Vocational Nursing Program
Fact Sheet for Classes Beginning Summer 2009

This one-year program is designed to prepare the vocational nursing student with the experience and education to function in a variety of health care settings under the supervision of a registered nurse. Upon successful completion of the program, a certificate of completion is awarded by Temple College, and qualifies graduates as eligible candidates to apply to take the National Council for Licensure Examination (NCLEX).

Details of the program are presented in information sessions offered the first Tuesday of each month at 4:00 p.m. in the Dell Martin Nursing Education Center. No appointment is necessary.

Students desiring admission to the VN program must meet the following requirements:

1. Complete the Temple College admission procedure. All college admission requirements must be met.

2. Plan to take the Nursing Entrance Test (NET-PN) between November 3, 2008 through January 8, 2009. (A study guide may be purchased in the Temple College Bookstore, Arnold Student Center)
   

   When you are ready to take the pre-entrance test you must:

   1. Pay $30 for the test in the Cashier's office, One College Centre. Only cash, credit cards, or money orders will be accepted for payment. This fee is non-refundable.
   2. Take the receipt to the Testing Center, One College Centre when you are ready to take the test.

   After completing the NET-PN test, you must:

   • Complete an application from the VN Department in the Dell Martin Nursing Education Building on the Temple Campus. Deadline for submitting completed applications and transcripts is: January 12, 2009.

   • Furnish evidence of an official high school transcript showing evidence of graduation or an official General Education Development Equivalency certificate. All foreign high school coursework must be evaluated by Foreign Credentials Service (1900 Justin Lane Austin,Tx 78757-4565. 512-459-8428)

   • If you have college credits that apply toward the VN curriculum, you must furnish official transcripts of all course work from these colleges or universities. Biological Science courses must have been taken within the past ten years.

After satisfactory completion of the above admission process, applicants will be notified by letter of whether or not they were conditionally accepted into the program.

Note: Admission to Temple College does not constitute automatic acceptance into the nursing program. Admission to the nursing program is determined during the early spring for the summer semester. In the case of competitive admissions, requirements over and above the minimum may be necessary.

In the event the application is rejected, the applicant may request a meeting with the Director of the VN Department. Such a request is submitted in writing and includes reasons why the application should be reviewed.

Applications will not be processed if any of the stated admission requirements are missing or incomplete.

>Students seeking admission to the VN program are admitted to the program on the basis of the following criteria, with maximum point totals awarded as indicated:

• Pre-entrance test scores (4 points)
• Completion of these two courses: (1 point)
1. BIOL 2404 Intro To Human A&P
2. ITSE 1294 Special Topics in Computer Science
These two courses listed are not pre-requisite courses. If you do finish these courses by the end of the fall semester during the admission process you will receive one extra point on the admission criteria.
• Temple College service area residency status (1 point)

Point totals are then used to rank candidates into priority groupings of I, II, III. Admissions will be approved from within priority groups with all criteria taken into consideration, not point totals alone. Any applicant scoring below 41 on the NET–PN composite score, or ranking below priority grouping III, will not be considered for admission.

One point will be deducted from an applicant’s point total if the applicant has failed any nursing course in another vocational nursing program.

After conditional acceptance to the VN program, the following requirements must be completed:

• A satisfactory criminal background history check (specific instructions will be given). Any healthcare facility associated with Temple College may also require criminal background history checks. Permission to perform the criminal background history check must be given by the student. Failure to give permission could result in dismissal from the program. It may be necessary to dismiss students from a program if they are barred from practicing at any healthcare facility. Future employment and licensing may be affected by the results of a criminal background history check. The Board of Nursing for the State of Texas will also conduct a criminal background history check at the completion of the program. The background history check you will do for us will NOT guarantee you will meet the BON requirements.

• A current physical examination (within six months prior to beginning the nursing program) verifying good physical and mental health with required immunizations. Note: Students shall receive a complete series of Hepatitis B vaccine prior to the start of direct patient care.

• Provide documentation of successful completion of a CPR course designed for health care providers (e.g. Basic Cardiac Life Support for Health Care Providers from American Heart Association or CPR for the Professional Rescuer from the American Red Cross). No student will be permitted in the clinical setting without current documentation on file (must remain current throughout the VN program).

• All nursing students will be required to purchase professional liability insurance at the time of registration. Additional expenses incurred as part of the program are the responsibility of the student.

Financial Aid

Financial Aid is available for VN nursing students. Contact the Financial Aid office at (254) 298-8321.

Exit Exam

All candidates for graduation will be required to pass an exit exam before graduating from the Vocational Nursing program

Licensure

1. For any criminal offense, including those pending appeal, have you:
1. Been convicted of a misdemeanor?
2. Been convicted of a felony?
3. Pled nolo contendere, no contest, or guilty?
4. Received deferred adjudication?
5. Been placed on community supervision or court-ordered probation, whether or not adjudicated guilty?
6. Been sentenced to serve jail or prison time? Court-ordered confinement?
7. Been granted pre-trial diversion?
8. Been arrested or any pending criminal charges?
9. Been cited or charged with any violation of the law?
10. Been subject of a court-martial; Article 15 violation; or received any form of military judgment/punishment/action?

(You may only exclude Class C misdemeanor traffic violations.)

NOTE: Expunqed and Sealed Offenses: While expunged or sealed offenses, arrests, tickets, or citations need not be disclosed, it is your responsibility to ensure the offense, arrest, ticket or citation has, in fact, been expunged or sealed. It is recommended that you submit a copy of the Court Order expunging or sealing the record in question to the BON office with your application. Failure to reveal an offense, arrest, ticket, or citation that is not in fact expunged or sealed, will at a minimum, subject your license to a disciplinary fine. Non-disclosure of relevant offenses raises questions related to truthfulness and character.
NOTE: Orders of Non-Disclosure: Pursuant to Tex.Gov't Code § 552.142(b), if you have criminal matters that are the subject of an order of non-disclosure you are not required to reveal those criminal matters on this form. However, a criminal matter that is the subject of an order of non-disclosure may become a character and fitness issue. Pursuant to other sections of the Gov't Code chapter 411, the Texas Nursing Board is entitled to access criminal history record information that is the subject of an order of non-disclosure. If the Board discovers a criminal matter that is the subject of an order of non-disclosure, even if you properly did not reveal that matter, the Board may require you to provide information about that criminal matter.
2. Are you currently the target or subject of a grand jury or governmental agency investigation?
3. Has any licensing authority refused to issue you a license or ever revoked, annulled, cancelled, accepted surrender of, suspended, placed on probation, refused to renew a nursing license, certificate or multi-state privilege held by you now or previously, or ever fined, censured, reprimanded or otherwise disciplined you?
4. Within the past five (5) years have you been addicted to and/or been treated for the use of alcohol or any other drug?
5. Within the past five (5) years have you been diagnosed with, treated, or hospitalized for schizophrenia and/or psychotic disorder, bipolar disorder, paranoid personality disorder, antisocial personality disorder, or borderline peronality disorder?

Declaratory Order for Eligibility for Licensure

Revised Spring 2008

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