Career Overview
As a licensed practical nurse (LPN) or licensed vocational nurse (LVN), you will provide basic medical care and work under the direction of doctors and other health care professionals. An LPN/LVN’s duties can vary depending on the state they work in but usually consists of monitoring patients’ health, administering basic patient care such as changing bandages or helping patients bathe or dress, doing routine lab tests, and providing status updates to RN’s and doctors.
Program Overview
From day 1 - you are a nursing student. When admitted into Concorde's practical or vocational nursing diploma programs you are focused on learning to become the best nurse you can. Simply stated, you are directly admitted into the nursing program.
The blended curriculum provides virtual coursework with in-person hands-on learning. Students will learn to apply theory in hands-on labs and applied clinical experiences. The blended model enables nursing students to study concepts and materials by logging in remotely. Each student is assigned to an Online Success Coach to help become accustomed to the self-paced rigors of virtual learning.
As part of the program and in preparation for classroom, students are assigned clinical rotations where they will work alongside other healthcare professionals in caring for real patients.ᶛᶛ This is when your passion for helping others as a nurse can really shine.
The nursing program can be intense and fast-paced as the program may be completed in as few as 13-months.*
Prior to graduation, you begin preparing for your state licensing exams through a series test-prep coursework and sessions.‡ Your campus Director of Nursing (DoN) and instructors will work with you along your academic journey to help you pursue more than an education and more than a job - to follow a calling, as a nurse.
Get Started
Do you have a passion for serving the health care needs of others? A career in practical nursing can put you on the front lines of patient care. You’ll also support physicians and RNs in an exciting, fast-paced environment. If you’ve been searching for LPN/LVN programs near you, Concorde might be the right fit and offers the practical nursing degree you need to enter the healthcare field.
*Program length may be subject to change dependent on transfer credits and course load. Please refer to current course catalog for more information. Concorde does not guarantee admittance, graduation, subsequent employment or salary amount.
‡Registration and certification requirements for taking and passing these examinations are not controlled by Concorde, but by outside agencies, and are subject to change by the agency without notice. Therefore, Concorde cannot guarantee that graduates will be eligible to take these exams, at all or at any specific time, regardless of their eligibility status upon enrollment.
ᶛᶛClinical hour requirements and delivery may vary by campus location and may be subject to change. Concorde does not guarantee clinical site assignments based upon student preference or geographic convenience; nor do clinical experiences guarantee graduation, post-clinical employment or salary outcomes.
Get Started
Curriculum
Concorde's PN program emphasizes a hands-on, nursing curriculum that helps equip you from day one to serve effectively in various health care settings. Once the program is completed, qualified graduates may sit for the NCLEX-PN or NCLEX-VN exam to become a Licensed Practical Nurse.†
Career Focused Education
Nursing training prepares you with a focus on the following skills and knowledge:
- Preventive nursing care
- Therapeutic nursing care
- Rehabilitative nursing care
- Restorative nursing care
- Nursing interventions
End of Program Student Learning Outcomes (EOPSLO)
- Provide safe, caring and compassionate nursing care to diverse patients across the lifespan in various healthcare settings using evidenced based practice to improve outcomes.
- Function as a competent, entry-level healthcare provider applying leadership and management skills and embracing ethical and legal principles in the provision of culturally appropriate nursing care.
- Collaborate with members of the inter-professional healthcare team to provide optimal care for diverse patients and their families.
- Communicate effectively through verbal, nonverbal and technological methods with patients, families and members of the inter-professional healthcare team.
Hands-On Applied Experiences
Concorde's nursing programs blend theory, often delivered through virtual coursework, with practical application in lab settings using simulations and practices, as well as through clinical rotations with local healthcare providers. Concorde's long relationships with key nursing clinical sites has enabled students to engage with a variety of healthcare professionals and attend to patients in need. Clinical hours are a requirement of professional state licensing boards must be completed prior to graduation and licensure exams.
†Professional certification is not a requirement for graduation, may not be a requirement for employment nor does it guarantee employment.
ᶛᶛClinical hour requirements and delivery may vary by campus location and may be subject to change. Concorde does not guarantee clinical site assignments based upon student preference or geographic convenience; nor do clinical experiences guarantee graduation, post-clinical employment or salary outcomes.
Career Outlook
LPN jobs are projected to grow nationally at a much-faster-than-average rate of 9%.** This field is forecast to continue its growth because of an aging generation of baby boomers and the need for healthcare professionals.
Where Can a LPN work?
Licensed Practical and Vocational Nurses provide basic nursing care and work under the direction of registered nurses and doctors.
They work in: nursing homes, extended care facilities, hospitals, physicians’ offices and in private homes under the supervision of physicians or registered nurses. LPNs help patients with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, eating and toileting. They dress wounds, install catheters, start IVs, monitor equipment, check vital signs, deliver medications and much more. While basic, their responsibilities are absolutely imperative to the quality of care. Among all care givers they have the most intimate hands-on relationship with their patients. Besides physicians' offices, LPNs can find employment in the following settings:
- Hospitals
- Long-term care facilities
- Physicians' offices
- Home health agencies
- Hospice agencies
How to Become a Licensed Practical or Vocational Nurse
Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses must complete a state-approved practical nursing program, which typically takes about one year to complete (Concorde's programs typically are 13 months*). They also must pass a licensing exam following their LPN training.
The ideal LPN is a natural at building relationships. They are empathetic, trusting, flexible, good listeners and energetic. Most LPNs struggle initially with elements of the job such as toileting or exposure to blood, but the satisfaction derived from their patient relationships quickly mitigates those issues. Concorde's practical nursing programs prepare students to successfully handle all these tasks in all kinds of work settings.
Duties of LPNs vary, depending on their work setting and the state in which they work. For example, they might reinforce teaching done by registered nurses regarding how family members should care for a relative; help to deliver, care for and feed infants; collect samples for testing and do routine laboratory tests; or feed patients who need help eating.
LPNs might be limited to doing certain tasks depending on the state where they work. For example, in some states, LPNs with proper training can give medication or start intravenous drips, but in other states they cannot perform these tasks.
LPNs work full-time and might be scheduled during the day, evening or night. The work environment is team oriented and fast paced, but highly compassionate and professional.
How Does it Feel to be a Practical Nurse
While the proximity to patient’s body functions and often-serious health issues may seem unpleasant, LPNs find the impact they have on patients' lives to be extraordinarily rewarding. They often become the closest companions and confidants to their patients and their families. LPNs are part of a very caring community which includes not only physicians and nurses, but rehabilitation and social therapists as well as aids and administrators.
The national demand for LPNs, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, will grow by 9 percent between 2020-2030.** As the baby-boom population ages, the overall need for health care services is expected to increase. LPNs and LVNs will be needed in residential care facilities and in home health environments to care for older patients.
The career path for LPNs is varied. Many return to school for an Associate or Bachelor's Degree and pursue licensing to become Registered Nurses. Registered Nurses often supervise LPNs, administer medications, perform diagnostic tests, record patient histories and symptoms, manage patients’ care plans, and consult more extensively with physicians. LPNs might also move into administrative roles in health care settings.
Many experienced LPNs go into nursing education. Another option is to continue on after attaining a bachelor's degree and earn a master's in nursing. At that point, many go on to become nurse practitioners who see their own patients without supervision from a physician.
To enter the profession, one must attend and satisfy the requirements of a nursing program and take and pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) for Practical/Vocational nurses.
**Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projected national growth in job openings for medical assistants 2020-2030 bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/licensed-practical-and-licensed-vocational-nurses.htm Projections are national. Local job market demand may vary.
Financial Aid
Financial Aid
As part of our commitment to your success, Concorde ensures that you have access to comprehensive information and guidance in navigating the financial aid process. Concorde offers financial aid and scholarship programs to those who qualify.
Accreditation
For the Colorado Campus in Aurora:
- The Practical Nursing program is approved by the Colorado State Board of Nursing.
- The Practical Nursing program at Concorde Career Colleges, Inc. at the Aurora campus located in Aurora, CO is accredited by the:
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400 Atlanta, GA 30326
(404) 975-5000
The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the Practical Nursing program is Initial Accreditation.
View the public information disclosed by the ACEN regarding this program at http://www.acenursing.us/accreditedprograms/programSearch.htm
For the Florida Campus in Jacksonville:
- The Practical Nursing program is approved by the Florida Department of Health, Division of Health, Division of Medical Quality Insurance, Florida Board of Nursing. Pursuant to subsection 464.019 (5) (a) 2, F.S., Concorde Career Institute has been placed on probationary status until the program achieves a graduate passage rate that equals or exceeds the required passage rate for any one calendar year. Department of Health, Board of Nursing: 4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin C-02, Tallahassee, FL 32399-3252; (850) 488-0595; floridasnursing.gov
For the Missouri Campus in Kansas City:
- The Missouri Board of Nursing has granted full approval to the Practical Nursing program. Missouri Board of Nursing: P.O. Box 656, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0656; 573-751-0681; www.pr.mo.gov/nursing.asp.
For the Oregon Campus in Portland:
- The Practical Nursing program at Concorde Career College-Portland campus has been granted continuing Board approval by the Oregon State Board of Nursing.
Additional Info
NCLEX PASS RATES
Aurora Campus
2016 = 87.50%
2017 = 75.0%
2018 = 81.52%
