Practical Nursing is a Diploma program (Hybrid) offered by Standard Healthcare Services College of Nursing in Vienna, VA. The program takes 14 months (54 weeks) to complete, with a total tuition of $19,726.
Program Overview
Standard College trains and educates students for careers in the healthcare field as Licensed Practical Nurses. Upon successful completion of the programme, and after passing the NCLEX-PN licensure exam, the graduate will have the knowledge, skills and values necessary to seek employment as a Licensed Practical Nurse in a variety of health care settings.
The Practical Nursing Program uses an evidence-based approach to the knowledge, skills and values needed for employment as a licensed practical nurse. Students apply what they learn in the classroom through hands-on practical experience, performing basic and specialized nursing care for a diverse range of patients in a variety of clinical settings.
It is 1,350 contact hours — 950 hours of class and skills lab and 400 clinical hours — over 14 months (54 weeks) full time, or 18 months (68 weeks) on the weekend schedule. Graduates receive a diploma in Practical Nursing. The programme is non-credit and vocational, and its clock hours are generally not applicable to other degrees.
What sets this Program apart
- Five enrolment points a year. January Morning, Spring Evening, Summer Morning, Fall Evening and Winter Weekend programmes, several of which run two sessions starting in different months.
- Hybrid delivery. Lectures online, skills lab on campus, and tests online and on campus.
- Clinical practice throughout. Weekly clinical practicum shifts in a variety of healthcare settings, including simulation in lieu of direct clinical hours.
- Across the lifespan. The curriculum covers anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, and adult health, mental health, maternal-newborn and pediatric nursing.
- Published NCLEX-PN results every year since 2009.
Admission Requirements and Process
Standard College uses a holistic approach to make admission decisions, evaluating each applicant in a comprehensive and inclusive manner. The holistic approach takes into account the various aspects of an individual’s application. The Admission Team begins to make admission decisions after the program due date, ensuring that all applicants who meet the program due date are equally considered for a spot in the program.
General Requirements
- Minimum Age 18Must be at least 18 years of age by the start of the program.
- High School CompletionProvide evidence of high school completion by submitting a valid, official high school transcript, a GED Certificate, an associate’s degree, an Evaluation Report, or a College…
- Entrance Test (75% Math/Reading)Demonstrate a passing score on the School’s Entrance Test: a score of at least 75% on the math section and at least 75% on the reading section. Applicants have one chance per…
- Three ReferencesSubmit three (3) references on the online application: one (1) work/supervisory reference and two (2) character references. None of the references may be related to the applicant.
- Admission InterviewAttend an admission interview.
- Government Photo IDProvide a government issued photo ID.
- Physical Exam and ImmunizationsWithin 30 days from the start of the program, students must provide evidence of a physical examination, including a negative TB skin test or chest x-ray, annual TB symptom…
- Background Check and Drug TestDemonstrate a satisfactory Criminal Background Check and Drug Test through the approved School’s vendor within 30 days of the start of the program, and demonstrate that no finding…
- AHA BLS CPR CertificationMaintain a current American Heart Association CPR BLS Certification for Health Care Provider for entire duration of the program.
Application Process
- 1Contact Admissions to ApplyContact Admissions about the Practical Nursing Program Online Application, submitted with the non-refundable $75 application fee and three (3) references: one supervisory work reference and two character references from persons not related to the applicant.
- 2Take and Pass the Entrance ExamTake the on-campus Entrance Exam and score at least 75% on both the math and reading sections. Applicants are provided with practice exam questions upon submitting the application.
- 3Admission InterviewAttend an admission interview with the admissions coordinator and complete the Interview Form. Provide a government issued photo ID and sign the Consumer Information Acknowledgement Form.
- 4Submit Health, Background and CPR RequirementsComplete a Criminal Background Check and Drug Test for the clinical placement, submit the Physical Exam, required immunizations and TB testing, and submit the American Heart BLS CPR certificate.
- 5Complete the FAFSATo apply for financial aid, each new student must complete an annual Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and meet the eligibility requirements.FAFSA Code for Vienna: 042210Fill Out the FAFSA
- 6Finalize Registration and Enrollment AgreementTimely finalize the registration process by submitting the required financial documents and/or tuition payments, and sign the Enrollment Agreement.
- 7Attend Mandatory OrientationAttend the mandatory orientation.
Program Schedule
The programme enrols five times a year:
- Morning programme (54 weeks): Monday to Thursday, 8:00 am to 2:00 pm.
- Evening programme (54 weeks): Monday to Thursday, 4:00 pm to 10:00 pm.
- Weekend programme (68 weeks): Fridays 4:00 pm to 10:00 pm, Saturdays 8:00 am to 2:00 pm and Sundays 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm.
The mandatory clinical practicum requires an 8, 12 or 14 hour shift once a week, on any day and any shift, as clinical agencies make placements available. The mandatory skills lab may be held any day of the week, typically 7:45 am to 3:30 pm. The school sets both schedules and may reschedule start dates.
Campus Location
Why Accreditation Is Important
When you attend an accredited institution, you attend a school that has been independently evaluated for educational quality.
This program: Standard College is institutionally accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). Its nursing programs are approved by the Virginia Board of Nursing, and it is certified to operate by SCHEV. Programmatic accreditation is not required for Practical Nursing.
- A reliable indicator of quality
- Approved program of study
- Qualified instructors
- Recognition by employers nationwide
Accreditations
Cost of Attendance and Financial Aid Information
| Charge | Amount |
|---|---|
| Term I tuition | $6,948.29 |
| Term I resource & technology fee | $816.14 |
| Term I clinical fee | $615.10 |
| Term I liability insurance fee | $15.00 |
| Term II tuition | $6,388.68 |
| Term II resource & technology fee | $816.14 |
| Term II clinical fee | $1,174.28 |
| Term II liability insurance fee | $15.00 |
| Term III tuition | $6,388.68 |
| Term III resource & technology fee | $988.70 |
| Term III clinical fee | $1,006.53 |
| Term III liability insurance fee | $15.00 |
| Graduation fee | $295.00 |
| Total direct charges by the school | $25,482.54 |
| Background check & drug test | $76.00 |
| Uniform | $75.00 |
| Total cost | $25,633.54 |
The catalog prints the Term I and Term III subtotals a cent apart from their own lines ($8,394.54 and $8,693.90); the total direct charges of $25,482.54 match the lines exactly.
A $75 non-refundable application fee is charged separately. Repeating a course costs $14.20 per clock hour.
Paying for the programme. Standard College participates in federal student aid programmes for eligible students and publishes its financial aid policy handbook, satisfactory academic progress and Return of Title IV Funds policies. It also offers a tuition payment plan, scholarship opportunities, private educational loans and employer tuition assistance. Tuition and fees are charged term by term.
Curriculum
Eleven courses over three phases, with theory, skills lab, simulation and clinical hours: 1,350 in all. The catalog prints the theory column total as 874, but its own course rows sum to 876 — the figure that reconciles with its 950 class and skills lab hours and the 1,350 total.
The required courses below are from Standard Healthcare Services College of Nursing's published catalog.
Required Courses
| Subject # | Name | Lecture | Lab | External | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Required Courses
| Subject # | Name |
|---|---|
Career Outcomes
Graduates of the Practical Nursing Program are eligible to seek licensure as a Licensed Practical Nurse and to work as practitioners within structured acute, intermediate, long-term and ambulatory healthcare facilities. After completing all programme requirements, the graduate may apply to take the NCLEX-PN.
Published NCLEX-PN pass rates: 85.31 percent in 2025, 82.9 percent in 2024 and 86.7 percent in 2023, according to the college.
The programme’s stated goals are that at least 80 percent of students complete within 150 percent of the published length, and that at least 80 percent of graduates pass the NCLEX-PN and find work as a licensed practical nurse within 12 months of graduation.
What to expect as a Standard Healthcare Services College of Nursing student
Standard Healthcare Services College of Nursing is a privately owned nursing college founded in 2004. It was recognised by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia as a college in 2011, and offers two nursing programmes: the Practical Nursing diploma and the LPN to RN Transition Associate of Applied Science.
The college moved to a new campus at 8230 Leesburg Pike, Suite 500, in Vienna. While construction on the main campus continues, skills lab instruction and on-campus examinations take place at a temporary secondary facility at 1950 Old Gallows Road, Suite 520, Vienna — within walking distance, less than a mile away — with free parking in the garage behind the building. All institutional policies apply there as on the main campus.
Delivery is hybrid: students attend course lectures online, take part in the skills lab on campus, and complete tests online and on campus. Students need regular access to a computer with a camera and the internet. They have 24-hour access to the college’s online library resources, including the ProQuest Nursing & Allied Health Source database, and track their coursework and standing through the Populi student system.
Clinical placements are assigned by clinical agency availability and may fall on any day and any shift; the Virginia Board of Nursing requires clinical sites to be within 50 miles of the main campus.