Metropolitan

Pending approval from the Arkansas State Board of Nursing and the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES), Metro is partnering with Baptist Health College Little Rock, part of the Baptist Health system, to launch a Practical Nursing (LPN) pathway. Selected students will start Summer 2024.   
Access LPN Flyer and Sign up now to be the first to know when the application link goes live.

Who Can Participate?
Rising 2024-25 juniors & seniors residing in Pulaski County may apply.  Preference will be given to juniors who can complete both years of the Practical Nursing pathway. Seats are limited: 25 students will be selected to participate in the required paid Summer Internship 2024. Sixteen (16) students will be selected from the summer internship participants to join the first Practical Nursing Cohort.

The first cohort will begin Practical Nursing courses Fall 2024 at Metro. Classes will convene at Baptist Health College Little Rock (BHCLR) with students experiencing the same instruction and clinical experience that adult nursing students receive at BHCLR.

To apply, students must meet these minimum qualifications:

• Minimum 2.5 GPA
• ACT Reading and English scores of 19 or Accuplacer Next Gen Reading and Writing scores
  of 256

Students will apply by completing the online application, which will be posted on this page Spring 2024.

How Much Will It Cost?
A degree in Practical Nursing from Baptist Health College Little Rock would normally cost more than $16,000. The Practical Nursing program at Metro Career Tech is FREE!  There is no cost to students or participating school districts. All tuition and fees, textbooks, scrubs, and additional supplies are paid for through state and federal funding, which aims to meet the growing demand for nurses. 

Students are responsible for their transportation to summer internships. Participating school districts are responsible for transportation for students during the school year. 

What's an LPN?
Under the supervision of a registered nurse, a licensed practical nurse provides direct patient bedside care such as personal hygiene, treatments, and medication administration. LPNs work under the supervision of registered nurses (RNs), doctors and other providers. 

LPNs work in a variety of healthcare settings, including:

• Nursing homes
• Extended care facilities
• Hospitals
• Physicians’ offices
• Private homes (home health care)

How much does an LPN earn?
Check out the Occupational Outlook Handbook to view salary, job outlook, and more. CareerOneStop provides more details on wages, skills, and job duties.  

Can LPNs advance?
LPNs can continue their education to advance to a Registered Nurse (RN). Nurses provide and direct others in the provision of nursing care to patients in acute care settings and a variety of other healthcare agencies. Nurses work closely with physicians and other members of the healthcare team.  Visit the Occupational Outlook Handbook and Career One Stop to learn more.

Students who earn their LPN license and take College Algebra (3 hours) and English Comp I (3 hours) will be eligible to apply for the Nursing Accelerated Track at Baptist Health College Little Rock (BHCLR). The Accelerated Track is a one-year track that allows students to graduate BHCLR with an Associate of Applied Science in Nursing and be eligible to apply to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN). 

The Accelerated Track coordinates with Arkansas Tech University, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and the University of Arkansas Fayetteville so that graduates from the BHCLR program can seamlessly complete a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.  Visit BHCLR to learn more.