Licensed Vocational Nurse

Entry-Level Education Requirement

Students may apply to the VN program after having completed a 12th grade education or its equivalent.

Proof of completion is required through official sealed transcripts and are only accepted during official application periods. 

• If high school was completed in the United States, proof of completion may be demonstrated in one of the following ways:

  -Provide an official high school or GED transcript, OR 

  -Submit a copy of your diploma for verification.

   

• For applicants who completed high school outside the United States, foreign transcripts must be evaluated by one of the official GCC-approved evaluators listed below. A report from one of these evaluators is required. Applicants are responsible for obtaining a foreign transcript evaluation before applying. Since this process can take time, please plan accordingly. An official copy of both the transcript(s) and the evaluation must be submitted with the application to the Vocational Nursing Department as well as to Admissions and Records.

IERF, Inc.

P.O. Box 66940

Los Angeles, CA 90066

www.ierf.org

Phone- (310) 258-9451

OR

World Education Services

P.O. Box 5087

Bowling Green Station

New York, NY 10274

www.wes.org

Phone- (212) 966-6311

Orientation Workshop

The orientation workshop is a pre-application requirement for all VN program applicants. Workshops are in-person classroom learning sessions designed to familiarize applicants with the requirements and processes for submitting an application. View the Applications & Workshops tab for further information. 

Background and Drug Screening

In accordance to the Joint Commission standard, clinical facilities may require criminal background checks and urine drug screens for all individuals providing patient care, including nursing students. The clinical affiliation agreements between the Mendocino College Vocational Nursing Program and clinical agencies require that background checks be conducted and urine drug screens completed for all students prior to placement in a clinical environment. If a student cannot be cleared for clinical participation due to a background check infraction or a positive drug screen result, the student will not be able to participate in clinical, which is a program requirement. In the event that a student is found ineligible for clinical placement by the clinical facility after admission to the nursing program, they shall be subject to dismissal from the program, as they will be unable to complete the mandatory clinical course objectives.

• Information Regarding Changes to California State Laws:

Despite California State Laws regarding marijuana usage, our clinical facilities still require a clean urine drug screen from all students. Clinical agencies must uphold federal laws and therefore cannot accept a positive urine drug screen, including students with medical marijuana authorization. 

Previous student who dropped or withdrew from the VN program/readmission

In limited circumstances, a student who has withdrawn from the VN program may be readmitted with Advanced Status dependent on continued eligibility and available space in the program.

A student receiving a non-passing grade in nursing courses may be considered for readmission at the discretion of the Program Director. The student will be required to provide written documentation outlining the factors that contributed to the lack of success as well as strategies for improving performance. The readmission request will be reviewed and if approved the student may apply during the next regular application period.

Readmission must occur within 18 months of departure from the VN program. Any student who is absent from the VN program has a responsibility to maintain the currency of knowledge and skills previously learned. 

Students dismissed from any nursing or Allied Health program due to behavior that posed a threat to patient safety, or those whose healthcare-related license has been revoked for any reason, are ineligible for enrollment in the VN program. 

If the applicant has left another program for any purpose, it is the applicant’s responsibility to request a statement from the Program Director of their previous program indicating the student would be eligible for readmission and that there were no safety issues causing dismissal from the program. This statement must be sent directly from the previous director to the Vocational Nursing Program Director at Mendocino College. This documentation must be received by the close of the application period for an application to be considered.

*Military records and transcripts must be reviewed by a counselor and the applicant must have a DD214 showing completion of military coursework and service/ discharge under honorable conditions. 

Certified Nursing Hour-Based Credit for VN Program Admission

The VN program grants credit for students who have an active Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) certificate.

Students with verified CNA coursework or experience will be granted an hour-based credit to omit up to 24 hours for skills lab in the first few weeks of the first semester (LVN 101) for objectives that correlate with CNA skills. This will apply to students with proof of coursework within proof of coursework, or paid CNA experience within the last 12 months of the application date for the program. Assessment of CNA students may be conducted to establish this hour-based credit.

Students are required to submit either an Official Transcript of Certified Nursing Assistant Coursework from a CDPH approved institution, or a letter from the student’s employer verifying 160 clock hours of CNA employment. Letters must be submitted to the Director upon acceptance into the VN program.

Assessment of CNA students may be conducted to establish the necessity for remediation. 

The Right to Contact the BVNPT:

Students have the right to file a complaint or express concerns about this program directly to the Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians (BVNPT).

It is expected that students follow the department, campus, and district policies in an attempt to resolve concerns prior to contacting the BVNPT. 

Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians

2535 Capitol Oaks Drive, Suite 205

Sacramento, Ca 95833

(916) 263-7800

www.bvnpt.ca.qov 

Student Rights and Grievances:

Students are encouraged to resolve concerns or complaints promptly and professionally. The VN program follows Mendocino College’s Student Rights and Grievances policy that is posted on the college website. This policy is also listed in the VN program’s Student Rights and Grievances policy. 

Credit Granting for Previous Education or Experience:

The VN program grants hour-based and transfer credit opportunities for students.  Admission requirements will be the same or similar for all students. For full details refer to the Credit Granting policy.

Students may apply for hour-based course credit if they have a valid:

• Certified nurse assistant certification

Additionally, the VN provides transfer credit opportunities for students who have previous education and experience relevant to course segments of the curriculum. Applications for transfer credit with Advanced Status are accepted on a continuous basis. Students may apply to enter as a transfer student if their status is one of the following:

• Previous student who dropped or withdrew from the VN program/readmission

• Approved vocational/ practical nursing courses

• Approved registered nursing courses

• Approved psychiatric technician courses

• Armed service personal or Veterans with medical experience

Due to limited clinical resources and student/teacher ratios, admissions for transfer credit to challenge a Vocational Nursing semester will be granted on a space-available basis only. 

Approved Clinical Facilities:

The BVNPT has approved the following facilities for clinical use by the Mendocino College Vocational Nursing program. Other sites may be included as needed, pending approval by the Board.

Students may be assigned to any BVNPT-approved clinical facility for their clinical rotations. To ensure a well-rounded experience, students should be prepared to travel to various clinical sites as scheduled. Reliable transportation is expected.

Facilities in Willits, CA

• Adventist Health Howard Memorial

• MCHC: Little Lake

Facilities in Ukiah, CA

• Adventist Health Ukiah Valley

• Adventist Health Ukiah Valley: Outpatient Pavilion

• Adventist Health Ukiah Valley: Pediatrics

• MCHC: Hillside

• Mendocino College Child Development Center

• Redwood Cove Healthcare Center

• Small Wonders Preschool

Facilities in Lakeport, CA

• Lake County Tribal Health Consortium: Pediatrics

• Lakeport Post Acute

• MCHC: Lakeview

• Sutter Lakeside Community Clinic

• Sutter Lakeside Hospital

• Sutter Lakeside Medical Practice

Facilities in Clearlake, CA

• Meadowood Nursing Center 

If an applicant is not accepted into the nursing program, they can re-apply for the next class if they want to be reconsidered for admission. A new completed application (including new official transcripts) is required each time an applicant applies. 

The Vocational Nursing program maintains an alternate list of candidates in case any accepted applicants decline their offer of admission to the current application period.

Wait list for recurrent applicants

Applicants who have submitted an eligible, qualifying application to the VN Program for the current application period and three times in the preceding four VN Program application periods, but were not previously selected in the lottery, may be offered conditional admission to the program upon the fourth eligible application. Applicants must still fulfill all Post-Acceptance Follow-up criteria before the program begins.  

If the number of applicants meeting these criteria exceeds 50% of the total number of students accepted, applicants in excess of the 50% will be placed on a waiting list for the following year. 

Nursing courses are generally during the day. Clinical hours can extend beyond these hours and may include Fridays, evenings and weekends.

There are no part-time or evening programs available at this time. 

The Mendocino College Vocational Nursing program does not have a minimum GPA requirement or college prerequisite classes. You must have a 12th grade or equivalent education and pass the TEAS exam with a comprehensive score of 54% or higher.  

It is highly recommended that applicants have strong skills in science, math, and English. While anatomy and physiology courses are not required, completing them can provide a valuable foundation for success in the program. 

There are no required prerequisite courses. 

However, applicants who have completed both Human Anatomy and Human Physiology with a minimum grade of ‘C’ within the past five years will receive one additional lottery number. 

These courses are optional, and the recency requirement cannot be waived. 

Approved Clinical Facilities:  

The BVNPT has approved the following facilities for clinical use by the Mendocino College Vocational Nursing program. Other sites may be included as needed, pending approval by the Board. 

Students may be assigned to any BVNPT-approved clinical facility for their clinical rotations. To ensure a well-rounded experience, students should be prepared to travel to various clinical sites as scheduled. Reliable transportation is expected. 

Facilities in Willits, CA

• Adventist Health Howard Memorial

• MCHC: Little Lake

Facilities in Ukiah, CA

• Adventist Health Ukiah Valley

• Adventist Health Ukiah Valley: Outpatient Pavilion

• Adventist Health Ukiah Valley: Pediatrics

• MCHC: Hillside

• Mendocino College Child Development Center

• Redwood Cove Healthcare Center

• Small Wonders Preschool

Facilities in Lakeport, CA

• Lake County Tribal Health Consortium: Pediatrics

• Lakeport Post Acute

• MCHC: Lakeview

• Sutter Lakeside Community Clinic

• Sutter Lakeside Hospital

• Sutter Lakeside Medical Practice

Facilities in Clearlake, CA

• Meadowood Nursing Center