Bridge Program
LVN to RN Bridge Program
Ranger offers a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) to Registered Nurse (RN) Bridge Program with approval from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Texas State Board of Nursing (BON). This track is only available at the Brown County Center. The program combines the first two semesters of the traditional RN Program into one semester and then allows the students to join their ADN colleagues in the third semester and complete the program.
Start of the Program
The program begins each Spring semester. The deadline to apply to the Bridge is October 1st.
Location
Brown County Center
- See Requirements and Curriculum for the RN Program and the LVN to RN Bridge Program.
- Admission Test for Nursing: The Test of Essential Academic Skill (TEAS) assesses entry-level academic readiness of nursing program applicants. A “PROFICIENT”
level score is required for the program.
Register here.
In registration, choose “Ranger College” as the school and “Early, Texas” as the test location. The TEAS is proctored at the Early campus on most Thursday afternoons during the spring and summer semesters. - Apply to Ranger College. All guidelines for acceptance into Ranger College must be met, including Texas Success Initiative (TSI) completion. Apply here.
- Once accepted, your Ranger email account will be created by the Ranger IT Dept. Visit Student Services to learn about your Ranger College email account.
- Submit your completed application materials to the Nursing Program office in Early.
ADN Application
Contact
325-203-5013
nursing@rangercollege.edu
STEP #1
Apply to Ranger College online, if not already a Ranger student. All guidelines for acceptance into Ranger College must be met: https://www.rangercollege.edu//admissions/
STEP #2
Official Transcripts: request and send two (2) official transcripts.
Send one transcript to:
Ranger College Registrar’s Office
1240 College Circle
Ranger, TX 76470
Email: transcripts@rangercollege.edu
Send second transcript to:
Ranger College Bridge Nursing Program
300 Early Blvd. Suite 105
Early, TX 76802
Email: nursing@rangercollege.edu
STEP #3
Admission Test for Nursing: The Test of Essential Academic Skill (TEAS) assesses entry level academic readiness of nursing program applicants. The TEAS must be taken in a face-to-face proctored setting: in person at Ranger College, in person at another approved institution of higher education, or in person at an approved TEAS testing site. TEAS is offered on most Thursdays at Brown County Campus. Fee is approx. $100. Register for TEAS at atitesting.com.
STEP #4
Submit your completed Bridge application materials to the Nursing Department Office:
Ranger College Nursing Program
300 Early Boulevard, Suite 105
Early, TX 76802
Offered in Brown County ONLY
3 Semester Program (no summer nursing courses)
Prerequisite Courses/Credit Hours
Prerequisite course grades of C or greater in each course, with cumulative GPA of 2.5 or better on pre- requisite course work to be considered for acceptance:
ENG 1301 |
Composition I |
3 |
BIOL 2401 |
Anatomy & Physiology I |
4 (within 5 years) |
PSYC 2301 |
General Psychology |
3 |
PSYC 2314 |
Lifespan Growth & Development |
3 |
Selective Admission Criteria
Nursing is a selective admission program. Applications to the program are considered via a point system that includes grade point average, grades in required courses, residence, and other criteria. Preference will be given to individuals residing in Brown, Comanche, Eastland, Erath, and Young counties. Applicants must apply and be accepted to Ranger College and must submit a separate application to the ADN Department.
The TEAS Version 7 Entrance Exam must be taken before the application deadline:
- Starting in Fall 2022, applicants must successfully complete the ATI TEAS Version 7 entrance exam with a cumulative score of “Proficient” and 40.7% or higher in each content section: Reading, Math, Science, and English & Language The required cumulative and content scores must be achieved in a single attempt of the TEAS. If any of the applicant’s Anatomy & Physiology or Microbiology courses are older than five years at time of application, the TEAS 7 Science score must be 58.7% (Proficient) or higher.
- The maximum number of attempts an applicant may take the TEAS is three times during an academic
- The TEAS is offered at RC’s Brown County Center in Early, Texas, on selected Thursdays throughout the summer and academic Official TEAS scores must be sent to: nursing@rangercollege.edu.
- The TEAS must be taken in a face-to-face -to-face proctored setting: in-person at Ranger College, in-person at another approved institution of higher education, or in-person at an approved TEAS testing site.
Register for the TEAS at: www.atitesting.com
Candidates may submit documentation of vaccines and other requirements with the application. Prerequisite courses must be completed prior to beginning the program. A grade of C or better in all prerequisite courses, and a prerequisite cumulative prerequisite GPA of 2.5 or higher, is required to be considered for acceptance into the nursing program.
How to Apply
Requirements for initial application (subject to change) must be included in the application packet:
- Proof of high school graduation or completion. This must be verified by an official high school transcript or an original GED transcript.
- Texas Success Initiative (TSI) scores that meet Ranger College
- Cumulative P.A. of 2.5 or better on pre-requisite course work, with a grade of C or higher in each prerequisite course.
- A completed application to Ranger College and a separate application to the ADN Department: edu/academics/allied-health/bridge-program.php.
- Three (3) letters of reference from non-family members. (Forms included in the application packet for the nursing program available on the website.)
- Physical (Form included in the application packet and available on the website.)
- Anatomy & Physiology and Microbiology classes must be current within five years from the date of application. If any of the Anatomy & Physiology and Microbiology classes are older than five years from the date of application, the applicant’s TEAS 7 Science Score must be 58.7% (Proficient) or higher. Otherwise, the applicant must retake the course(s) and achieve a C or higher, with a cumulative prerequisite GPA of 2.5 or higher.
- Proof of immunization status via official documentation from a healthcare clinic or The list of required immunizations is on the website and application and is subject to change based on clinical affiliation requirements.
- Proof of negative 2-step tuberculosis screening; OR one negative QuantiFERON gold test OR a chest x-ray within two years if the test is positive.
- Proof that Hepatitis B vaccine series will be complete prior to start of direct patient care; OR show serologic confirmation of immunity to the hepatitis B virus.
- Completion of all prerequisite courses or evidence of enrollment in the semester preceding intended start of program. (Students must earn a C or better for consideration.)
- Submission of application to the program and the required TEAS Version 7 scores on or before the annual deadline of May 15 for traditional ADN and October 1 for Bridge (LVN to RN) students.
- Any degree plan corequisites taken before admission must be a C or If a corequisite course grade is a D or F, whether taken at Ranger College or another institution, the corequisite course must be retaken with a course grade of C or higher before being considered for admission to the ADN program.
- Applicants must be in good financial standing with Ranger College before being fully accepted into the program and registered for nursing courses. See the catalog section titled "Tuition and Fees, Overdue Financial Obligations” for more information.
- Interview with ADN Admissions
Students will be accepted based on criteria established by the selection committee and a point system. A satisfactory FBI criminal background check is required by the Board of Nursing prior to final admission to the program and a drug test will be required every semester during the program.
Required notification: Criminal charges/activity occurring prior to or during your nursing program may affect your eligibility to be licensed following graduation. Refer to the Texas Board of Nursing website for licensure eligibility: https:www.bon.texas.gov/licensure_eligibility.asp.html
Associate of Applied Science in Nursing LVN to RN BRIDGE Program*
Ranger offers a licensed vocational nurse (LVN) to registered nurse (RN) Bridge program at its Brown County Center. This track begins in January with an application deadline of October 1. It combines the first two semesters of the AASN track, with students joining their AASN colleagues in the third semester.
PREREQUISITE COURSES |
Semester Hours |
|
BIOL 2401 |
Anatomy & Physiology I |
4 |
ENGL 1301 |
Composition I |
3 |
PSYC 2301 |
General Psychology |
3 |
PSYC 2314 |
Lifespan Growth and Development |
3 |
|
Semester Total |
13 |
TOTAL PREREQUISITE COURSES |
26 |
|
LVN Transition Semester - Spring |
||
BIOL 2402 |
Anatomy & Physiology II |
4 |
RNSG 1324 |
Concept Based Transition to Professional Nursing |
3 |
RNSG 1118 |
Transition to Professional Nursing Competencies |
1 |
RNSG 1128 |
Intro to Health Care Concepts |
1 |
RNSG 1163 |
LVN Transition Clinical |
1 |
Total Semester Hours |
10 |
|
Upon successful completion of transition courses |
Prerequisite for Level III: |
12 |
Semester III Fall |
||
BIOL 2420 or 2421 |
Microbiology for Non-Science Majors or Microbiology for Science Majors |
4 |
RNSG 1538 |
Health Care Concepts III |
5 |
RNSG 1137 |
Professional Nursing Concepts III |
1 |
RNSG 2363 |
Clinical-Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse |
3 |
Total Semester Hours |
13 |
|
Semester IV Spring |
||
Elective |
Humanities/Fine Arts |
3 |
RNSG 2539 |
Health Care Concepts IV |
5 |
RNSG 2138 |
Professional Nursing Concepts IV |
1 |
RNSG 2360 |
Clinical-Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse |
3 |
Total Semester Hours |
12 |
|
Total Hours |
60 |
*For students who ARE already Licensed Vocational Nurses
Q: What do I need to do first in applying to the Nursing Program?
A: To begin the process, you will need to take the Test of Essential Academic Skill
(TEAS). The TEAS assesses entry-level academic readiness of nursing program applicants.
“PROFICIENT” level scoring is required for entrance into the Nursing Program. Sign
up instructions for this test are on the ATI website: atitesting.com. After registering
with ATI, you will choose Ranger College as your school and Early, TX as the test
location. The TEAS is proctored at our Early campus on most Thursday afternoons currently.
Register for the TEAS at atitesting.com/teas/register.
Q: If I apply to Ranger College, do I also need to apply to the Associate Degree Nursing
Program?
A: Yes. You must apply to each separately. Follow the sequence and instructions.
Q: Why do I need to submit 2 official transcripts?
A: You will need to request any and all official transcripts sent to both the Ranger
College Registrar at 1100 College Circle, Ranger TX, 76470 and the Ranger College
Brown County Campus, Attn: Dean of Nursing at 300 Early Blvd, Suite 105, Early, TX
76802. The seal on the envelope must not be broken. * Two official transcripts are
required because the Associate Degree Nursing Program is not on the main campus and
the Texas Board of Nursing requires official transcripts to be kept on file on site.
Q: How do I obtain financial aid?
A: Apply for your financial aid on the FASFA website at FAFSA.gov. Direct all Financial
Aid questions to the Financial Aid department located at the Ranger Main Campus at
254.647.3234, ext. 217.