2-year nursing program to begin

Published in Long Beach City College's Viking newspaper in 2006.

New schedule offered at night and on Saturdays.

A two-year vocational nursing program is now offered at LBCC, allowing students with family responsibilities and busy full-time work schedules to complete the licensed vocational nursing program at a slower pace.
"Normally, the vocational nursing program is a full-time one-year course offered during the day," department head of the vocational nursing program Judy Wisenbaker said. "However, due to the fact many students cannot give up work for one year, we created this part-time two-year program."
According to the LBCC Web site, the vocational nursing program received an $11,725 grant from the Vocational Technology and Education Act allowing the part-time evening and weekend program to start in February.
"We have started our program 2-3 nights per week and all day Saturday," Wisenbaker said. "It takes two years, including Summers, to complete this course of study."
Wisenbaker also said students must complete, in advance, the nursing assistant certificate and all other prerequisites for the vocational nursing program, which are typically offered in the evenings.
Wisenbaker explained the program is offering 9-12 hour clinical lab shifts at a variety of training sites including hospitals, clinics and nursing homes and the majority of shifts are on Saturdays.
"Upon finishing the program, students will be able to take the national vocational nursing licensing examination and seek employment with livable wages, approximately $30,000-$40,000 a year," Wisenbbaker said.
After a year or two, and fulfilling all prerequisites for the registered nursing program, students may wish to transition into the RN program for two semesters and hopefully receive their associates degree in nursing."
New classes with beginning students will not start until the impact of the program is assessed, Wisenbaker explained.
Nursing major Diana Baker said, "It's a good and comfortable paced program to have if you have a family and work full-time and it creates more opportunities for people to excel and it could also be beneficial for associate registered nursing majors by making more room."