any LPN to RN bridge people..? about Charter Oak

U.S.A. Connecticut

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Hi all,

hopefully someone out there can answer a quick question for me. I'm in the process of doing the LPN to RN. I'm wondering about the online transition course you have to with Charter Oak. I've been trying to access their course schedules but they must be having tech difficulties. Anyway, do they offer that class during all semesters or just the Spring and Summer (those were the two I was able to do before their system had issues). Also, I know you need to be an LPN, have to have completed your LPN within the last 6 years, be accepted to an RN program and have that programs directors permission. Does Charter Oak require any "pre-req" non-nursing courses be complet prior to doing their online program?

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I'm currently working as a LVN, however, I only have a year of home health experience. I will be applying to the LVN to RN bridge program at my local community college in Texas. My concern with starting the program is that I don't have acute care experience. With the lack of experience, I feel that it will become my downfall and the bridge program may be a little difficult for me. If you don't mind me asking, how was your experience in the LVN to RN program?

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I'm currently working as a LVN, however, I only have a year of home health experience. I will be applying to the LVN to RN bridge program at my local community college in Texas. My concern with starting the program is that I don't have acute care experience. With the lack of experience, I feel that it will become my downfall and the bridge program may be a little difficult for me. If you don't mind me asking, how was your experience in the LVN to RN program?

My experience was fine. I was placed into the 2nd year nursing classes of a 2 year program (associates) I worked as an LPN in the LTC/SNF capacity, no 'acute' per se.

Honestly, I didn't feel like i was lacking anything in terms of the program due to my lack of actue care. The actue care we did do (my college is affiliated w/a hospitl so all our clinicals were on the hospital floors, mostly med/surg) involved a lot of what I saw and worked with at clinicals were what I saw and worked with in SNF.

The only thing I 'lacked' was the already established 'bonds' that the other students had developed during their first year. But the majority of my cohorts were more than willing to welcome me with open arms. Many came to me because I had nursing experience to ask questions things.

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The bridge program I'm applying to has it where the LVN's will enter the 2nd year of the Associates degree program as well. By not working in the LTC/SNF, I feel like I'm missing out on a lot of skills and I'm starting to lose a lot knowledge based material we learned in vocational nursing school...The only experience I have is working in home health working with G-button cases. Is the bridge program more theory material than clinical time?

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The bridge program I'm applying to has it where the LVN's will enter the 2nd year of the Associates degree program as well. By not working in the LTC/SNF, I feel like I'm missing out on a lot of skills and I'm starting to lose a lot knowledge based material we learned in vocational nursing school...The only experience I have is working in home health working with G-button cases. Is the bridge program more theory material than clinical time?

I had a total of 12 LPN who started the program when I did. Some had 10+ years as LPN's, others had 2-5 years (I'm in that group), and there were several who had just gotten their LPN license not long before we started (under 6 months) and had ZERO experience working as an LPN under any capasity. We all did fine during the program and all passed the program and our NCLEX first shot.

Because we enter the 2nd year we were granted the credits for the first years worth of nursing credits. Maternity was one of those. Mind you, my maternity in LPN school was 5 years prior to me entering the program. I had lost a lot of the info but once you brush up, it comes back.

In terms of theory vs clinical...both were just as long as the other in terms of weeks. Clinical hours were more hours of the school week than lecture.

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Knowing that it doesn't matter whether you have experience as a LVN or not, makes me feel more comfortable going into the bridge program. I guess what it boils down to is how you apply yourself academically in the program.

Thank you for sharing your experience with me. It has really helped me with struggle of doubting myself. :unsure: I will be taking the Hesi A2 exam in November. Praying and keeping my fingers crossed that I pass the test. RN here I come lol :laugh:

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