The healthcare industry and the alphabet make good company. A new partnership has opened the door for PNs in Canadian and Grady counties to become RNs with a bachelor’s degree.
Graduates of Canadian Valley Technology Center’s Practical Nursing program now have the option of a smooth transition into a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree completion program at Southwestern Oklahoma State University.
It is a game changer for LPNs,” said CV Tech Nursing Director Lauri Jones. “This partnership is a great opportunity for both schools to increase the RN population while allowing LPN education to be further recognized.”
The first group of PNs begin the 14-month program Oct. 12 with a course entitled, “Role Transition from LPN to BSN.” Cost is expected to be $10,000. Jones said 31 PN graduates have been accepted into the program.
“This will enhance their job opportunities and employability,” she said. “Research shows the more BSNs at the bedside the better patient outcomes are. The major limitation for hospitals in responding to the Covid-19 pandemic is lack of staff available to care for the patients.”
SWOSU organizers anticipate the needs of working adults and have therefore structured the program to allow for the LPNs to work while pursuing their BSN. The first group should complete coursework in December 2021. The structure is two semesters and a summer if prerequisites are taken. Program completers will have a BSN degree and be eligible to sit for the state examination for licensure as a registered nurse.
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data projects employment of registered nurses to grow 7 percent in the next decade, faster than the average for all occupations. During this time, there is expected to be job growth of a quarter of a million additional nurses in the industry. There are currently more than three million working as RNs.
Growth is expected for a number of reasons, according to the BLS data, including an increased emphasis on preventive care; increasing rates of chronic conditions, such as diabetes and obesity; and demand for healthcare services from the baby-boom population, as this group leads longer and more active lives.
The median wage (half earn more and half less) for RNs is over $35 per hour or $73,300 per year, according to information supplied by BLS.
The nursing curriculum is 60 credit hours, with 30 hours earned through advanced standing examination and 30 by enrollment to be completed within the program. The LPN to BSN program offers Saturday classes, clinical rotations in Oklahoma, and internet-based coursework to accommodate working nurses.
For more information about CV Tech’s Practical Nursing program, call a program counselor at (405) 345-3340.
