In Texas, desert, plains, ocean, and forest all meet together to form one very large state with a unique Southern culture that it is very proud of. If you are a Texan and are thinking about the profession of licensed vocational nursing (LVN, also known in other states as licensed practical nurse or LPN), you may find the information on this page to be helpful. This page contains information about LVN schooling, typical LVN job duties, LVN licensing requirements, and a list of schools (in the last section on the page) in Texas that may have various LVN courses.
Basic LVN/LPN Schooling Information
LVN schooling programs in Texas aim to prepare students to have the skills and knowledge necessary to perform the job as an LVN. Theoretical and practical components help accomplish this goal; theoretical education is provided through classes (both general education and nursing) and practical education is provided through clinical experience and lab work. The practical skills that students learn are typically taught in labs and clinicals. Labs accompany the nursing classes in order to help students practice their skills and improve as they progress through a educational course. Clinicals allow the students to gain real-life experience in a closely-supervised medical setting; usually students start out with smaller amounts of responsibility, and as time goes on and they gain more knowledge, their responsibility increases, as well. Students can take the theoretical knowledge and practical experience they have received in their LVN schooling program and apply it to a real-life LVN profession.
Typical LVN/LPN Job Duties in Texas
Hospitals, nursing homes, and health care clinics are some examples of places that LVNs may work in Texas, but there may also be other places not listed here. Just as the type of employers differ widely, so too do the job duties of LVNs. LVNs may have job tasks that range from bedside care to patient health status monitoring to tasks requiring special education to miscellaneous tasks, depending on the employer. Bedside care tasks can include duties like changing patients’ clothing, bathing patients, changing dressing on wounds, and washing wounds. As another duty, some LVNs might also help patients with their personal hygiene. LVNs may also act as a communicator between the patient and a doctor by listening to the patient about their concerns about the medical treatment he or she is receiving and relaying that information to the other members of the medical staff (including a doctor). LVNs may also take and record significant vital signs, including but not limited to temperature, weight, blood sugar, blood pressure, blood oxygen levels, and pain levels. Tasks that require special education and/or certification may include performing other technical tasks. Finally, miscellaneous tasks may also be assigned, from completing insurance billing paperwork to other various in-office tasks.
Information about Texas Requirements for LVN Licensing
Texas a state that belongs to the Nursing License Compact. This means that students from out of state and holding an LVN (or LPN) license can practice in Texas, and Texans with licenses from Texas can work in any of the other Compact states without having to get a license from the state they are employed in. For more information on the Nurse Licensure Compact, as well as questions about what to do if you graduated from a foreign or overseas nursing program or other special scenarios, visit the Texas Board of Nursing (BON) website
LVN applicants need to have graduated from a Texas Board of Nursing-approved LVN course (it’s a good idea contact the BON to find out if a course is approved prior to enrolling). After a person completes a course, if the course is in-state, the school official must submit an online affidavit of graduation directly to the BON. Out-of-state schools must submit a paper affidavit directly to the BON. LVN applicants also need to complete an online or paper application, depending on their specific situation, and pay the appropriate application fees; they must also pass the Texas nursing jurisprudence exam, for which the BON has preparatory information online. A criminal background check will also be conducted of the applicant. Finally, the applicant must pass the NCLEX test (the main exam that a person needs to take to becom an LVN).
Texas LVN Schools
In Texas, the acronym LVN is used instead of LPN. These schools may offer Licensed Vocational Nursing programs.
Alvin Community College
3110 Mustang Rd, Alvin, TX 77511
(281) 756-3500
Austin Community College
1555 Cypress Creek Rd, Cedar Park, TX 78613
(512) 223-2000
Blinn College
902 College Ave, Brenham, TX 77833
(979) 830-4000
Brazosport College
500 College Dr, Lake Jackson, TX 77566
(979) 230-3000
College of the Mainland
1200 N Amburn Rd, Texas City, TX 77591
(409) 938-1211
Grayson County College
6101 Grayson Dr, Denison, TX 75020
(903) 465-6030
Northeast Texas Community College
2886 Farm to Market 1735, Mt Pleasant, TX 75455
(903) 434-8100
Howard College
1001 Birdwell Ln, Big Spring, TX 79720
(432) 264-5000
Lee College
200 Lee Dr, Baytown, TX 77520
(281) 427-5611
Lone Star College
5000 Research Forest Dr, Spring, TX 77381
(832) 813-6500
Navarro College
3200 W. 7th Avenue, Corsicana, TX 75110
(903) 874-6501
Paris Junior College
2400 Clarksville St, Paris, TX 75460
(903) 785-7661
Tyler Junior College
1327 S Baxter Ave, Tyler, TX 75711
(903) 510-2200
Panola College
1109 W Panola St, Carthage, TX 75633
(903) 693-2000
Temple College
2600 S 1st St, Temple, TX 76504
(254) 298-8282
Texarkana College
2500 N Robison Rd, Texarkana, TX 75599
(903) 823-3456
North Central Texas College
1525 W California St, Gainesville, TX 76240
(940) 668-7731
South Plains College
819 S Gilbert Dr, Lubbock, TX 79416
(806) 894-9611
St. Philip’s College
1801 Martin Luther King Dr, San Antonio, TX 78203
(210) 486-2000
Sul Ross State University
US-90, Alpine, TX 79830
(432) 837-8011
Find LPN Programs Near Me
Select Your State for Local LPN Information