Vocational Nursing - VN
The Health and Safety Sciences department is no longer accepting application for the Fall 2025 semester.
* Beginning January 2026, applications for admission will be online only. Check back for more information regarding this change*
The Vocational Nursing Program is a 12-month course of study leading to a certificate in Vocational Nursing. Upon completion of this program, the student is eligible to take the NCLEX-PN, the licensure examination required by the California Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians to practice vocational nursing.
The vocational nursing program will be accepting packets for August 2025 enrollment (fall semester) from February 3 - February 27, 2025. At the conclusion of the enrollment period, all complete applications will be screened using the multi-criteria points system and placed into the program according to highest points. Order of application by date will apply when point number is the same (ex. If two applicants have the same number of points, the applicant who applied at an earlier date will be admitted. Ten percent of those admitted for enrollment will be selected using a lottery system.
Students must submit the enrollment form, an official high school transcript showing graduation date or an official copy of GED results, and an educational planning and evaluation form completed by a Antelope Valley College counselor if any college courses pertaining to vocational nursing were completed, within one year prior to the date of submitting the enrollment form. Official college transcripts are required for any courses that pertain to the vocational nursing certificate, i.e., BIOL 100 (Elementary Anatomy and Physiology), PSY 101 (General Psychology) and NF 100 (Nutrition).
(CHANGE TO ADMISSION PROCESS) *** Starting in the February 2026 application period, for August 2026 enrollment (2026 Fall semester), AVC is now requiring completion of the ATI TEAS (v7) exam as part of the Vocational Nursing Program application process. This is a new requirement. The ATI TEAS score will be used as one of the criteria in our multi-criteria screening tool to help select applicants for admission to the VN Program. There is a cost associated with taking the TEAS, which the VN applicant is responsible for. The ATI TEAS score must be on file in the Health and Safety Sciences Division (Nursing Department Office) when your application is submitted for consideration for admission to the VN Program. The minimum score required is at least a 62%. Students will have two attempts to achieve the minimum score. If both attempts are below the 62%, applicants will be disqualified from applying to the Vocational Nursing Program at AVC. Students will be required to take the most current version of the TEAS, which currently is v7. Should the Version change, students will have to retest if they have not been admitted into the program.
All students will be required to attend a mandatory student orientation, complete a background screen (including social security number verification), and physical examination, including drug and alcohol screening. Instructions will be sent to students who are offered spaces in the program.
***Applications must be received by the Health and Safety Sciences Division office no sooner than February 3, 2025 and no later than February 27, 2025. ***
Application Process
* Beginning January 2026, applications for admission will be online only. Check back for more information regarding this change*
Requirements of Program if Offered Admission
Students who are offered a space in the program are required to adhere to the background, physical and vaccination guidelines set forth within the clinical affiliation agreements AVC Health programs have with various hospitals and doctors office's. If you fail to meet those requirements, you will not be able to proceed in the Vocational Nursing Program.
Students must complete the following:
1. Full physical exam with vision, hearing CBC and urinalysis. Student must also be able to participate in the following activities without restriction:
- Maintain emotional stability and to understand how to cope with stress during crisis situations.
- Exhibit written and verbal communication skills.
- Use hands to finger, handle or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms, and talk or hear and smell.
- Walk, stoop, kneel, crouch, and crawl. Occasionally to sit and climb or balance, push, pull or bend.
- Lift and/or move up to 30 pounds; perform all direct patient care activities, transferring, bathing, ambulating, and feeding procedures.
- Manipulate various sizes of equipment and supplies; perform CPR and charting activities.
- Use close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and adjust focus.
2. Proof of vaccination against Measles, Mumps and Rubella (two doses) within the last five years OR proof of immunity (titer) within the last year.
3. Proof of vaccination against varicella (two doses) within the past five years OR proof of immunity (titer) within the last year
4. Proof of vaccination against Hepatitis B (3 doses) within the past five years OR proof of immunity (titer) within the last year.
5. Two step TB test, chest x-ray or Quantiferon blood test within the last year (TB Test and Quantiferon blood test will have to be renewed yearly while in program)
6. Proof of vaccination against TDAP (Tetanus and Pertussis) within last ten years.
7. Seasonal Flu Vaccination
8. Covid 19 Vaccination
9. Drug Screening with Alcohol (Urine). Students must be tested for the following:
- Alcohol
- Amphetamines
- Barbiturates
- Benzodiazepines
- Benzoylecgonine (Cocaine)
- Cannabinoids
- Meperidine (Demerol)
- Methadone
- Methaqualone
- Opiates
- Oxycodone
- Phencyclidine
- Propoxyphene
