LPN to BSN

Advance your education without putting your career on hold through CBC’s LPN to BSN program! We know nurses lead busy lives, which is why we have created a program that allows you to balance work, school, and everyday life. At completion of the program, you will be awarded a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree and will be eligible to become a Registered Nurse (RN) through the state licensure examination.

About the Program

The LPN to BSN program will admit a cohort of 16 students once per year during summer quarter (the program’s first cohort will start in winter, with students being admitted summer quarter thereafter). The program is 7 academic quarters in length. Classroom instruction will be offered online throughout the week, with laboratory and clinical instruction taking place on weekends at the Health Science Center in Richland and local healthcare facilities. We also have state-of-the-art simulation labs that provide a safe environment for students to practice clinical skills and scenarios.

Benefits of the Program

As one of only 5 LPN to BSN programs in the state, our program is designed for the working LPN with courses offered online and on the weekends. CBC is proud of its reputation for providing quality nursing education and our programs are highly regarded in the healthcare community. Our graduates consistently surpass national averages for first time pass rates on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN).

Prerequisite Courses

It is strongly encouraged to complete nursing prerequisites before applying to the program; however, we will still consider your application as long as your prerequisites are completed before the program start date.

To be considered for the LPN to BSN program, the applicant must have completed 55-58 general education credits, including all of the following (or their equivalents):

  • BIOL&160 General Biology with Lab
  • BIOL& 241 Human Anatomy and Physiology I
  • BIOL&242 Human Anatomy and Physiology II
  • BIOL&260 Microbiology  
  • CHEM& 121 Intro to Chemistry with Lab -  or higher
  • CMST& 101, 210, 220, or CMST 260 Communication Studies (5 credits)  
  • ENGL&101 English Composition, OR 
    ENGL& 102 Composition, OR ENGL& 235 Technical Writing (as of Fall 2023)
  • MATH& 146 Intro to Statistics
  • PSYC&100 Introduction to Psychology
  • PSYC&200 Lifespan Psychology  
  • NUTR&101 Nutrition

Note: Nutrition 101 may be taken concurrently during the LPN to BSN program. Students accepted into the LPN to BSN program are encouraged to complete NUTR& 101 prior to starting the program.

Transcripts will be reviewed by the CBC Transcript Evaluator to ensure course equivalency. Prerequisite courses do not have an expiration date; however, prerequisite courses must be completed prior to starting the LPN-BSN program.

 

Entrance Requirements

To be eligible for the CBC LPN to BSN program, each of the following requirements must be met.

  • Must have a current unrestricted Washington State Licensed Practical Nurse License. Nurses holding a license from another state will need to obtain a Washington LPN license by one month prior to program start date.
  • Must be a current student at CBC. If not, you can apply for admission here.
  • Submission of official transcripts from all schools the student has attended; please have these sent to Student Records, not the Nursing program. It is the student’s responsibility to follow-up with CBC to ensure that transcripts have arrived and been evaluated.
  • Submit the nursing program application by the assigned due date for the program start.

Students are admitted using a holistic admissions. Please see the Application Process tab on the left side of this page for more information.

Once accepted in the LPN to BSN program, students will need to submit the following:

  • Required immunization records
  • Current American Heart Association BLS Provider CPR card
  • Satisfactory criminal history background check using a college approved vendor. Criminal history background information is required of all nursing students. Information obtained will be considered in determining student eligibility to complete clinical coursework. Inability to participate in clinical experiences due to the information obtained from the background check may result in the student’s inability to satisfactorily completed program degree requirements. Any infraction while enrolled in the nursing program should be self-reported to the coordinator/director. Questions regarding this policy should be directed to the Director for Nursing Programs at 509-544-8318.

 

Credit by Examination

The NCLEX test credit fee brings 35 credits to your BSN. The cost of these credits is $350. The addition of 35 credits is needed for the total number of credits required for the BSN degree. The outreach and retention coordinator will prompt you to enroll in NRS 399 (NCLEX fee placeholder course) during one quarter of your program. At that time, the $350 fee will be added to your account and you will be granted the additional 35 credits.

 

BSN Tuition and Fees

For information regarding tuition for the BSN program, please see Tuition Affordability on the Pay for College webpage. 

BSN Tuition

Washington State Credentialing

Education and Training
Applicants must be a graduate of a nursing program approved by the WA State Board of Nursing. New graduates must apply by exam.

Examination 
The WA State Board of Nursing requires applicants successfully complete the NCLEX examination.
 
Single-state vs Multistate License 
Starting Jan 31, 2024, applicants have the option to apply for a Washington single-state license or a multistate license (MSL).

Washington State Board of Nursing

Program Approval and Accreditation

The CBC BSN nursing programs are approved by the:
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
655 K Street NW, Suite 750
Washington, D.C. 20001
202-887-6791

 

 

Application Process

The next LPN-BSN cohort will start in June 2025 and a new cohort will start every summer thereafter. The program will admit up to 16 students per cohort. Students will be selected using an LPN-BSN Holistic Admissions Scoring Process that incorporates information such as cumulative GPA, volunteer experience, evaluation of an essay or interview, work experience, etc.

The 16 applicants with the highest holistic admissions scores will be offered admission and a wait list of potential applicants will be drafted. If an accepted applicant declines entry into the program, the first applicant on the wait list is accepted. Students who are not admitted to the program after the first week of the quarter must reapply for the next admission cycle.

Program Application
The next opportunity to apply to the program will be February 2025 for a Summer 2025 program start. Below is the program application packet for information only.



Information regarding the application process is available in the LPN-BSN packet.

LPN-BSN Packet



National Background Search & Drug Screen Requirements

As part of the admission requirements for Health Science programs, applicants must successfully pass a criminal background check and drug screen prior to working with patients in clinical areas. The background check and drug screen are paid by the student and administered through a third party company, CastleBranch. In addition to the background check required by CBC, each clinical facility reserves the right to conduct its own criminal background check prior to allowing a student to enter its health care facilities for clinical participation.

Certain criminal convictions, pending charges, or negative actions may automatically disqualify a person from having unsupervised access to vulnerable adults, juveniles and children. Clinical facilities reserve the right to accept or decline a student’s placement in its facility.      

LPN-BSN Program Outcomes

Member of the Profession
The LPN to BSN graduate will:
1.  Formulate Nursing practice decisions using research and evidence derived from nursing science
2.  Integrate critical thinking, clinical reasoning, assessment data, and clinical skills to promote the health of communities and vulnerable populations across the lifespan and continuum of healthcare environments.

Provider of Patient-Centered Care
The LPN-BSN graduate will:
3.   Incorporate knowledge from the arts, humanities, and sciences in the planning and provision of holistic nursing care.
4.   Integrate and demonstrate the nursing core values of altruism, autonomy, human dignity, integrity, advocacy, and social justice in the care of individuals, families, and communities throughout the life span and across the continuum of health care environments.
5.   Apply principles of leadership, and knowledge of quality improvement and organizational systems in designing, managing and coordinating safe, quality and cost effective patient-centered care.

Patient Safety Advocate
The LPN-BSN graduate will:
6.   Utilize evolving information systems and technological advances to assess, monitor and maximize patient safety and outcomes.
7.   Advocate for responsible, humane health care policies that address care for the global community in which we live.

Member of the Health Care Team
The LPN-BSN graduate will:
8.   Demonstrate coordination in the delivery of healthcare services through effective communication and collaboration with individuals, families, communities and interdisciplinary healthcare teams.

Mission, Vision, and Values of the RN-BSN Program

Mission

The LPN to BSN program inspires, educates and supports LPN students in an environment of academic excellence leading to the completion of a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing (BSN) while fostering meaningful employment and engagement in the nursing profession. The LPN to BSN program also prepares students for graduate level education and encourages a joy of and commitment to life-long learning.

Vision

Columbia Basin College LPN-BSN program will be a trusted member of the healthcare community, transforming lives by providing excellence in patient care, leadership, and community health. The program will be responsive to the needs for the communities it serves. Students will receive education and experiences which enhance their career and professional mobility.

Values

Student Learning
Faculty work collaboratively with community health and acute care partners to promote students success in the transition to baccalaureate level, professional nursing practice. We strive to create a sense of community through regular and substantive interactions during online classes, clinical experiences, and advising. Teaching methods will promote open inquiry, respect, critical thinking and creativity in a hybrid format.

Culture of Excellence
Faculty create a culture of excellence while providing instruction, mentorship, exploration and integration of baccalaureate content into the role of the professional nurse. The faculty actively promotes community partnerships and collaboration.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
We uphold and model a commitment to providing care and working within systems to support the dignity, respect and sensitivity for all people. We celebrate diversity in all its forms and we believe that our many unique perspectives makes us stronger.

Sustainability
We practice stewardship of resources in the provision of excellent nursing care and instruction. We mentor students in the application of sustainable policies and practices in the healthcare system.

Wellbeing
We promote wellbeing in nurses as they grow in their profession. We create opportunities to explore the value of wellbeing for the individuals, family, and community.

Program Goals

1. Incorporate a dynamic curriculum that utilizes state-of-the art equipment and resources.

2. Be responsive to the current and projected health care needs of south central Washington State residents

3. Develop and maintain partnerships with local health care agencies to facilitate students learning and education articulation

4. Promote diversity among nursing students, faculty and staff

5. Foster the physical and emotional well-being of students, faculty, and staff

6. Nurture the desire for life-long learning

7. Support faculty development and excellence

8. Integrate the use of evidence-based practice and quality improvement to achieve best practice standards

 

 

Registered Nurses (RNs) assume a wide variety of roles in patient care both in and out of traditional hospitals. Specific job titles and duties will vary depending on where you work and the types of patients you care for. There are opportunities for RNs to limit their work to caring for specific patient populations such as:

  • Pediatric nursing
  • Critical care nursing
  • Neonatal nursing
  • Rehabilitation nursing

RNs might also work to promote public health, run health screenings or blood drives, or staff the health clinics in schools. RNs could also become:

  • Healthcare consultants
  • Public policy advisors
  • Researchers
  • Hospital administrators
  • Salespeople for pharmaceutical and medical supply companies
  • Medical writers and editors

More and more hospitals are requiring RNs to have a BSN. One of the most important reasons for pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing (BSN) is to open the various doors for personal enrichment and advancement. A well-rounded education increases confidence and competence for nurses. Nurses with the BSN degree may be able to practice in a wider variety of settings such as: 

  • Nurse educator
  • Nurse manager
  • Nursing director
  • Clinical research
  • Public health
  • Quality assurance or improvement coordinator
  • Case management

The next step in the career ladder for nurses is a Master’s degree (MSN) or Doctorate in Nursing (DNP or PhD). These graduate programs typically require that an applicant has a BSN degree. Career options for MSN or DNP/PhD prepared nurses include:

  • Nurse Practitioner
  • Nursing Instructor/Professor
  • Nurse Midwife
  • Clinical Nurse Specialist
  • Nurse Anesthetist
  • Director of Nursing

 

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Students walking around CBC's Pasco campus