What education is required for a practical nurse to become a registered nurse?

Many community colleges offer a LPN to RN Completion Program. Typically, the general education courses you will need at the associates degree level particular to the RN program are as follows:

• English Composition I and II
• General Psychology
• Child Psychology ( unless Developmental Psychology is prescribed by the college)
• Principles of Sociology
• Humanities electives (possibly two)
• Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II
• Microbiology
• Chemistry for Allied Health

I would strongly recommend that you complete all the general education courses first before starting the professional phase courses in nursing. Today, there are vast numbers of individuals applying for RN programs. In comparison to all those who start the program, very few graduate. One the major contributing factors for failure to achieve is attempting to combine professional phase courses with general education courses. It's just too much for most individuals to handle. When you start your clinical courses, that's all you want to concentrate on. That being said, most colleges will require you finish the general education courses anyway.

After completion of these courses, the college should grant you approximately 20 credits toward your RN from your LPN licence. Some of the introductory nursing courses will be waived. Thus, the program will be somewhat different than the generic program. It will also take less time to complete the RN requirements.

As stated before, each college may have a different approach, but here are some issues the institution will be concerned about.

• Where you took your LPN program (college or other institution)
• Any general education courses that have been completed (if at a college)
• Accreditation of college
• Grades received and grade point average (if taken at a college)

Warning!!

Always take your course work at a regionally accredited college. I would not recommend taking your course work through a hospital school of nursing. This could very well have a negative affect later should you decide to pursue your BSN, or any other college degree at the bachelors' level in terms of transfer credit.

Check with your home county community college first, and inquire about the RN completion program (they may call it something different). If they do not offer it, then try some of the surrounding counties as well. I hope this helps some.

First answer by Viper1usmc. Last edit by Viper1usmc. Contributor trust: 1101 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 4 [recommend question]