Texas residents interested in becoming a licensed vocational nurse (LVN) – known in most states as a licensed practical nurse (LPN) – must first graduate from an approved educational program before seeking licensure.
All states are required to regulate accredited, in-state LPN or LVN nursing education programs that prepare students for the national licensure examination. The Texas Board of Nursing is the official body that regulates those LVN Dallas nursing schools located in the metro area.
This article shows where to find state-approved Dallas LVN programs and lists the licensing requirements that must be fulfilled.
LVN Dallas Nursing Licensure
Students who do not hold an LPN license from another state, and who have never earned an accredited nursing degree, must complete the following steps to attain licensure:
- Complete a state-approved LPN program
- Pass the national NCLEX-PN examination
- Undergo a criminal background check
Those who hold an active LPN (or LVN) license from another state can apply, through the Board of Nursing, for endorsement, which is a license transfer. Additionally, individuals who have earned an accredited nursing degree can petition to have the LPN educational requirement waived. For more information on each process, call the board at (512) 305-7400.
Dallas LVN Programs' Curricula
Schools and educational providers offering licensed vocational nurse training programs in Texas can create their own curricula. However, all state-approved LVN Dallas nursing schools are required to offer the following minimum elements:
- 1398 hours of combined instruction
- 558 hours of theory-based learning
- 840 hours of clinical training
In the theory-based, classroom portion of official educational programs, Dallas nursing students learn some of the following areas:
- Microbiology
- Emotional health
- Nutrition
- Human development
- General nursing care
- Nursing skills
- Maternity nursing
- Pharmacology
- Mental health nursing
- Body structure and function
- Nursing care for the elderly
- Pediatric nursing
In the clinical training component of Dallas LVN programs, students are supervised by licensed nurses as they work with a broad range of patients in hospitals and other facilities. This training allows students the opportunity to prepare in a practical setting for the NCLEX-PN exam.
LVN Dallas Nursing Schools
The Texas Board of Nursing regulates dozens of programs throughout Texas, including those found in community colleges, technical schools and hospitals.
For a list of schools approved by the state, see the list of LVN programs and search for those in the Dallas area.
Dallas LVN Training Benefits
First-time nursing students who graduate from an LVN Dallas nursing program, and who then pass the NCLEX-PN exam, are eligible to seek work in medical facilities across the state.
For a more nursing opportunities in Texas and elsewhere, see also:
The Best Nursing Programs Online
David Harris-Gershon - David Harris-Gershon – a blogger for Tikkun magazine and a freelance writer on Israel, the Middle East and America’s role in ...
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