CNA to LPN Transition Program for High School Students
Tri County Tech is excited to share their approval as the 7th institution in Oklahoma to offer a Nursing Bridge program. This new step in the nursing pathway allows students to seamlessly transition from the Nursing Assistant program to the Practical Nursing program and become a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) only seven months after graduating high school. These students can enter the healthcare field one year sooner than traditional Practical Nursing students while saving thousands of dollars on their education.
The Nursing Assistant program remains one of Tri County Tech’s most sought-after high school programs, with an average of 80 students applying each year for only 48 available seats. Thanks to new resources made possible by Oklahoma CareerTech’s FY2025 one-time funding, Tri County Tech will expand its capacity by admitting 16 qualifying seniors into the Nursing Bridge program. These students, having successfully completed the Nursing Assistant program as juniors and met program requirements, will gain a direct pathway into the next phase of their nursing education. This initiative is expected to have a lasting impact on the local healthcare industry by adding approximately 16 additional Practical Nursing graduates to the workforce annually.
“After graduating from the Nursing Assistant program, I went on to the Practical Nursing program. From the clinical programs to simulation labs to discussions, you learn everything you need to know to grow as a future nurse and person. Programs like Tri County Tech will leave a lasting impact on you as a person, and as a future employee.”
Gracie P, Tri County Tech Graduate
Students will engage in hands-on experience through classroom, lab, simulation, and clinical experiences in long-term care and the acute care hospital setting. Upon completing the Nursing Bridge program, students will have rotated through over 600 hours of clinical experience. The new program will kick off in August 2024.
“We are so excited to provide high school juniors a pathway into the field of nursing and to do our part in helping to meet the nursing needs in our community. Our Nursing Bridge program allows qualifying students to either enter the field of nursing as a licensed practical nurse or to enroll in a higher education bridge program with advanced standing to obtain their RN or BSN just seven months after graduating from high school.”
Tara Gotwalt | Tri County Tech Chief Instructional Officer
Tri County Tech is proud to be one of the 29 Tech Centers to receive a share of this funding and is committed to using it effectively to help address the nursing shortage and train the next generation of healthcare professionals. To learn more about the new Nursing Bridge program, visit tricountytech.edu//highschool/nursing-bridge
About Tri County Tech: We’re one of Oklahoma’s first CareerTech schools and have a steadfast spirit for innovation and improvement – driving economic development since 1967. Our devotion to each other, our students, and the life-changing learning we provide fuels our pursuit of excellence. We call this the “Tri County Way.” We have locations in Bartlesville, Pawhuska, and Nowata, Oklahoma. Tri County Tech is part of the Oklahoma CareerTech system, which offers programs and services in 29 technology center districts and operates on 59 campuses across the state. CareerTech plays a vital role in developing a world-class workforce for Oklahoma employers and prepares Oklahomans to succeed in the workplace, in education, and life.