Many local healthcare providers are telling the Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Adult Practical Nursing Program that they are in need of licensed practical nurses including graduates of the program.
That makes it a great time to become an LPN student, Herkimer BOCES Adult Practical Nursing Program Coordinator Marcia Thomas-Bruce said.
“You can do anything as an LPN, and you can be anywhere,” Thomas-Bruce said. “The possibilities are endless when it comes to being an LPN and getting a job. We have a 100% job placement rate after this.”
The program is currently recruiting students for the next LPN classes. Those interested in joining the program should contact Stacie Shedd at 315-867-2209 or sshedd@herkimer-boces.org as soon as possible to get their entrance exam scheduled. Students must complete their entrance exam by May 16, 2025.
Another way to get started with the application process is to complete a short interest form at www.herkimer-boces.org/forms/lpn.
The program is also hosting its Open House for interested local adults from 6-8 p.m. on Tuesday, March 18, at the Herkimer BOCES Gateway Center on the second floor of the Arc Herkimer building at 420 E. German St. in Herkimer.
There are three different options for the program: a 12-month full-time class, a 20-month part-time day class and a 20-month part-time evening class.
Classes for the full-time program begin in July 2025, with graduation in June 2026. Classes for the part-time day and part-time evening programs begin in September 2025, with graduation in June 2027.
Find more information about the program at www.herkimer-boces.org/lpn.
‘Comforting to know’
Current students enjoy knowing they will have job opportunities as soon as they graduate.
Full-time student Iriele Chery said students don’t only hear about the 100% job placement rate from program teachers and administrators. For example, her friend in the program is doing a clinical at a local facility that already told the student they want to hire her, Chery said.
“To hear stuff like that, it’s actually really comforting to know that you actually secure a job by the time you get out,” Chery said. “It’s good to know that when I do graduate, there will be something lined up for me.”
Part-time day student Crystal Spisak said it’s great that not only can graduates get jobs, but the program also helps students connect with a variety of options through clinicals and a job fair.
“I’m really looking forward to the clinical rotations to kind of get an idea because I was a dental assistant for like 20 years, and I’m changing careers, so I’m just keeping my options open right now,” Spisak said. “But I’m looking forward to the clinical rotations to kind of see what’s out there.”
The availability of full-time, part-time day and part-time evening options makes the program more accessible, Spisak said.
“That really made me want to go to this because I didn’t know how I was going to juggle work – because I still had bills to pay – then I still wanted to change careers, so it just made it easier I guess for me because they had so many different options for the program you could take,” Spisak said.
The part-time day program ended up making the most sense for Spisak, and it has worked out great, she said.
“I did the part-time, two-year program, so I think it’s a good option because I could still go to work at my other job, and I also have four children,” Spisak said. “I think you can juggle it easier if you’re thinking about changing careers or even if you just want to get into nursing.”
‘Valued everywhere’
The Adult Practical Nursing Program’s affiliations include the Mohawk Valley Health Systems at the Wynn Hospital and MVHS specialty clinics, Bassett Healthcare including Little Falls Hospital, and Masonic Care Community. Additionally, the program is affiliated with BOCES school nurses.
Students are able to participate in clinical rotations at local healthcare facilities through these partnerships, and that often leads to jobs, Thomas-Bruce said. Students experience observations in a variety of areas such as obstetrics, pediatrics, vascular labs, plastics, orthopedics, primary care offices, acute care, emergency room, operating room, medications and medical-surgery nursing, she said.
The Mohawk Valley Endoscopy Center also has been hosting students for observations, and students get to see the LPN’s role in the whole process, Thomas-Bruce said.
“That’s really neat for them because they can get a job there,” she said. “They’re actually asking for LPN students. They’re begging for them to come work for them.”
A similar message was shared when students visited the Mohawk Valley Health System Faxton Campus for a training session, Thomas-Bruce said.
“They were begging my students to come work for them in any clinic setting,” she said. “LPNs are valued everywhere. LPNs are needed tremendously.”
‘Assured’ employment
Connecting students to jobs aligns with the mission of the adult LPN program and Herkimer BOCES overall, Thomas-Bruce said.
“Our primary short-term goal is to provide area non-traditional adult learners with an educational experience that will allow them entry into the nursing field as entry-level LPNs,” she said. “There is a tremendous shortage of LPNs in our area, and employment for these individuals is assured. Our long-term plan is to enable our graduates to have the academic and life skills needed to continue their nursing education should they so desire.”
The program strives to retain 85% of its students and to reach the New York State Board of Nursing’s desired three-year average of an 80% pass rate. The Herkimer BOCES program is currently at an average of 88% for the last three years, Thomas-Bruce said.
“We are keenly aware of the life/family dynamics and challenges most of our students have overcome in order to successfully complete our program,” Thomas-Bruce said.
Those factors unfortunately also often affect students’ initial attempt at the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX), but students can try again, Thomas-Bruce said.
“We strive for an overall 95-100% NCLEX passage rate after those that fail make a second attempt,” she said. “These goals align with our institution’s goals, and we have full administrative support to meet these objectives.”
Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Adult Practical Nursing Program part-time day student Amina Cemer pulls a blanket over a mannequin in the program’s simulation lab.
Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES Adult Practical Nursing Program full-time student Damian Lefave practices with a mannequin in the program’s simulation lab.