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Nursing Transition Program, Associate of Applied Science (LVN/Paramedic with AAS)

Introduction

The Associate Degree Nursing Transition Program believes in the upward mobility of persons with previously acquired health care knowledge. The Transition Program is a means of upward mobility. The opportunity to enter the ADN Transition program is based on the assumption that the applicant has been successful in meeting the general admission policy of Laredo College (LC). The ADN Transition program may be completed in four semesters leading to an Associate of Applied Science degree. The program is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) and approved by the Texas Board of Nurse Examiners (BON). Upon completion of the program, graduates are eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).

Applying for Admission into the Institution

  1. If not presently enrolled at Laredo College, submit the following forms to the office of the Registrar and Admissions at Fort McIntosh, Lerma Peña Center Room 116 or South Campus Billy Hall Student Center, room A109.

    • LC Admissions Application and Information Form
    • Official high school transcript or GED certificate
    • Official transcripts from all previously attended colleges and universities
  2. The Nursing Program application is available on the website: www.laredo.edu

Program Admission Criteria

All required forms must be completed and received by Laredo College by:

1st Thursday in September- Spring Admission

The student seeking admission into the Associate Degree Nursing Transition Program at Laredo College (LC) must meet the following requirements:

  1. General admission criteria must be met as outlined in the Laredo College catalog.

  2. Be a graduate from a Vocational Nursing Program accredited by a State Nursing Board and be a Licensed Vocational Nurse in the State of Texas.

  3. Be a Licensed Emergency Medical Services Paramedic with an AAS Degree from an accredited EMS Program and be licensed as a Paramedic in the State of Texas.

  4. Complete Assessment Test requirements for placement and/or satisfy the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) requirements for entry into college level courses.

  5. LC Institutional and overall grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 or greater. The student on scholastic probation will not be considered for admission.

  6. Admission for the applicant who has not previously attended LC will be based on the Overall G.P.A. The student must meet all of LC's general admission requirements. The applicant must have an Overall GPA of 2.5 or greater. Official transcripts must be submitted to the admissions office for evaluation of course credit.

  7. Complete program prerequisite courses: ENGL 1301, PSYC 2301, PSYC 2314, BIOL 2301 and BIOL 2101. All pre-requisite courses must be completed with a grade of C or better. Although the minimum passing grade for individual prerequisite is a "C", overall prerequisite grade point average (GPA) must be a 2.5. Earning all "C’s" will result in a GPA of 2.0. which does not meet the requirement. Student must follow the Associate Degree Nursing Transition program curriculum plan valid for the current cohort entrance year.

  8. Only applicants that are accepted to the Associate Degree Nursing Program will be required to submit the CPR, the immunization records, and other forms through Castle Branch.

  9. Negative Criminal Background. The applicant’s information will be submitted to the Texas Board of Nursing. Texas BON will notify applicants via email to schedule an appointment with IdentoGo, www.identogo.com. The applicant will then be able to schedule an appointment at a Live Scan location in Texas through online enrollment or by phone at 1-888-467-2080 to have their fingerprint scanning performed and submitted to the Texas Board of Nursing. The applicant will receive verification from the Texas Board of Nursing of the applicants Criminal Background Status. Documentation of a Negative Criminal Background must be submitted to complete the application and admissions process and prior to enrolling in any nursing courses. The applicant must receive confirmation in writing that he/she is eligible to take the NCLEX-RN exam

  10. A standardized pre-admission nursing entrance exam will be administered as a component of the nursing program’s admission process to demonstrate proficiency. The areas required to complete include Reading, Math, English Language Usage, and Science. The applicant will be allowed one attempt per admission period and is responsible for the cost of the exam and/or preparation materials.

Application Review Process

  1. The Nursing Admissions Committee will review all applications to assure that the application is complete.
  2. Applicants who have met the required GPA, and completed all prerequisite courses, as described on the Program Admission Process, will be eligible to take the standardized pre-entrance exam.
  3. An LC Palomino ID# is required as well as your LC student email. Applicants will be notified through LC's PASPort email address with instructions about the standardized pre-entrance exam.
  4. Once all qualified applicants have taken the standardized pre-entrance exam, applicants will be notified by email regarding their program admission status. A number of applicants who meet the program admissions requirements may not be admitted to the program based on space availability. Applicants will be ranked based on the following criteria using the highest:

a. Pre-Entrance Standardized Exam Scores, In the beginning of March students are notified (by Pasport email) if they qualified to take the ATI TEAS pre-entrance exam, you must score a minimum overall score of 66% or better on the ATI TEAS to be considered for the selected program.

Testing takes place in the latter part of September and the top 25-30 students are selected for the program in Fall.

b. GPA of the prerequisite courses, must be completed before applying and students taking pre-requisite courses during the spring semester are not eligible to apply. “D” course grades are not considered a passing grade.

Students that apply must be College Ready in Reading, Writing, and Math to be considered.

Once an applicant applies they are screened to make sure they have completed the pre-requisite courses with a 2.5 GPA or better.

*If the pre-requisite courses were taken at another institution, official transcripts must be submitted to the LC admission office to be added to your LC student records.

Student are required to have a 2.5 or better GPA in their institutional and overall GPA. 

c. If the applicants are ranked equally, they will be further ranked by the highest overall GPA.

Students who are chosen for the program are notified by mid-April and must submit the required paperwork to register for the program in the Fall semester. All courses are assigned.

The applicant who is not selected for admission must submit a new application during the next application period and complete all admission requirements as described in the Program Admission Criteria and Application Review Process.

The student accepted into the Associate Degree Nursing Transition Program must:

  1. Submit verification of physical examination by a U.S. physician or nurse practitioner.

  2. Submit evidence of negative 10 panel drug screen.

  3. Submit evidence of current American Heart Association BLS Health Care Provider - CPR Certification.

  4. Purchase student liability insurance (premium rates applicable to current academic year and paid through tuition and fees).

  5. Purchase nursing uniforms and necessary accessories (rates applicable to current academic year).

  6. Pay additional fees for standardized nursing examinations and computer programs (Cost may vary).

  7. Computer Access & Equipment: Students admitted to the program will be notified by letter on computer compatibility and specs requirement.

  8. Immunization: documentation submitted upon being a candidate to the Nursing Program.

    • Two Step TB test* upon entering, and one TB test annually thereafter or Chest X-Ray within 2 years.
      • Two Step TB test consists of either of the following:
      • Proof of one TB test within the past 6 months and one TB test administered upon entering, or Two Tb tests administered 1 week apart upon entering
    • Two (2) Doses or current titer of Measles, Mumps Rubella (MMR) Series must be completed based on the series requirements.
      • Students born on or after January 1, 1957, must show acceptable evidence of vaccination of two doses of measles-containing vaccine administered since January 1, 1968
    • One dose of Tetanus-Diphtheria and Pertussis (Tdap) required within the last ten years. (approval verification pending)
    • Influenza vaccine annually in September for fall admission and January for Spring admission.
    • Initiation of Hepatitis B (HBV) vaccine series prior to direct patient contact, but series must be completed based on the series requirements (initial, one month, and four months)
      • Serologic confirmation of immunity to the hepatitis B virus is acceptable.
    • Two doses of varicella (chickenpox). Also acceptable:
    • Laboratory report indicating varicella immunity, or Varicella Titer
    • Bacterial Meningitis

    Texas State Law Senate Bill 62, requires students who meet the criteria below, to provide proper documentation that they have received the bacterial meningitis vaccination within the last five years and at least 10 calendar days before the beginning of the semester.

    • All new or transfer students under age 22.
    • All returning students under the age of 22, who have experienced a break in enrollment of a least one fall or spring term.
    • Students enrolled in online courses that physically attend classes or come to campus within the semester.
    • Recommended: Hepatitis A
    • Recommended: Due to the pandemic some of the clinical agencies require the COVID-19 vaccine. As a guest in the facility, the programs must adhere to the agency’s requirements. If you chose not to take the vaccine you may not be able to complete your clinical requirements, therefore, you may need to “withdrawal” from the course.

    LC IMMUNIZATION STATEMENT

    Students enrolling into Laredo College programs with external learning experiences (i.e., clinical, practicum, externship, cooperative, etc.) will be required to comply with the immunization requirements and policies of the clinical/external learning sites to engage in all clinical/external learning experiences.  Vaccination requirements at clinical/external learning sites are implemented pursuant to the independent authority of such facilities and are not mandated by Laredo College.  Failure to meet the immunization requirements mandated by clinical/external learning sites may limit a student's ability to complete the program and/or may delay the student's graduation date. The clinical facilities approve or deny the exemptions.

    Legal Information for Prospective Nursing Students

    An applicant to the Associate Degree Nursing Transition Program must be potentially eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). The applicant who has been convicted of a felony, implicated in substance abuse, or involved in activities considered inappropriate by the Texas Board of Nursing (Texas BON) is not eligible to apply or enter the program until he or she has received a declaratory order from the Texas Board of Nursing granting permission to take the NCLEX-RN. Such an applicant should contact the Texas Board of Nursing for guidance in petitioning the Board for a decision of eligibility prior to applying for entry to the Associate Degree Nursing Program at Laredo College. The Board's statement of eligibility or any correspondence with the BON must be submitted to the Nursing Programs Director prior to admission into the program. The student is responsible for notifying the Nursing Programs Director should the status in the criminal background check change at any period during enrollment in the program. Refer to the Board's address and phone number listed. The applicant must receive confirmation in writing that he/she is eligible to take the NCLEX-RN exam

    Progression

    Student's progress through the nursing programs curriculum according to the Associate Degree Nursing Transition Program Degree Plan. For progression in the Associate Degree Nursing Transition Program the student must meet all of the following criteria:

    1. Abide by the Rules, Regulations, and Procedures outlined in the Associate Degree Nursing Student Handbook.
    2. Complete all nursing courses in the required semester sequence as outlined in the Associate Degree Nursing Transition Program's degree plan with a grade of C = 75% or better and meet all clinical objectives.
    3. The student must maintain an institutional and overall grade point average of 2.5 or greater to progress to the next nursing course.
    4. Complete all college support courses with a grade of C or better.
    5. Have declared a major with the office of the Registrar and Admissions by completing the Declaration of Major Field of Study Form.
    6. Students will be required to repeat concurrent course(s) if they are unsuccessful in a semester.

    Withdrawal

    A student considering withdrawal from a Nursing Course(s) should refer to the Associate Degree Nursing Student Handbook and make an appointment with the course Instructor and the Program Director.

    Continuation

    A student requesting continuation in the Associate Degree Nursing Transition Program must have an institutional and overall grade point average of 2.5 or greater. The request must be in writing and follow the continuation procedure outlined in the Associate Degree Nursing Student Handbook.

    Attendance

    The Associate Degree Nursing Transition Program for lecture, lab, and clinical rotation courses require specific attendance hours in order to be in compliance with the accrediting agencies. Students who do not meet the requirements will not complete the program.

    For additional information call: (956) 721-5252 or visit the Associate Degree Nursing Department in the College of Health Sciences Building 2nd Floor, Room A218. 

    Laredo College South Campus

    5500 South Zapata Highway

    Laredo, Texas 78046

    The Associate Degree Nursing Program is accredited by:

    The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)

    3343 Peachtree Road N.E., Suite 850

    Atlanta, Georgia 30326

    Phone: (404)975-5000

    www.acenursing.org

    The Associate Degree Nursing Program is approved by:

    Texas Board of Nursing (BON)

    1801 Congress Avenue Suite 10-200

    Austin, Texas 78701

    Phone: (512) 305-7400

    www.bon.texas.gov

    NOTE: Information regarding the Associate Degree Nursing Transition Program is current at time of publication and is subject to change without notice.

Associate Degree Nursing - A.A.S. Degree Transition Program

Spring Admission Only - Application Due by : 1st Thursday in September

Nursing Courses must be taken in sequence.  Non-nursing courses may be taken in sequence or prior to the semester required.

 

Pre-Requisites

ENGL 1301Composition I CORE

3
PSYC 2314Lifespan Growth & Development CORE

3
BIOL 2301Anatomy and Physiology I CORE

3
BIOL 2101Anatomy and Physiology I Laboratory

1
PSYC 2301General Psychology CORE

3
Total Credit Hours:13

First Semester - Spring Admission

RNSG 1443Complex Concepts of Adult Health

4
RNSG 1360Clinical Registered Nursing/ Registered Nurse (Intermediate M/S)

3
RNSG 1144Nursing Skills II

1
BIOL 2302Anatomy and Physiology II CORE

3
BIOL 2102Anatomy and Physiology II Laboratory

1
Total Credit Hours:12

Summer

RNSG 1201Pharmacology

2

Second Semester

RNSG 2213Mental Health Nursing

2
RNSG 2162Clinical Registered Nursing/ Registered Nurse (Mental Health)

1
RNSG 1412Nursing Care of Childbearing and Childrearing Family

4
RNSG 2261Clinical Registered Nursing/ Registered Nurse (Pediatric/Maternity)

2
BIOL 2320Microbiology for Non-Science Majors

3
BIOL 2120Microbiology for Non-Science Majors Laboratory

1
Total Credit Hours:15

Third Semester

RNSG 2307Adaption to Role of Professional Nurse (Capstone)

3
RNSG 2331Advanced Concepts of Adult Health (Capstone)

3
RNSG 2363Clinical Registered Nursing/ Registered Nurse (Advanced Med/Surg.) (Capstone)

3
XXXX X3XXLanguage, Philosophy, and Culture/Creative Arts CORE

3
Total Credit Hours:12

 

Note

Upon successful completion of the Transition Program courses the student will receive credit for
RNSG 1205Nursing Skills I

2
RNSG 1260Clinical Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse (Fundamentals)

2
RNSG 1413Foundations for Nursing Practice

4
Total Credit Hours:8

Total Credit Hours: 60

Language, Culture, Philosophy courses must be selected from ENGL 2322, ENGL 2323, ENGL 2326, ENGL 2327, ENGL 2328, ENGL 2332, ENGL 2333, ENGL 2351.

Creative Arts courses must be selected from ARTS 1301, ARTS 1303, ARTS 1304, DANCE 2303, DRAM 1310, MUSI 1306, MUSI 1308, MUSI 1309, MUSI 1310.

Requirements

  • Complete Assessment Test requirements for placement and/or satisfy the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) requirements for entry into college level courses.
  • LC Pre-requisite, Institutional and Overall grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 or greater.
  • Successfully complete Pre-Entrance Standardized Exam (ATI TEAS)
  • Nursing program curriculum plan.
  • All courses must be taken concurrently.

Approved by Texas Board of Nursing (BON), and the Texas Higher Education Coordination Board (THECB). Accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN),

*Student must follow Associate Degree Nursing Transition program curriculum plan valid for the current cohort entrance year.

NOTE: Information regarding the Associate Degree Nursing Transition Program is current at time of publication and is subject to change without notice.