CNA to LVN Admissions Guide

• Courses may be online or in person.  If online (or hybrid), you will log onto your computer at the specified course day/time.  You are required to be in attendance whether in person or online.
• Courses scheduled on campus will be held on the specified day/time. You are required to be in attendance.
• Program days and times may vary but you should plan to attend classes 4-5 days a week.
• Classes typically run from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. However, there are some clinicals or labs that may start earlier and end Additionally, there may be a small amount of evening times that are required, which range from 5 p.m. - 10 p.m. (with the most common ending by 9 p.m.). However, the bulk of class times will be between the hours of 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. for the Day cohort. Clinicals may be day, evening, or night.
• There is also an evening/weekend cohort. The typical hours are between 5 p.m. – 10 p.m. on 3-4 weekdays and all-day Saturday and/or Saturday (approximately 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.). The clinical portion for Level I students will be the only daytime required (as there are no clinic sites open in the evening) and is approximately 8 a.m. – 2 p.m, but there is an effort being made to secure sites for 3p – 9p. There are no guarantees of which time/site we will be accepted for.
• Clinical sites are located in the Medical Center and all of greater Houston's surrounding areas.  Please note that we will attempt to get students closer to their homes or the Medical Center, but it is not guaranteed.
• Students attend clinical: It may be one to three times per week, depending on the semester (Level).  Some clinicals are offered on Saturday or Sunday depending on clinical availability.  Please plan accordingly for transportation and other personal matters. Clinical is offered at various times/days depending on availability with clinical sites.

On average, approximately 150 students apply for admission each application period. Of these, approximately 50 - 80 applicants are typically accepted.

• If you are new to Houston Community College (HCC) or transferring to HCC, your first step is to become an HCC Eagle by submitting a free admissions application to HCC. Please create a profile and complete the application to obtain an HCC student ID: https://goapplytexas.org/. If you have filled out an HCC application at any point, or you already have an HCC student ID number, please do not submit another HCC application. Multiple HCC new student applications and/or ID numbers are not allowed and may impede you from progressing to the next steps of submitting a nursing program application. Alert! In addition to this HCC online application, you must complete and submit the online application form for the Nursing program. 
• If you have not been enrolled for the past 3 semesters and are returning to HCC will need to reactivate your HCC student account: Returning Student Readmission | Houston Community College (HCC)
• Complete the Program Information Session via online. Please register at: https://www.hccs.edu/programs/areas-of-study/health-sciences/licensed-vocational-nursing-lvn/ to complete the online program session. You will be contacted by the program prior to the date and time of your registered session. If you have questions regarding the online delivery of program information sessions, please contact the program administrative assistant via email: co.lvnadmit@hccs.edu. Please note this is not mandatory, but is highly recommended.
• Meet with an HCC Coleman College Advisor:
• At least once during the application acceptance period, an applicant must attend an In-Person/Virtual Program Information Session or must meet with an HCC Coleman Pathway Advisor or HCC Coleman Admissions Advisor via the phone or in-person or virtually at least once to ensure they are meeting all of the program admission criteria.
• Applicants must submit proof with their program application, and this can be a PS advisee visit note, email, or any other correspondence from HCC Coleman to the applicant.
• Completion of an approved CNA program and current CNA state certification.
• Must be currently employed for at least 6 months in an acute/chronic care setting.
• Complete all academic prerequisites, and scan all your unofficial transcripts in .pdf format, If you attended more than one college/university, please combine all files into one pdf file and attach it to the online application showing completion of prerequisite/corequisite courses. Please note, all official transcripts must be emailed to admissions@hccs.edu. If your prerequisites are from HCC, you do not need to submit an official transcript.
• Submit official, unopened (sealed) high school transcript(s) or GED transcripts via email to admissions@hccs.edu. We do not accept official copies that have been opened. Please note this is a program accreditation requirement even though you may have completed a previous degree(s).
• For more information, please visit https://hccs.edu/applying-and-paying/.
• If you are an international student please visit: https://hccs.edu/support‐services/international‐ students/.
• If you are a Veteran student, please visit: https://www.hccedu/support‐services/veteran‐ affairs/veterans‐academy/
• Complete Health Education Systems, Inc (HESI) – A2 Pre‐entrance exam, download assessment results from the website https://elsevier.com/ save them in pdf format, and attach them to the online application. The application will be incomplete if HESI exam results, including Critical Thinking and high school transcript/GED, are not attached to the online application by the application deadline.
• Once you have completed all of your academic prerequisite courses, the HESI exam, and the previously mentioned pdf file documents, you are ready to submit a Nursing program application form via online: http://www.hccs.edu/coleman‐application using your HCC Student ID number.
• Applicants can submit one application per program for the application period. Please note after the application submission, the applicant will not be able to make further edits or upload supporting documents including but not limited to, HESI, unofficial transcripts, etc… Therefore we strongly encourage the applicant to complete all listed academic requirements including HESI, check and verify all information on the application and submit completed supporting documents by the application If the applicant is planning to retake any HESI section/s, we encourage the applicant to wait to retake section(s) and then only submit the completed application with supporting documents by the deadline.
• Complete immunizations and other health requirements, and upload proof of completion to the Complio website by specifying How to create a Complio account and instructions will be found in the section of Program Application: Immunization & Other Health Requirements.

How to obtain your HESI exam scores, including Critical Thinking:

To find your HESI exam scoring information on evolve.elsevier.com

• Go to the Students Welcome page.
• Log in to your Evolve Account, then click “HESI Assessment – Student access.”
• Under the “My Exams” tab locate your exam
• Click “View Results.”
• Click “Results Report.”

The applicant must attach HESI-A2 exam scores to the HCC Coleman Nursing program online application. The application will be declined if the HESI-A2 pre-entrance exam scores are not submitted with the application by the application deadline.

Students must complete and upload the following documentation to http://houstoncccompliance.com/  by the specified deadline.

Proof of the following (Please note that titers are blood work that is drawn to determine your immunity status.  A titer is NOT the vaccine):

• Hepatitis B Positive Titer (within five years)
• Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR), and Positive Titer for each (within five years)
• Varicella Positive Titer (within five years)
• Hepatitis C NEGATIVE Titer (within 5 years)

PLEASE NOTE: IF YOUR HEPATITIS B, VARICELLA, OR MMR TITERS ARE NEGATIVE, YOU HAVE TO RESTART THE SERIES (ONLY ACCEPT THE ACCELERATED SCHEDULE OR YOU WILL HAVE TO WAIT TILL THE NEXT SEMESTER TO START). THE SERIES CAN TAKE UP TO 60 DAYS TO COMPLETE AND THEN YOU HAVE TO GET ANOTHER TITER IN 30 DAYS…DON’T WAIT TO GET YOUR BLOOD WORK DONE, START AS SOON AS YOU COMPLETE YOUR APPLICATION.

PLEASE NOTE: If the Titer for Hepatitis B, MMR, or Varicella is negative, you must restart the ACCELERATED immunization series (HEPLISAV-B is a brand that you can complete in ONE MONTH! You may check out locations online by googling HEPLISAV-B) and get a 2^nd Titer drawn. If a student has had TWO FULL SETS of the vaccines and the 2^nd titer still shows negative for immunization, the student will be required to obtain a letter from their physician stating they have had 2 full sets but is a “non-converter.” This document will be uploaded into Complio, and the Program Director will be notified as Complio will not accept this; however, the Program Director will review it once it has been uploaded.  

• Tuberculosis (TB) skin test or blood test (TB test should be completed NO EARLIER than February 1^st of the current year for Fall admission; no earlier than August 1^st for Spring admission). If the results are positive, a chest x-ray (repeated every two years) is TB tests are only good for one year and will need to be repeated prior to the one-year expiration date and uploaded into Complio.
• Tetanus (Tdap) – within the past 5 years (whereas a TDaP is valid for 10 years; if there is an injury after 5 years, a booster will be immediately required. Therefore, it is strongly suggested to go ahead and get a booster if it’s been over 5 years.)
• Influenza (seasonal flu shot) must be for the CURRENT season; therefore, it must be taken no earlier than August 1^st but before the first day of Fall semester classes; for Spring admission, no later than the vaccine due date listed on the top bar of this document.
• Meningococcal Conjugate (MenACWY) vaccine (Meningitis) is required for students aged 22 or younger. For more information regarding the bacterial meningitis vaccination, please click here.
• Proof of health insurance: The student’s name must be on the – Proof of personal health insurance: If you need to purchase health insurance, please visit https://www.hccs.edu/resourcesfor/current- students/student-health-insurance/ for a list of health care insurance providers that HCC has compiled as a courtesy to students who wish to contact a potential provider to meet their personal health insurance needs. Students are advised to contact more than one company and compare offerings. Please note Harris County Gold Card and Legacy Health Clinic are not acceptable for this purpose.
• If you are an international student, a valid F-1 student visa must be uploaded.
• Current 2 year American Heart Association (AHA), Basic Life Support (BLS) CPR Card (course must follow AHA guidelines): Cards will not be accepted from any other source besides AHA:https://cpr.heart.org/en/course-catalog-search/purchase-options
• Physical Examination Form (found on Complio) completed and signed by the physician. A physical examination is required and must be within one year prior to the start of the Once the form is complete, please upload the form back to Complio. The form is found under Physical Exam category, click ENTER REQUIREMENT, then it will give instructions with the document.
• Payment of $32.00 must be made directly to Payment methods include MasterCard, Visa, debit card, electronic check, money order, and installment payment. 

   

  Instructions on How to Place Orders for Immunizations and Other Health Requirements on the Complio website.

  1. Go to http://houstoncccompliance.com/  to create to your Complio account.

  2. Once you create your account, you will receive an email with an activation link.

  a. Follow this link to login and activate your account.

  3. Click on the Get Started button to begin!

  From the Program Drop Down Menu, Select LVN Program. 

  4. After you have selected your Program of Study, click on “Load Packages.”

  a. Under Immunization Packages, click: “Houston CC Tracking Package”. This action will also automatically click the button for the next section, “26 months ($32.00)”.

  5. Step 2 will ask you to confirm all details you entered when you created your account.

  a. This information will be used to run your criminal background check. It is imperative that you confirm that all details are correct. If you order incorrectly, you will have to place another order and a refund is not available.

  b. We encourage you to opt-in to receive Text notifications regarding your Complio account

  6. 10-Panel Drug Screening ($35.00) (Please Note: Await receipt of your Conditional Acceptance Letter.  Complete the Letter of Intent online.  Go to Complio and order your 10-panel drug test (code HCCDS); Upload results to Complio by the due date listed on the Admissions Guide or on your Conditional Acceptance Letter.)

  a. If you are ordering a drug screen through Complio, you will select your collection site during the ordering process. Please find a location nearest to your home, work, or school. If you are unable to find a location near you (within 99 miles) please contact American DataBank at 800 200 0853 for assistance.

  THE DRUG SCREEN CODE IS: HCCDS

  7. Signing Forms

  a. There will be several forms to sign. Review the document and scroll down the bottom of the page where you will check the box indicating you’ve read and agree to the documentation. Using your mouse or track pad, sign your name and click Next to proceed. The form will refresh to show your signature in the form. You will click Next to move forward.

  8. Order Review

  a. You will confirm your order on the Order Review page. Please double check your package selections as once you enter your payment information your order is not eligible for a refund. Please confirm your order before proceeding.

                  **SEE COMPLIO INSTRUCTIONS PACKET FOR MORE DETAILS** 

  From within your COMPLIO account, you will be able to:

• View your order results.
• Upload and store important documents and records.
• Manage requirements specific to your program.
• Place additional orders as needed.
• Complete tasks as directed to meet deadlines.

COMPLIO is a third-party organization. Make your payments directly by following payment instructions on their website. Your COMPLIO Service Desk is available to assist you via phone, chat, and email Monday-Friday

7 a.m.-6 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. EST 800-200-0853.

Students who are re-applying to the program must need to know the following:

• Contact Complio to update your profile for the current semester in which you are applying.
• Drug Screening will have to be repeated for the current semester in which you are applying.
• The Blue Card or Board of Nursing Clearance letter is only good for One year. If the Blue Card or clearance letter is beyond one year, you will need to contact TBON and request a new card or letter for the current semester in which you are applying.
• All immunizations must be up to date.
• Physical exams are only good for one year and must be good through the entire semester that you’re applying.
• TB and the Flu shot are only good for one year and must be good through the entire semester that you’re applying.
• CPR/BLS is only good for 2 years and must be good through the entire semester that you’re applying.

Clinical Requirements for Program Progression & Completion

To provide students with the most robust clinical educational experience and to ensure that students progress and graduate as scheduled, it is highly recommended that applicants weigh all of their options before agreeing to a conditional acceptance into their desired health science program. In order to facilitate this decision-making, students should understand all of the requirements of their program, including clinical education.

To be placed in a clinical educational experience, students must comply with the guidelines and requirements of HCC clinical sites, including health and wellness directives. Most clinical sites require background checks, health testing, drug screens, and immunizations, including proof of COVID-19 vaccination. 

Students are required to provide HCC proof that students meet all clinical requirements, with the exception of their COVID-19 vaccination status.  Consistent with state law, HCC does not mandate the COVID-19 vaccination. Students have the choice to voluntarily disclose or not disclose their COVID-19 vaccination status through their HCC Complio account.

However, most healthcare facilities do require the vaccine as a condition of employment, volunteering, or student clinical placement.  If a student chooses not to disclose their COVID-19 vaccination status or is not vaccinated, HCC may not be able to place the student in clinical rotations.  HCC will work to place such students into a clinical site that does not require the vaccine, provided such a site is available and HCC has an active affiliation agreement in place that meets the necessary conditions to provide an appropriate learning opportunity for the student.  However, HCC cannot guarantee that clinical sites that do not require the COVID-19 vaccine will be available at the time the student requires placement.  At this time, many healthcare facilities are not accepting religious or medical exemptions for the COVID-19 vaccine for clinical students.

If a student chooses not to receive or to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination and no clinical sites are available to accept the student who does not require the COVID-19 vaccination, the student’s progression in the program and graduation will be delayed or stopped altogether.  If a student cannot be timely placed in a qualifying clinical site, a student may not be able to complete the program. Our affiliate partners’ expectations are the same for our students as they would be when our students ultimately become employees in their chosen fields.

Students with questions about clinical requirements and placement may contact the program director of their program of interest. 

HB 1508 requires the following information be given to students:

If you are applying for admission to a program that prepares an individual for an initial occupational license or certification and/or if you later decide to change to a program that prepares you for an initial occupational license or certification, in accordance with state law, please be advised of the following:

1. An individual who has been charged or convicted of an offense or who is on probation may not be eligible for issuance of an occupational license or certification upon completion of the educational program.
2. It is the responsibility of the individual to immediately report to the program any change in status that would affect that individual’s eligibility to apply for a license or certification.
3. Local, state, or national licensing and certification authorities may issue additional guidelines related to criminal history.

Applicants should contact their respective licensing or certification authority for more details.

Most healthcare programs require all students, admitted to the program, to submit to a national background check which may include fingerprinting. Applicants are encouraged to review all applicable eligibility requirements related to the respective occupational license or Certification. Questions related to eligibility requirements should be directed to the individual program and applicable licensing or certification authority.  

When the number of eligible applications exceeds program seat availability, selective criteria are used to determine which applicants are offered admission. 

If you are offered conditional admission, you will need to complete the following pre-enrollment requirements by a specific due date to maintain eligible status: 

• Complete the Letter of Intent form (online form) by the deadline stated in the Admission Acceptance Offer email that will be sent to your HCC student email address.
• Cleared criminal background from the TBON - Texas State Board of Nursing (you will be sent a blue Board of Nursing Clearance card or letter, which must be uploaded to Complio prior to the listed due date on your conditional acceptance letter).
  • Please note that students DO NOT NEED TO DO ANYTHING TO REQUEST THIS. Your name is automatically submitted to the TBON by the LVN program at the same time you are sent the Conditional Acceptance Letter. Students need to take a picture of the FRONT and BACK of the card and upload it to Complio under the Board of Nursing Clearance Card link.
  • Also note that the card (or letter) is only good for ONE year (the date is the postmark date on the front of the card). If a student has an older clearance card or letter, they will need to contact the TBON at https://bon.texas.gov/. 
• For the Background Check question on Complio, answer NO, as TBON is the one conducting the check.
• Passing drug screen - Complete your 10 Panel Drug Screening through Complio using code HCCDS by the specified deadline. Payment of $35.00 must be made directly to Complio. Payment methods include MasterCard, Visa, debit card, electronic check, money order, and installment payment. 
• If you miss the drug screen deadline, you will no longer be considered for the current application period and will need to reapply during the next application period.
• Attend the mandatory Program Virtual Final Requirements Overview Meeting and In-Person Orientation on the dates provided in your admission email. (Please clear your calendar so you are available to attend the mandatory orientations if you are offered admission as follows: Fall Term – plan to attend virtual final requirements overview meeting in June and in-person orientation in July; Spring Term – plan to attend final requirements overview meeting in October and in-person orientation in December or January). 
• Influenza (seasonal). Flu shots must be taken after August 1 but before the first day of class for Fall and between August 1 – September 7 for Spring.

Tuition is estimated using the Texas resident rates. Out-of-district and out-of-state residents will have higher tuition fees. Please visit http://www.hccs.edu/applying-and-paying/tuition-calculator/ for more information. Tuition is for core coursework only. General Education and Support courses are not included. These are high estimates; actual costs will vary depending on health insurance coverage.

Due to increases/decreases in books and supplements, please check the bookstore website at https://hccs.bncollege.com/shop/hccs-central/home for updated cost information. Only required books are included in the estimate.

Estimated Costs per Semester for Associate Degree of Nursing Courses – (In-District)

CNA to LVN PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS CHECKLIST

This is a checklist for students to use during the admission process. All of these are required to be considered for admission – Full instructions may be found in the Admission Guides on the LVN website: https://www.hccs.edu/programs/areas-of-study/health-sciences/licensed-vocational-nursing-lvn/ 

• You must meet with an HCC Coleman College Advisor.  After the visit, the advisor will provide verification, which you must upload to your program application.  The verification can be a PS advisee visit note, email, or any other correspondence from HCC Coleman to you.
• Nutrition and Anatomy& Physiology REQUIRED Prerequisite classes.
• RECOMMENDED classes: Med Terminology & Introduction to Health Professions.
• HCC Application (if not already an HCC student).
• Program Information Session. 
• Upload a copy of the current CNA state certification to documents under the application.
• Must be currently employed as a CNA for at least 6 months in acute/chronic care.
• Have OFFICIAL high school (and college transcripts) emailed to: Admissions@hccs.edu.
• Take the HESI exam with at least the minimum scores.
• Create a Complio account: Under Immunization Packages, click: "Houston CC Tracking Package."  This action will automatically click the button for the next section, "26 months ($32.00)".  Upload all the following to your Complio account.
• Immediately upon passing the HESI, have Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, MMR, and Varicella titers drawn (blood test to determine if you have immunity); upload lab results to Complio by the last application accepted date. If results show you are not immune to Hepatitis B, MMR, or Varicella, you will have to start the series Will need to get the ACCELERATED schedule (Google HEPLISAV-B to find a provider that offers the accelerated Hep B) and then have the 2^nd titer drawn, or you will not finish in time for this cohort. If the 2^nd titer is still negative, you will need to get a letter from your doctor stating that you are a non-converter and upload to Complio
• Tetanus (Tdap) within the past 5 years; uploaded by last application accepted date.
• Meningitis vaccine IF UNDER 22yo; uploaded by last application accepted date.
• Influenza (flu shot) Must be for CURRENT season (comes out in August); uploaded by last application accepted date.
• TB test (skin, blood, or x-ray) can be no older than 6 months from the start date of the semester you’re applying for; uploaded by the last application accepted date.
• Proof of Health Insurance; uploaded by last application accepted date.
• 2-year AHA BLS/CPR card; uploaded by last application accepted date.
• Physical Exam (the form is on Complio) not over 1 year old by the start date of the semester; uploaded by last application accepted date.
• Await receipt of your Conditional Acceptance Letter.
• Complete the Letter of Intent by the date listed on the Conditional Acceptance Letter.
• Go to Complio and order your 10-panel drug screening (code HCCDS) ($35.00); upload results to Complio by the due date listed on the Admissions Guide or your Conditional Acceptance Letter.
• Await receipt of the blue Nursing Clearance Card (or letter) in the mail and upload it to Complio by the due date listed on the Admissions Guide or on your Conditional Acceptance Letter (students' names are submitted by the Program to the Texas Board of Nursing when your Conditional Acceptance Letters are sent) If you have not received anything within 6 weeks of receipt of your letter, then you will need to contact them at https://bon.texas.gov/ or call them at 512-438-2050. 

**If you do not see an upload link for anything you need to upload to Complio, you will need to call them and ask them to open a new link for you**

• Attend the Program’s REQUIRED Virtual Final Requirements Overview Meeting (dates will be listed on your Conditional Acceptance Letter).
• Attend the Program’s REQUIRED In-Person Orientation(dates will be listed on your Conditional Acceptance Letter).
• Students are to contact the Program Director within 3 weeks of the first day of class to schedule a time to “test out” of 1161 by demonstrating full manual vital sign assessments and being able to answer any related questions.
• Students will be enrolled in their classes by the Program. STUDENTS DO NOT SELECT OR ENROLL THEMSELVES (except in the Prerequisite classes).
• Pay tuition no later than 1 week from the first day of the semester to prevent being dropped.
• Purchase your books, required online resources, and materials. 

HAPPY FIRST DAY OF NURSING SCHOOL!!!