The College of Licensed Practical Nurses of BC (CLPNBC) has approved six LPN programs in BC. By completing your education at one of these institutions, you could be qualified for licensure in as little as two years.
The Institutions listed below have achieved both the national and provincial benchmarks established by the Canadian Council for Practical Nurse Regulators in terms of practical nursing education (CCPNR).
Institutions for LPN Programs in BC
The following institutions offer LPN programs in BC:
- Vancouver Community College
- Northwest Community College
- Northern Lights College
- College of the Rockies
- Vancouver Island University
- North Island College
1. Vancouver Community College
This diploma program is available full-time and is separated into four levels. Each level must be finished successfully before proceeding to the next. This program places a strong emphasis on active student participation.
The instructors will urge students to become more self-directed and responsible for their own learning throughout the program.
Students are expected to arrive to class prepared to participate actively in the classroom, a nursing lab, and clinical activities.
Course guides steer learning in course preparation, course activities, and content reflection.
Through activities such as guided discussion, debate, audio-visual presentation, group activities, skill-building exercises, and simulation, the teacher serves as a facilitator and expert to establish a learning environment. Some courses may be delivered in a hybrid format.
Admission Requirements
- Acquire a GED or be grade 12 graduate.
- Hold a certification for HCA, RCA, or HS/RCA.
- Pass VCC’s NURS 1602 Anatomy and Physiology preparatory course.
- Show evidence of your English language ability.
- Successful in the knowledge test Exams conducted by Vancouver Community College.
- Possess a CPR-C certification
- Evidence of recent vaccinations and a negative TB skin test
TUITION: $15,791
For further information click here.
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2. Northwest Community College
The Practical Nursing Program is intended to give students the information and skills required to work as Licensed Practical Nurses.
This curriculum educates individuals to assist in delivering general nursing care that requires basic understanding of biological, physical, behavioral, psychological, and sociological sciences, as well as nursing procedures that do not require the skills, judgment, and expertise of a registered nurse.
This service is provided under the supervision of a registered nurse or a licensed physician.
Students who complete the program satisfactorily will be able to apply for LPN licensure. Based on previous criminal histories, the State Board of Nursing, to which the student seeks for licensure, may deny any individual the ability to take the NCLEX-PN.
Admission Requirements
- Possess a GED or high school diploma.
- Transcripts of Grade 12 Biology, Math, and English grades must be provided.
- English language proficiency should be shown (reading, writing and speaking)
- Pass the CAT 3 English and NWCC PN Math exams with flying colors.
- Provide documentation of your current vaccination status.
- Possess a CPR Level C certification after completing training.
- Pass a criminal record check.
TUITION: Click here for more details.
For further information, click here.
3. Northern Lights College
Northern Lights College’s Diploma in Practical Nursing program adheres to the current provincial curriculum, which was changed in 2017.
The curriculum is intended to educate students with the knowledge, abilities, judgments, and attitudes necessary to perform to the complete spectrum of competencies as authorized by the British Columbia College of Nursing & Midwives (BCCNM).
The program delivers an integrated, professional, collaborative, and culturally sensitive learning experience, with the goal of preparing graduates to care for persons (and families of individuals) at many life stages and in a range of practice contexts.
Following successful completion of the program, learners will be prepared to take the Regulatory Exam – Practical Nurse (REx-PN).
Admission Requirements
- Submit proof of high school diploma or GED, as well as the required math, biology, and English grades from grade 12.
- Show off your English language proficiency (written, spoken and reading comprehension)
- Own a degree in Practical Nursing Anatomy and Physiology (PNUR099)
- Obtain a criminal history report from the Solicitor General.
- Complete the vaccinations the BC Centre for Disease Control requires.
- Show TB test outcomes that were negative.
- Possess a Level C CPR certification.
TUITION: Click here for more details.
For further information click here.
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4. College of the Rockies
The Cranbrook campus’s two-year Practical Nursing diploma program prepares you to provide professional care to individuals and families in a number of health care delivery settings.
After your second year, you will be qualified to sit for the Regulatory Exam – Practical Nurse. You can then apply to become a Practical Nurse by registering with the British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM).
Admission Requirements
- Possess a secondary school diploma or a comparable certificate (GED)
- Demonstrate your grade 12 passing marks in biology, English, and math.
- Pass the PPNP 101: Human Anatomy and Physiology for Practical Nurses course with a C+ or higher.
- For candidates with job experience, proof of employment and references should be shown.
- Hold first aid and CPR-C certifications.
- Comply with a criminal background check.
- Show documentation of recent vaccinations.
- English proficiency must be shown.
TUITION: $14,412 and $34,609.64 for citizens and international students respectively.
For further information, click here.
5. Vancouver Island University
The LPN Program prepares students to be valued professionals in a demanding and challenging career in a range of community care facilities.
This program teaches students the theory and skills needed to work as a Practical Nurse in acute care, long-term care, intermediate care, and community settings. Four condensed practice experiences and one preceptorship are included in the two-year program. Before proceeding to succeeding semesters and the final preceptorship, students must successfully complete all required courses in each semester.
Graduates of the Practical Nursing Diploma program who are recommended by the program faculty may take the Regulatory Exam-Practical Nurse (Rex-PN) to become a Licensed Practical Nurse.
Admission Requirements
- Successful completion of secondary school or an equivalent
- Transcripts with a minimum grade of C in biology, math, and English for grade 12
- Pass the VIU-offered Human Anatomy and Physiology for Practical Nurses (HHPN 001) course with a minimum grade of C+.
- Evidence of recent vaccines
- WHMIS (Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System) course completion
- Demonstrate fluency in the English language in writing, speaking, and reading.
- Possess a level C CPR certification
- Pass a Criminal Record Check
TUITION: For more dwyaiks, click here.
For further information, click here.
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6. North Island College
Learn the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to become a Licensed Practical Nurse. As you prepare to meet the ever-expanding role of LPNs in British Columbia, you’ll participate in over 650 hours of hands-on clinical practice hours in communities across the area.
You’ll be an important member of a multidisciplinary health care team in acute, complex, or residential care settings, as well as in the community.
The Practical Nursing diploma equips graduates to provide nursing care that fulfills the British Columbia College of Nursing Professionals’ LPN practice guidelines and entry-level competencies.
Caring, holism, nursing cooperation, self-reflection, longevity, leadership and safety, as well as diversity and Indigenous health, are all emphasized in the program.
As a successful graduate, you will be an effective, responsible practitioner who will plan and implement care for your clients using critical thinking and a holistic, client-centered approach; additionally, you will have the communication and leadership skills required to be a collaborative member of a healthcare team.
Admission Requirements
- Hold a GED or have finished Grade 12 in high school.
- Provide secondary school transcripts with the bare minimum marks needed in biology, math, and English in Grade 12.
- Obtain a C+ or above in Human Anatomy and Physiology for Practical Nurses (BIO 159)
- Provide a Practical Nursing Intake Package that is complete.
- Perform a criminal background check Display documentation of recent immunizations.
- Possession of a valid CPR HRT-015 certificate.
- Group information session that is required for prospective students to attend.
For further information on the program and tuition details, click here.
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How To Become An LPN In BC
Having seen the LPN programs in BC, let us look at how to become an LPN in BC.
In January 2022, the Rex-PN became the recognized regulatory test in British Columbia. As a recent graduate of a practical nursing program, you will be needed to take the Rex-PN in order to be registered in British Columbia. To learn more, visit:
Go to the Rex-PN page.
Fact sheet for recent B.C. practical nursing graduates
Application for Registration and the Rex-PN Presentation
- Set up an online account:
Make a BCCNM account. Make a note of your BCCNM ID number. (You’ll need it to authenticate your Public Register registration)
- Complete the online form.
- Make your payment
- Send in the necessary paperwork:
- Ask your school’s registrar to send your official transcript to BCCNM by going there.
- Request the notarization of your identity documents (two current government-issued IDs, such as a driver’s license, BC Services Card, passport, etc.) by visiting a lawyer or notary public. One ID must have a picture on it.
- In the application, upload the notarized identification documents as scanned PDFs or as images (.jpg or.png files).
- Request that BCCNM receive the results of your English language test (if applicable)
- BCCNM evaluates your submission
The moment the following is received, your application will be evaluated:
1.Your application
2.Applicable fees
3. Necessary paperwork
You will get email updates while your application is reviewed and you will be informed if additional details are needed to finish the review.
- Obtain the Rex-PN/provisional registration approval by registering.
You will receive an email with details on how to register and pay for the Rex-PN directly with the exam provider, Pearson Vue, if you have satisfactorily complied with all the aforementioned prerequisites.
A second email with a link to pay your registration fee via your BCCNM online account will be provided to you if your request for temporary registration is approved. Check the Public Register to confirm your license to practice nursing after you receive an email confirming payment receipt.
- Set up a time for your examination.
Pearson Vue will send you an authorization to test (ATT) after you register and pay for the exam. Instructions on how to schedule your exam date will be included in this email. Your exam date, time, and venue can be scheduled using the instructions in this email. Your test must be scheduled and taken during the ATT window. Get to know the REx-PN better.
- Get your test results
Within a few days of taking the exam, you will receive an email with the results. If you were successful, an email with a link to pay the practicing registration cost will be sent to you.
If you didn’t pass, the email will contain advice on how to sign up for the subsequent exam and pay the necessary expenses. The next step cannot be reached until the exam has been successfully passed. Upon two examination failures, your provisional registration will be cancelled.
- Register for practice and pay for it.
A link to pay the practicing registration fee is included in the email that contains your exam results. Use one of the safe online payment options after logging into your BCCNM account to make a payment. Study up on costs and payment choices.
- Verify the status of your registration.
Check the Public Register to see if BCCNM has approved you to practice nursing after paying the practicing registration fee and before reporting to work as an LPN.
Keep in mind the registration’s expiration date. Using any form of the LPN title or practicing nursing in BC without a valid registration is against the Health Professions Act and the LPN Standards of Practice. Unregistered practice carries a $300 cost according to BCCNM.
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How Much Do LPNs Earn in BC
In Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, the average salary for a registered nurse is $98,072 per year and $47 per hour. A Registered Nurse can expect to make between $68,356 and $119,353 annually.
The highest level of education often required for becoming a registered nurse is a bachelor’s degree. This wage study is based on salary survey information obtained from Vancouver, British Columbia, employers and anonymous employees.
The compensation data provided by ERI are based on salary surveys that ERI conducted and investigated.
The Assessor Series’ labor cost data is derived from commercially available sources that also include rental rates, gasoline prices, consumable costs, premium costs for health care, property taxes, effective income tax rates, etc.
How long is LPN program in BC?
three years of full-time, in-person secondary or post-secondary education at a recognized institution, with English serving as both the language of teaching and one of the official languages of the nation.
How much do LPNs make in British Columbia?
In British Columbia, licensed practical nurses (NOC 3233) typically make between $24.24 and $32.02 per hour.
How do I become a licensed practical nurse in BC?
A accredited college program must be completed before becoming a licensed practical nurse (LPN).
successful completion of the Canadian Practical Nurse Registration Examination.
Become a member of the British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM)
What is the fastest way to become an LPN?
Involvement in a program leading to a vocational school diploma is the quickest route to becoming a licensed practical nurse (LPN). Students enrolled full-time graduate with the same professional qualifications as those completing degree programs, and they are prepared to work in months rather than years.
What is a Level 2 LPN in BC?
First-line supervision responsibilities are what set a nurse Level 2A employment apart from LPN work. The Nurse Level 2B position recognizes the importance of LPN Educators, who are responsible for imparting information to other LPNs, healthcare assistants, and support personnel.
How hard is the LPN program?
It might be easy to become lost in the stress and exhaustion that come with these programs because LPN school is a very demanding effort. Try your hardest to maintain a calm attitude, and if you feel like you need a break, take one.
What kind of math is required for LPN?
The basic arithmetic abilities of addition, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing decimals, fractions, and whole numbers, as well as transferring numbers from the English system to a metric system, are the foundation of all nursing. We think in terms of pounds, ounces, and inches in America.
Is LPN good career choice?
LPNs can make a respectable living, but what if you graduate with a diploma and a license to practice but can’t find employment? Thankfully, the need for LPNs seems to be steady, as the BLS anticipates a 9% increase in LPN employment between 2019 and 2029.
Can an LPN call themselves a nurse?
Before taking on nursing duties, LPNs must first pass a national licensing exam. I believe that someone has earned the title of nurse if they passed the NCLEX-PN. Furthermore, if an LPN commits a disorderly act, the governing nursing board has the authority to suspend or revoke the license.
Where is the best place to work as an LPN?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics, or BLS, reports that LPNs primarily work in the following fields:
Facilities for residential care: 38%
Medications: 17%
medical practices: 13%
Services for home health care: 11%
State, local, and the federal government: 7%