FAQs for 2 year ADN Program

Transcription

1 FAQs for 2 year ADN Program 1. Why is the nursing program being restructured? BTC has had a Practical Nursing program for over 60 years, adding an LPN to RN completion program for current LPNs in In the past few years, due to industry changes, the college has had increasing difficulty finding clinical placement for its practical nursing (LPN) students. In addition, most BTC Nursing students want to become Registered Nurses as quickly as possible. BTC s educational pathway to RN, however, was taking the average student 5-8 years to complete. The new Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), is designed to better meet employer and student needs, and will produce qualified, licensed Registered Nurses in a much shorter period of time.. 2. When will the deadlines for the application timetable be announced? The deadlines for the application timetable will typically be posted on the BTC website six months before the coursework begins. 3. Will I be automatically notified? Where can I find this information? You will not be notified of the deadlines. Please check the BTC website for detailed information. 4. When in my course of study will I apply to the ADN program? All Associate Degree Nursing program pre-requisites must be complete before applying to enter. This includes the seven pre-requisites and Nursing Assistant Certification. Completion.pdf 5. How do I stay informed about what s happening with the ADN program and the application process? Should I check my BTC account regularly? Your BTC account is the best way to keep in touch. Once a quarter, you will need to log-into this account on-campus and reset your password. 6. If I am completing my prerequisites in the same quarter as the lottery selection, will I be able to participate in the lottery so I can enter nursing in the very next quarter? No. All program pre-requisites must be complete before applying to the lottery. 7. Will I need to be a certified nursing assistant to apply to the ADN program? Yes. You can take the class here at BTC or at any other DSHS-approved training site. Click on the following link to find approved training providers:

2 8. If I am a certified Medical Assistant, EMT, caregiver or some other health provider can I waive the Nursing Assistant certification requirement? No. Different healthcare providers have different scopes of practice in the healthcare workplace. All applicants must provide proof of current certification as a Nursing Assistant. 9. Why the lottery? Why not a waitlist? For Nursing programs, a waitlist is a fairly outdated way to enter students into a nursing program. BTC Nursing program faculty have researched best practices for admitting students and have selected the lottery process. A lottery selection process allows each applicant an equal chance at admission to BTC s Associate Degree Nursing program, and will help us create a diverse nursing workforce. 10. What happens if I m never picked in the lottery? Can I do anything to make my chances at getting picked in the lottery better? The lottery is a random selection from a pool of applicants. Each lottery is drawn from a new applicant pool. No preferential status or points will be given to any applicants. All applicants will have an equal chance. 11. If I was picked as an alternate but a seat did not become available, will I automatically get a seat into the next quarter s entry? No. If you are interested in reapplying, you will need to submit a new Application Completion Form during the specified lottery application dates. You will not need to resubmit any other application materials if your previously submitted materials still meets the requirements for admission. You will be assigned a new number for the next lottery process. 12. What do I do if I didn t get picked in the lottery selection? Do I need to re-apply every time to for lottery or can I just keep using my lottery ID number? You will need to submit a new Application Completion Form during the specified lottery application dates. You will not need to resubmit any other application materials if your previously submitted materials still meets the requirements for admission. You will be assigned a new number for the next lottery process. 13. Will worker re-trainer students or veterans get priority in acceptance to the ADN program? No. Currently, there is no priority given to any person or group of persons. 14. What is the difference between the ADN and a BSN? BTC s Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) graduates will earn an Associate s Degree (AAS- T) and can then apply to a University to complete a Bachelor of Science in Nursing

3 (BSN) - often called an RN to BSN program. A Bachelor of Science in Nursing can also be earned by completing the Nursing Direct Transfer Agreement (DTA) degree here at BTC and applying to a pre-licensure BSN program at a University. 15. What is a DTA? Will there be one for nursing? The DTA program does not prepare a student to become a Registered Nurse, but provides a direct pathway to a BSN. BTC is now offering a pre-nursing DTA. Graduates from this program can transfer to Washington State public and private baccalaureate institutions to complete a pre-licensure BSN. 16. Will my BTC prerequisite classes transfer to WWU or UW Bothell or another university in Washington? Will my nursing classes transfer? BTC graduates have been continuing on to universities to complete a BSN for many years. Articulation agreements are in place with University of Washington - Bothell, Washington State University, and Western Governor s University. BTC graduates are also eligible to apply to the new RN-BSN program at WWU. 17. How important is it that I make plans for a BSN degree? The Institute of Medicine released a report in 2010 called The Future of Nursing. This report calls for 80% of Registered Nurses to have a minimum of a BSN by In addition, local, regional and statewide acute care (hospital) employers prefer to hire nurses who intend to complete a BSN quickly. Please note that preparation for a BSN is a recommendation and not a requirement for state licensure. 18. Do I need to take Pre-Calculus for entry into a BSN program or just Statistics? This can vary based on the coursework you took in high school and the university you are applying to. Please have your transcript evaluated at the university at which you plan to apply. 19. Where are BTC graduates getting hired? BTC graduates work primarily in hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, assisted living centers, clinics, home health, public health, schools, insurance companies, mental health facilities and corrections facilities. 20. What are the clinical requirements and when do I need to get those done? The clinical requirements are required by the clinical agencies (not BTC) in order for you to take care of their patients. These requirements include a background check, urine drug screen for prohibited substances and proof of immunity and negative TB status. You will be given detailed information about clinical requirements after admission by lottery into the nursing program.

4 FAQs for LPNs entering into the second year of the ADN Program 1. Is the LPN-RN program going away? No. Starting in Fall 2013, BTC will begin offering a two-year Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) program for new students and a second-year LPN-ADN option for incumbent LPNs. Current LPNs may apply for entry into the second year of the new ADN curriculum. LPNs will enter into the 4th quarter of the ADN program and complete the LPN-ADN curriculum in three quarters. The schedule will include class two days per week and clinical experiences two days per week. Currently, we are offering Saturday and Sunday evening clinicals to accommodate a variety of work schedules. 2. Will there be a lottery for LPNs entering into the second year of the ADN program? No. LPNS who qualify for entry into the second year of the ADN program will be placed on a waitlist for entry. 3. Are LPNs still required to work 1,000 hours in order to be eligible for entry? Is there any way to get an exception to this? LPNs still have to work a minimum of 1,000 hours to meet the program entry requirements. It is a standard around the state for LPNs to have work experience before enrolling in and completing the ADN-RN curriculum. 4. Will BTC Practical Nursing program graduates still have priority for acceptance into the 2nd year of the ADN program? Yes BTC will continue to offer priority entry for graduates of the BTC PN program. 5. What is the LPN Step Assessment and why do I need to take it? What is the best way to study for the test? The LPN Step Assessment is an insightful pre-admission tool based on the NCLEX-PN test plan. It contains 180 questions and the individual has up to three hours to complete the test. A minimum score of 60 is required to meet the program entry requirements. The best way to study is to get an NCLEX-PN review text and review content in the following areas: Adult Medical Surgical, Fundamentals, Management, Maternal Newborn, Mental Health, Nursing Care of Children, Nutrition, Pharmacology. There is a practice test that can be taken for a fee on-line at ATITesting.com. 6. Will LPNs who are unemployed or dislocated workers or veterans get priority in acceptance to the 2nd year of the ADN program?

5 Yes. Students who qualify for BTC s Worker Retraining program can receive priority placement If I took my prerequisites many years ago, will they expire? Pre-requisites do not expire for the working LPN, since working LPNs will be using information learned in pre-requisite courses in their practice. 8. Will I need to take any classes over if I didn t get a 3.0 or higher? Beginning January 2015, LPNs will need a 3.0 or higher in each of the pre-requisite courses to be placed on the program waitlist. Between now and December 31, 2014, the entry criteria for LPNs into the Associate Degree Nursing Program are a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher for the seven required pre-requisites and the Practical Nursing coursework.