Forty students enrolled in South Georgia Technical College’s new Licensed Practical Nurse to Registered Nurse (LPN to RN) Bridge program slated to start Fall Semester. The Georgia Board of Nursing (GBON) voted at its May meeting to grant initial approval for South Georgia Technical College to offer an Associate of Science Nursing (LPN to RN) Bridge program on the Americus campus. Over 125 individuals applied to be in the initial class.
“You are making history today,” said South Georgia Technical College President Dr. John Watford when he welcomed the 40 LPN’s to South Georgia Technical College for the orientation for the first LPN to RN Bridge Program classes.
“For each of you that was accepted into this very first class, there were over two other people who applied to be part of this initial class,” said Dr. Watford. “We are pleased to be able to offer this new program at South Georgia Technical College and I look forward to seeing each of you walk across the stage in a year to receive your degree.”
South Georgia Technical College has been offering the practical nursing program since 1953 and now 72 years later, SGTC is offering its first registered nursing classes. To apply for this program, individuals must have completed 17 hours of college core classes to include: English 1101 – Composition and Rhetoric; Math 1111 or Math 1103 – College Algebra; Biology 2113 and Biology 2113L – Anatomy and Physiology I and Lab I; Sociology 1101 or Psychology 1101 – Introductory Sociology or Introductory Psychology; Biology 2114 and Biology 2114L – Anatomy and Physiology II and Lab II; Biology 2117 and Biology 2117L – Introductory Microbiology and Lab and two of the following courses: Arts 1101 – Art Appreciation; English 2130 – American Literature; Humanities 1101 – Introduction to Humanities and/or Music 1101 – Music Appreciation.
In addition to those 17-hours of core courses, a high school diploma or its equivalent is required for admission. Individuals must be 18 years of age or older and have achieved appropriate scores on the college’s placement test or submission of acceptable SAT or ACT scores. Individuals must have an unencumbered Georgia LPN license with at least six months of experience as an LPN. The LPN licensure must be maintained throughout the ASN program. Failure to maintain LPN licensure will result in dismissal from the program. Students will not be eligible for apply for admission to the ASN program if they have unsuccessfully completed any ASN, AND, or BSN programs at another institution. Students will be considered for admission to the ASN Bridge option three (3) years after the last nursing course failure.
All students will be required to take and achieve minimum required scores on standardized and program-generated achievement tests (TEAS) and a competitive process was used to determine which students were admitted to the program. Completion of all general education courses and completion of required exams does not guarantee admission to the program and does not guarantee participation in the clinical setting. A criminal background check may be a stipulation of the clinical facility before beginning the clinical rotation.
Once admitted into the program, there are 36-credit hours of courses required including: Principles of Pharmacology, Transition to Professional RN Practice, Adult Health Nursing I, Mother/Baby/Family and Pediatric Nursing, Adult Health Nursing II, and Mental Health Nursing.
“We are very pleased the Georgia Board of Nursing granted initial approval of South Georgia Technical College’s application to begin a licensed practical nurse (LPN) to registered nurse (RN) Associate of Science Nursing Bridge Program,” explained Dr. Watford. “Nursing is the largest profession in the healthcare industry. At present, there is a critical shortage of Registered Nurses in rural southwest Georgia, the state of Georgia, and the nation. South Georgia Tech has a solid Practical Nursing program and we plan to build on that program to prepare currently Licensed Practical Nurses to become Registered Nurses through a Bridge Program. This one-year program will allow LPN’s who have been working for six months or longer to get a jump start on the RN degree.”
SGTC Vice President of Academic Affairs Julie Partain also welcomed the students to the LPN to RN Bridge program and asked the students to raise their hands if they graduated from the SGTC Practical Nursing program. Over three-fourths of the students raised their hands.
Dr. Darrell Thompson is the Director of the SGTC LPN to RN program and Madeline Mock Roberts of Plains and Dr. Shayla Collier of Cordele are the full-time instructors. Each of them introduced themselves to the students and participated in the orientation which outlined expectations and assignments. Students also visited the SGTC Sim Lab. Their classes will be meeting in the John M. Pope Center in the Griffin Bell Lecture room.
To register for the required core classes prior to acceptance into the program, interested LPN’s can contact SGTC Admissions Director Candie Walters, cwalters@southgatech.edu or call at 229-931-2299. Contact Candie Waters or visit the SGTC website, www.southgatech.edu and click on Apply on the right top side of the website home page to get started.