To become an LPN on Long Island, you complete a state-approved Practical Nursing program and then pass the NCLEX-PN licensing exam. Hunter Business School’s Practical Nursing program runs 13 months in the day format or 17 months in the evening and weekend format, and it is offered at both the Levittown and Medford campuses. The program combines classroom lecture, hands-on lab practice, and supervised clinical rotations so you are ready for licensure and entry-level nursing work.
What Does an LPN Do?
An LPN, or licensed practical nurse, provides basic nursing care under the direction of registered nurses and physicians. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, practical nurses monitor patients, take vital signs, help with daily care, keep records, and communicate with patients and the rest of the health care team.
Day to day, an LPN might check blood pressure and other vitals, help patients with comfort and mobility, change dressings, assist with feeding, and report changes in a patient’s condition to a supervising nurse. It is hands-on, people-first work, and one of the fastest ways to start a licensed health care career.
How Long Is LPN School on Long Island?
Hunter Business School’s Practical Nursing program is 1,332 total hours. That breaks down into 795 hours of classroom lecture (didactic learning), 182 hours of lab, and 355 hours of clinical rotations.
You can complete it two ways:
- Day program: about 13 months, Monday through Friday, 8:50 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Clinical days begin at 7 a.m.
- Evening/weekend program: about 17 months, Monday through Thursday, 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., clinicals Fridays and Saturdays
The evening/weekend option exists for a reason. Many nursing students are already working or raising a family, and a schedule built around evenings makes it possible to train without walking away from a paycheck.
What Do You Learn in the Practical Nursing Program?
The program is built in modules that move from the fundamentals into real clinical skills. Coursework includes:
- Introduction to Practical Nursing
- Foundations of Nursing
- Body Structure and Function
- Pharmacology and Dosage Calculations
- Adult Health Nursing I and II
- Human Growth and Development
- Mental Health Nursing
- Childbearing, Family, and Pediatric Nursing
- Community Health Nursing
- Transition to Nursing Practice
You start with the building blocks, how the body works and how medications are calculated and given, then move into caring for patients across different stages of life. By the end, the focus shifts to stepping into practice as a new nurse.
Where Do Practical Nursing Students Do Clinical Rotations?
Classroom learning gives you the foundation. Clinical rotations are where it becomes real. Hunter Business School students complete supervised clinical experience in long-term care facilities, rehabilitation centers, and acute care hospitals.
Those clinical sites span Nassau County, Suffolk County, Queens, Manhattan, and Brooklyn, so students see different care settings and patient populations before they graduate. That range of experience helps you figure out where you want to work and builds confidence before your first job.
Do You Have to Pass the NCLEX-PN?
Yes. To be licensed as a practical nurse in New York, you must pass the NCLEX-PN, which stands for the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses. Graduating from the program is the step that makes you eligible to sit for it.
The Practical Nursing curriculum is designed to prepare eligible graduates for the NCLEX-PN, building the nursing knowledge, patient care skills, and clinical judgment the exam is meant to test.
Do You Need Health Care Experience to Start?
You do not need previous nursing experience to begin. The program teaches the fundamentals from the ground up, starting with basic anatomy, terminology, and nursing foundations before advancing to clinical skills.
Practical Nursing is a licensed health care program, so admission requirements do apply. You can find the current requirements on the Practical Nursing program page, and our admissions team at either Long Island campus can walk you through them step by step.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is LPN school at Hunter Business School?
The Practical Nursing program is 1,332 total hours. You can finish in about 13 months in the day program or about 17 months in the evening/weekend program. Both options are offered at the Levittown and Medford campuses on Long Island.
Do you need a license to work as an LPN in New York?
Yes. To work as a licensed practical nurse in New York, you must pass the NCLEX-PN licensing exam. Completing an approved practical nursing program, like the one at Hunter Business School, is what makes you eligible to take it.
Can you work while attending practical nursing school?
Many students do. Hunter Business School offers an evening/weekend Practical Nursing schedule, with classes Monday through Thursday from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. and clinical rotations Fridays and Saturdays designed to fit around a job or family responsibilities.
What is the difference between an LPN and an RN?
An LPN provides basic nursing care under the supervision of registered nurses and physicians and typically completes a shorter training program. An RN completes a longer degree, holds a broader scope of practice, and often supervises LPNs. Many nurses start as an LPN and continue their education later.
Where can you become an LPN on Long Island?
Hunter Business School offers its Practical Nursing program at two Long Island campuses, one in Levittown in Nassau County and one in Medford in Suffolk County. The school has trained Long Islanders for health care careers since 1972 and was recently named a top vocational school by USA TODAY.
Ready to Start Your Nursing Career?
If becoming an LPN on Long Island sounds like your next step, we are here to help. Call the Levittown campus (Nassau) at 516.796.1000 or the Medford campus (Suffolk) at 631.736.7360, or request information here. If nursing is not quite the right fit, ask us about the Medical Assistant program, too.