Nursing program accepting applicants
Texarkana College’s Associate Degree Nursing program is accepting applications through Oct. 15 from licensed vocational nurses who wish to continue their education to become registered nurses. The next VN-ADN transition class begins January 2019.
Previously, LVNs applied for the three-semester transition program in the spring and began classes during the summer.
“Shifting the start date to the spring allows us to give students a class schedule that fits into their busy lives,” Courtney Shoalmire, dean of health sciences stated in a press release. “This will allow them to complete the program by going to class three to four days a week instead of five days a week.”
LVNs who transition to registered nursing will see benefits such as increased independence on the job and higher salaries. The average annual wage for LVNs in this area is $38,000 per year, while the average RN salary is $59,000.
“LVNs are great candidates for our RN program because they are already familiar with working in a healthcare setting and they’re prepared for the rigor of the nursing coursework,” Shoalmire said. “They know this is a serious career move that will benefit them and their families for years to come.”
According to Career Coach, there are currently almost 1,500 registered nurses employed within a 10 mile radius of Texarkana— and that number is expected to continue growing.
“We live in a hub for healthcare in our region,” Shoalmire said. “We have some of the best medical facilities around, and every one of them needs trained, competent registered nurses.”
An information session will be held at 5 p.m., Oct. 2 in Room 151 of Texarkana College’s Health Sciences Center. Potential applicants are encouraged to sign up for the information session in advance at learn.texarkanacollege. edu/LVNtransition. Candidates for the transition program must be a licensed vocational nurse or a recent graduate from a vocational nursing program and eligible to take the licensure examination.
For more information, contact Health Sciences Enrollment Specialist Karen Holt at 903-8233351 or karen.holt@texarkanacollege.edu.