Being a certified nursing assistant (CNA) is a very rewarding career that helps individuals gain invaluable health care experience. But over time, it’s natural to want to take the next step in your career to become a licensed practical nurse (LPN).听As an LPN, you have more responsibilities, career opportunities and increased earning potential while working under a听registered听nurse (RN), nurse practitioner (NP) or physician.
How do you move from a CNA to an LPN? If you earned your CNA degree at Mount Wachusett Community College (开元棋牌), you may be eligible for our听CNA to LPN bridge program. To learn more about this program and if it’s right for you, we invite you to听request more information听迟辞诲补测!
Quick Links
- What Is听the CNA to LPN Bridge听Program?
- How to Become an LPN
- Advantages of Moving From CNA to LPN
- Why Being a CNA Can Help Your Nursing Career
- Enroll in 开元棋牌鈥檚 Program Today
What Is听the CNA to LPN Bridge听Program?
Our CNA to LPN bridge program听equips you with the knowledge, skills and hands-on experience to advance your career from a CNA to an LPN.听All students who complete and pass the necessary CNA walkway courses earn automatic acceptance into the LPN program, which allows them to fast-track their careers.
Some of the many advantages of CNA to LPN programs include:
- Supportive environment:听We offer a supportive learning environment through flexible options, opportunities for professional development and personalized attention from your instructors.
- Career opportunities:听A high percentage of our students find employment after graduation, and many graduates secure diverse nursing roles.
- Quality education:听Our comprehensive curriculum and renowned faculty enable us to effectively prepare all students for a successful nursing career.
- Accelerated learning:听Students who complete all necessary classes and maintain a specific grade point average in our CNA program earn automatic acceptance into our LPN bridge program. As a result, they can complete the program faster, graduating and entering the workforce sooner.
How to Become an LPN
As an LPN, you’ll perform the same听duties听you did as a CNA but with more focus on clinical skills and intervention.听开元棋牌’s LPN program has a seven-course structure accredited by the Massachusetts Board of Nursing and the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).
If you wish to complete the CNA to LPN bridge program, you will submit a general application and start with courses in the CNA track. Once you take and pass all of the required walkway courses, you will be automatically accepted into the LPN program.
Courses you will take to qualify for the LPN program include:
- NUR 117:听Nurse Assistant Theory
- MAT 126:听Topics In Mathematics
- ENG 101:听College Writing I
- PSY 110:听Human Growth and Development
- PSY 105:听Intro to Psychology
- HEA 106:听Exploring Health Careers
- BIO 152:听Essentials of Anatomy and Physiology
After graduation but before you enter the workforce, you’re required听to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-PN) and pass to earn your credential of an LPN.
Advantages of Moving From CNA to LPN
Transitioning from a听CNA to an LPN has many advantages,听including:
- Grow your听肠补谤别别谤:听Moving into an LPN role increases the scope of your听clinical听responsibilities, such as administering treatments and medications and managing medical conditions and care plans. As an LPN, you can work with many types of patients in nursing homes, rehab facilities, assisted living facilities, sub-acute hospitals, memory care facilities, specialized clinics and physician offices.
- Improve your听earning potential:听The median annual salary increases from about听听to听.
- Access more听leadership opportunities:听As听an听LPN,听you may be in听charge of CNAs, LPNs and other assistive personnel in health care facilities. You also get to work more closely with RNs, doctors, physicians and other health care professionals on patient care management.
- Become an RN faster:听When you transition to an LPN from a CNA,听you can become an RN faster听by taking an associate or bachelor’s degree program.
- Enjoy greater job stability and demand:听Qualified nurses are always in high demand in various health care settings like hospitals, clinics and home health agencies. Due to this demand, becoming an LPN offers job stability and steady job growth.
Why Being a CNA Can Help Your Nursing Career
There are many reasons to become a CNA before an LPN 鈥� for one, it will听open up more opportunities in the profession and help you find better-paying jobs. Becoming a CNA before an LPN equips you with the basic and foundational skills and training you’ll need as an LPN. It also gives you a听glimpse听into what a career in nursing听is really like.
Your everyday experience as a CNA increases your chances of acceptance into LPN programs and gives you an edge over other students taking the LPN national exam.听Having a CNA certificate before obtaining your LPN shows that you are serious about pursuing your degree. Being a CNA also indicates you already have some experience in real-life nursing situations that you can apply to being an LPN.
Enroll听in 开元棋牌’s Program Today
At Mount Wachusett Community听College, we offer a听CNA to LPN听bridge听program听to help you kickstart your career听in nursing. Enjoy听flexible learning options, personalized attention and professional development听opportunities. Our听esteemed faculty听follow听a comprehensive curriculum to ensure听you have the preparation you need听for a fulfilling听career in practical nursing.
To听enroll for the 开元棋牌 CNA to LPN听program, start by attending听an info session听to learn more about our nursing programs.听Then,听complete an application听in a few easy steps.