El Centro College (Dallas County Community College District)

El Centro College was the first college of the Dallas County Community College District to offer a nursing program. El Centro offers a Vocational Nursing Certificate (LVN), the Associate of Science in Nursing degree (AAS), and the LVN to RN bridge program. Schools Scholarships Student Support

Best Programs Accredited Hybrid On-campus Online Public

ASN/ADN LPN Other

Accreditations ACEN
Location(s) Texas
Telephone 1-214-860-2000
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El Centro College, a public community college established in 1966, has partnerships with local hospitals to offer quality clinical rotation experiences.

Academic Programs

Associate Degree in Nursing

The Associate Degree Nursing (AAS) program is a two-year nursing program offered in the Spring and fall semesters. The program also includes a Perioperative Nursing Enhanced Skills Certificate for RNs and graduate nurses. El Centro's satellite campus, North Lake College, holds the ADN program. The clinicals rotate from day to evening times at various locations.

At the completion of the program, graduates are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) and then become eligible to be licensed as a registered nurse (RN) in Texas.

Hospitals that partner with El Centro include Texas Health Resources, Hospital Corporation of America Inc., the Dallas VA Medical Center, and Methodist Health System.

LVN to RN - Advanced Placement (Bridge) Program

For Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVN) who are interested in becoming RNs, the program is called the Advanced Placement, or Bridge program. Students who are accepted into the program must enroll in the following courses: a three-credit hour lecture course (RNSG 1324), a one-credit-hour skills component (RNSG 1118), and a one-credit hour nursing competencies component (RNSG 1126) which involves 2-3 full days of classes for the first semester of the Advanced Placement Program.

After the "bridge" semester courses have been completed, the students are able to blend into the third semester of the Associate Degree curriculum to complete the final two semesters of the traditional Associate Degree Nursing program. LVNs are granted another 13 additional credit hours for selected courses from the first two semesters of the traditional Associate Degree Nursing program.

Admission is open to applicants who have a current Texas LVN license and who have not previously enrolled in an Associate Degree Nursing program but who have completed all entrance requirements.

After completion of the required courses and clinical hours in the Associate Degree LVN-RN Bridge program, graduates are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) and become licensed as a registered nurse (RN) in Texas.

Vocational Nursing Certificate

This certificate program can be completed in two 16-week academic semesters and two 5-week Summer semesters.

There are clinical experiences offered at various healthcare facilities locally. There is additional classroom and laboratory work for students to complete as well. Students are encouraged to commit to two to three hours of studying and preparation time weekly for each class and/or clinical experience.

Students are also encouraged to not work full time while enrolled in these courses. Courses are offered during daytime hours only. Students must be physically fit before taking this course as well. The clinical experiences include lifting, moving, bathing, and transferring patients into and out of bed. Also, as expected, students will be caring for the sick; often those with infectious diseases.

Graduates receive a Vocational Nursing certificate and are eligible to take the Licensing Examination for Vocational Nurses (NCLEX-PN) in order to become Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVN) within the guidelines set by the Texas Board of Nursing.

Admission Requirements (not all inclusive)

Attend an information session
HESI A2
Minimum 3.0 GPA or higher on the three program prerequisite courses
Overall GPA of at least 2.0 in all college coursework

NCLEX Pass Rates (2018)

ADN RN - 84.43%
LPN/LVN - 80%

Rankings and Accolades

BestNursingColleges.com ranked the El Centro College nursing program #1,262 Nursing School (out of 2766; top 50%) in USA and #61 Nursing School in Texas (2019).

BestEducationSchools.com ranked El Centro College #1,828 (out of 2410; top 80%) in the United States and #96 in Texas (2018).

The national, nonprofit, organization, Achieving the Dream, is dedicated to helping community college students succeed, particularly students of color and low-income students; El Centro College has been recognized as an Achieve the Dream College (ATD).