New Degree Program Prepares LPNs and LVNs for Career Advancement
The newly added LPN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing program offers licensed practical nurses and licensed vocational nurses a pathway to career advancement. By enrolling in this program, LPNs and LVNs can earn both an Associate in Applied Science and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in less time than it would take to complete each degree program separately.
After earning the associate degree in nursing, students are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN, become licensed, and begin their professional nursing practice before conferral of the bachelor’s degree. With the opportunity to become RNs midway through the program, students will be able to take advantage of different employment opportunities and take on the new role of a professional nurse while earning their bachelor’s in nursing. They can also gain a significant increase in wages that comes with RN licensure.
With the opportunity to become RNs midway through the program, students will be able to take advantage of different employment opportunities and take on the new role of a professional nurse while earning their bachelor’s.
Registered nursing is one of the fastest-growing occupations, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics’ projections through 2029. The RN workforce is expected to grow from 3 million in 2019 to 3.3. million in 2029 due to an aging population, nurse retirements, health care reform, and other factors.
The LPN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing program provides LPNs and LVNs with the clinical skills and practice experiences they need to grow their nursing careers and expand their role in the delivery of quality patient care. All courses are online, except for two hybrid courses in which students engage in online course activities and complete a live clinical experience. This structure makes the program a good fit with the work schedules of LPNs and LVNs who are looking to balance the pursuit of a degree with their professional and personal responsibilities.
In the combined degree program, students earn an Associate in Applied Science in Nursing after completing all associate degree requirements and proceed seamlessly to the bachelor’s nursing component. They must have an active RN license to complete the bachelor’s degree requirements.
“In many instances, employers have expressed a preference to hire baccalaureate-prepared nurses or nurses who are enrolled in a baccalaureate program, and Excelsior’s LPN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing program expands career opportunities for LPNs and LVNs,” says Mary Lee Pollard, dean of the School of Nursing.
