RPN- RN Bridging Inquiries!

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So I graduated from Humber College's RPN program last year and I just got my licensed and registered with the College of Nurses of Ontario. I am very interested in pursuing the bridging program from RPN-RN however I know my average is not high enough. I currently stand at a 73.6% cumulative. I have a few options such as start applying for RPN jobs and start working however, I feel like i'm not ready. I don't know if that's a common feeling but I feel nervous as all hell and terrified from having clinical experience with 1 or 2 patients to working in a busy hospital with 6 patients or a nursing home with like 50! I feel like more education is what I need. Re-taking courses at humber is pretty expensive, around $700 per class and although I am willing to put that money in and invest it in my future there's no guarantee that my average will shoot up to the requirements of the bridging program. I mean if i get a 96% in 1 class my average will go up to a 76% which seems unrealistic. Humber's bridging average requirement is 74% but I'm positive they start from the top and go down. I also have a bit of an anxiety problem that I'm only now starting to deal with. That is mainly what is holding me back from applying for jobs right now, I'm so terrified of being on my own without the aid of a preceptor. My last clinical experience was a year ago. I feel out of practice and that's really shaking my confidence. My HFO has expired as I graduated in May and recently got my nursing license this month. I'm just looking for any bit of guidance or thoughts regarding starting the process to bridge with any advice?

Thanks for listening!

Bridgepoint! in Toronto! KEEP APPLYING!! online postings

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Hello RPNVJK,

I was just wondering where you are doing your bridging for RPN to BSCN? I'm planning to do it after a year (save up some money and get some experience for now) while I wait. How are your courses laid out? And how is it different from the PN program?

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I am doing the bridging @ centennial college. I'm in the flex program which is not full time or part time it's 75% of the course load which i would HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!! it still counts as full time on OSAP and for insurance purposes. Most of the people in my class work as well as do this program. Centennial is easy to get in but they make it VERY tough. i am already noticing an extremely high standard compared to RPN. The full time is 1 year at centennial then 2 years at ryerson = 3 years. Flex is 3 semesters @ centennial 1 1/2 years and the rest at ryerson (4 years) just a year more but the chances of not flunking out are GREATER in flex trust me. this is the breakdown

semester 1 : 5 courses (pathotherapeutics (hard) , acute and chronic illness theory (VERY HARD), ethics and nursing leadership and communication and an english credit. if you did a LANG or ENG credit in the rPN program you can transfer the credit and you don't have to take the course. (NO CLINICAL this semester) i have school 3 days a week and i am on call on weekends

semester 2: 3 courses + clinical

semester 3: 4 courses + clinical

then

ryerson

my professors all think flex is better because you learn patho and theory before you go to clinical and you have time to study and breathe instead of in class and clinical a full week.

the PN program is more memorizing things, the bridging is teaching you to think like an independent and not dependent on the next level above you. when you learn about say respiratory illnesses you have to relate the case study to the whole body and what and how it affects everything so everything you learn in that week you are just building upon the week before. they mark harder and expect more. but if you study and meet with the prof an do the work before the class you will succeed.

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Thank you for all the information. You made it sound doable and that's what I was hoping to achieve- to not be overwhelmed and to have more time understanding everything. I'm in no way in a hurry to finish it. I agree with you- better take it slow than flunk in the end.

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Hello,

I am in the same boat has you were. I recently graduated from Humber college and have the exact same GPA as you. I was wondering if you were accepted into Centennial with your GPA or did you take any courses to upgrade? Also, did humber send you an acceptance letter into their bridging program? I am currently trying to figure out if I should upgrade an elective course to increase my GPA (psychology or Anatomy) in order to have a better chance of getting in Humber/Centennial bridging program OR should I just apply with my 74.6 GPA and keep my fingers crossed?

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I am doing the bridging @ centennial college. I'm in the flex program which is not full time or part time it's 75% of the course load which i would HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!! it still counts as full time on OSAP and for insurance purposes. Most of the people in my class work as well as do this program. Centennial is easy to get in but they make it VERY tough. i am already noticing an extremely high standard compared to RPN. The full time is 1 year at centennial then 2 years at ryerson = 3 years. Flex is 3 semesters @ centennial 1 1/2 years and the rest at ryerson (4 years) just a year more but the chances of not flunking out are GREATER in flex trust me. this is the breakdown

semester 1 : 5 courses (pathotherapeutics (hard) , acute and chronic illness theory (VERY HARD), ethics and nursing leadership and communication and an english credit. if you did a LANG or ENG credit in the rPN program you can transfer the credit and you don't have to take the course. (NO CLINICAL this semester) i have school 3 days a week and i am on call on weekends

semester 2: 3 courses + clinical

semester 3: 4 courses + clinical

then

ryerson

my professors all think flex is better because you learn patho and theory before you go to clinical and you have time to study and breathe instead of in class and clinical a full week.

the PN program is more memorizing things, the bridging is teaching you to think like an independent and not dependent on the next level above you. when you learn about say respiratory illnesses you have to relate the case study to the whole body and what and how it affects everything so everything you learn in that week you are just building upon the week before. they mark harder and expect more. but if you study and meet with the prof an do the work before the class you will succeed.

Congrats on starting the bridging program. If you think pathotherapeutics + acute and chronic illness theory is hard wait until you do semester 3. The first semester is pretty straight forward but the courses get more and more abstract and that is where most student struggle!

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"you have to relate the case study to the whole body and what and how it affects everything"

I did my PN program at George Brown and were always required to relate how one disease/condition/syndrome affected the other body system(s); we did this in patho 1&2 and 3-4 theory classes. I've applied to bridging for the Fall at Centennial, part time so I can continue to work full time at WCH. Hope the courses are managable!

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Hello,

I am in the same boat has you were. I recently graduated from Humber college and have the exact same GPA as you. I was wondering if you were accepted into Centennial with your GPA or did you take any courses to upgrade? Also, did humber send you an acceptance letter into their bridging program? I am currently trying to figure out if I should upgrade an elective course to increase my GPA (psychology or Anatomy) in order to have a better chance of getting in Humber/Centennial bridging program OR should I just apply with my 74.6 GPA and keep my fingers crossed?

Hey!

I was wondering if you ended up applying to Humber's bridging program, or whether you got in elsewhere? I'm going to start my RPN program this September at Humber, but I can't find that much information about their bridging program. I was hoping to get any insight on the process because I'd like to eventually bridge into RN.

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RPNVJK, reading your story gives me so much hope! I graduated in January and just wrote the CPNRE. I feel right now exactly the same way you felt in your first post. I get little panic attacks thinking about applying for jobs and I don't know what to do or how to get started. I feel so unprepared. In my last placement, I was at a rehab setting and didn't use any of my nursing skills - it felt more like I was a PSW. I don't even know how I'm going to change dressings, do catheterizations, or care for IV or tube-fed patients once and if I start working. I am so happy to read your update and that you're doing well!

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