Overview
Career outlook
Employers hire licensed practical nurses to provide basic patient care such as monitoring vital signs, administering medications, and assisting with daily needs under the supervision of registered nurses and physicians.
Getting in
What Otero College asks for, taken from its own admissions page.
What you'll need
- Prerequisite courses
- Transcripts
- Background check
Practical Nursing certificate is listed on the shared Otero nursing catalog page (47 to 52 credits; two semesters of nursing courses plus about one semester of prerequisites). TEAS with minimum scores per the Nursing Admissions Rubric (otero.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Nursing-Admissions-Rubric-2026.pdf); minimum 2.5 GPA in ENG 1021, BIO 2101 and PSY 2440 plus BIO 1010 or BIO 1111 before applying; CastleBranch background check; rolling admission until slots fill, selection by application date and completion of criteria; separate nursing application on JotForm. Costs are in the Nursing Student Manual; only NCLEX-RN pass rates are posted.
Checked Oct 2026 on the school's site. Requirements change each cycle, so confirm before you apply.
Prerequisites
The prerequisites you'll need to meet to apply to this program at Otero College. Open a category to see each one.