Cert in Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants

The Practical Nursing certificate prepares students to become licensed practical nurses through a full-time pathway lasting three quarters. Graduates then sit for the NCLEX-PN licensing exam. Fewer prerequisite foundation courses are required than for the two-year registered nursing options. Graduates may later apply to the LPN-to-RN option to complete the associate degree after finishing remaining prerequisites, though students in this pathway cannot move into the two-year full-time track. BTC holds free online information sessions covering the part-time and full-time options, the licensed practical nurse pathway and the application process. The program page at Bellingham Technical College is split into several tabs, so readers can move between a summary, admission details, the course list, graduate results, job prospects and staff contacts. Prospective students can work through those sections to understand admission steps, course sequence and career prospects before deciding whether to apply, and can reach out to staff with questions.