Nurse Education, Practice, Quality and Retention (NEPQR)-Pathway to Registered Nurse Program (PRNP)

The purpose of this program is to create a pathway from academic training to clinical practice through the creation and implementation of Licensed Practical Nurse/Licensed Vocational Nurse (LPN/LVN) to Registered Nurse (RN) Bridge Programs and employment of Clinical Nurse Faculty. Funding will be used for: • Program Development: Funds can be used to develop and implement or enhance an accredited LPN/LVN-to-RN Bridge program targeting the needs of LPNs/LVNs. • Direct Support for LPN/LVN to RN students: Funds can be used to assist in student success such as stipends, tuition, and other social supports (e.g., transportation and childcare assistance). LPNs/LVNs are nursing professionals and when entering a degree program there may be barriers in place that keep these students from being successful. • Curriculum and Partnership Development: Funds can be used to develop curriculum and build/enhance/maintain partnerships between clinical and educational institutions. Challenges exist for students as they move from one educational institution to another (e.g., academic credits not transferring from 2-year to 4-year institutions) and working experiences are not always counted as credit toward their degree program. Strong partnerships are encouraged between clinical training sites and academic institutions including technical/vocational schools and community colleges to help to mitigate these challenges. • Preceptor/Faculty: Funds can be used to recruit, retain, and develop clinical and didactic faculty and clinical preceptors. Faculty and preceptors are needed to train new students in the bridge program being created.