Bossier Parish Community College, in partnership with Northwest Louisiana Technical Community College, will offer its LPN to RN program in Desoto Parish. Prerequisite classes will be offered as early as spring 2022, and the first clinical cohort will be offered fall 2022.
The program is designed to help working LPNs continue their education while being employed full time, supporting their families, etc. Cathy Maddry, Assistant Dean of Nursing at BPCC, says that a nursing degree earned at BPCC not only provides the means to become an RN, it provides a stepping stone for advanced degrees in nursing requiring an accredited undergraduate degree.
“Becoming an RN opens many doors for the nurse. BPCC recognizes that many LPNs would like to become RNs, but financial obligations require full-time employment,” Maddry says. “BPCC is pleased to provide a “work-friendly” option for the LPN seeking to continue their education.”
Registered Nursing is considered one of the rapid-growing careers in the nation. The yearly median starting wages are $66,240 in Louisiana.
BPCC Chancellor Dr. Rick Bateman, Jr. says “We are excited about this partnership with our friends at Northwest Louisiana Technical Community College to expand our nursing program to DeSoto Parish and the surrounding area. This is a great opportunity for people in this region to upskill their training and continue to serve in the healthcare industry close to home.”
Todd Eppler with DeSoto Regional Health System echoed Dr. Bateman’s remarks, adding that the program will be a great benefit to the local healthcare community.
“I was excited to learn about this partnership between NLTCC and BPCC to bring this great program to DeSoto Parish,” Eppler said. “I’m proud that DeSoto Regional will be partnering with them to assist with the LPN to RN program.”
The LPN can complete the required prerequisite courses at his/her own pace. All prerequisite courses are offered on campus or online. Many of these classes have day or evening options. The program is fully approved by the Louisiana State Board of Nursing and accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing.
Rep. Larry Bagley (R-LA) praised the collaboration between BPCC and NLTCC as a means of generating high quality healthcare professionals needed to address the current labor shortage.
“The shortage of nurses is a real issue nationally and locally,” Rep. Bagley said. “This new training opportunity will benefit our people and grow our area economically.”
The Colleges will host in-person and virtual informational meetings to provide more information and to answer questions. Those meetings will be held:
Monday, October 18, at 3 p.m. – DeSoto Regional Health System
Monday, October 25, at 6 p.m. – Virtual Meeting
Friday, October 29, 10 a.m. – Mansfield Chamber of Commerce
For more information, contact Cindy Adams at (318) 678-6080 or visit bpcc.edu/DesotoLPNtoRN.