Yakima Valley College is accepting applications for its Practical Nursing (PN) certificate program for Winter Quarter 2025. PNs work in hospitals, residential care facilities, home health environments and other health care settings. YVC’s PN program is four quarters in length and results in a certificate of achievement. Deadline to apply is September 15.
The role of a PN is, as the name suggests, practical. PNs carry out a variety of duties and work under the direction of registered nurses, nurse practitioners and doctors. PNs provide direct hands-on patient care including monitoring patients’ health, measuring blood pressure and other vitals, administering basic patient care, providing for the basic comfort of patients, discussing the patients’ care, documenting patient concerns, and charting patient care services.
YVC offers the only PN program on the eastern side of Washington state and one of only six PN programs in the state as a whole. YVC’s also offers an Associate in Nursing degree program, which is six quarters in length and leads to an associate degree.
The career offers competitive pay with an average wage in the Yakima area of $34.33 per hour or $71,410 annually, and a Washington state average of $36.25 per hour or $75,410 annually according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics as of May 2023.
Students enrolled in YVC’s Practical Nursing program are eligible for extra financial assistance through the college’s Opportunity Grant program. The program helps eligible low-income students with the cost of tuition and mandatory fees as well as reimbursement for textbooks and supplies.
Launch your new career in just four quarters! For more information about YVC’s PN or AND-DTA/MRP programs call 509.574.4902 or email nursing@yvcc.edu.