A Strategy to Increase the Educational Preparation of
North Carolina’s Nursing Workforce–“LPN’s an Untapped Resource”

Research shows: A highly educated nursing workforce saves lives. The Institute of Medicine set the following goal to improve the educational preparation of nurses based upon this research:

80% of the nurse workforce should be prepared at the baccalaureate or higher degree level by 2020. Currently, approximately half of the North Carolina nursing workforce has a baccalaureate or higher degree.

LPN to BSN Task Force
• In Spring 2015, FFNE convened a small workgroup of academic leaders as well as representatives from the NC Area to study the feasibility of an LPN to BSN option
• It was determined that more opportunities exist for ADNs to advance to a BSN or higher degree than for LPNs
• Encouraged innovative plans to help LPNs move towards a BSN

Facts about North Carolina Nurses
• LPNs most closely represent the diversity of our NC population with 33.2% being non-white. (NC population = 36.2 % non-white in 2015)
• There are 22,595 LPNs and 136,981 RNs licensed in North Carolina
• The majority of LPNs remain to practice in North Carolina

Overview of Current NC Strategies and information to advance LPN Academic Progression

• Surrey Community College/Lees-McRae
https://surry.edu/areas-of-study/all-programs/nursing-lpn-bsn-ribn-collaborative
• Durham Technical Community College
• Forsyth Technical Community College/WSSU

Regionally Increasing Baccalaureate Nurses (RIBN): LPN to BSN

• Winston Salem State University
https://www.wssu.edu/admissions/programs/_Files/documents/lpn-to-bsn-course-requirements.pdf

View 2016 LPN-BSN Feasibility Report

2016 LPN-BSN Feasibility Report