LPN to RN Bridge Programs in West Virginia
If you have dedicated your nursing career to West Virginia, you are providing a huge service to the state as a whole. Medical care is extremely important in West Virginia, but it can also be very hard to come by, particularly in areas that are located far from cities or that have high poverty rates.
Nursing culture is changing throughout West Virginia. West Virginia just became the most recent state to remove practice restrictions from nurse practitioners. With the acceptance of this law, more and more employers are looking for nursing staff with degrees under their belt.
If you want to take the next step in your nursing career, find out how you can use your LPN license and contact LPN to RN programs in West Virginia.
Why Should I Complete an LPN to RN Program in West Virginia?
West Virginia, despite the issues it has with attracting nurses to more rural areas, has been instrumental in many changes that improve the safety of the field as a whole. In West Virginia, nursing employers conducted research to minimize nursing injuries due to transfers. As a result, fewer nurses suffer back pain or injury in the workplace.
A nursing degree may help you earn more money, particularly if you bring experience to the table. On average, LPNs earn $34,500 per year, while registered nurses earn an average salary of $55,300 per year (O*Net, 2014).
Curriculum of LPN to BSN/LPN to ADN Programs in West Virginia
Spending a few minutes looking into financial aid may result in you saving plenty of money on your education. As a health care professional, you may have options that new nursing students do not, particularly employer-funded tuition assistance or nursing completion scholarships. One of the largest sources of nursing scholarships in West Virginia is the West Virginia Center for Nursing.
You may find that many LPN to RN programs in West Virginia cater to working licensed practical nurses. Because of this, you may be able to complete your coursework in the evenings or on weekends, depending on what your work schedule is. In addition, your school may allow you to complete some of your clinical requirements at your place of employment.
The courses required of registered nursing students in West Virginia are fairly rigorous, but the experience you have as an LPN can be extremely beneficial. You can usually choose between LPN to ADN or LPN to BSN programs, depending upon which RN degree you are interested in. You can plan on taking classes like Nursing Care for Adults, Nursing Care for Children, Health and Illness Concepts, Mental Health Nursing, and Medical-Surgical Nursing. The more you learn, the more clinical experience you may have to complete. Common clinical sites include hospitals, nursing homes, and clinics. It is likely that your school will focus largely on places in which LPNs do not work due to licensure restrictions.
Find out what you can do to contribute even more to the field of health care in West Virginia. Get more information from LPN to RN programs now.