Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) - to - Registered Nurse (RN) Admission
The Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)-to-Registered
Nurse (RN) Bridge Program is a 65-credit hour, selective admission program that consists
of one academic year. Admission to the program is by application and committee selection
based on a competitive ranking system (see Ranking Score Computation). Students who successfully complete the program will obtain an Associate of Science
in Nursing degree (ASN) and will be eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).
The MSU-WP Nursing Program offers an LPN-to-RN Bridge cohort each application cycle,
spring and summer/fall with both seated and online options to cater to the diverse
needs of our students. Each cohort consists of 30 available seats. Our program aims
to provide a flexible learning environment to accommodate all potential students.
| Starting Semester |
Applications open |
Deadline to Apply |
| Summer/Fall* |
November 1st |
March 1st |
| Spring |
May 1st |
October 1st |
*LPN students without Microbiology and/or Civics credits will take those classes in
the summer before starting NUR 190 in the fall.
Associate of Science in Nursing Curriculum Online LPN-RN Bridge
The program course requirements are shown below. The 65-credit hour program consists
of courses in liberal arts, science and nursing. LPNs will receive 15 additional credit
hours for NUR 100 and NUR 101. The nursing courses include lecture and relevant clinical
practicums provided at health care facilities located in Missouri and northern Arkansas.
| Summer Semester* |
Credit Hours |
| BIO 210 Microbiology |
3 |
|
Civics
|
3 |
| Semester 1 (Fall/Spring) |
Credit Hours |
| NUR 190 Transitioning from LPN to RN |
3 |
| NUR 212 Nursing Care Across the Lifepan |
9 |
| NUR 201 Mental Health Nursing |
3
|
| Semester 2 (Spring/Fall) |
Credit Hours |
| NUR 202 Pharmacology |
3 |
| NUR 204 Adult Medical Surgical Nursing II |
9 |
| NUR 220 Current Trends and Issues in Nursing |
3 |
*Summer semester is only required for students who need the Microbiology and Civics
credits
Associate of Science in Nursing Curriculum Hybrid LPN-RN Bridge
| Summer Semester |
Credit Hours |
| NUR 190 Transitioning from LPN to RN |
3 |
| BIO 210 Microbiology |
3 |
| Fall Semester |
Credit Hours |
| NUR 201 Mental Health Nursing |
3 |
| NUR 202 Pharmacology |
3 |
| NUR 204 Adult Medical Surgical Nursing II |
9 |
| Spring Semester |
Credit Hours |
| NUR 212 Nursing Care Across the Lifepan |
9 |
| NUR 220 Current Trends and Issues in Nursing |
3 |
|
Civics
|
3 |
Online Program Details
The online program has been highly popular among our students due to its flexibility
and convenience. Students in the online program can access course materials, participate
in discussions, and complete assignments remotely, allowing for a more self-paced
learning experience. The online program offers a comprehensive curriculum that is
designed to prepare students for a successful transition from LPN to RN roles.
Students accepted into the online LPN-to-RN Bridge cohort will be required to come
to the MSU-West Plains campus two (2) times during the program – once at the beginning
of the program and potentially once in the summer, if BIO 210 - Elements of Microbiology
is needed. All clinicals will be self-scheduled by the student with a preceptor at
an approved facility nearest the student.
The program course requirements are shown below. The 65-credit hour program consists
of courses in liberal arts, science, and nursing. LPNs will receive 15 additional
credit hours for NUR 100 and NUR 101. The nursing courses include lecture and on-campus
simulation laboratory experiences, along with relevant clinical practicums provided
at healthcare facilities located in Missouri, northern Arkansas, and Kansas.
Hybrid Program Details
The Hybrid version of our LPN-RN program is only offered in the Fall, and works nearly
identically to the online program. The only difference is that your clincal hours
will be completed with our third and fourth semester two-year RN students at set times
with our clincal instructors. This option is meant to make our LPN-RN program more
accessible to local students.
Clinical Sites
While the LPN-RN Bridge Program offers classes online, it is important to note that
clinicals must occur at healthcare facilities where the MSU-WP Nursing program has
state board approval and established clinical contracts. Currently, the MSU-WP Nursing
department has clinical sites covering the state of Missouri and northern Arkansas.
The clinical rotations for the LPN to RN program is preceptor based and self-scheduled
by the student. There are 132 preceptor clinical hours that must be completed each
semester, and those hours are arranged with the student's assigned preceptor at the
clinical facility. Students cannot complete more than 36 hours per week but are otherwise
free to schedule their clinical hours as needed with their preceptor.
Due to clinical restrictions, the MSU Nursing program can only accept students who
are residents of Missouri or Arkansas at this time. This policy will go into effect starting with the May 1st, 2025 through
October 1st, 2025 application cycle for the January 2026 cohort.
For more information about the nursing program or to set up an appointment to meet
with the nursing admissions coordinator, please contact the nursing admissions office:
WPNursing@MissouriState.edu, (417) 255-7245.
