Additional Information – Practical Nurse
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START OR ENHANCE YOUR CAREER
IN PRACTICAL NURSING

For some students, the decision to pursue a career in nursing is easy. Maybe you come from a family of nurses or perhaps ever since you were a child, you dreamed of being a nurse. Maybe you experienced a life-changing event that spurred you to look into a career in healthcare. What nursing students all have in common is the dedication, passion and compassion to help others. Make your dream a reality. At Bates, students have access to childcare, public or free transportation to and from the college, and the ability to locally transfer to an ADN or BSN bridge program.

News

2026 Full-time Fall Cohort Application information

  • There are 40 Full-time slots available.
  • Students start Fall 2026 and Graduate Summer 2027.
  • Priority Application closes June 30th at midnight(If we have over 100 applicants, we will not offer late application submissions after the deadline)
  • Selection of the applicants will go out mid-July for an end of September fall start.
  • Students have 2 weeks to decide if they will accept their post in the program. If they fail to notify the school within the 2-week period the spot is given to someone on the wait list.

The Fall 2026 full-time LPN program application is now open.

Submit Your Application Here
A $50 non-refundable application fee is required to process your application. A hardship fee waiver will be available on this webpage within two weeks of the application opening for applicants experiencing financial hardship. More information on this can be found in the application material.

How to Pay: Once your application is complete, please email nursing@batestech.edu to notify them. Please be sure to include the date you applied, your full name, and your student ID in the email. They will then inform the Cashier’s Office to add the application fee to your account.

After the charge has been added, you must submit your payment through the Cashier’s Office. You can find their contact information and payment options at (https://www.batestech.edu/tuition-and-fees/pay/). Please note that the application fee must be paid in order for your application to be considered for acceptance into the Nursing program.

Hardship fees exceptions: If you are experiencing financial hardship and are unable to pay the $50 fee, there will be a hardship fee waiver posted on the Practical Nurse webpage. Common qualifying hardships include receiving state or federal public assistance (SNAP, TANF, Medicaid), currently unemployed or lost employment, or experiencing housing insecurity and homelessness. Requests will be reviewed in the order they are received.

The hardship waiver will be posted on the Practical Nursing program webpage within two weeks of the application opening. It is still in the process of development but will be posted soon.

Once the form is available, download and complete the waiver form from the Practical Nursing program webpage.

Attend a Practical Nurse Information Session

We’re excited to help you take the next step on your journey towards a fulfilling career as a practical nurse! Instead of going through the general information sessions located in Step 4 of the Steps to Enrollment, please join us in an information session below. These sessions will:

  • Give you all the insights you need about our program,
  • Provide you with an opportunity to get answers to your questions, and
  • Share the specific details about what we offer.

We are excited to welcome you and share the opportunities that await you in the world of practical nursing.

Join a Zoom Session

Meeting: 852 3326 7896

Password: 612038

PREPARE FOR THE PROGRAM

Program Vision

To prepare nurses who are agents of change that reach diverse communities and connect them to quality and inclusive healthcare.

Program Values

  1. Collaboration & Communication
  2. Integrity & Accountability
  3. Dignity & Respect
  4. Diversity & Social Justice
  5. Empathy & Compassion

Program Outcomes

  1. Nursing Care- Integrate patient-centered care in all aspects of health care practice to provide safe, compassionate culturally and developmentally diverse care.
  2. Clinical Judgement- Provide safe nursing care by applying current nursing science and clinical reasoning to deliver safe, evidence-based care.
  3. Professional Behavior and Scope of Practice- Demonstrate integrity by understanding and upholding all ethical and legal principles of the LPN role. Practice and use professional communication with clients and associated healthcare team(s).
  4. Health Promotion- Enhance and promote the client’s health and well-being and prevent disease.
  5. Collaboration- Actively participate and collaborate with the health care team to deliver patient-centered care and achieve the best outcomes for patients.
  6. Quality Improvement – Integrate quality improvement and evidence-based practice to promote the health of clients, families and communities.
  7. Informatics – Incorporate health care informatics to improve the safety and well-being of individuals and communities across health delivery systems.

Reciprocity Statement

Bates Technical College Practical Nursing Program meets the requirements of the Washington State Board of Nursing for Practical Nurse licensing in Washington state. Bates Technical College does not know if this program meets the requirements of other states for licensing purposes. Please contact the specific state Board of Nursing for their licensing requirements.

Mandatory Courses:

In order to apply to join the Practical Nursing program at Bates Technical College, you must have the following mandatory courses completed by the start date of the program. You may apply while finishing your last prerequisites, as long as all 7 courses are completed before your cohort’s start date.

Students with a 3.0 or higher cumulative GPA in their mandatory pre-requisite courses (the sum of all 7 mandatory courses) will be considered upon review of their application. Student with a less than 3.0 cumulative GPA in their 7 classes may be considered, on a case by case basis, by the Nursing director depending on program availability.

  •  ENGL& 101 (English Composition I)
  • PSYCH& 100 ( General Psychology)
  • PSYCH& 200 (Lifespan Psychology)
  • BIO& 160  (General Biology with Lab)
  • BIO& 241 (Human Anatomy and Physiology I with lab)
  • BIO& 242 (Human Anatomy and Physiology II with lab)
  • MATH& 146 (Statistics)

 Recommended Courses:

In addition to the mandatory prerequisites, it is recommended (but not required) that students complete the following courses before applying to the LPN/Practical Nursing program. These courses are suggested to enhance your competence and readiness for the program:

  • CMST 210 (Interpersonal Communication)
  • NUTR 101 (Nutrition)
  • CHEM 121 (General Chemistry)
  • BIO 260 (Microbiology)

 Note: Completion of the recommended courses is not necessary for application to the program.

Immunizations

To participate in the clinical experiences during the program, students will need to have the following immunizations completed:

  • COVID-19 Vaccination Required depending on clinical site
    • Proof of the COVID-19 series AND booster vaccines is required depending on clinical site.
  • Tuberculosis (TB) Test

*Expires annually; various options for TB, results must be negative:

  • 2-Step PPD: Must be two separate 2-Step PPD tests initially done approximately two weeks apart
  • Document must show induration in millimeter, date placed, and date read
  • QuantiFERON: TB blood test
  • Chest X-ray: Depending on your risk factor, a chest X-ray must be within the last 2-3 years due to varying validity. If you have had previous TB infection or treatment history, a letter from a healthcare professional determining your results is required.
  • Hepatitis B
    • Three vaccine series and positive HBsAB (antibody) titer

OR

  • Two vaccine series if HEPLISAV-B
  • Declination Form available (if currently in process of vaccine series/titer, or if non-converter)
  • Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR)
    • Two doses of MMR

OR

  • Positive antibody titer
  • Varicella (Chicken Pox)
    • Two doses of Varicella

OR

  • Positive antibody titer
  • Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis (TDaP)
    • One dose required, must be within the last 10 years
  • Influenza
    • Annual flu vaccine required

*All vaccination proof must include full name, date of birth, and date of vaccine, titer (blood draw), or test*

CPR

  • Must be American Heart Association Basic Life Support (AHA BLS)
  • Must be kept valid throughout duration in program

Schedule a class: https://lifetekinc.com/courses/bls-cpr/

Background Check and Drug Screening

  • Students must successfully pass a criminal state and national background check. Immediate disqualifiers to the program can be found at: Disqualifying List of Crimes and Negative Actions | DSHS
  • Students are expected to complete and pass a background check and a 10-panel drug screening in the first quarter once they are accepted. More information about this will be provided during the program orientation.     
  • Any questions about the drug screening, such as concerns about prescribed medications, can be directed to the drug screening lab of your choice. 

For more information about clinical participation requirements, please consult the Practical Nurse Student Handbook.

Tuition and Fees

At Bates, our tuition is affordable and there are options to help make it even easier to gain an education. Federal aid is available for many of our students. Scholarships are also available through the Bates Foundation.

See if you qualify for other funding through our special funding programs with the Workforce Education office.

The program’s continuing accreditation status with the NLN CNEA  is approved until October 31, 2035.

State and regional approvals/accreditation

Bates Technical College is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU).

The Practical Nurse program is approved by the Washington State Board of Nursing.

Bates Technical College Program Student Learning Outcomes (PSLO) (see updated PSLOs below, effective Fall Quarter 2023)

Upon completion of the Practical Nurse program, the graduate will be prepared to take the licensing examination, and as a beginning practitioner will be able to:

  1. Assist in implementing the nursing process to provide care that is safe, compassionate, culturally and developmentally appropriate.
    1. Assessment – make observations, gather data and assist in the identification of needs and problems relevant to the client.
    2. Analyzing – assist and collaborate in developing a list of actual and potential nursing diagnoses and selecting the goals for care.
    3. Planning – contribute to the development of nursing interventions to meet the needs of clients and families.
    4. Implementation – carry out planned interventions to client care.
    5. Evaluation – appraise the effectiveness of care.
  2. Make judgments that integrate nursing science in the provision of safe, quality care
  3. Use communication skills effectively in order to function as a member of the Nursing team and apply beginning skills in verbal, non-verbal and written communication.
  4. Demonstrate, in a work environment, responsibility for own actions by using critical thinking and decision-making to plan and organize client care.
    1. Participate in self-assessment, including self-evaluation of personal health habits.
    2. Seek learning opportunities that will foster growth.
    3. Apply knowledge of ethical and legal principles and responsibilities pertinent to self, client, and others.
    4. Practice conservation of available resources.
    5. Follow employer rules and regulations.
  5. Assist in the health teaching of clients recognizing individual differences.
    1. Health teaching – assist in the development of teaching plans for individual clients and families.
    2. Implement teaching of basic health information according to the individualized teaching plan.
    3. Communicate the client’s request for information to the appropriate team member.
  6. Demonstrate an understanding of own role in the health care delivery system.
    1. Function as a practical nurse within the health care delivery systems.
    2. Recognize functions of the health care delivery system.
    3. Act as client advocate in health maintenance and clinical care.
  7. Recognize the need for change in health care and demonstrate willingness to participate in effecting change.
    1. Recognize the need to adjust functions to comply with the accepted Practical Nurse role and assist in assessing the effectiveness of current nursing practices.
    2. Discuss the value of belonging to professional organizations.
  8. Use information systems and patient care technologies in support of safe nursing practices.

Updated PSLO Effective Fall Quarter 2023

Outcomes

1. Nursing Care- Integrate patient-centered care in all aspects of health care practice to provide safe, compassionate culturally and developmentally diverse care.

2. Clinical Judgement- Provide safe nursing care by applying current nursing science and clinical reasoning to deliver safe, evidence-based care.

3. Professional Behavior and Scope of Practice- Demonstrate integrity by understanding and upholding all ethical and legal principles of the LPN role. Practice and use professional communication with clients and associated health care team(s).

4. Health Promotion- Enhance and promote the client’s health and well-being and prevent disease.

5. Collaboration- Actively participate and collaborate with the health care team to deliver patient-centered care and achieve the best outcomes for patients.

6. Quality Improvement – Integrate quality improvement and evidence-based practice to promote the health of clients, families and communities.

7. Informatics – Incorporate health care informatics to improve the safety and well-being of individuals and communities across health delivery systems.

Please review the Practical Nurse Program Student Handbook