NUR 190: LPN to RN Articulation Bridge Course

Course Description

Sponsored by the Connecticut League for Nursing and the Directors of Connecticut LPN, Associate degree and Diploma nursing program as one of the requirement of the statewide Connecticut LPN to RN Articulation Plan.

This 3 credit course is designed to facilitate successful entry of practical nurse graduates into the third semester of the registered nurse program. It provides theoretical and clinical content from the first two semesters of the registered nurse program in those areas not presented in the Connecticut practical nurse education programs. It has been approved by the Articulation Oversight Committee and the Directors of Connecticut associate degree and diploma nursing programs to meet the three credit LPN to RN transition course requirement of the statewide articulation plan.

The basic level LPN to RN Articulation Bridge Course is an online course designed to expand on the breadth and depth of the common content from practical nurse education programs and to introduce new theories, processes and skills specific to statewide registered nurse programs.

  • nursing process
  • utilization of critical thinking skill
  • sound decision-making principles
  • selected theories from the physical/social sciences, humanities, and nursing domains
  • the communication process
  • teaching/learning methodologies
  • the transition in role expectations between LPN and RN

Prerequisites

  • Met the admission requirements and be accepted into an RN nursing program
  • Successfully completed the required general education courses of the first year of the nursing program
  • Be recommended for enrollment in the on-line LPN to RN Articulation Bridge Course by the Director of their RN nursing program

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:

  1. Relate the advantages of utilization of the nursing process to clients of diverse cultures, nursing practice, and the profession of nursing.
  2. Utilize the nursing process as the theoretical framework for the delivery of care.
  3. Relate that the practice of nursing derives from the application of theories.
  4. Communicate effectively with clients of diverse cultures.
  5. Describe the relationship of learning theory and methodology to effective client teaching.
  6. Describe the ethical and legal implications relative to safe nursing practice.
  7. Identify the different expectations between the LPN and RN role in actual practice.

General Education Outcomes (GEOs)

Please check the applicable GEOs for this course, if any, by outcomes at GEO Category Search, or by subject area at GEO Discipline Search.

Course Activities and Grading

AssignmentsWeight

Nursing Process Activities

25%

Final Project- Nursing Care Plan

25%

SBAR

5%

Quizzes (3)

15%

Virtual Clinical Excursion Exercises (4)

20%

Discussions (2)

10%

Total

100%

  • The faculty will grade assignments and examinations within one to two weeks of receiving them and provide a grade and comments when appropriate.
  • STUDENTS MUST ACHIEVE A GRADE OF "B-" (80%), OR BETTER, IN ORDER TO PROGRESS TO THE ONE-CREDIT SCHOOL BASED COURSE WHICH FOLLOWS THIS ONLINE COURSE.
  • Rounding of Grades: Grades will be computed to the second decimal point and at the end of course will be rounded once to a whole number for the final course grade. A grade at or above .50 will be rounded up to the next whole number; any grade at or below .49 will be rounded down to the whole number.
    Example: Final grade = 79.49 = 79 (C+). The student does not meet the progression standard. Final Grade = 79.50 = 80 = B-. The student meets the progression standard.
  • Late Work Policy:
    There will be a penalty for late assignments without advance award of an extension by the assigned faculty as follows:
    • 5 points for 1 day late
    • 10 points for 2 days late
    • 0/no acceptance for anything submitted after day 2
  • Students may request a transcript to be sent to their home institution after the completion of the course.

Required Textbooks

Available through Charter Oak State College's online bookstore

  • Ackley, Betty. (2020). Nursing Diagnosis Handbook. 12th ed. C.V. Mosby Co. ISBN-10: 0-323-55112-2 or ISBN-13: 978-0-323-55112-0
  • Potter, Patricia A. (2017). Fundamentals of Nursing - with Virtual Clinical Excursions Interactive Workbook. 9th ed. Elsevier Science. ISBN-10: 0-323-41620-9 or ISBN-13: 978-0-323-41620-7

Course Schedule

LessonsTopics and Lesson ObjectivesReadings and Assignments

Lesson 1

Topics: Orientation and Role Transitions 

Objectives:

  • Demonstrate the ability to post comments in the discussion area and respond to discussion threads.
  • Demonstrate the ability to access patient data within the Virtual Clinical Excursion software.
  • Identify the different scopes of practice between the LPN and RN.
  • Compare and Contrast the role of the LPN and RN in patient care responsibilities.
  • Determine how Nurse Practice Act defines and governs the distinctions of nurse roles.
  • Lecture material with associated web readings
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Complete assigned activities

Lesson 2

Topics: Nursing Process Overview, Critical Thinking, and Clinical Decision Making,

Objectives:

  • Discuss the components of the Nursing Process.
  • Define the terms critical thinking, clinical decision making, and clinical judgment.
  • Describe the skills and abilities necessary to develop critical thinking.
  • List the intellectual, interpersonal, and psychomotor skills required for application at each step of the Nursing Process Model. 
  • Apply the initial step of Assessment to a selected virtual patient and complete a Cluster Sheet. 
  • Lecture material with associated web readings
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Complete assigned activities

Lesson 3

Topic: Nursing Process Overview - Problem Identification, Prioritization.

Objectives:

  • Utilize the data from the CLUSTER SHEET via cue recognition and cue analysis to formulate hypothesis about the nature of patient problems.
  • Select the most relevant problems.
  • Prioritize the problems.
  • Discuss Concept Mapping and relationship to Nursing Process Model.
  • Lecture material with associated web readings
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Complete assigned activities

Lesson 4

Topics: Nursing Process Overview - Nursing Diagnosis, NANDA-I statement protocols, Goals Statements.

Objectives:

  • Select nursing diagnoses based on the prioritization of problems from previous week.
  • Write Nursing Diagnostic statements for the problems selected, using the NANDA format.
  • Formulate corresponding short and long-term outcomes/goals for each identified nursing diagnosis utilizing the SMART format.
  • Lecture material with associated web readings
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Complete assigned activities

Lesson 5

Topic: Nursing Process Overview – Planning, (Interventions), Implementations and Evaluations.

Objectives:

  • Identify nursing interventions to prevent, reduce, or resolve client problems.
  • Discuss the Implementation of nursing interventions.
  • Evaluate effectiveness of Nursing Care Plan.
  • Lecture material with associated web readings
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Complete assigned activities

Lesson 6

Topic: Effective Communication; Therapeutic Relationship; SBAR.

Objectives:

  • Identify the main concepts of effective communication processes.
  • Describe the characteristics of the therapeutic nurse-client relationship and each of the Phases of professional and therapeutic nurse-client relationships as defined by Hildegard Peplau.
  • Identify the SBAR Method of Communication (Institute of Healthcare Improvement)
  • Apply the SBAR Method of Communication in a simulated patient situation.
  • Lecture material with associated web readings
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Complete assigned activities

Lesson 7

Topic: Patient Education

Objectives:

  • Describe the importance and purposes of patient education.
  • Identify teaching and learning principles.
  • Describe the relationship of the teaching-learning process to the nursing process.
  • Describe strategies for identifying and writing learning objectives.
  • Identify interventions to achieve the learning outcomes.
  • Incorporate a teaching nursing diagnosis, objectives, interventions and evaluation strategy in a nursing care plan.
  • Lecture material with associated web readings
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Complete assigned activities

Lesson 8

Topics: Legal, Ethical, and Professional Standards in Nursing

Lesson Objectives:

  • Describe the legal implications to nursing practice.
  • Identify and define the QSEN competencies.
  • Recognize the National Patient Safety Goals.
  • Describe the ethical implications in nursing practice.
  • Differentiate between the LPN and the RN student roles, and difference in Professional Scope of Practice from LPN to RN.
  • Lecture material with associated web readings
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Complete assigned activities

Additional Resources

  • Selected additional readings are required and will be made available.

COSC Accessibility Statement

Charter Oak State College encourages students with disabilities, including non-visible disabilities such as chronic diseases, learning disabilities, head injury, attention deficit/hyperactive disorder, or psychiatric disabilities, to discuss appropriate accommodations with the Office of Accessibility Services at OAS@charteroak.edu.

COSC Policies, Course Policies, Academic Support Services and Resources

Students are responsible for knowing all Charter Oak State College (COSC) institutional policies, course-specific policies, procedures, and available academic support services and resources. Please see COSC Policies for COSC institutional policies, and see also specific policies related to this course. See COSC Resources for information regarding available academic support services and resources.