Blinn’s LVN-Transition Program to offer new blended and evening courses this fall
Courses offer greater scheduling flexibility for licensed vocational nurses looking to become registered nurses
August 13, 2018
The Blinn College District will offer more flexible and convenient course scheduling this fall for licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) who seek the training they need to become registered nurses.
Blinn’s LVN-Transition Program prepares individuals who hold a license to practice as an LVN in Texas and have at least approximately one year of nursing experience to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) in one year.
Most LVN-Transition students continue to work as LVNs throughout the program, but reduce their weekly hours to focus on their studies. Blinn’s new blended, evening courses will allow students to work throughout the day, attend one face-to-face class session per week, and complete the remaining coursework online.
Blinn will offer two of the prerequisite courses needed to enroll in the LVN-Transition Program –RNSG 1215: Health Assessment and RNSG 1301: Pharmacology – at the Health Science Center in Bryan.
LVN-Transition students will have the option to take the 12-week Health Assessment course at the following times:
- Mondays, 1-5 p.m. (lab)
- Mondays, 5-6 p.m. (lecture)
An 8-week Health Assessment course will meet on Thursdays from 5:30-8:30 p.m., Oct. 17-Dec. 13. Blinn will offer its 16-week Pharmacology course on Mondays from 4:30-6 p.m. beginning Aug. 27.
“The goal is to expand our resources to as many students as possible,” Associate Degree Nursing Program Director Karla Ross said. “By offering blended, evening course options, we are able give more students the opportunity to take courses around their own schedules without sacrificing their jobs and personal time.”
Students must complete 31 hours in prerequisite courses to enroll in the LVN-T Program: Anatomy & Physiology I and II, Microbiology for Non-Science Majors, General Psychology, Lifespan Growth and Development, Composition I or II, Pharmacology, Health Assessment and Foundations for Nursing Practice. These courses must be completed with a “C” or better and can be in progress at the time of application, but must be completed prior to the Summer I semester.
“The majority of the prerequisites needed to enroll in the LVN-Transition Program are general education courses students already may have taken or can be taken at any of Blinn’s campuses,” Ross said. “Pharmacology and Health Assessment tend to be more difficult to access and to transfer in, so we decided to make these particular courses more accessible.”
Once accepted into the program, LVN-T students begin with two specifically designed transition courses during the Summer I session, then study nursing skills and mental health in Summer II. They then join the second-year Associate Degree Nursing students during the Fall and Spring semesters as they take advanced medical surgical courses, pediatric and maternal child courses, and complete a capstone course.
Students who complete the program and pass the NCLEX-RN are qualified for a variety of nursing positions, including pediatric, geriatric, hospice, school, and clinical nursing. New graduates can expect to earn an average of $70,000 per year.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of registered nurses is expected to grow 15 percent between 2016 and 2026 due to the increased emphasis on preventative care, growing rates of chronic conditions, and demand for healthcare services.
To register for the new LVN-Transition courses, contact Brandi Brown at 979-691-2143.
For more information regarding Blinn’s LVN-Transition Program, visit www.blinn.edu/adn.
