BridgeValley Community & Technical College Adds New LPN Program to School of Nursing
(South Charleston, WV) – BridgeValley Community and Technical College’s (BVCTC) School of Nursing is growing again – this time adding a new LPN Program to better meet the needs of its students and the Mountain State. On July 28, the West Virginia State Board of Examiners for Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) approved BVCTC to offer a Practical Nursing Program on its South Charleston campus.
In accordance with the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, the West Virginia Department of Education and the West Virginia Community and Technical College System’s Nursing Career Pathways initiative, the BVCTC School of Nursing creating a career pathway to better meet its service district’s still unmet need for nursing assistants, licensed practical nurses and registered nurses.
“The demand for LPNs remains high and this is a program our students both want and need,” said Dr. Casey Sacks, President of BVCTC. “Coming right on the heels of the fantastic Nursing Program Extension, which opens this fall, we could not be more excited to once again deliver quality programs that serve the needs of our students, our communities and our state overall. It gives BVCTC students more options as they find their pathways to rewarding, in-demand careers.” The planning and implementation of the new LPN follows phase two of the BVCTC Nursing Expansion Project, which includes new and expanded facilities at the South Charleston campus.
In addition, Kent Wilson, Dean of BVCTC’s Health Division and Nurse Administrator, was notified on August 5th that the Technical Program Development Grant he wrote was approved for a $333,082. The funding will cover the first two years of expenses. Over the next few several weeks and throughout the fall academic term, a Program Coordinator and two full-time faculty members will be hired to design the new program (for 48 qualified and admitted students). It will be a one-year certificate curriculum requiring 30 credits over three academic terms (spring, summer and fall), 625 hours of didactic instruction and 625 hours of clinical instruction (direct patient care, skills development and simulation) for program completion. Once the new LPN Program launches, graduates will receive a certificate and be eligible to sit for the NCLEX-PM licensure exam to become certified LPNs.
“This is huge news for BVCTC because in designing the curricular plan, we’re using a concept-based approach. We’re the first in the state and possibly the nation to take this approach, which will allow graduates to easily and seamlessly transition into the School of Nursing’s Associate Degree in Nursing RN Program options.” said Wilson. In addition, BVCTC will seek national accreditation from the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) and once approved, BVCTC’s new LPN Program will be the state’s only nationally accredited LPN program.
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About BridgeValley Community and Technical College
BridgeValley Community and Technical College promotes student success, prepares a skilled workforce, and builds tomorrow’s leaders by providing access to quality higher education. BridgeValley Community and Technical College is the college of opportunity for a diverse learner population, offering leading-edge technology, innovative ideas, and dynamic service to our students and our communities.
BridgeValley Community and Technical College was founded on March 20, 2014, and serves a seven-county region including Fayette, Kanawha, Clay, Putnam, Cabell, Mason, and Wayne counties. The college operates two campuses in Montgomery and South Charleston, along with the addition of the Advanced Technology Center. BridgeValley Community and Technical College is a public institution of higher education independently accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges and a member of the Community and Technical College System of West Virginia.
Promoting student success, preparing a skilled workforce, and building tomorrow’s leaders.