return to the program. Students with
a grade of “W,” “F,” or “AWN” in any nursing course are dismissed from the VN program
and must re-apply to repeat the course on a space available basis after meeting the
criteria for re-admission. Students must also satisfy all requirements to remove “scholastic
probation” status prior to re-admission. Re-admission is based upon an individual
review of the student’s record and space availability. Students may re-enter the Vocational
Nursing program only one time if the reason for exit was failure of a course or courses
in the program. Re-admission must be within one (1) year of leaving the program. Students
desiring re-admission after one (1) year must complete the entire program.
The applicant must:
- Be in good academic standing.
- Currently hold an overall GPA of 2.5 as well as a GPA of 2.5 on all prerequisite courses.
- Submit a written request to the Admission and Progression Committee.
- Satisfactorily complete re-admission requirements identified at the time of exit.
- Satisfactorily complete testing re-admission requirements identified for each course.
- Submit a clear background check or an approved Texas Board of Nursing Declaratory Order prior to the first day of class.
- Be aware that there will be random and/or unannounced drug screening tests after acceptance into the nursing program.
As part of the exit interview, the Nursing faculty and/or Director will identify in
writing the exact courses (other than VNSG courses) that the student must complete
with a grade of “C” or better to be considered for re-admission.
The student will be required to complete at least the number of VNSG semester hours
in which he received a grade of “W” or “F.” If the student elects to complete more
than the required hours and the courses are approved by the faculty, the student will
be required to complete each course with a grade of “C” or better.
Vacancies for re-admission students will be awarded on a space-available basis. If
the number of students applying exceeds the number of vacancies, the selection will
be determined by their cumulative GPA at Galveston College.
Students who fail any nursing courses have two options for transferring/returning
to a nursing program at Galveston College.
- Wait two years from the failure and apply for admission to the nursing program, taking nursing courses from their original point of entry (1st semester or transition).
- Apply for admission to the program, taking nursing courses from the beginning of the program. Students requesting to apply in this manner will be required to:
- Meet all program admission criteria.
- Submit a letter to the Admission and Progression Committee stating what they believe their weaknesses were and how they intend to return as a successful student.
- Interview with the Admission and Progression Committee if necessary.
- Be aware that students with zero nursing course failures will be considered prior to applicants with one nursing course failures.
Non-academic withdrawals:
Nursing students who are in good academic standing who have withdrawn from the Galveston
College Vocational Nursing Certificate program for non-academic reasons may apply
for readmission by submitting a request to the Nursing Admission and Progression Committee.
To be eligible for a Level Two Certificate in Vocational Nursing and receive permission
to take the NCLEX-PN exam for licensure, students must have:
1. Successfully completed the prescribed course of study of 45 credit hours.
2. Met the required passing score on a comprehensive NCLEX-PN readiness exam.
3. Met any individually prescribed behavior or remediation related requirements.
| BIOL | 2401 | Anatomy & Physiology I | 4 |
| VNSG | 1227 | Essentials of Medication Administration | 2 |
| MATH | Math Requirement | * | |
| 6 |
| Summer (10 weeks) | |||
| VNSG | 1400 | Nursing in Health & Illness | 4 |
| VNSG | 1323 | Basic Nursing Skills I | 3 |
| VNSG | 1226 | Gerontology | 2 |
| VNSG | 1160 | Clinical (Fundamentals) | 1 |
| VNSG | 1331 | Pharmacology13 | 3 |
| 13 | |||
|
VNSG |
1409 |
Nursing in Health & Illness II |
4 |
|
VNSG |
1360 | Clinical (Med-Surg I) |
3 |
|
VNSG |
1234 | Pediatrics |
2 |
|
VNSG |
1161 | Clinical Pediatrics |
1 |
|
VNSG |
1119 | Leadership & Professional Development |
1 |
|
VNSG |
1201 | Mental Health & Illness |
2 |
|
|
|
|
13 |
|
Spring Semester |
|
||
|
VNSG |
1230 |
Maternal/Neonatal Nursing |
2 |
|
VNSG |
2410 |
Nursing in Health & Illness III |
4 |
|
VNSG |
2160 | Clinical Pediatrics |
1 |
|
VNSG |
2331 | Clinical Advanced Nursing Skills | 3 |
|
VNSG |
1205 |
NCLEX PN Review |
2 |
|
VNSG |
2260 |
Clinical (Med-Surg II) |
2 |
|
|
|
|
14 |
TOTAL SEMESTER CREDIT HOURS IN PROGRAM: 46
Notes:
1Students can take MATH 0308, 0314, 0324, 0332, 0342, or MATH 0304 within 5 years of starting the program or be TSI complete in math within 5 years of program start or pass any college-level math course (no expiration).
2BIOL 2401 should betaken within 5 years of starting the program.
13May be enrolled in VNSG 1331 24 months prior to entering the nursing program. RNSG 1201 Pharmacology may be used in place of VNSG 1331 Pharmacology.
*Identifies Capstone course
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Questions? Contact Us.
Donna Carlin
Director of Nursing
nursing@gc.edu
409-944-1396