Becoming an LPN in Phoenix

Last Updated/Verified: Dec 1, 2023

There are two institutions in Phoenix, Arizona that offer LPN certificate programs to prospective nursing students. Of the wide variety of nursing professionals that work in the Phoenix healthcare industry, nearly a quarter of them are LPNs. LPN programs in Phoenix are offered to students only in on-campus and on-site clinical formats—online courses are not available. Each educational institution offering students LPN certifications requires its applicants to have previously earned a high school diploma/GED prior to matriculation into their programs.

The time it takes a student to complete an LPN program is dependent upon the specific program’s timetable. Some LPN programs can be completed in as little as 13 weeks, while others take 70+ weeks to complete.

Each of the two LPN programs offered in the city are approved by the Arizona State Board of Nursing.

Schools That Offer LPN Programs in Phoenix, Arizona

GateWay Community College

Website: https://www.gatewaycc.edu/practical-nursing
Address: 108 N 40th St, Phoenix, AZ 85034
Phone: 602-286-8000

GateWay Community College, originally established in 1968 in downtown Phoenix, is one of the ten regionally accredited post-secondary educational institution within the Maricopa County Community College District. Originally named Maricopa Technical College, it was the very first technical college conceived in the state of Arizona.

GateWay Community College seeks to equip its students with both the pertinent theory and practical skills needed in order to function as integral members of a healthcare team. Additionally, the program seeks to prepare future Practical Nurses to work in a variety of settings including extended care, acute care, intermediate care settings, hospitals, clinics and homes, all under the instruction of physicians, nurse practitioners and registered nurses.

Core program competencies include:

Implement plans of care which employ the appropriate use of practical nursing knowledge
Administer therapeutic communication methods for patients during the whole of their lifespans
Successfully carry out technical aspects of safe and basic nursing care
Demonstrate critical thinking skills and evidence-based practice through utilization of the nursing process as a guideline in providing nursing care

Admission Requirements:

Have completed high school or GED equivalency
New student at GateWay Community College must fill out an application at the college. This application is required for a student’s transcript evaluation and registration for courses
College/university transcript evaluation. Transcript should show successful completion of NUR158 within the past year
Submit copy of Fingerprint Clearance Card
HESI A2 Admissions Exam. Applicants are required to achieve a Math score of 75% or higher and an English Composite Score of 75%
All required health and safety documents

Paradise Valley Community College

Website: https://www.paradisevalley.edu/programs/nursing/practical-nursing
Address: 18401 N 32nd St, Phoenix, AZ 85032
Phone: 602-787-6500

PVCC was founded in 1985 by the Maricopa County Community College District as the Northeast Valley Education Center. The LPN program at PVCC is comprised of a total of 35-45 credits – some in class, some laboratory and some clinical. LPN students are required to receive grades of "C" or better in all courses in order to successfully complete the program.

Courses in the LPN Program include:

Human Anatomy and Physiology I & II
Nursing Theory and Science I & II
Practical Nursing Transition

Core competencies expected to be mastered after the program’s completion include:

Apply the nursing process in order to administer dependable patient care.
Students must demonstrate effective written, verbal and behavioral communication abilities with members of the healthcare team, patients and their families.
Assist with the quality improvement in the health care system.
Use technology properly so as to assist in providing dependable, effective patient care.

Admission criteria:

Applicants must have proof of a High School diploma or GED equivalency
Formal application and admission to the LPN program is required. All prerequisite requirements must be fulfilled before submission. It is required that the student have a passing score on the admission test for the nursing program in order to move forward and complete an application
Students must submit a Health and Safety Documentation Checklist verifying completion of all requirements and maintain current status throughout the program
Students must submit a clean background check and drug test

Employment Opportunities for LPNs in Phoenix, Arizona

It’s quite doable to find gainful employment as an LPN in the city of Phoenix. There are ample healthcare facilities in Phoenix which include hospitals, nursing homes, government agencies, physician’s offices, outpatient care centers, drug rehabilitation centers, senior living facilities and others that are always looking to employed highly qualified LPNs.

The most substantial and largest healthcare institutions in Phoenix which employ LPNs include: