Vocational Nursing Crafton - Certificate of Achievement

The Vocational Nursing (VN) Program is a comprehensive, competency-based program designed to prepare students for entry-level practice as Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs) in a variety of healthcare settings. Grounded in a novice to expert framework, the curriculum supports students’ progressive development from novice learners to competent, practice-ready professionals. Instruction is structured to build clinical reasoning, technical proficiency, and professional behaviors across a continuum of learning experiences, from foundational to advanced levels of care.

The program emphasizes safe, patient-centered, and evidence-based care across the lifespan, with focused instruction in medical-surgical, maternal-child, mental health, geriatric, and community health nursing. Through didactic content, clinical simulation, supervised patient care, and structured remediation, students integrate knowledge, skills, and attitudes essential for vocational nursing practice.

The curriculum is aligned with the Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) competencies, ensuring that students develop expertise in patient-centered care, teamwork and collaboration, evidence-based practice, quality improvement, safety, and informatics. Emphasis is placed on ethical practice, cultural competence, leadership, and interprofessional collaboration to meet the diverse and evolving needs of patients and communities.

Graduates of the program are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN) and are prepared to provide high-quality care as contributing members of the healthcare team. The program meets the standards established by the California Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians (BVNPT) and supports student success through a combination of academic rigor, hands-on training, and individualized support.

The program is projecting to have 15-20 successful completers annually.

The goal of the Vocational Nursing Program is to prepare compassionate, competent, and practice-ready entry-level vocational nurses who provide safe, patient-centered, and evidence-based care to individuals and families across the lifespan. Graduates will function effectively under the supervision of a licensed physician or registered nurse, demonstrating accountability, ethical integrity, and legal responsibility in accordance with the Vocational Nurses Code of Ethics and the Nurse Practice Act. The program aims to develop vocational nurses who are capable of integrating clinical reasoning, leadership principles, caring behaviors, and collaborative practices in diverse healthcare environments. Emphasis is placed on the application of nursing informatics, technology, and interprofessional communication to promote optimal patient outcomes and continuous improvement in healthcare delivery. Through progressive learning experiences rooted in the Novice to Expert framework and aligned with QSEN competencies, graduates will be equipped to meet the evolving needs of patients, healthcare systems, and the broader community.

The Vocational Nurse program consist of a series of six (6) program courses designed to complete four (4) semesters (1530 hours).