Program Details
Certificate in Practical Nursing Leading to LPN
CertificateMountain Empire Community College
The mission of the MECC Practical Nursing program is to facilitate the health of the community. This mission is accomplished through nursing education, leadership, scholarship, and innovative nursing practice. The foundation of these goals is lifelong learning, responsiveness to changing healthcare needs, generation and dissemination of new knowledge, and service to the public and the profession.
Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will be able to:
1. Obtain an entry-level nursing position within a variety of healthcare settings.
2. Provide nursing care encompassing the attainment and maintenance of the physical and mental health of clients and groups with multiple chronic conditions throughout the life span in a variety of healthcare settings.
3. Provide focused assessments of client status that includes the use of quantitative reasoning to determine client needs, care, data collection, evaluation, reporting, and documentation of care rendered.
4. Development of working concepts of anatomy, physiology, chemistry, microbiology, and behavioral sciences.
5. Development of communication skills to enhance the nurse-client and interdisciplinary team relations.
6. Develop and provide care based on understanding of the concepts of the ethical and legal aspects of nursing, including Virginia Code of Nursing, client rights, privacy, confidentiality, prevention, recognition, intervention, and reporting evidence of child or elder abuse; roles of the practical nurse; professional boundaries; history and trends in nursing care.
7. Provide care to clients throughout the life span in concepts of medication administration, dosage calculations, and nutrition and diet therapy.
8. Provide client-centered care that incorporates respect of cultural differences, promotion of healthy lifestyles, and client and healthcare setting safety; prevention and appropriate response to bioterrorism, natural and man-made disasters, and intimate partner and family violence; use of critical thinking skills in the implementation of safe client care and care of clients with multiple, chronic conditions.
9. Develoment management and supervisor skills that include technology use, quality improvement and supervision of aides and assistive personnel.
Program Overview & Guidance

Program Guidance Element | What You Need to Know |
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Considerations for Selecting Degree | The mission of the MECC Practical Nursing program is to facilitate the health of the community. This mission is accomplished through nursing education, leadership, scholarship, and innovative nursing practice. The foundation of these goals is lifelong learning, responsiveness to changing healthcare needs, generation and dissemination of new knowledge, and service to the public and the profession. |
Program Requirement Notes | Program Requirement Notes An academic advisor will review with students their preparation in Mathematics and English. Students will be guided to appropriate preliminary coursework to give them the greatest chance of success in this program All identified developmental course needs must be completed prior to admission to the Practical Nursing program.
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Considerations When Selecting Courses |
An academic advisor will review your preparation in Mathematics and English with you. You’ll be guided to appropriate preliminary coursework to give you the greatest chance of success in this program. All identified developmental course needs must be completed prior to admission to the Practical Nursing program.
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Program Requirements Beyond Specific Courses | Applicants, submitting applications on time, will be admitted by highest to lowest scores. Applications received after the deadline may be considered: 1) if the cohort is not filled or 2) when current enrollment grades are posted. Applicants must have minimum 54 points on the scoring rubric to be considered for admission. |
Doing More With Your Degree | Employment opportunities for the Licensed Practical Nurse include, but are not limited to, staff positions in hospitals, nursing homes, health departments, physicians’ offices, clinics, home health agencies, day care centers, public schools, and civil service. |
Program Successes & Highlights |
Program Credit Requirements

The table below provides the requirements to complete this program if you are not following a Transfer Guide. If you have an account and have created a Portfolio, the table includes the "Applied Credits" column. This column shows how the credits you earned based on the experiences you entered may be applied to satisfy these requirements. You can find schools where you can take courses that will transfer and apply to this degree using the Where Can I Find An Equivalent Course feature in the Transfer Tools menu.
A formal determination of credits awarded for your prior learning and their applicability to the degree requirements can only be made by the institution. The formal determination and resulting map may reflect higher or lower number of credits to be completed to achieve this program.
What If I Have An Associate Degree Or Credit For Prior Learning?

Transfer Guidance Element | What You Need to Know |
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Associate Transfer Degree Completion | The transfer education program, which includes freshman and sophomore courses in arts and sciences and pre-professional education, allows students to transfer into baccalaureate degree programs and four-year colleges and universities. |
Completion of Associate Degree Concurrent with High School | The transfer education program, which includes freshman and sophomore courses in arts and sciences and pre-professional education, allows students to transfer into baccalaureate degree programs and four-year colleges and universities. |
Credit for Prior Learning | VCCS Policy 5.6.5.1 |
Did You Know That... |
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College Level Information

College Fit Guidance | What You Need to Know |
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Is This College Right For Me? | Mountain Empire Community College’s mission is to provide our region with accessible, quality higher education, workforce training, and community programs to ensure an educated population and globally competitive workforce. |
Transfer Student Catalog Year | |
First Year Student Catalog Year | The catalog year is based on the admission term that the student applies for. |
Applying for Guaranteed Admissions |
Where Can This Degree Transfer

Institution | Title | Degree | Award Name | Award Level | Delivery Mode |
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Mountain Gateway Community College | Associate of Applied Science Degree in Nursing | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person |
J Sargeant Reynolds Community College | Associate of Applied Science in Nursing | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
J Sargeant Reynolds Community College | Associate of Applied Science in Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) to Registered Nursing (RN) - Advanced Placement Option (APO) | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person |
Brightpoint Community College | Associate of Applied Science Degree in Nursing | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person |
Brightpoint Community College | Associate of Applied Science Degree in Nursing - Hybrid Distance Education | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | Hybrid |
Laurel Ridge Community College | Associate of Applied Science Degree in Nursing | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Hybrid |
Laurel Ridge Community College | Associate of Applied Science Degree in Nursing: Advanced Placement Option for Licensed Practical Nurses | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Hybrid |
New River Community College | Associate of Applied Science in Nursing | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
Northern Virginia Community College | Nursing, A.A.S. | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Hybrid |
Paul D. Camp Community College | Associate of Applied Science in Nursing | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person |
Rappahannock Community College | AAS Degree in Nursing | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Hybrid |
Rappahannock Community College | AA&S Degree in Arts and Sciences - Pre-BSN Specialization | Associate | Associate of Arts and Sciences | 2-Year | In-Person, Online, Hybrid |
Tidewater Community College | Associate of Applied Science - Nursing | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person |
Virginia Highlands Community College | Associate in Applied Science Degree in Nursing | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Hybrid |
Wytheville Community College | Associate of Applied Science Degree in Nursing | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Hybrid |
Careers Where This Degree Applies

O*Net Code | Name | Description | Parent |
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29-2061.00 | Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | Care for ill, injured, or convalescing patients or persons with disabilities in hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, private homes, group homes, and similar institutions. May work under the supervision of a registered nurse. Licensing required. | Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations |
Cost To Complete
