McNeese State University is hosting an informational session for “Southwest Louisiana LPN to BSN Consortium: Pursuing Success Together” on Thursday, June 27, at 5 p.m. in Stokes Auditorium in Hardtner Hall.
This new program at McNeese offers tuition assistance and academic support to Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) who want to earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN).
“A BSN can open doors to a broader range of nursing roles and specialties,” explained Sierra Higgins, program coordinator and McNeese assistant professor of nursing. “A BSN-prepared nurse has opportunities for career advancement in leadership, management and advanced practice roles.”
The consortium includes the Louisiana Board of Regents, Beauregard Health Systems, CHRISTUS Ochsner St. Patrick Hospital, Lake Charles Memorial Hospital and West Calcasieu Cameron Hospital. The Board of Regents provided $500,000 in scholarship money for two years and the partner hospitals and the McNeese Foundation will offer support for the remaining two years.
The program is for 18 LPN nurses who are currently employed by one of the partner hospitals and who can meet all admission requirements for the McNeese undergraduate nursing program.
“Our bachelor’s program provides comprehensive education, including critical thinking, leadership, case management and health promotion,” Higgins said. “Many BSN nurses find increased job satisfaction in having more autonomy, diverse job responsibilities and professional growth and development opportunities.”
The program will start this fall and include quarterly mentoring sessions that will cover topics such as time management, study skills and problem solving along with lots of encouragement.
Any LPN who wants to pursue a BSN but is not employed by one of the partner hospitals is encouraged to apply to McNeese and to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to find out about other scholarships and financial aid opportunities.
“We welcome all LPNs and LPN students to the informational session who might not be ready to commit to additional education right now, but who are interested in finding out more about BSN education at McNeese,” said Dr. Ann Warner, dean of the McNeese College of Nursing and Health Professions.
The undergraduate nursing program at McNeese has graduated over 4,500 BSN-prepared nurses since it began in the 1950s. Nursing students have had a 98% first-time pass rate on the national licensure exam over the last five years and 100% of McNeese graduates have passed within one year of graduation.
For more information, contact Dr. Sierra Higgins at shiggins@mcneese.edu or call 337-475-5820.
