LPN-to-RN Mobility Concentration

The Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) program is designed to provide knowledge in general education courses and nursing. On successful completion of the prescribed curriculum, graduates are eligible to make application to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). 

The ADN program is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). The ACEN is a resource for accreditation information regarding the ADN program. The ACEN can be contacted at:

3390 Peachtree Road Northeast, Suite 1400
Atlanta, Georgia 30326
404- 975-5000
www.acenursing.org. 

The Associate Degree Nursing Program is approved by the Alabama Board of Nursing.  The Alabama Board of Nursing can be contacted at:

Alabama Board of Nursing                                         
RSA Plaza, Suite 250                                                   
770 Washington Ave.                                                    
Montgomery, AL  36104
Phone: 800-656-5318
FAX:  334-293-5201
http://www.abn.alabama.gov

Mailing address:
Alabama Board of Nursing
PO Box 303900
Montgomery, AL  36130-3900

Each nursing student shall comply with legal, moral, and legislative standards in accordance with the Alabama Law Regulating Practice of Registered and Practical Nursing as stated below: 

The Board may also deny, revoke, or suspend any license issued by it or otherwise discipline a licensee upon proof that the licensee: is guilty of fraud or deceit in procuring or attempting to procure a license; has been convicted of a felony; is guilty of a crime involving moral turpitude or of gross immorality that would tend to bring reproach upon the nursing profession; is unfit or incompetent due to the use of alcohol, or is addicted to the use of habit forming drugs to such an extent as to render him or her unsafe or unreliable as a licensee; is unable to safely practice nursing with reasonable skill and safety to patients by reason of illness, inebriation, excessive use of drugs, narcotics, alcohol, chemicals, or any other substance, or as a result of any mental or physical condition; has been convicted of any violation of a federal or state law relating to controlled substances; is guilty of unprofessional conduct of a character likely to deceive, defraud, or injure the public in matters pertaining to health or has willfully or repeatedly violated article as defined by Board rules and regulations.**

*Alabama Board of Nursing, Nurse Practice Act, 1997-98, Article II, §34-21-25 (b)(1).

It is important that nursing students be aware of Alabama Board of Nursing regulations on the review of candidates for eligibility for initial and continuing licensure. The Application for Licensure by Examination asks specific questions such as the following:

1. Have you ever been arrested for, been charged with, been convicted of, entered a plea of guilty to, entered a plea of nolo contendere or no contest for, received deferred prosecution or adjudication for, had judgment withheld for, received pretrial diversion for, or pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity or mental defect to any crime other than a minor traffic violation in any state, territory, or country?  Any crime related to driving while impaired or while under the influence of any substance is not a minor traffic violation.
    
2. In the past five years, have you abused alcohol, drugs (whether legal or illegal, prescribed or unauthorized), and/or other chemical substances or received treatment or been recommended for treatment for dependency to alcohol, drugs (whether legal or illegal, prescribed or unauthorized), and/or other chemical substances?
    
3. Have you ever been arrested or convicted for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol?
    
4. In the past five years, have you had, or do you now have, a physical or mental health problem that may impair your ability to provide safe nursing care?
    
5. Has the licensing authority of any state, territory, or country denied, revoked, suspended, reprimanded, fined, accepted your surrender of, restricted, limited, placed on probation, or in any other way disciplined your nursing and/or any other occupational license, registration, certification, or approval?
    
6. Is the Board of Nursing or other licensing authority of any state, territory, or country, including but not limited to, the Alabama Board of Nursing, currently investigating you?
    
7. Is disciplinary action pending against you with the Board of Nursing or other licensing authority of any state, territory, or country, including but not limited, to the Alabama Board of Nursing?
    
8. Have you ever been placed on a state and/or federal abuse registry?
    
9. Has any branch of the armed services ever administratively discharged you with any characterization of service besides Honorable and/or court-martialed you?

Application to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) may be denied based on this review. Although these policies specifically refer to Alabama, other states have similar stipulations regarding licensure.

ASSOCIATE IN APPLIED SCIENCE DEGREE

Students who complete all courses in the curriculum will be awarded an associate in applied science degree in Associate Degree Nursing. Eligibility for completion of the Associate Degree Nursing program requires completion of all curriculum components, including comprehensive assessment testing during each term of enrollment in NUR-prefix courses.

LPN-TO-RN MOBILITY ADMISSION

Program requirements for health programs offered within the Alabama Community College System may be reviewed and revised between publication deadlines for this and future College Catalog and Student Handbook documents. Admission requirements below were in effect at the time this document was published and may or may not be current. Prospective students should contact the program office to obtain requirement updates. 

Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) may receive advanced placement in the Associate Degree Nursing program. LPNs who have graduated from the Alabama Community College System Practical Nursing standardized curriculum may be eligible to enter the LPN-to-RN Mobility Option during the third semester, without validation of theory and skills, if graduation occurred within two years of admission to the Mobility Option.

LPNs who have graduated more than two years prior to admission to the LPN-to-RN Mobility program or those who graduated from a nursing program other than the Alabama Community College System Practical Nursing standardized curriculum will be required to successfully complete NUR 200—LPN Role Transition to Associate Degree Nurse (RN), for validation of theory and skills. On successful completion of NUR 200, students are eligible for entry into NUR 201—Nursing Through the Lifespan I, the third semester of the ADN curriculum. LPNs must maintain their LPN Licenses while in the mobility program.

Minimum admission requirements for the LPN-to-RN Mobility program are as follows:

1. Unconditional admission to the College.
    
2. Unencumbered single-state or multi-state license to practice as an LPN in Alabama
    
3. Receipt of a completed nursing application by deadline set by ADN Program Office.
    
4. A minimum 2.5 grade point average for the last 24 hours of college credit for students with previous college work or high school diploma or GED for students with no previous college work:
    
   1. Students who have undergraduate-level credit hours will have a grade point average based on the most recent 24 hours of undergraduate credit hours.
       
   2. Students who have 24 or more credit hours at the graduate level will have a grade point average based on the most recent 24 hours of graduate-level credit— undergraduate-level credit hours will be ignored.
       
   3. Students who have less than 24 hours at the graduate level will have a grade point average computed on the most recent 24 hours of undergraduate credit hours— graduate credit hours will be ignored.
       
   4. High school credits will not be used in calculating the grade point average, except as required in the Early Admission for Accelerated High School Students program.
       
5. A status of good standing with the College.
    
6. An ability to meet essential functions required for nursing. A copy of the essential functions is available from the ADN program office and published on the College website, www.wallace.edu.
    
7. Successful completion (grade of C or higher) of the following courses prior to application to the LPN-to-RN Mobility Option:
    
   1. BIO 201— Anatomy and Physiology I
       
   2. BIO 202—Anatomy and Physiology I
       
   3. ENG 101—English Composition I
       
   4. MTH 100—Intermediate College Algebra (or higher level)
       
8. Completion of the ATI Test of Essential Academic Skills, (ATI TEAS) within three years of the program application deadline.
    
9. Valid, unencumbered Alabama LPN license or Multi-State License with authorization to practice as an LPN in Alabama.

Positions for advanced placement are limited based on the number of nursing faculty members and clinical facilities available. Meeting minimum requirements does not guarantee acceptance.

PROGRESSION

In order to progress in the nursing program the following policy should be followed:

1. A total of two unsuccessful attempts in two separate semesters (D, F, or W) in the nursing program will result in dismissal from the program.
    
2. A student may be reinstated to the nursing program only one time. The reinstatement is not guaranteed due to limitations in clinical spaces. All nursing admission standards must be met.
    
3. A student must have a 2.0 cumulative GPA at the current institution for reinstatement.
    
4. If a student has a documented extenuating circumstance that should be considered related to a withdrawal or failure, then this student may request a hearing before the Admission Committee or other appropriate college committee for a decision on repeating a course or readmission to the program.

Definitions:

Reinstatement: Students who have a withdrawal or failure in a nursing course and are eligible to return to that course will be considered for reinstatement to the program.

Readmission: Students not eligible for program reinstatement may apply for program admission as a new student. If accepted as a new student, the student must take or retake all nursing program courses.

Process for Reinstatement

1. Schedule an appointment with a nursing faculty member or advisor to discuss eligibility for reinstatement.
    
2. Apply for reinstatement to the nursing program and submit the application by published deadlines.
    
3. Apply for readmission to the College if not currently enrolled. College readmission must be accomplished by published deadlines.
    
4. Update all drug testing and background screening according to program policy.

AUDIT

Effective September 12, 2012 there shall be no auditing allowed for any Health Science classes.

TRANSFER POLICY

The transfer policy applies only to students desiring to transfer among Alabama Community College System institutions. It does not apply to students who want to transfer from other institutions.

Criteria for Transfer

1. Meet minimum admission standards for the nursing program.
    
2. Possess a grade of C or better in all nursing program required courses taken at another institution and possess a minimum of a 2.0 cumulative grade point average at time of transfer.
    
3. Provide a letter of eligibility for progression from the dean or director of the previous nursing program for progression in previous nursing program.
    
4. Comply with all program policy requirements at the accepting institution.
    
5. Complete at least 25% of the nursing program required courses for degree or certificate at the accepting institution. 
    
6. Meet acceptability criteria for placement at clinical agencies for clinical experience.

Acceptance of transfer students into nursing programs is limited by the number of faculty members and clinical facilities available. Meeting minimal standards does not guarantee acceptance.

Student selection for transfer is based on grade point average in nursing program required courses.

In addition to the criteria above, students desiring to transfer from nursing programs outside the two-year institutions within the Alabama Community College System must do the following:

1. Submit syllabi from all previously taken nursing courses for which the student requests evaluation for transfer credit. Skills checklists and evidence of a drug computation examination, if applicable, must be included.
    
2. Submit all of the documents above no later than mid-term of the term prior to which the student is requesting admission.
    
3. Be eligible to begin the Wallace Community College Associate Degree Nursing program within one year of leaving the previous nursing program. 

Documentation submitted by students outside the Alabama Community College System will be evaluated by the Admissions Committee of the Associate Degree Nursing program. The Committee, subject to approval from the College Registrar, will make the following determinations

1. Academic prerequisite course requirements met for the semester to which the student requests admission.
    
2. Content of nursing courses completed, which is equivalent to the content of nursing courses for which the student requests credit. (In general, transfer credit is awarded only for courses equivalent to those in the first semester of the curriculum.)
    
3. Required validation, if any, of theory content, skills performance, and drug computation ability.

Students desiring transfer will be notified of the Admissions Committee’s decision prior to registration for the term requested. Acceptance of transfer students into the Associate Degree Nursing Program is limited by the number of faculty members and clinical facilities available. Meeting minimal standards does not guarantee acceptance.

TRANSIENT STUDENT POLICY

The transient policy applies only to students desiring to transfer among Alabama Community College System institutions. It does not apply to students who want to transfer from other institutions. 

Criteria for Transient Status

1. Meet minimum admission standards for the nursing program.
    
2. Possess a grade of C or better in all nursing program required courses taken at another institution and possess a minimum of a 2.0 cumulative grade point average.
    
3. Provide a letter of eligibility for progression from the dean or director of the previous nursing program for progression in previous nursing program.
    
4. Secure permission, if enrolled at another institution, from that institution by submitting an Application for Admission to the College and a Transient Student Form completed only an official (nursing program dean or director) of the primary institution.
    
5. Complete a Transcript Request Form at the end of the term before a transcript will be issued to the primary institution.
    
6. Comply with all program policy requirements at accepting institution.
    
7. Meet acceptability criteria for placement at clinical agencies for clinical experience. 

Acceptance of transient students into a nursing program is limited by the number of faculty members and clinical facilities available. Meeting minimal standards does not guarantee acceptance.

Student selection for transient status is based on the grade point average in nursing program required courses.

GRADING SCALE

NUR-prefix courses will be evaluated using the following grading scale:

A 90-100

B 80-89

C 75-79

D 60-74

F 59 and below

DEGREE CURRICULUM

The Associate Degree Nursing program is designed to provide educational opportunities to qualified students for a career in nursing. The curriculum includes a balance of general education, nursing theory, and laboratory and clinical experience. Students may choose to take some or all of the general education courses prior to enrolling in the first nursing course; however, the student must have completed or be eligible to enter into coursework as specified for each entry point, both generic ADN entry or LPN to RN Mobility. All required academic courses must be successfully completed with a C or better.

Comprehensive Assessment (CA) testing through the use of standardized and validated assessment tools will be incorporated into each field of concentration course. This assessment may or may not comprise a portion of grade calculation and is intended to aid in advisement, counseling, and/or remediation of students. Costs associated with CA are the responsibility of the individual students. 

STUDENT NURSE APPRENTICE PROGRAM

The nursing Apprenticeship program provides participants the ability to work and receive pay while advancing their learning.

The following is information regarding application to an apprenticeship:

1. Must be an active, current student of Wallace Community College.
2. Submit a Wallace Community College nursing program application during appropriate application periods and be accepted to the Practical Nursing program.
3. Students accepted into a Wallace Community College Nursing Program are provided the opportunity to submit an apprenticeship application. Applications are provided at an orientation prior to the start of nursing courses during their first semester in the nursing program.
4. A list of students who meet the minimum qualifications for apprenticeship is given to participating healthcare facilities.
5. From that list, participating healthcare facilities select and hire apprentices, based on the number of open positions they have available. Current employees may be selected for the apprenticeship. All apprentices sign an apprenticeship agreement.
6. Student apprentices must commit to working for the healthcare facility and participating in on the job learning at the healthcare facility during the nursing program.  Included in working days are clinical days students are performing for nursing program clinical requirements. Apprenticeship clinical days begin in the second semester of attendance.
7. Student apprentices must apply to the Alabama Board of Nursing for an apprentice permit.
8. Student apprentices are not paid for on-campus classes, labs, or simulation. Student apprentices are paid for clinical hours, not to include simulation.
9. Student apprentices will work one on one with a licensed nurse from the healthcare facility. Students will be held accountable to the same clinical requirements as non-apprentice students in the program.
10. Nursing Program applications are posted on the Wallace Community College website.