Best LPN Programs in Tucson 2026
Find Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) programs in Tucson, Arizona with information on schools, classes, tuition, and clinical training. Review licensing requirements and career opportunities for practical nurses in the Tucson area.
2026 Best LPN Programs in Tucson, AZ
Pima Community College
Tucson, AZ - Public 2-Year - pima.edu
Certificate/Diploma - Practical Nurse Certificate
Campus Based - Visit Website
Pima Community College's Practical Nurse Certificate program in Tucson provides comprehensive campus-based training for LPN licensure. Students gain extensive practical experience in health sciences and nursing fundamentals, with a pathway available to advance into the associate degree nursing program. The program is Title IV Financial Aid eligible and has specific admission requirements, making it accessible for those seeking a solid foundation for a nursing career without requiring entrance exams.
- Campus-based program.
- Prepares for LPN licensure.
- Title IV Financial Aid eligible.
- Conditional enrollment requirements.
- Pathway to associate degree.
- Comprehensive nursing education.
- Practical experience included.
- Admission requirements apply.
- Focus on health sciences.
- LPN-ADN admission available.
Tucson LPN Program Overview
Tucson’s Licensed Practical Nurses support patient care across the city’s large hospital systems, community clinics, and long-term care providers. LPNs are essential for bedside care, medication administration, wound care, and patient education, working in teams with RNs and physicians to improve access and capacity in Tucson’s healthcare system.
The local care landscape is diverse and offers broad clinical exposure for students and new graduates. Major employers include large acute care hospitals, the Southern Arizona VA Medical Center, skilled nursing and rehabilitation facilities, assisted living communities, home health and hospice agencies, community health centers, and specialty clinics. This mix creates steady demand for LPNs in settings that prioritize continuity of care, chronic disease management, and post-acute services.
Arizona regulates practical nursing education and licensure through the Arizona State Board of Nursing. Board-approved practical nursing programs in Tucson align didactic coursework with supervised clinical rotations and structured NCLEX-PN preparation. Graduates who meet educational and background requirements must pass the NCLEX-PN to obtain licensure. Arizona participates in the Nurse Licensure Compact, which allows eligible nurses to hold a multistate license.
LPN program timelines in Tucson typically follow these formats:
- Full-time options that can be completed in about 12 months, combining classroom, simulation lab, and clinical rotations.
- Part-time or evening/weekend tracks that extend the timeline, often to 18 to 24 months, for working students.
Employment outlook data from government sources show continued need for LPNs as aging demographics and chronic conditions increase demand for long-term and community-based care. In Tucson, this is reflected in hiring across hospitals, nursing homes, home health, and outpatient clinics.
Employment Opportunities for LPNs in Tucson
The healthcare employment landscape for Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) in Tucson, Arizona, is both active and diverse, offering numerous opportunities across a variety of settings. LPNs play a crucial role in providing direct patient care, supporting registered nurses, and ensuring the smooth operation of healthcare services throughout the city.
LPNs in Tucson are employed across a broad spectrum of healthcare facilities, including:
- Hospitals:These facilities hire LPNs for various roles, such as in outpatient hospice at Tucson Medical Center, or for full-time night shifts at Vista Specialty Hospital.
- Nursing Homes/Skilled Nursing Facilities:LPNs are in demand in skilled nursing and long-term care settings across the Tucson area, with facilities like Devon Gables Rehabilitation Center actively seeking LPNs.
- Private Practices and Clinics:Opportunities exist in general private practices and at larger community health centers like El Rio Health, where LPNs provide direct patient care in family medicine and other clinical settings.
- Rehabilitation Centers:LPNs are vital in centers such as Foothills Rehabilitation Center and the Southwest Blind Rehabilitation Center, assisting patients recovering from illness, injury, or surgery.
- Senior Living Facilities:These facilities actively seek LPNs, with examples including Sunrise Senior Living (Wellness Nurse LPN), Atria Senior Living, Brookdale Senior Living (LVN Assistant Wellness Director), Handmaker (Assisted Living LPN), The Watermark at Oro Valley, and Sierra Del Sol Senior Living.
- Home Health Agencies:There is a strong demand for LPNs in home health care for one-on-one patient care, skilled nursing, and adult private duty nursing services. Companies such as NurseCore, LHC Group/At Home Healthcare, Humana/CenterWell Home Health, Maxim Healthcare, Eden Home Health, and BAYADA Home Health Care are prominent employers.
- Other Specialized Settings:LPNs are also needed in correctional healthcare through NaphCare, Inc., plasma donation centers like BioLife Plasma Services, and behavioral health settings such as Summit BHC. School-based LVN positions are available via organizations like The Stepping Stones Group.
Several major healthcare employers are well-known for hiring LPNs in Tucson:
- Tucson Medical Center
- El Rio Health
- NaphCare, Inc.
- Sunrise Senior Living
- Atria Senior Living
- LHC Group (At Home Healthcare)
- Humana (CenterWell Home Health)
- Maxim Healthcare Services
- Vista Specialty Hospital
- BioLife Plasma Services (a Takeda company)
- Foothills Rehabilitation Center
In addition to these larger systems, several smaller facilities and networks also contribute significantly to LPN employment opportunities in Tucson:
- NurseCore
- Summit BHC
- The Stepping Stones Group
- International Health and Medical Services
- Eden Home Health
- Dependable Hospice & Palliative Care
- The Watermark at Oro Valley
- Sierra Del Sol Senior Living
- Veritas Skilled Nursing Management (The Center at Tucson)
- Handmaker
- Molina Healthcare (offering roles like Field Care Manager LVN)
List of LPN Programs in Tucson, AZ
Tucson, AZ
Pima Community College
- Certificate/Diploma - Practical Nurse Certificate
Campus Based - Website
- Campus-based program.
- Prepares for LPN licensure.
- Title IV Financial Aid eligible.
- Conditional enrollment requirements.
- Pathway to associate degree.
- Comprehensive nursing education.
- Practical experience included.
- Admission requirements apply.
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