Changing your role from a licensed vocational nurse to a registered nurse is a natural step if you want to broaden your horizon. As a registered nurse, you’ll have greater opportunities, higher compensation, and the skills and know-how to take better care of your patients. Due to stricter educational requirements for nurses among health care employers, LVNs have been limited in the types of facilities in which they are able to work. More than 72 percent of LVNs in Texas work in long-term care facilities, hospices, and home health. If you’re wary of the monotony and long for the fast-paced environment of hospitals and clinics, then enrolling in an LVN to RN program may be a good step. Through advanced placement, you can receive credit for your LVN education and complete the requirements for an associate of science nursing degree in two to three semesters. The education and training will help you make a smooth transition from your duties of a vocational nurse to that of a registered nurse.
Austin Community College
The Nursing Mobility Track Associate of Applied Science degree offered by Austin Community College is open to licensed vocational nurses and other licensed health care professionals to complete the requirements of an ADN to practice as a registered nurse. The program includes classroom, laboratory, and clinical learning experiences similar to the traditional pathway. Students will receive credit for previous studies and will be eligible for advanced placement. The curriculum is offered in a structured format and only offered once a year. Students must complete the courses in sequence before moving on the next. Students who successfully complete all courses with a grade C or better will be eligible to apply for the licensure exam to become a Registered Nurse. The eligibility for licensure will be determined by the Board of Nursing. Information sessions and immunizations must be completed and submitted prior to applying to a health science program.
Program Outline
Semester credits: 60
Duration: 3 semesters
Method of instruction: Traditional
Course titles:
Prerequisite courses – Anatomy and Physiology I, Microbiology for the Health Sciences, Anatomy and Physiology II, Pharmacology for Health Professions, Nursing Skills I, Introduction to Psychology, Oral Communication, Human Growth and Development, Ethics, Professional Nursing Skills for Articulating Students
Core courses – Concepts of Professional Nursing Practice I for Articulating Students, Clinical-Registered Nursing-Registered Nurse: Nurse Practice I, Nursing Process for Articulating Students, Concepts of Professional Nursing Practice II for Articulating Students, Clinical-Registered Nursing-Registered Nurse: Articulating Students II, Concepts of Professional Nursign Practice III for Articulating Students, Clinical-Nursing-Registered Nurse Training: Articulating Students III, Professional Nursing: Leadership and Management, Elementary Statistics or Statistical Methods for the Behavioral Sciences
Admission criteria:
- Attend a nursing information session
- Complete the immunization requirements
- Apply for admission to the health science department
- Submit high school and college transcripts
- Must declare General Studies in Pre-Health Sciences Associate of Science degree before official acceptance to the program
- Must have a current vocational nursing license in Texas State
- Provide proof of health insurance
- Complete a satisfactory criminal background check
- Complete a satisfactory drug screen
- Must have current CPR American Heart Association (AHA) Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers
- Submit a completed health data form – signed by a licensed physician
- Provide documentation verifying TB status
- Complete the prerequisite courses with a grade C or better
Program Cost:
Tuition costs $1,020 per semester (12 credit hours) for in-district students and $3,432 for out-of-district students. Additional costs for fees, textbooks, uniforms, and supplies are the student’s responsibility.
- Website: https://www.austincc.edu/
- Address: 3401 Webberville Road, Austin, TX 78702
- Phone: (512) 223-5700
- Toll-free: (888) 626-1697
- NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 92.34%
Central Texas College
Licensed Vocational Nurses and Paramedics can enroll in the Nursing Option for Articulating Students and complete the requirements for an Associate Degree in Nursing. The program will prepare students for practice in a variety of settings through the use of knowledge-based lectures and skills development in the lab and clinical sites. Content is delivered via lectures online and blended format. CTC offers students the opportunity to learn from experienced faculty, state-of-the-art equipment, and simulation hospitals. The program provides a foundation for further nursing education into advanced degrees. Graduates will be eligible to take the NCLEX for Registered Nurses.
Program Outline
Semester credits: 60
Duration: 5 semesters
Method of instruction: Traditional
Course titles:
Prerequisite courses – Anatomy and Physiology I, Composition I, General Psychology
Core courses –Anatomy and Physiology II, Microbiology for Non-Science Majors, Integrated Nursing Skills, Pharmacology for Health Professions, Principles of Clinical Decision Making, Mental Health Nursing, Clinical-Nursing II, Concepts of Clinical Decision Making, Nursing Care of Childbearing and Childbearing Family, Life Span Growth and Development, Clinical Nursing III, Advanced Concepts of Adult Health, Professional Nursing: Leadership and Management, Clinical Nursing IV, Humanities/Fine Arts Selection
Admission criteria:
- Must be admitted to Central Texas College
- Attend an interview with an Academic Advisor
- Complete TSI requirements and obtain clearance from an Academic Advisor by the ranking eligibility deadline
- Apply for admission to the ADN program
- Submit official high school/college transcripts
- Complete the HESI A2 Admission Assessment Exam by the eligibility deadline
- Complete prerequisite courses with a grade C or better and a GPA of 2.8 or higher
- Attend a preadmission Information/Orientation Session with the Nursing Program Director or designee
- ADN Articulating (LVN/Paramedic to RN) Student Nursing applicants must have a current LPN license or Paramedic certification/licensure through the Texas Department of State Health Services and or National Registry of EMT
- Submit a record of immunization and health requirements – Tdap, Polio, MMR, Hepatitis B, TB, Varicella, Influenza, and Bacterial Meningitis
- Complete a physical exam using the CTC DONAH form
- Must have current CPR American Heart Association – Health Care Provider (BLS)
- Submit a negative 11-panel drug screen
- Complete a satisfactory criminal background check or declaratory order from the Texas Board of Nursing
Program Cost:
The cost of tuition is $1,140 per semester (12 credit hours) for in-district students and $1,428 per semester for out-of-district students. Nursing students can expect additional expenses such as textbooks, background check, health screen, equipment, uniforms, immunizations, CPR, and CTC Nurse Association.
- Website: https://www.ctcd.edu/
- Address: P.O. Box 1800, Killeen, TX 76540-1800
- Toll-Free: 1-800-223-4760
- NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 93.15%
Temple College
Temple College offers a Bridging Advanced Placement Track that prepares licensed vocational nurses and paramedics to transition into the role of a professional nurse. The program is approved by the Texas Board of Nursing and accredited by the ACEN. It includes theory in the classroom and hands-on practice in the lab and at clinical sites. The curriculum takes a generalist approach to nursing covering various aspects such as pediatric nursing, medical surgical nursing, and maternal child nursing. Graduates will be eligible to apply to take the NCLEX to practice as a registered nurse. Applicants must have a current license to practice as a vocational nurse in Texas.
Program Outline
Semester credits: 60
Duration: 2 years
Method of instruction: Traditional
Course titles:
Prerequisite courses – Anatomy and Physiology I, Composition I, General Psychology
Core courses – Anatomy and Physiology II, Nursing Skills I, Introduction to Nursing, Clinical-Nursing-I-Registered Nurse Training, Legal and Ethical Issues for Nurses, Common Concepts of Adult Health, Mental Health Nursing, Professional Nursing Leadership and Management, Lifespan Growth and Development, Complex Concepts of Adult Health, Care of Children and Families, Clinical Nursing IV, Registered Nurse Training, Elective: Language, Philosophy & Culture/Creative Arts, Enhanced Concepts of Adult Health, Care of the Childbearing Family, Clinical-Nursing V Registered Nurse Training
Admission criteria:
- Apply for admission to Temple College
- Complete all college requirements including TSI requirements
- Complete the prerequisite courses with a grade C or better – Anatomy and Physiology, Composition I, and General Psychology. Must be completed by the end of the Fall semester before applying
- Take and pass the HESI A2 Admission Test with a minimum of 80% in each area tested – Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, and Math
- Submit a completed ADN application
- Submit proof of graduation from a Vocational Nursing or Paramedic program
- Must have a valid Texas VN license in good standing with no current disciplinary actions or stipulations
- Must have a grade C or better in all courses that apply toward the ADN degree
- Must have recent experience as an LVN – a minimum of 6 months FT or 1 year PT completed within the year of application
- Complete a satisfactory drug screen and documentation of current negative TB skin test or chest x-ray
- Provide documentation of completing the required immunization – MMR, varicella, hepatitis B, Tdap, and flu vaccine
- Complete a satisfactory background check
- Must have current CPR for Health Care Providers from the American Heart Association
Program Cost:
The program cost of $10,670 includes tuition for in-district students, professional liability insurance, textbooks, uniforms, nurse pack, simulation fee, NCLEX-RN fee, CPR, immunizations, criminal background check, and drug screen.
- Website: https://www.templejc.edu/
- Address: 5701 Airport Rd., Temple, Texas 76502
- Phone: 254-298-8782
- NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 94.29%
McLennan Community College
McLennan Community College’s Associate Degree Nursing has an advanced placement option for licensed vocational nurses who hold a valid license to practice and are in good standing with the Board of Nursing. LVNs will complete the program in three semesters or less based on an evaluation of their transcripts and work experience. The ADN program provides students with knowledge and skills to function as professional nurses and sets a foundation for further studies in nursing. Students accepted to the program must complete a transition course designed to determine LVNS theory based on nursing content and skills and to introduce nursing theory not presented in the traditional VM curricula. Academic credit will be given to students who successfully complete the transition courses allowing them to enter the program in the second year. The program is approved by the Board of Nursing and accredited by the ACEN. Graduates will be eligible to take the NCLEX for Registered Nurses.
Program Outline
Semester credits: 60
Duration: 3 semesters
Method of instruction: Traditional
Course titles:
Prerequisite courses – Anatomy and Physiology I, Composition I, Lifespan Growth & Development
Core courses – Concept Based Transition to Professional Nursing, Introduction to Health Care Concepts, Transition to Professional Nursing Competencies, Transition Clinical, Anatomy and Physiology II, Microbiology for Non-Science Majors, Professional Nursing Concepts III, Health Care Concepts III, Clinical III – Registered Nursing, Clinical IV – Registered Nursing, Health Care Concepts IV, Professional Nursing Concepts IV
Admission criteria:
- Apply for and gain admission to McLennan College
- Complete the nursing transition courses with a passing grade of C or better
- Submit an application to the Associate Degree Nursing program
- Submit official and unofficial transcripts from the licensed vocational nursing program
- Must have a current license to practice as a vocational nurse
- Provide documentation of completing the PSB exam with a minimum score of 25% in all five categories – Academic Aptitude, Spelling, Reading Comprehension, Information in the Natural Sciences, Vocational Adjustment Index
- Provide documentation of residency – a utility bill or property tax statement to show residence is required to receive residence points
- Complete a satisfactory drug screen and documentation of current negative TB skin test or chest x-ray
- Provide documentation of completing the required immunization – MMR, varicella, hepatitis B, Tdap, and flu vaccine
- Complete a satisfactory background check
Program Cost:
The total program cost of $12,082 includes tuition, background check and fingerprints, drug screen, uniforms, stethoscope, immunizations, shoes, textbooks, uniforms, accessories, licensure fees, photos, and blood pressure cuff.
- Website: https://www.mclennan.edu/index.html
- Address: 1400 College Drive Waco, Texas 76708
- Phone: (254) 299-8622
- NCLEX-RN Pass Rate: 87.04%
Crystal is a certified Registered Nurse (RN) with a passion for writing about nursing education. Through her articles, Crystal shares insights and tips to help fellow nurses enhance their skills and stay updated with the latest developments in the field. With a focus on practical advice and relevant topics, Crystal's writing is a valuable resource for nursing professionals seeking to advance their careers.