Student Handbook and Catalog 2021-22 V2

162 | Curriculum
Vocational Nursing
The nursing profession is a large part of the high-demand health
care field. In the Vocational Nursing program, students participate
in an innovative learning environment that helps develop their
caregiving skills. Instruction consists of classroom, simulation
learning labs, interactive online sessions, virtual clinicals and on-site
health care clinicals. In the simulation learning lab, students practice
the skills and techniques introduced in their classes, and they will
be challenged to work through real-world scenarios. After time
in the simulation learning labs, students move to clinical sites at
hospitals, nursing homes and doctors’ offices where they experience
the reality and pace of the nursing profession.
The Vocational Nursing program is a progressive learning program
with each class built on knowledge from previous classes; therefore,
it is necessary for the student to pass each class before moving
on to the next level. In order to progress in the vocational nursing
program, a student must make an average of 80 percent or higher
in each nursing course with the exception of A&P I and II where a
grade of 70 or higher is acceptable.
Graduates of the Vocational Nursing program have many
employment opportunities to consider, such as hospitals, nursing
homes, home health care, doctors’ offices and insurance companies.
Requirements to enter the nursing programs differ from those of
other programs. Limited numbers of students are accepted. The
admission rating scale and application packet criteria will be used
to determine acceptance. See application packet for details. The
Vocational Nursing application packet may be accessed at tstc.edu.
Vocational Nursing is available at the Breckenridge, Harlingen and
Sweetwater campuses.
First-Year Seminar Requirement
Students are required to enroll in the First-Year Seminar course,
TSTC 1101, in their first semester attending TSTC unless they
have completed more than 24 credit hours. Please see detailed
information regarding the course and exemptions in the Advising
section under First-Year Seminar course.
Vocational Nursing
Certificate 2
Semester 1
Credits
BIOL 2401 Anatomy & Physiology I (lecture + lab) 4
BIOL 2301 or Anatomy & Physiology I (lecture)
BIOL 2101 and Anatomy & Physiology I (lab)
BIOL 2402 Anatomy & Physiology II (lecture + lab) 4
BIOL 2302 or Anatomy & Physiology II (lecture)
BIOL 2102 and Anatomy & Physiology II (lab)
HPRS 1206 Essentials of Medical Terminology 2
Semester Totals 10
Semester 2
Credits
VNSG 1261 Clinical - Licensed Practical/Vocational 2
Nurse Training
VNSG 1304 Foundations of Nursing 3
VNSG 1331 Pharmacology 3
VNSG 1327 Essentials of Medication Administration 3
VNSG 1402 Applied Nursing Skills I 4
Semester Totals 15
Semester 3
Credits
VNSG 1230 Maternal-Neonatal Nursing 2
VNSG 1329 Medical-Surgical Nursing I 3
VNSG 1462 Clinical - Licensed Practical/Vocational 4
Nurse Training
VNSG 2413 Applied Nursing Skills II 4
Semester Totals 13
Semester 4
Credits
VNSG 1119 Leadership and Professional Development 1
VNSG 1334 Pediatrics 3
VNSG 1432 Medical-Surgical Nursing II 4
VNSG 2463 Clinical - Licensed Practical/Vocational 4
Nurse Training
Semester Totals 12
Program Totals 50
Capstone Course(s):
VNSG 2463 - Clinical - Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse Training
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Texas State Technical College