Practical & Vocational Nursing (LPN/LVN) Program: Frequently Asked Questions

Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) and Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) are different titles for the same nursing career. The designation depends on your state's licensure terminology, with California and Texas using LVN and most other states using LPN. Both roles require completion of an approved nursing program and passing the NCLEX-PN exam, and both provide patient care under the supervision of registered nurses and physicians. Concorde's Practical/Vocational Nursing diploma program prepares you for this rewarding nursing role wherever you choose to practice.

A licensed practical or vocational nurse provides basic, hands-on patient care while working under the direction of registered nurses and physicians. Day-to-day, you might monitor patients' vital signs, change dressings, help patients bathe and dress, collect samples for routine lab tests, and share updates with the RNs and doctors on your team.

The specific tasks an LPN or LVN can perform, such as giving medications or starting IVs, depend on training and the regulations in the state where you work. Among caregivers, LPNs and LVNs often have some of the most hands-on, day-to-day contact with patients.

Licensed practical and vocational nurses work in a range of healthcare settings. Common workplaces include hospitals, long-term and extended care facilities, physicians' offices, home health agencies and hospice agencies.

In each setting, LPNs and LVNs work as part of a care team, supporting registered nurses and physicians while providing direct, hands-on patient care.

Demand for licensed practical and vocational nurses is expected to stay steady in the years ahead. As the baby-boom population ages, the need for healthcare services is expected to grow. This is particularly true in long-term care and home health settings, where many LPNs and LVNs work.

Concorde's program focuses on the hands-on skills and clinical experience that help prepare you for entry-level work in the field. Concorde does not guarantee employment.

If you want to enter healthcare through hands-on patient care, training to become a practical or vocational nurse is one path to consider. LPNs and LVNs are often on the front-line of care, monitoring patients, handling basic healthcare duties and reporting to the registered nurse on their team.

Many practical and vocational nurses also use the role as a step toward becoming a registered nurse. Training with Concorde helps prepare you for this work through classroom learning and hands-on clinical experience.

You can complete Concorde's Practical/Vocational Nursing diploma program in as few as 12 to 13 months, though program length can vary by campus and course load. Some campuses offer a part-time program option with evening and weekend classes.

Because your timeline can shift based on transfer credits and course load, the campus catalog is the best place to confirm current program length, and an admissions representative can walk you through the schedule at the campus nearest you.¹

Concorde's Practical/Vocational Nursing curriculum blends classroom theory with hands-on labs and clinical rotations, so you can practice nursing skills before working directly with patients. You'll focus on areas such as preventive, therapeutic, rehabilitative, and restorative nursing care, as well as the nursing interventions used across different healthcare settings.

Yes. Concorde builds hands-on labs and off-site clinical experiences into the Practical/Vocational Nursing program. Through clinical rotations with local healthcare providers, you'd care for real patients alongside other healthcare professionals and apply what you've learned in the classroom.

Clinical hours are required by state licensing boards and must be completed before graduation and your licensing exam. Clinical requirements and delivery may vary by campus.²

After completing the program, qualified graduates may sit for the NCLEX-PN exam to earn licensure as a Licensed Practical Nurse or Licensed Vocational Nurse. Concorde builds test-prep coursework and sessions into the program to help you prepare.³

You can train in Practical/Vocational Nursing with Concorde at campuses in six states:

Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN): Denver, Colorado; Jacksonville, Florida; Kansas City, Missouri; and Portland, Oregon

Licensed Vocational Nursing (LVN): Garden Grove, North Hollywood, San Bernardino and San Diego, California; and Dallas and Grand Prairie, Texas

Concorde's Practical/Vocational Nursing program has multiple start dates throughout the year, and they vary by campus. To find out when the next class begins at the location nearest you, request information and a Concorde representative can walk you through upcoming start dates. Start dates are also listed in each campus catalog.

Yes. Many licensed practical and vocational nurses continue their education toward becoming a registered nurse, and some go on to earn a bachelor's or master's degree in nursing.

Concorde offers a fully online RN to BSN program for nurses who already hold an RN license and want to earn a bachelor's degree. An admissions representative can help you map out the path that fits your goals.

Tuition for the Practical/Vocational Nursing program can vary by campus, so the most current, program-specific figures live in each campus catalog. Concorde's financial aid team can also help you understand costs and the support you may qualify for.⁴

Financial aid may be available to those who qualify. Concorde offers financial aid and scholarship programs, including grants like the Healthcare Demand Grant, and a dedicated financial aid team can help you understand the process and find the support that fits your situation.⁴

Concorde campuses offering this program, except Portland, are institutionally accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC). Portland is institutionally accredited by the Commission of the Council on Occupational Education (COE).

The Practical/Vocational Nursing program also holds approval from the state nursing boards at each campus, including the California Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians, the Texas Board of Nursing and the state boards of nursing in Colorado, Florida, Missouri and Oregon. The practical nursing program at the Denver campus is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). See Concorde's accreditation page for details.⁵