Where Can I Find LVN Classes Online?

Licensed vocational nurses (LVN), also called licensed practical nurses (LPN), are entry-level nurses who assist patients within medical settings.

To become an LVN or LPN, you'll need to complete an LVN or LPN program. Some programs offer a portion of classes online.

Keep reading to discover top LVN programs with online classes.

Top LVN Programs With Online Classes

LVN and LPN programs are usually offered as certificate, diploma, or associate degree programs.

They're typically offered by community and career colleges, but are sometimes offered by larger universities. Some of these offer at least a portion of classes online.

Please note that if you are taking a program based in a different state than the one you reside in, you will need to check to make sure that program meets licensure requirements for your state.

We've listed our top picks for programs with LVN classes online below.

1. Blinn College

Blinn College is a public junior college based in Brenham, TX. It offers a vocational nursing certificate program in a partially online format.

This program provides the education and training needed to become a highly skilled, licensed vocational nurse capable of working in a variety of medical settings.

Students take theory courses online, but will be required to come to campus for quizzes, testing, lab work, and clinicals. Courses offered in this program include:

• Basic Nursing Skills
• Essentials of Medication Administration
• Mental Health and Mental Illness
• Vocational Nursing Concepts

The certificate program takes three semesters to complete, which includes one summer semester. Students may need to be on campus as many as three days per week.

2. Holmes Community College

Holmes Community College is a public community college out of Goodman, MS. It offers a hybrid career certificate program for practical nursing.

This certificate offers instruction in orientation to nursing care of clients across the lifespan, nursing care of selected clients, and body structure and function.

Lecture courses are available online, but students will need to be on campus or at one of the college's local healthcare facilities for labs, clinicals, and testing.

The program requires six total courses. These include:

• Adult Health Nursing Concepts
• Body Structure and Function
• IV Therapy and Pharmacology
• Specialty Areas in Nursing

Typically, this program takes five total semesters to complete. The final semester is spent preparing students for their licensure exam and for a career as an LPN.

3. Lake Area Technical College

Lake Area Technical College is a public community College in Watertown, SD. It offers a practical nursing diploma program through their E-degree format.

Students who complete this program will be prepared to give excellent care to obstetrical, pediatric, medical, psychiatric, surgical and geriatric patients.

The theory portion of courses are all available online, and students will come to campus for clinical experiences, which will be organized in a short, intense time frame to reduce travel.

Both an 11-month full-time and an 18-month part-time plan of study are available.Courses required for this diploma include:

• Foundations of Nursing Practice
• Fundamental Skills of Nursing Practice
• Nursing Care of the Adult
• Nursing Care of Children

Interested students can continue on to earn their Associate Degree in Nursing, which leads to RN licensure, through Lake Area Technical College.

4. Montana State University, Billings

Montana State University at Billings is a public university in Billings, MT. It offers a primarily online practical nurse Certificate of Applied Science through its City College.

This program teaches students how to provide patient care, monitor patients' health, collect medical data, and communicate patients' status and concerns to registered nurses and doctors.

All prerequisite courses are available fully online. Core clinical and lab courses are partially online, on campus, and at a site near you.

The program includes courses such as:

• Adult Health Nursing
• Fundamentals of Nursing
• Gerontology and Community Nursing
• Nursing Care for Women and Children

The program takes three semesters to complete, with the first semester focused on prerequisites and nursing courses starting in the second semester.

5. Northland Community & Technical College

Northland Community & Technical College is a public community college with three campuses in Minnesota. It offers a diploma in practical nursing in a hybrid format.

Students in this program receive supervised experience in caring for clients in a variety of health care settings including hospital, long term care, clinic, and childcare.

Foundational coursework is available online, but students will need to appear in-person for some labs and for clinical experiences.

Courses in the distance learning curriculum include:

• Introduction to Practical Nursing
• Invasive Nursing Therapies
• Maternal/Newborn Nursing
• Medical Terminology

The distance learning education plan usually takes three semesters to complete. The first semester is primarily prerequisite courses, while the last two are nursing-focused.

FAQs About Online LVN Programs and Classes

Below, you'll find the answers to frequently asked questions about online LVN programs and classes.

What's the Difference Between an LVN and an LPN?

LVNs and LPNs have the same responsibilities and do the same jobs. The only difference is where they work.

Most states use the title LPN, but California and Texas call these nurses LVNs.

How Long Are LVN Programs?

Most LVN or LPN programs take three to five five semesters to finish, which usually takes between one and two years.

Do I Need a License or Certificate To Work as an LVN?

All states mandate that LVNs or LPNs hold a license to practice. To earn this license, applicants are required to pass the National Council of State Boards Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN).

Find LVN Classes Online

While you can't become an LVN or LPN just by taking online courses, a few programs offer at least some of the coursework online.

Check out the programs above with online classes to find the right LVN or LPN program for you.