The Vocational Nursing Program at Sacramento City College is approved by the California Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians. Upon successful completion of the three-semester, 51-unit program, the student is eligible to apply for the National Licensing Examination to qualify as a Licensed Vocational Nurse. Students enrolled in this program are required to complete nursing courses with related clinical experiences. The program issues a certificate upon completion and prepares the graduate for employment. With completion of additional requirements, an Associate in Science Degree may be achieved. In addition to regular expenses such as enrollment fees, living costs, activity fees, and books, nursing students have the expense of uniforms, equipment, malpractice insurance, graduation, and licensing costs. They are also responsible for their physical examination, immunizations, background check, and drug screen, as well as transportation to and from clinical agencies for day and evening learning experiences. All students must have a current American Heart Association Health Care Provider CPR with Automated External Defibrillator (AED).

The nursing program is a full-time rigorous course of study. In order to ensure academic success and to protect students’ health, full time employment is not advisable. It is recommended that students who must continue outside employment reduce their hours to 8-12 hours or less per week. Informational meetings are held several times each semester and provide prospective students with information on program prerequisites, enrollment process, and other facts about the program.

Recommended high school preparation: classes in biology, mathematics, and English.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, the student will be able to:

✔ utilize the nursing process within organized health care systems to help patients with common illnesses meet their basic human needs through direct patient care services.

✔ provide individualized nursing measures to assist patients in need of rehabilitation, including lifestyle changes in the hospital, home, or in the community.

✔ apply established standards of care, critical thinking skills, and scientific knowledge when performing nursing functions or procedures.

✔ maintain therapeutic communication essential to the achievement of health related patient and/or organizational goals.

✔ demonstrate the ability to accurately report and document patient assessments, interventions, changes in patient status, and outcomes of care in the written and electronic medical record (EMR)

✔ act as a patient advocate and teacher in assisting patients and families to prevent illness and maintain their optimum level of functioning and health.

✔ organize care for a group of patients and participate in providing direction for personnel with less preparation or experiences in other than acute care settings.

✔ apply knowledge of cultural patterns, beliefs, and practices in providing culturally sensitive competent care.

✔ assume responsibility for his/her own professional development and function with accountability within the legal boundaries of LVN practice.

To be eligible for enrollment in the program, the student must meet the following criteria:

✔ Complete program application and submit by due date to be considered for acceptance into the program

✔ 12th grade or equivalent as granted by the California State Department of Education

✔ BIOL 100 with a grade of "B" or better; or BIOL 430 and BIOL 431 with grades of “B” or better

✔ AH 311, EDUC 300 or PSYC 370, NUTRI 300 or NUTRI 480, and PSYC 300 or PSYC 480 with a grade of "C" or better and a cumulative GPA of 2.5 in these four (4) courses

✔ ENGRD 11 for applicants who do not have an Associate Degree or higher

✔ In-progress grades will not be accepted for prerequisite courses. Courses taken for credit/no credit (C/NC) will be calculated into GPA's as a "C" grade.

✔ It is highly recommended that the student take a medical dosage calculation class prior to beginning the program.

✔ A grade of 75% or better is mandatory in each required course for progression in the vocational nursing program. If the clinical performance is “unsatisfactory,” the semester grade will be “F” regardless of achievement in theory.

✔ Completion of the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS), latest version, developed by the Assessment Technologies Institute, LLC (ATI). A minimum composite score is necessary to be eligible for application to the program. Additional information is available from the SCC Nursing website at http://www.scc.losrios.edu.edu/~nursing/

✔ Admission, Reentry or Transfer: please see SCC Vocational Nursing website at https://www.scc.losrios.edu/nursing/nursing-vocational/

Eligible students are selected for the program according to the following steps:

✔ A Los Rios Community College District student identification number is required to access the online application. Enrollment eligibility consists of successful completion of prerequisite courses in order to qualify for the random selection pool from which a class is selected. Students must reapply each semester. There is no waiting list.

✔ Successful completion of the online application, along with all supporting documents as stipulated on the online page, must be submitted to the Science and Allied Health Division by the posted due date.

✔ Students accepted into the program will be required to undergo a criminal background check and a drug screen prior to their clinical laboratory experience.

✔ NOTE: Vocational Nursing courses must be taken in sequence.