2015-2016 Catalog

Nursing Advanced Placement-Bridge Program (LPN to ADN)

The nursing program offers an advanced placement option. This program is for students who are licensed as a practical nurse in Colorado. Advanced placement through transfer, the Colorado Nursing Articulation Model, is available to licensed practical nurses and students from other schools.

Boulder County campus offers the Advanced Placement Program as a cohort of twenty-four (24) students each summer.

Information regarding the Boulder County Campus nursing programs may be obtained by email at bccnursing@frontrange.edu.

Requirements for LPN to ADN Bridge Program Admission:

Entry into the LPN-to-ADN Bridge Program is based on a competitive admission process that utilizes scores from a preadmission assessment examination, grade point averages from science prerequisites and prior nursing coursework, and whether a previous degree has been earned. Students who successfully complete the BCC Professional Nursing Pathway Program may be given priority for admission. Preadmission assessment exams are offered during the semester prior to the beginning of NUR 189 in summer semester. Students must have completed requirements for Bridge Program admission. (However, students may be currently enrolled in some prerequisite courses if they will be satisfactorily completed prior to the beginning of NUR 189.) Students wishing to sit for the preadmission assessment examination must submit an application attesting to completion (or near completion) of requirements. Contact department for policy regarding transferring from another Bridge or ADN program.

Qualified students will be provided with dates and times that they may take the preadmission assessment at Boulder County Campus.

Preadmission assessment scores will be shared with applicants. If appropriate, suggestions will be given regarding how to improve in weaker areas. Students may retake the entire preadmission assessment exam again once, after six months (contact department for policy); the most current scores will be used for the competitive admission process.

The following are requirements for admission to the Bridge Program:

  1. A current Colorado LPN license in good standing.
  2. If transferring classes to FRCC, completion of a "Transfer Credit Evaluation Form" (Department of Admissions and Records)
  3. Proof of completion of the following prerequisites with a grade of "C" or above on each course and a cumulative GPA of 2.75 for these courses.

* Science courses must have been completed within seven years of entry into the second year of the nursing program to be eligible for transfer approval. .

  1. LPNs who have earned their certificate after more than 10 years prior to entry into the second year of the nursing program are required to take specified standardized exams for the first year of nursing credit, as specified by the Colorado Nursing Articulation Model.
  2. Students must complete an online background check as directed by a nursing representative within 90 days prior to admission. See www.healthcareex.com for a list of criminal offenses appearing on a criminal background check that will disqualify an applicant for admission to a CCCS nursing program.
  3. Complete a health summary with documented records for required immunizations or titers (just prior to entrance into the nursing program).
  4. Complete the American Heart Association Health Care Provider course and receive a two-year recommended renewal date. The recommended renewal date must not expire prior to completion of the semester and must remain current throughout the nursing program.
  5. Ability to speak, read, write and understand English to communicate sufficiently with patients and health-care team.
  6. Students accepted into the nursing program must meet the same health and safety requirements as the participating clinical facilities require of their own staff. Additional screening may be required for some clinical agencies. The expenses of these requirements are additional cost to students.
  7. Other requirements and expectations are contained within the FRCC Nursing Handbook (including the REQUIRED STANDARDS POLICY).

Note: Upon successful completion of the nursing program, students receive an associate of applied science degree and are eligible to apply to take the NCLEX® RN exam for licensure as a registered nurse.

To maintain a position in the program after starting nursing courses, students must be continually enrolled and complete all core nursing courses in sequence, as well as maintain a grade of C or above in all courses.

Requirements

Only one re-entry to an FRCC nursing program is allowed after a student receives a "D," "F," or "U" grade in a nursing course or withdraws from a nursing course.

Required Nursing Courses

NUR 189Transition from Licensed Practical Nurse to Associate Degree Nursing Student

4

NUR 206Advanced Concepts of M/S Nursing I

6.5

NUR 211Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing

4

NUR 212Pharmacology

2

NUR 216Advanced Concepts of M/S Nursing II

5

NUR 230Transition to Professional Nursing Practice

4

Total Credit Hours:25.5

Required General Education Courses

BIO 201Human Anatomy and Physiology I with Lab

4

BIO 202Human Anatomy and Physiology II with Lab

4

BIO 204Microbiology with Lab

4

BIO 216Pathophysiology

4

ENG 121English Composition I

3

 

HPR 108Dietary Nutrition

1

or

HWE 100Human Nutrition

3

 

MAT 103Math for Clinical Calculations

3

PSY 235Human Growth and Development

3

Elective: GTE Humanities or Social Behavioral Science

3

Total Credit Hours:29

Total Credit Hours: 54.5

(in addition to credits transferred in from LPN program): 54.5

Gainful Employment Disclosure Information

The U.S. Department of Education requires colleges to disclose a variety of information for any financial-aid-eligible program that "prepares students for gainful employment in a recognized occupation." The information provided here is the best available to us but represents one year's data only. We hope that this information is helpful to our current students and to prospective students as they make their career and educational choices. For more Gainful Employment information, please go to the FRCC website: www.frontrange.edu/GainfulEmployment.