Visit the Academy YouTube page for Practical Nursing to learn more about what to expect in this class.

Most Important Information

• This and all Nursing courses will be moving from the Plum Center to Falls Church High School Academy beginning in the 2025-2026 academic year.
• Students interested in starting the Practical Nursing program must attend a mandatory in-person Open House on March 20, 2025 from 5:30-6:30pm with parents.  Specific health requirements such as childhood immunizations, TB blood testing, drug testing, and criminal background checks must be completed, more information to be shared at the Open House.
• Please contact your base school counselor if interested in a tour of the program and course observation.

Course Instructors

• Jan Rayl - Director - FCPS Academy Nursing Programs
• Vanessa Edwards and Millie Carlson
  • Plum Center for Lifelong Learning (although this course is part of the Falls Church Academy Nursing School it is held at The Plum Center).
  • Students must have a Social Security Number to be licensed by the Board of Nursing.
  • Students are responsible for all clinical site transportation:
    • Year 1 the 100 hours of clinical are held in the evenings after school, on teacher work days, as a field trip, and on school holidays. 
    • Year 2 the remaining 300 clinical hours are held during classes, which meet all day on even days.  Some clinical hours may be held in the evenings after school, on teacher work days, as a field trip, and on school holidays. 
    • Students must purchase scrubs and meet current health agency requirements to participate in clinical experiences.

The Practical Nursing program is a Virginia Board of Nursing approved Practical Nursing School. We are not accredited as Virginia does not require Practical Nursing Programs to be accredited. Students that graduate from this 18-month program will be eligible to sit for the State Board of Nursing Nursing Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN) to become a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). This is a program and not a course so students start their junior year and graduate nursing school at the end of their senior year. Students must enroll and complete both years, all 18 months to sit for their exam. The Practical Nursing program students must be 18 years old by January 1 of their Senior Year, this is a requirement of our clinical partners. There are 10 courses as part of this program and students must pass all 10 courses with an 80% or better individually and collectively.

Course Topics Include - 

• 11th Grade Practical Nursing:
  • Anatomy & Physiology
  • Medical Terminology 
  • Nutrition 
  • Nursing Fundamentals and Skills Lab 
  • Growth, Development and Geriatrics
• 12th Grade Practical Nursing:
  • Medical Surgical Nursing 
  • Maternal Child Health and Pediatrics 
  • Mental Health 
  • Pharmacology (includes medical math)
  • Leadership, Issues, Trends

Pre-Requisites for ALL Clinicals: 

Proof of Vaccination: 

• MMR Measles
• Mumps 
• Rubella 
• Tdap
• Hepatitis B
• Varicella (Chicken Pox) 
• Influenza
• TB Blood Test
• COVID-19 currently not required

Industry certification may be available as part of this course. This course requires a student materials fee as listed in FCPS Notice 5922.

Junior Year(Grade 11): Course 

• Practical Nursing I HN # 835728 – 2 credits honors weighted +0.5

Senior Year (Grade 12): Courses 

• Practical Nursing II HN # 835829 - 2 credits honors weighted +0.5 and
• Practical Nursing III HN #835929 – 3 credits honors weighted +0.5

Number of Candidates Taking the NCLEX® Examination through Falls Church Academy Practical Nursing Program and percent passing:  Updated as of 3/21/2024