LPN - RN Transition Course

LPN - RN Transition Course

Course Description
This course will provide an avenue of instruction for Licensed Practical Nurses who wish to obtain an Associate Degree in Nursing. The course will build on previous knowledge from an accredited LPN nursing program. The LPNs entering the course will have basic competencies and this course will build on these competencies. The course will include theory on role transition in the current health care system, related professional ethical and legal issues, understanding and application of critical thinking skills, the application of the nursing process in the adult clinical setting, basic intravenous therapy, and the methods of techniques of effective interdisciplinary communication and therapeutic patient communication. The course will provide the foundational understanding of the role of the RN in the provider of care, member of the discipline and manager of care as the student transitions into the courses of the Associate Degree Nursing program.

Offered: As needed

Prerequisites:  Licensed Practical Nurse or successful completion of an accredited practical nursing program with a grade of "C" or better in all nursing course. 

At the conclusion of the course the student will be able to:

• Differentiate the roles and the scope of practice of the Registered Professional Nurse and the Practical Nurse in the current health care system.
• Correlate the legal and ethical responsibilities of the Registered Professional Nurse within the scope of practice of the Registered Professional Nurse.
• Demonstrate techniques of effective communication between members of the health care team.
• Utilize critical thinking skills as it applies in basic acute care clinical setting.
• Apply evidence-based principles and best practice guidelines per current nursing research in the implementation of the nursing process.
• Apply principles of basic I.V. therapy skills according to evidence-based principles and best practice guidelines.

Method of Instruction

• Lecture
• Discussion
• Multi-media assignments
• Field trips
• Small group activities

Methods of Evaluation

• Exams
• Projects
• Care Maps
• Clinical Reasoning Exercises

Special Course Requirements: The students will be required to participate in Independent Lab Practice pertaining to I.V. therapy skills.

Credit Hours: 3.0