Searching for a LVN to BSN program. Any recommedations?

[dannyi2yu]

Hey there nurses!

I am located in Southern California, Chino Hills CA to be exact and am looking for a

LVN to BSN bridge program(preferably somewhere in California, but am also interested in other states as well)

I will be getting in contact with Azusa Pacific University(Pasadena), Holy Names University(Oakland, CA) and National University sometime this week and just wanted to know if there were any other schools to choose from.

I got my LVN license late last year, took some certification courses early this year and have been looking for a job since. And I'll just say its been tough... working is still an option but am very interested in going back to school. So any advice/input would be greatly appreciated!!

As I get more information on the schools I am in contact with, I will update you all with uptodate information and requirements,etc

Thanks again and best of luck to you all who are seeking for higher education!!!

Danny Ryu

[Natasha A., CNA, LVN]

Thanks. I did email the school a few questions and hope to hear back from them sometime this week. Also, I did not see the lvn-adn section so I couldn't find the page with the admission process or the lvn-adn tuition cost. I just saw the tradition and program on the website. Do you need to have completed your prereqs? Did it take you 9 months to complete the program? I don't tend to stay long there so how many months/weeks did it take for you to transfer your license to ca?Last, how was cost of living? I did see the school offering scholarships ...wanted to know do they offer any thing for low income people (unless I find a job as a lvn out there and work)...thanks sorry for the many questions.

[PMFB-RN, RN]

Thanks. I did email the school a few questions and hope to hear back from them sometime this week. Also, I did not see the lvn-adn section so I couldn't find the page with the admission process or the lvn-adn tuition cost. I just saw the tradition and program on the website.

The LPN to RN is just the second year of the regular two year RN program, plus all the gen ed classes like english, psycology, sociology, etc. Tution for state residents in very inexpensive. The total program is around $7K from start to finish, the LPN to RN being about half of that. Out of state residents will pay a lot more but I don't have any idea how much. You should be able to find it on their website.

Do you need to have completed your prereqs?

They don't have pre-reqs, or didn't when I went there. All classes were co-reqs and didn't need to be completed before starting the nursing program. Many, many people complete the full ADN program in two years.

Did it take you 9 months to complete the program?

I

Actually 8 months. Two 4 month semesters with a month off for the holidays inbetween.

I don't tend to stay long there so how many months/weeks did it take for you to transfer your license to ca?

I didn't transfer my license to California. I took the NCLEX in Wisconsin for California. Then transfered my license to Wisconsin when I decided to move here permantly. I still maintain my Ca license. A person I know graduated last May (2014) from SWTC and also got her license in California.

Last, how was cost of living?

The cost of living is VERY low if you are used to California prices. I rented a nice 3 br, 2 ba house on a 1 acre lot on the edge of town for $450/month. I know people who were renting small apartments in town for $300/month. You will be shocked at how inexpensive food and gas are compaired to Ca. Every year when I return to Ca to visit family I am always shocked at how expensive everything is.

I did see the school offering scholarships ...wanted to know do they offer any thing for low income people (unless I find a job as a lvn out there and work)...thanks sorry for the many questions

I was on the GI Bill so I don't know about scholerships. However my guess is that most scholerships are going to be geared twords Wisconsin residents.

There are a variety of nursing homes within an hours drive that you could work at. Most hospitals don't hire LPNs here. Expect to make $15-18 and hour as LPN. I made $17 and hour, including $3 hour night shift differential in a nursing home about 45 min away.

Here are some current job postings from the area for LPNs:

Good Samaritan Society

Platteville LPN / LVN Job - WI, 53818

fuseaction=search.jobDetails&template=dsp_job_details.cfm&cJobId=440221&source=Indeed.com

Licensed Practical or Licensed Vocational Nurse job - Sedona Staffing - East Dubuque, IL | Indeed.com

[PMFB-RN, RN]

Keep in mind that SWTC is only one of Wisconsin's 16 technical colleges. All have the same nursing program. I would also check them out too.

WTCS Colleges - WTCS

[Natasha A., CNA, LVN]

PMFB -

You have been VERY helpful in answering my questions. I'm really liking what I'm reading right now and hope to get the green light when I call. I figure the scholarships and financial assistance will be for state residents only, but $7k or less is still affordable.

Is WI lvn "new grad" friendly? And the cost of living is pretty decent compared to CA.

[Natasha A., CNA, LVN]

Thanks for the link. I will look into those other schools as well.

[PMFB-RN, RN]

PMFB -

You have been VERY helpful in answering my questions. I'm really liking what I'm reading right now and hope to get the green light when I call. I figure the scholarships and financial assistance will be for state residents only, but $7k or less is still affordable.

Is WI lvn "new grad" friendly? And the cost of living is pretty decent compared to CA.

No problem. When I was an LVN in California looking to become an RN I had a person in Wisconsin feeding much of the info I am now telling you.

However keep in mind it has been a number of years since I completed the program so my info might be dated. There may be waiting lists etc that didn't exsist when I did it.

I don't know much about LPN jobs. Since I became an RN I have only worked in critical care type units. I will say that Wisconsin seems to be more new grad friendly than what I read about other places here on AN. I regularly precept ADN students and all of them have managed to find hospital jobs within 6 months or so after graduating.

The cost of living here is MUCH lower than Ca, but so are wages. However I find we have a better lifestyle here financialy than in Ca.

The person you want to talk to at SWTC is ******. She is the program counselor for nursing.

[Natasha A., CNA, LVN]

No problem. When I was an LVN in California looking to become an RN I had a person in Wisconsin feeding much of the info I am now telling you.

However keep in mind it has been a number of years since I completed the program so my info might be dated. There may be waiting lists etc that didn't exsist when I did it.

I don't know much about LPN jobs. Since I became an RN I have only worked in critical care type units. I will say that Wisconsin seems to be more new grad friendly than what I read about other places here on AN. I regularly precept ADN students and all of them have managed to find hospital jobs within 6 months or so after graduating.

The cost of living here is MUCH lower than Ca, but so are wages. However I find we have a better lifestyle here financialy than in Ca.

The person you want to talk to at SWTC is *********. She is the program counselor for nursing.

I called the school to get more information about the lvn-rn program. It's now called Progressive Program and I did speak to someone who referred me to ****** to leave a voice message. **** was not in her office today so I will call back again tomorrow. The person I spoke with told me there is a wait list and said that I will get more information once I have a chance to talk to ***** or *****. I believe he said the next class starts Aug 2016 though

[Natasha A., CNA, LVN]

Hello pmfb-rn so there is a LVN-BSN program at WGU? I thought I only saw adn-bsn and regular ad.n at wgu? You also mentioned that you had a hospital help pay your bsn tuition right? Wgu seems promising because its a cheaper tuition compared to university of phoenix and faster route to getting your bsn. Thanks. Good idea.

[Nienna Celebrindal]

Hello pmfb-rn so there is a LVN-BSN program at wgu?

No there isn't

[Natasha A., CNA, LVN]

@NightCrow thanks for clarifying. I was just checking to see.

[hypoxicgrl]

Hello everyone, i graduated from carrington college sacramento, CA last year and just started working as an lvn, i have finished all classes for the RN program except for chemistry, a&p, microbiology, english, i really want to finish school already and get my RN license, i live in scaramento california and the schools here are so impacted that i cannot get into my classes which keeps getting me behind on achieveing my goal, any suggestions of affordable accredited programs and schools in california??? i also dont mind places outside of california as long as its affordable and short???

[vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN]

Hello everyone, i graduated from carrington college sacramento, CA last year and just started working as an lvn, i have finished all classes for the RN program except for chemistry, a&p, microbiology, english, i really want to finish school already and get my RN license, i live in scaramento california and the schools here are so impacted that i cannot get into my classes which keeps getting me behind on achieveing my goal, any suggestions of affordable accredited programs and schools in california??? i also dont mind places outside of california as long as its affordable and short???

You can attend carringtons bridge. It requires you complete their prereqs, then complete the actual bridge. I have a few friends doing this. It takes about 9 mos to complete the prereqs them about 9 months to do the bridge.

The other option is to complete prereqs at the community college. This means gen Chem, then

A&P 1, micro and A&P 2. You also will have to fit in English, human development and probably psych, speech and Nutrition. Then once those are done, apply to the bridge program. This is what I'm doing. While this option is cheaper, it takes longer.