Nursing - Registered, LPN to RN, A.A.S. (A45110)

The Associate Degree Nursing curriculum provides knowledge, skills, and strategies to integrate safety and quality into nursing care, to practice in a dynamic environment, and to meet individual needs which impact health, quality of life, and achievement of potential. Course work includes and builds upon the domains of healthcare, nursing practice, and the holistic individual. Content emphasizes the nurse as a member of the interdisciplinary team providing safe, individualized care while employing evidence-based practice, quality improvement, and informatics.

The Gaston College Associate Degree Nursing Program is nationally accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) http://acenursing.org/. Graduates of this program are eligible to apply to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN). Employment opportunities are vast within the global health care system and may include positions within acute, chronic, extended, industrial, and community health care facilities.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates will:

1. Practice professional nursing behaviors incorporating personal responsibility and accountability for continued competence.
2. Communicate professionally and effectively with individuals, significant support person(s), and members of the interdisciplinary healthcare team.
3. Integrate knowledge of the holistic needs of the individual to provide an individual centered assessment.
4. Incorporate informatics to formulate evidence-based clinical judgments and management decisions.
5. Implement caring interventions incorporating documented best practices for individuals in diverse settings.
6. Develop a teaching plan for individuals, and/or the nursing team, incorporating teaching and learning principles.
7. Collaborate with the interdisciplinary healthcare team to advocate for positive individual and organizational outcomes.
8. Manage health care for the individual using cost effective nursing strategies, quality improvement processes, and current technologies.
9. Prioritize assessments and client-centered nursing interventions relevant to clinical decision making.

The LPN to RN alternate schedule Option is an accelerated, evening/weekend program with the majority of the content presented in online classes. Students are required to attend scheduled on-campus lab sessions, clinical at acute care facilities and testing on-campus (includes quizzes, final exams, and ATI testing). Students must have a computer with email and internet capabilities to participate in this option. Students are strongly encouraged to take an online course prior to applying to the LPN-RN option.

Admission Information

Students applying for admission to the Gaston College Associate Degree Nursing program MUST meet all Gaston College admission requirements for GENERAL ADMISSION to the college.

To be Eligible to Submit an Application to the LPN-RN Option, Associate Degree Nursing Program

Applicants Must Have:

• A current licensure as a licensed practical nurse.
• Graduated from an approved Practical Nursing program within the last year
  OR
  Have one (1) year documented work experience as a Licensed Practical Nurse in the last two (2) years prior to admission to the program.
• Completed all four (4) prerequisite courses by the end of fall semester in which application is submitted.
• Attend an LPN to RN information session. Session dates/times are listed online at the Gaston College LPN-RN Alternate Schedule Option.
• A minimum composite score of 65 on the TEAS V examination. Admission test scores must be within five (5) years of the date of application to the nursing program. TEAS examinations must be taken at least 60 days apart to be eligible for admission criteria.
  *The TEAS score requirement will be waived for students who hold a baccalaureate or higher degree from an accredited college or university. Official transcripts must be sent to the admissions office for documentation of this degree.
  OR
  Completed BIO 168, BIO 169 and BIO 275 with a cumulative 3.0 grade point average. Transfer credit for equivalent biology courses taken at an institution other that Gaston College will be considered to fulfill these criteria and will require departmental approval. Biology courses must be completed within 10 years of application to the program.
• An overall GPA of at least 2.0 in college level coursework taken.

Competitive Admission Criteria

The following are used by the nursing department chair in the selection process of qualified applicants.

• TEAS score OR Baccalaureate or higher degree OR cumulative GPA of 3.0 in BIO 168, BIO 169, and BIO 275.
• Number of required general education courses completed (with a minimum grade of “C”) by the end of the fall semester in which application is made.
• Completion of an online course.
• Grade Point Average (GPA) in required general education courses (see program of study).
• Must have successfully completed NUR 101, NUR 102 and NUR 103. Additional admission points will be given to applicants that are graduates of the Gaston College Practical Nursing Program.

Admission points are calculated based on the above criteria. Students will be provided current admission points sheet with explanation during the information session. The final selection of applicants into the program is made by the nursing department chair in consultation with the Coordinator of the LPN-RN Option and the nursing department Admissions, Progression and Graduation Committee (APG).

Additional Program Requirements Upon Admission into the LPN-RN Option

In addition to maintaining a 2.0 GPA and earning a minimum grade of “C” in all nursing curriculum courses, applicants accepted into the ADN program must meet the following requirements in order to enroll and continue in nursing courses:

• A completed Gaston College Health and Human Services Student Medical form documenting satisfactory emotional and physical health. This is required by the due date stated in the applicant’s admission letter.
• Current Adult, Infant and Child CPR by specified date.
• Students will be required to submit documentation of additional non-academic criteria such as, but not limited to, criminal background checks, urine drug testing, and proof of immunizations. If the clinical facility refuses to allow the student to do clinical at the facility based on said findings, the student would not be allowed to continue in the program.
• Professional liability insurance (malpractice insurance). This insurance is arranged through the Gaston College Business Office.

Clinical agencies reserve the right to deny a student access to the facility based on failure to meet the above requirements. If a student is denied access to any clinical agency, the student will be not allowed to continue in the nursing program. Detailed information regarding these agency requirements will be provided upon conditional acceptance into the nursing program.

Program Costs

In addition to tuition and textbooks, costs of this program include the following: uniforms, lab coat, stethoscope, a physical examination, immunizations, criminal background check, drug screening at a time designated by the nursing faculty, and fees for application for licensure for NC State Board of Nursing and National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN). Students also must maintain current CPR certification and annual PPD testing.

Clinical Sites

Clinical sites for the Associate Degree Nursing Programs are:

• Caromont Regional Medical Center, Gastonia, NC
• Carolinas Health Care System Lincoln, Lincolnton, NC
• Carolinas Health Care System Kings Mountain, Kings Mountain, NC
• Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte, NC
• Carolinas Health Care System Cleveland, Shelby, NC
• Frye Regional Medical Center, Hickory, NC
• Catawba Valley Medical Center, Hickory, NC

Additional clinical sites may be added in order to achieve student learning outcomes. Students are responsible for their own transportation to and from all clinical, laboratory, and class activities. Clinical experiences may be scheduled afternoons, evenings, or weekends at various clinical sites. Clinical experiences that do not fall into these time frames will be scheduled with adequate notice given to students for planning purposes.

Prerequisite Courses

These courses must be completed by the end of fall semester in which application is submitted.