This article discusses the types of vocational schools for nurses, as well as the types of nurses and nursing education available. It also provides a chart, organized by state, of vocational and technical schools offering nursing education.
The word vocation can have three different meanings when related to nursing. First it can refer to an LVN, a licensed vocational nurse, the term for a licensed practical nurse (LPN) in California and Texas. Second, it can refer to the vocation of nursing, in which case it encompasses all types of nurses. Third, it can refer to the type of institution at which one can obtain certain types of nursing education, specifically a vocational or technical school. It is this third meaning that will be covered by this article.
Types of Vocational Schools
A vocational school can be a secondary school or a college. It may have the word vocational in its name, or it may be called a career center, a technical school, or some other name with technical or institute in it. The point is that it is preparing the student for work rather than a course of studies that may lead to a degree but is unrelated to specific job training.
Types of Nurses
There are several different professions with nurse in their name, and they can be distinguished to a certain extent by their educational backgrounds:
- Licensed Practical Nurse/Licensed Vocational Nurse (LPN/LVN) A nurse with state approved training from one of the following institutions: a high school, a vocational school, a community or junior college, a hospital, or a college or university. An LPN or LVN may continue training and become a registered nurse
- Registered Nurse (RN) A nurse with at either an associates degree in nursing from a junior or community college and a diploma from a hospital or a bachelor's of science in nursing (BSN).
- Nurse Practitioner (NP) An advanced practice nurse with a registered nurse preparation and additional education and training, usually including a master's degree and possibly a doctorate.
- Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) A licensed registered nurse who has specialist training through graduate preparation (with a master's or doctorate degree).
Licensed Practical Nurses, Licenses Vocational Nurses, and Vocational Schools
As you search for a vocational school that offers nursing, be aware that in California and Texas, junior colleges, community college, colleges, universities, hospitals, and high schools that offer LVN training may have listings as “Vocational Nursing.” In this context, this does not mean that they are vocational schools.
These are the vocational and technical schools at which nursing education is offered. Always check for accreditation and state program approval before applying to a career school.
State | Institution Name |
Alabama | Bessemer State Technical College |
Drake State Technical College | |
H. Councill Trenholm State Technical College | |
Reid State Technical College | |
Arizona | Maricopa Skill Center |
Arkansas | Arkansas State University Technical Center |
Arkansas Valley Technical Institute | |
Black River Technical College | |
Crowley's Ridge Technical Institute | |
Northwest Technical Institute | |
Ouachita Technical College | |
Pulaski Technical College | |
SAU Tech | |
California | West Coast Ultrasound Institute |
Connecticut | Lincoln Technical Institute |
Porter and Chester Institute | |
Delaware | Delaware Technical & Community College |
Florida | Concorde Career Institute |
Lincoln Technical Institute- Fern Park | |
Sarasota County Vocational - Technical Center | |
Georgia | Albany Technical College - Early County |
ALTAMAHA TECHNICAL COLLEGE - Appling County | |
APPALACHIAN TECHNICAL COLLEGE | |
ATHENS TECHNICAL COLLEGE - Elbert County Class | |
ATHENS TECHNICAL COLLEGE - Walton County | |
ATLANTA TECHNICAL COLLEGE | |
Augusta Technical College | |
Northwestern Technical College | |
Savannah Technical College | |
Kansas | Manhattan Area Technical College |
North Central Kansas Technical College | |
Wichita Area Technical College | |
Massachusetts | Assabet Valley Regional Technical School |
Regional Vocational Technical School | |
Minnesota | Anoka-Hennepin Technical College |
Minneapolis Community & Technical College | |
Rochester Community & Technical College | |
Saint Cloud Technical College | |
Saint Paul Technical College - Health and Service | |
Missouri | Lebanon Technology and Career Center |
New Jersey | Somerset County Technology Institute |
New Mexico | Albuquerque Technical Vocational Institute |
New York | Eastern Suffolk, BOCES Technical Center |
North Carolina | Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College |
North Dakota | United Tribes Technical College |
Vocational Educational & Extension Board Nassau County | |
Ohio | Great Oaks Institute of Technology and Career Development |
Hocking Technical College | |
Miami-Jacobs Career College | |
Pickaway-Ross Joint Vocational School | |
Oklahoma | Autry Technology Center |
Caddo-Kiowa Technology Center | |
Canadian Valley Technology Center | |
Canadian Valley Technology Center | |
Central Technology Center | |
Chisholm Trail Technology Center | |
Francis Tuttle Technology Center | |
Great Plains Technology Center | |
Indian Capital Technology Center | |
Meridian Technology Center | |
Metro Technology Centers | |
Mid-America Technology Center | |
Mid-Del Lewis Eubanks Technology Center | |
Moore Norman Technology Center | |
Northeast Technology Center | |
Red River Technology Center | |
Southwest Technology Center | |
Tri County Technology Center | |
Tulsa Technology Center-School of Practical Nursing | |
Western Technology Center | |
Pennsylvania | Bucks County Technical School |
Career Technology Center | |
Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science & Technology | |
Chester County Intermediate Unit | |
Clearfield County Career and Technology Center | |
Crawford County Area Vocational | |
Delaware County Intermediate Unit | |
Eastern Center for Arts & Technology | |
Fayette County Area Vocational-Technical School | |
Franklin County Career and Technology Center | |
Greater Johnstown Area Vocational Technical School | |
Greene County Area Vocational Technical School | |
Hazleton Area Vocational Technical School | |
Indiana County Technology Center | |
Jefferson County-DuBois AVTS | |
Juniata-Mifflin Counties Area Vocational Technical School | |
Lawrence County Vocational Technical School | |
Northern Tier Career Center | |
Pennsylvania College of Technology | |
Schuylkill Intermediate Unit #29 | |
Somerset County Technology Center | |
Upper Bucks County Vocational Technical School | |
Venango County Area Vocational Technical School | |
Western Area Career & Technology Center | |
Wilkes-Barre Area Vo-Tech School | |
York County School of Technology | |
South Carolina | Aynor Conway Career Center |
Central Carolina Technical College | |
Greenville Technical College | |
Horry-Georgetown Technical College | |
Midlands Technical College - Nursing Department | |
Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College | |
Spartanburg Technical College | |
Technical College of the Lowcountry | |
Trident Technical College - Nursing Division | |
South Dakota | Lake Area Vocational Technical Institute |
Western Dakota Tech | |
Texas | Career Centers of Texas - Corpus Christi |
Concorde Career Institute - Arlington | |
North Texas Professional Career Institute | |
Utah | Davis Applied Technology College |
Ogden Weber Applied Technology College | |
Uintah Basin Applied Technology College | |
Vermont | Vermont Technical College |
Virginia | Norfolk Technical Vocational Center |
Riverside School of Health Careers | |
Washington | Renton Technical College |
Wisconsin | Milwaukee Area Technical College |
Moraine Park Technical College |
Sources
bls.gov
aanp.org
nacns.org
napnes.org
allnursingschools.com