Lawson State program provides students with fundamental knowledge and skills in patient assessment, medical-surgical nursing, maternal and child nursing, mental health nursing, and much more.
Equip students for entry-level nursing practice with a strong foundation in theory and hands-on skills.
Gain expertise in patient assessment, medical-surgical nursing, maternal and child health, and mental health nursing, along with exposure to additional specialty areas essential to holistic care.
Through a combination of classroom instruction, skills laboratory experiences, simulation, and supervised clinical practice in a variety of healthcare settings, students develop the competence and confidence needed to meet the demands of today's healthcare environment.
Emphasis is placed on critical thinking, communication, and compassionate care to ensure graduates are well-prepared to provide safe and effective nursing interventions.
Graduates are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-PN examination and pursue rewarding career opportunities as Licensed Practical Nurses in hospitals, long-term care facilities, clinics, and community health agencies.
Admit twice a year Summer (application deadline January 15) and Fall (application deadline May 15). NOTE: Applications open 60 days before the application deadline.
In addition, Lawson State Community College Practical Nursing students are eligible to participate in Lawson's Rural Healthcare Opportunities program, which offers unique training and career pathways for students interested in serving Alabama's rural communities.
| Program | Months | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| Practical Nursing Certificate | 12 | 49 |
Average number of months for students to complete program
*BIO103 Principles of Biology is a prerequisite to BIO201.
**In addition to the courses outlined, it is a LSCC graduation requirement that all students complete ORI101 or ORI101T
*** Pre-professional coursesStudents must be accepted to the Practical Nursing Program to register for NUR courses.
| Course # | Course Name | Semester Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | ||
| MTH100 | Intermediate Algebra or higher*** | 3 |
| *BIO201 | Anatomy & Physiology I*** | 4 |
| NUR102 | Fundamentals of Nursing | 6 |
| NUR103 | Health Assessment | 1 |
| NUR104 | Introduction to Pharmacology | 1 |
| Semester 2 | ||
| ENG101 | English Composition I*** | 3 |
| BIO202 | Anatomy & Physiology II*** | 4 |
| NUR105 | Adult Nursing | 8 |
| NUR106 | Maternal and Child Nursing | 5 |
| Semester 3 | ||
| NUR107 | Adult/Child Nursing | 8 |
| NUR108 | Psychosocial Nursing | 3 |
| NUR109 | Role Transition for the Practical Nurse | 3 |
| Total Hours for Pre-Professional Requirements | 14 | |
| Total Hours for Program Requirements | 35 | |
| Total Hours Required for Practical Nursing Certificate | 49 | |
A minimum composite score of 18 is required (Reading, Math, and English) AND a Science score of 18. (ACT superscore is accepted).
On-Campus ACT scores MUST be from an Alabama Community College. Scores from outside the Alabama Community College System WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
| Component | Score |
|---|---|
| Composite Score | |
| Science Score | |
| Total ACT Points | 0 |
Required coursework must have a combined GPA of 2.5.
Use the GPA chart below for the calculations.
| GPA Calculation | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Course | Grade | Credit Hours | Quality Points | Total |
| ENG101 | 3 | |||
| MTH100 | 3 | |||
| BIO201 | 4 | |||
| BIO202 | 4 | |||
| Total | 14 | |||
|
QP: A = 4 | B = 3 | C = 2 | D = 1 | F = 0 |
||||
GPA Average: 0.00
A = 3 Points, B = 2 Points, C = 1 Point in the course shwon below. (First attempt)
| Course | Grade | Total |
|---|---|---|
| ENG101 English Comp. | ||
| MTH100 or higher | ||
| BIO201 Anatomy & Physiology I | ||
| BIO202 Anatomy & Physiology II | ||
| Total | ||
Points for repeated courses (subsequent attempts) withing the past 4 years are awarded as follow: A = 1.5, B = 1, C = 0.5
Contact kswain@lawsonstate.edu for a Repeated Courses Appeal Packet.
| Course | Grade | Points |
|---|---|---|
| HPS 103 Foundation Competencies | ||
| MTH 186 Dosage Calculations | ||
| BIO 103 Principles of Biology | ||
| OR | ||
| EMS 118 / EMS 119 | ||
| Skills for Success Training | ||
| Total Additional Points | ||
| # | Section | Earned | Max Possible |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ACT Score | 36 | |
| 2 | Selected Course Work | 12 | |
| 3 | Additional Points | 15 | |
| TOTAL | 63 | ||
The first step to apply to the LPN Program is to apply to the College. Your status at Lawson must be Active.
If you have previously been accepted to LSCC, but have not attended the college for more than one semester; you may be required to complete a new application to the college and provide additional information.
Please check with the Admissions office before you complete the LPN application to ensure your acceptance is Unconditional.
Before applying, ensure your Lawson State cumulative GPA is at least a 2.0. Current or previous Lawson State students must a have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 at Lawson State or your most recent college GPA must be a 2.0 or higher.
Check your ACT score. All applications must have a score of 18 or higher on the ACT to apply to the LPN Program. A minimum composite score of 18 is required (Reading, Math and English) and Science score of 18.
ACT SuperScores of 18 or higher are accepted.
There is no expiration on test dates.
ACT On-Campus (formerly ACT Residual) scores MUST be from an Alabama Community College;
ACT On-Campus scores from any institution outside of the Alabama Community College System WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
ACT scores listed on college transcripts will not be accepted
LPN applicants are encouraged to complete the following pre-requisite coursework (see listing below). In addition, applicants must also maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale on four of the select pre-requisites (at the time of application): ENG101, MTH100, BIO201 and BIO202.
EARN EXTRA POINTS: "Get a leg up".You can earn extra points towards your application and ranking if you take one or more of the following Pre-Nursing recommended electives:
EMS 118/EMS 119: 10 points
HPS103: Foundation Competencies for Health Sciences Professions Foundations (3 credits)
MTH186: Medical Dosage Calculations (1 credit)
RECOMMENDED COURSE (no extra points awarded but course is recommended if you have availabilty to take it). Be sure to complete HPS103 and MTH186 before you enroll:
BIO120--Medical Terminology (2 credits)
Secure your UNOFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT COPIES from ALL the colleges you have attended, including Lawson State for your LPN application. Do NOT leave any colleges out.
You must upload ALL unofficial transcripts to your LPN application regardless of whether or not they were previously submitted to the Admissions office (Including your Lawson State Community College transcripts).
We will NOT accept transfer credits listed on one transcript from a separate college, we need to see each transcript in its entirety.
NOTE: *It is the responsibility of the applicant to obtain copies of each transcript from each institution previously attended and upload them to the application by the deadline. Failure to do so, will VOID your application.
Secure a copy of your official ACT scores. You will have to upload your scores to your online application. A minimum composite score of 18 is required (Reading, Math and English) and Science score of 18.
NOTE: All ACT scores are verified by a third party. Falsifying of any records can and likely will lead to disciplinary action being sought up through suspension from the College.
Submit your completed application with all required documents. ONLY completed applications will be considered.
HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR LPN APPLICATION:
Click Apply Now to submit your application online by the deadline. All applications MUST be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on the day it is due and include all required attachments (unofficial transcript copies, ACT scores, etc...).
For Summer Admissions, submit by Jan 15, 11:59PM.
For Fall Admissions, submit by May 15, 11:59PM.
NOTE: Be sure to submit all required documents including ALL your unofficial transcripts and official ACT scores.
Have a questions? Feel free to reach out us for any questions or concern.
The Lawson State PN program can take as little as 12 months to complete. After your training and earning your PN diploma, all that's left for you is passing the NCLEX-PN exam to become a Licensed Practical Nurse in the state of Alabama.
Yes-you'll need at least an associate's degree in nursing to become a registered nurse, although we encourage you to pursue a bachelor's degree if you're serious about becoming an RN. Hospitals and medical facilities are more often recommending or outright requiring nurses to earn their BSN degree.
| Year | NCLEX-LPN Pass Rate | Graduation Rate(in 3 semester) | Job Placement |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 85.71% | 29.63% | 100% |
| 2023 | 100% | 21.23% | 100% |
| 2022 | 95.65% | 28.57% | 100% |
Although the majority of LPNs work in nursing homes, retirement communities or assisted living facilities, many LPNs work in:
You can see a full industry profile for Licensed Practical Nurses from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
While Registered Nurses (RN) and Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) often work together in collaboration in hospitals and other healthcare facilities, their roles and responsibilities are very different. Learn more about the biggest differences between practical nurses (LPN/LVN) and registered nurses (RN).
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses earn an average salary of $64,150 per year ($30.84 per hour).* Discover the average salary for a licensed practical nurse broken down by state.
Because many hospitals are upping their educational requirements for nurses in general, the demand for LPNs in hospitals is falling relative to registered nurses with an associate's or bachelor's degree.
However, any claim they are being "phased out" isn't accurate. LPNs remain in demand in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, home care and many other environments. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts job opportunities for LPNs will rise approximately 3% from 2023-2033.*
The landscape is changing, but LPNs remain a vital contributor in the nursing community.
Quite simply, yes! A PN diploma and a job as a LPN is a great way to quickly get involved in the nursing profession and get a better feel for what it means to be a nurse. Earning your diploma helps get you into a career with above average pay, and can springboard you into the next level of nursing education should you choose to continue advancing your education and career.
We can help you come to a better determination. Send us a request for more information and we can answer any questions you have about the PN program, and discuss how beneficial it can be for you to become a LPN.
No, there are no accredited PN programs that are 100% online. LPN programs describing themselves as "online" will offer a hybrid option where you can take some classes online to supplement your primary classroom coursework.
Ultimately there is no replacement for real hands-on clinical experience, practice in simulation labs and direct in-person support from nursing instructors with real healthcare experience. Learning the skills required to become an LPN requires the live educational experience to become an excellent Licensed Practical Nurse.
Although the majority of LPNs work in nursing homes, retirement communities or assisted living facilities, many LPNs work in:
Explore your options by looking into these Health Career related programs.
Consider DMS--Diagnostic Medical Sonography at Lawson. Sonography is a high demand field that pays 60K-70K+. Learn how to conduct ultrasounds. Lawson's program specializes in Cardiac Sonography. Click here for more infomation.
Consider Lawson's popular Dental Assistant Program. Become a Dental Assistant. This career can set you up to become a Dental Hygienst and continue to Dentistry school.
Bessemer Campus
Building "A", Room 110
1100 9th Avenue, SW
Bessemer, AL 35022
Dr. Sherika Derico, Associate Dean of Health Professions
Email: sderico@lawsonstate.edu
Dr. Katrina Swain, Nursing Chairperson,
Email: kswain@lawsonstate.edu
The Practical Nursing Program at Lawson State Community College on the Bessemer Campus in Bessemer, Alabama is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing
3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400
Atlanta, GA 30326
404-975-5000
The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the Practical Nursing Program is Continuing Accreditation.
View the public information disclosed by the ACEN regarding this program on the ACEN website.
