2008 - 2009 VOCATIONAL NURSING PROGRAM BROCHURE

The Vocational Nursing Program of Trinity Valley Community College is a one-year, 58 credit hour curriculum leading to a certificate in Vocational Nursing. Graduates will be recommended to the Texas Board of Nursing to be approved to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN) to qualify as a licensed vocational nurse.

VN PROGRAM APPLICATION PROCEDURE

IMPORTANT!!! Applications will NOT be considered if ALL documentation is not attached to your nursing application ...or... if minimum requirements are NOT met!

DEADLINES

*** Applications will be accepted from September 15, 2008 until January 31, 2009 for the fall 2009 VN class in Palestine.

*** Applications will be accepted from April 1, 2008 until September 15, 2008 for the spring 2009 VN class in Kaufman.

*** Applications will be accepted from April 1, 2009 until September 15, 2009 for the spring 2010 VN class in Kaufman.   

*** The nursing application and required documents must be MAILED by US MAIL to: TVCC Health Science Center Counselor, 800 Hwy. 243 West, Kaufman, TX 75142 and MUST be POSTMARKED by January 31st for the VN Program in Palestine and September 15th for the VN Program in Kaufman.  Applications will NOT be accepted in person.

In addition to the college admission requirements (found in the college catalog), the following are required for admission to the Vocational Nursing Program:

1.   TSI /TASP DOCUMENTATION
A.  Are you TSI exempt, TSI complete, or TASP exempt?
NO:  You are not ready to apply to the program.
YES:  You must provide official college transcript(s) or documentation showing proof of  TSI/THEA/TASP exemption/completion.

B.     See www.tvcc.edu/testing/thea.aspx for details about TSI exemptions and requirements.

2.   TESTING
A.     Have you met the TVCC required minimum scores (75%) on each of the reading, math, and grammar sections of the HESI A² test?  (Must have passed all sections on the same test.)
NO: You are not ready to apply to the program.
YES: If you tested at TVCC, we have your scores and you are eligible to apply.  The HESI A² must be taken at TVCC.   

B.  The HESI A² consists of reading, math, and grammar sections as well as learning style, personality profile, and behavioral inventory sections. These additional sections will provide valuable information should you get selected into a health occupations program. There is an optional Anatomy & Physiology section that you may take to assess your current A&P knowledge. If your science courses are over 5 years old and you make above a 75% on the A&P section of this test, we will waive the 5 year requirement so you will be able get the point for selections. The student may only take the A&P section of the HESI test to waive the 5 year requirement one time. If the student fails to make 75% on that section, he/she must either take pathophysiology course or retake the science courses.   

C.    This test will be offered at TVCC through the Testing Center. The test will cost $35. The testing dates and sign up procedures will be posted on the TVCC Testing Center website at  www.tvcc.edu/testing. The testing registration form can be downloaded from the Testing Center web site and mailed or submitted in person to the Testing Center in Athens or the counseling offices at the other TVCC campuses.

D.  Students may take the test only 2 times in an academic year between September 1st and August 31st (first-time and one re-test). The student must wait at least 2 months before re-testing.  Keep this and the application deadlines in mind when scheduling to take the test for the first time.

E.    Once minimum scores are earned, these scores will be good for 3 years.

3.   REQUIRED COURSES TO APPLY
A.     Have you completed one of the three required general education courses (Medical Terminology, Human Growth & Development and Nutrition) and made a "C" or better in this class?  
NO: You are not ready to apply.
YES: You will need an official transcript showing completion of this course with a “C” or better.

4.   TRANSCRIPTS
A.     Do you have official transcripts from every college you have ever attended?
NO:  You are not ready to submit your application.
YES:  Attach an official transcript from every college attended (including TVCC) to the nursing application. Note: These are in addition to any previously submitted to the registrar's office. **Please be aware that most official transcripts, including TVCC, don't count repeated courses in the cumulative GPA, but all courses are counted for GPA for selections purposes so your final GPA may be lower than you expect if you have taken courses more than once.**

B.     Official transcripts have the raised seal of the college.

C.     Do NOT request a TVCC transcript during registration and late registration.

D.     NO international credits are accepted at TVCC.

5.   PROOF OF HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION/GED
A.     Have you graduated from high school or completed your GED?
NO:  You are not ready to apply.
YES:  You will need to submit proof of graduation from high school or completion of GED with your application. 

6.   APPLICATION
A.     Are you ready to complete the nursing application?
YES:  Download the application to the VN Kaufman program from here or the application for the VN Palestine program from here during application periods only or pick it up from the Testing Center in Athens or the counseling offices in Kaufman, Terrell or Palestine. You will need Adobe Acrobat reader to be able to download this application. Adobe Acrobat reader can be downloaded for free from www.adobe.com.
*      Make sure you carefully read and follow all directions and complete the entire application.
*      The application for the VN program in Palestine will be available from September 15^th until January 31st.
*      The application for the VN program in Kaufman will be available from April 1st until September 15th.
*      Students who apply to more than one program will be asked to rank order their preferences.
*      Applications and required documentation must be mailed by U.S. Mail to:
        TVCC Health Science Center Counselor
        800 Hwy. 243 West
        Kaufman, TX 75142

7.   INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
A.     Are you an international student who needs an I-20 to study in the United States?
YES: Attach to your application a letter from the TVCC Vice President for Student Services stating that you are cleared to attend TVCC.

B.     Contact the Vice President for Student Services on the Athens campus to find out the needed requirements.

8.   TRANSFER STUDENTS
A.     Have you successfully completed one or more semesters of nursing courses at another VN nursing school and want to transfer in the middle of a program?
NO: You don't need to apply as a transfer student but need to follow the general application process and submit all documentation to the HSC counselor.
YES:  Submit a letter to the Health Science Center Provost requesting transfer along with a letter of  recommendation from your last nursing clinical instructor and all the other required documentation.

9.   REVIEW AND PROCESSING OF APPLICATIONS
A.     Applications will be reviewed as they are received. A checklist regarding the status of the application will be mailed. If you do not receive the checklist within three weeks, contact the HSC counselor.

B.     Incomplete applications or applications from applicants who do not meet the minimum qualifications to apply will NOT be processed. These applications will be returned with a checklist that explains why it is being returned. The applicant will have one (1) chance to re-submit the application before the deadline. If the application is re-submitted and is still incomplete or the candidate is still not qualified, the application will not be processed and the applicant can re-apply the next year.

 PROCESS FOR SELECTION OF STUDENTS

I.   PRIORITY SELECTION

A.   All applicants who have submitted a completed application with required documentation (transcripts and passing entrance exam scores, and 2.5 GPA or better on a 4.0 scale for ALL previous college courses) will be considered for priority selection according to the point system.
·        Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) is based on grade points earned from all colleges. Be advised that some colleges, including TVCC, do not count repeated courses when calculating cumulative GPA.

B.   If all qualified applicants with at least a 2.5 GPA are selected (and spaces are still available), applicants with at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA will be considered.

II.   POINT SYSTEM FOR SELECTION

A.   A point will be given for each of the general education courses in the VN curriculum completed with a grade of "C" or better (see list under VN curriculum) and an additional point will be given for each of the Anatomy & Physiology courses (BIOL 2401 & BIOL 2402) completed with a grade of "C" or better (5 possible points). The A&P courses must be current (within 5 years) or the 5-year requirement must be waived in order for them to count as a point for selection.

B.   A point will be given for successful completion of a college honors course as noted on a transcript.  The honors course does not have to be one of the required general education courses. At TVCC, students must meet certain criteria in order to be able to take an honors course.

C.   A point will be given if the student received a grade of “A” on the first attempt of Anatomy & Physiology I (BIOL 2401 or SCIT 1407).  A "W" counts as a first attempt.

D.   A point will be given if at least 15 semester credit hours have been successfully completed at TVCC. This does not include CLEP hours.

E.   Points will be given based on cumulative GPA:
·        Two points will be given for cumulative GPA between 3.5 and 4.0.
·        One point will be given for cumulative GPA between 3.0 and 3.49.

F.   The MAXIMUM NUMBER of points for selections is 10.

G.  The MINIMUM NUMBER of points for selections is 1 (one of the required courses).

III.       HOW SELECTION IS MADE

A.   Applicants with the highest number of points will be selected for the program.

B.   If all applicants from the highest category (10) are selected, students will be chosen from the next category (9) and so on. 

C.   In the event that there are more applicants in one category than the number of spaces available, the applicant's current TVCC course load will be considered along with completion of all five general education courses.

D.   In case of further ties, random selection will be used.

IV.  NOTIFICATION OF SELECTED APPLICANTS

A.   Selected applicants will be sent notification of their acceptance and asked to return written acceptance or non-acceptance of the position by a specified postmark date. Acceptance must be returned certified or by delivery confirmation through U.S. mail. 

B.   If the written acceptance of the position is not returned to the counselor in Kaufman on or before the specified postmark date, the applicant's name will be removed from the list and the applicant will have to re-apply to be considered for the next year's process.

C.   If a student has applied to the VN program and has not received notification of their status regarding acceptance into the VN program in Palestine by April 15th or October 31st for the VN program in Kaufman, it is the student's responsibility to contact the counselor in Kaufman before April 20th or November 5th to clarify the situation. 

D.   The applicants who were not selected will be placed on an alternate list if they accept their place on the alternate list. In the event of cancellations, eligible applicants will be moved up the list and these candidates will be notified. The alternate list will be maintained until the program begins in the fall semester   for Palestine and the spring semester for Kaufman.  Applicants who are not selected and those who decline a position must re-apply the next year in order to be considered in the next year's selection process. 

E.   Students who are selected for the VN program will be required to attend an orientation session at the Kaufman Health Science Center in December or the Palestine campus in July. Failure to attend may result in forfeiture of place in the program.

F.   The selections procedure may change as the situation warrants. Because of the way the selections process works, we cannot estimate or guarantee how long it will take to be selected. This will vary each year according to the number of applicants, their progress on the general education courses, the number of courses taken at Trinity Valley, and their cumulative GPA. 

OTHER INFORMATION

Students who have questions regarding the application and selection processes or general information about any of the health occupations programs should contact the counselor or the Health Science Center Provost.

Students who don't have any healthcare experience should seek volunteer opportunities at a local hospital and observe nurses to get a better idea of what nursing will entail.

It is the student’s responsibility to notify the Counselor in Kaufman if there is any change in name, address or telephone number.

Prior to starting clinical experiences, the student must have a current healthcare provider CPR card, provide a completed physical exam, negative TB test (or chest x-ray if student has a positive TB test), and submit documentation of immunizations or immunity to specific diseases as required by law and clinical sites including tetanus/diphtheria/acellular pertussis, measles, mumps, rubella, varicella, and hepatitis B. Current immunization requirements are available at www.tvcc.edu/campus/healthscience/Immunizations.aspx. Because the Hepatitis B series of 3 vaccines takes several months to complete, applicants are encouraged to get started as soon as possible.

All students enrolled in a health occupations program are required to have a negative criminal background and registry checks and drug screen prior to beginning clinical rotations. Details about the requirements for background checks and drug screens will be provided in orientation. 

Any nursing applicant who has been convicted of a crime other than a minor traffic violation, diagnosed with, treated, or hospitalized in the past five years for schizophrenia or other psychotic disorder, bipolar disorder, paranoid personality disorder, antisocial personality disorder, or borderline personality disorder, or addicted to or treated for the use of alcohol or any other drug within the past five years, should petition the Board of Nurse Examiners for the State of Texas for a declaratory order concerning their eligibility to take the licensing examination, the NCLEX-PN. The Texas Board of Nursing can be reached at (512) 305 – 7400. The application for a declaratory order can be downloaded from the BON website at www.bon.state.tx.us/olv/forms.html.  Please read this memo regarding declaratory orders.

Applications are taken for various student scholarships to be awarded for the next semester.  Submit a completed scholarship application before the designated deadlines to the Health Science Center Provost, TVCC, 800 Hwy. 243 West, Kaufman, TX 75142.

If all qualified applicants have been selected and there are still available positions in the VN program, students will be notified on the VN web site at www.tvcc.edu/campus/healthscience/lvn.aspx if late applications will be accepted.

SCHEDULES

The Vocational Nursing Program in Palestine begins each August. The Vocational Nursing Program in Kaufman begins each January. Classes are conducted Monday through Friday approximately 6 – 8 hours per day. Some clinicals may be 12 hours. Clinical experiences for the Palestine program are offered in Palestine and Athens. Clinical rotations for the Kaufman program are located in Kaufman, Terrell and Athens.

Transportation to these locations is the responsibility of the student.

ESTIMATED VOCATIONAL NURSING PROGRAM EXPENSES

Monies should also be budgeted for other items such as gas, Xeroxing, etc.

VOCATIONAL NURSING PROGRAM CURRICULA

• The general education courses are the ones for which a point is given for selection. Applicants are encouraged to take these courses and anatomy and physiology to better their chances of being selected.

• All science courses must have been taken within five years of admission to count as a point for admission to the nursing program. Students whose science courses are over five years old have three options. The student can retake the courses, demonstrate competency by passing the A&P section on the HESI A² admission test with a 75%, or take a nursing pathophysiology course. RNSG 1311 – Nursing Pathophysiology is offered on the internet each semester. The student may only take the A&P section of the HESI test to waive the 5 year requirement one time. If the student fails to make 75% on that section, he/she must either take pathophysiology course or retake the science courses.

• If a student is selected without having all general education courses completed, the Medical Terminology, Human Growth and Development, and Nutrition courses must be taken as soon as possible in the program.

• All vocational nursing curriculum courses must be completed with a grade of "C" or better for graduation. The general education courses use the numerical grading scale listed in the catalog. The nursing theory courses use the following grading scale: A = 90-100; B = 80-89; C = 75-79; D = 65-74; F = Less than 65.

• Selected classroom and clinical courses must be passed concurrently in order to progress to the next semester. Concurrent courses are outlined in the college catalog.

• Previous college credits may be acceptable toward program requirements. The course numbers listed for the general education courses use the Texas Common Course Numbering System. If there are any questions about the transferability of courses, the student should contact their counselor. The course numbers for the nursing course use courses from the Workforce Education Course Manual (WECM).

TVCC is an affirmative action/equal opportunity institution which provides educational and employment opportunities on the basis of merit and without discrimination or harassment because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age or disability.

For More Information

TVCC Health Science Center - (972) 932-4309
TVCC Athens Campus - (903) 675-6385
TVCC Palestine Campus - (903) 729-0256
TVCC Terrell Campus - (972) 563-9573

E-mail: vn@tvcc.edu

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