Are you a licensed practical nurse (LPN) with an active Illinois license in good standing? Sandburg's LPN to RN articulation pathway can give you the educational mobility to advance your nursing practice level to a registered professional nurse (RN) in one year. Once completed, you can apply for the associate in applied science degree in nursing, which prepares you for entry level as an RN. Successful graduates are eligible to take the NCLEX-RN licensure examination.
RNs work to promote health, prevent disease, and help patients recover from and cope with illness. They also assess, diagnose, plan, implement and evaluate care to patients; assist physicians with treatments and examinations; administer medications, assist in convalescence and rehabilitation, and provide patient education to clients and families to help improve or maintain the optimum level of health.
Program goals
Safety
You'll evaluate and analyze the client’s and family’s surroundings to identify potential safety concerns to establish and promote a safe environment for your patients/clients and others.
Patient-centered care
You'll analyze your client and family needs, and create a compassionate and culturally sensitive plan of care based on clients’ physiological, psychological, sociological, spiritual, and cultural needs, preferences and values.
Teamwork/collaboration
You'll contribute to, function within and, when appropriate, adopt a leadership role within multidisciplinary healthcare teams to create and foster open communication, mutual respect and shared decision-making to achieve quality patient care.
Critical thinking & clinical judgment
You'll actualize critical-thinking skills (interpretation, analysis, evaluation, inference and explanation) to make professional clinical judgments regarding patient/client clinical responses.
Evidence-based practice
You'll apply and integrate strategic knowledge of best evidence-based practice and standards of care with clinical expertise for the delivery of optimal healthcare, while maintaining client choice and preferences.
Informatics
You'll effectively generate and apply current information and technology to communicate, manage knowledge, mitigate error and support decision making.
Program outcomes
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Student organizations
Associate Degree Nursing Club — First Year
This club is for first-year RN students. We will meet to keep us all informed and together on our classes’ activities, study groups and any professional medical seminars or exhibits that would benefit us as nursing students.
Associate Degree Nursing Club — Second Year
To promote and foster the future of professional nursing with visionary leadership, elevating the level of community health knowledge, and unity through social and cultural activities.
Email the club's advisor, Christina Stone, or call her at 309.341.5292.
View a list of all student organizations.
Application & admissions
Application dates
You must meet with a Sandburg nursing academic advisor before applying to the program. You can apply online between Oct. 1-March 1 for the fall semester start.
This program requires candidates to submit a TEAS test score or valid SAT or ACT test score to be considered for admissions. If you're interested in free preparation materials for the TEAS test, check out the Sandburg PATH to TEAS Excellence program.
Learn how to apply to the program.
Admission info
This limited-enrollment program uses a selection process for admission into the program. Refer to the eligibility & admission requirements for this program to learn more.
Your TEAS test score, SAT or ACT score contributes to eligibility for enrollment in this program. If you're interested in LPN to RN Articulation enrollment, you have the chance to join the Sandburg PATH to TEAS Excellence program. At no cost you, the Sandburg PATH to TEAS Excellence program provides access to TEAS test preparation materials. If you successfully complete the practice tests, you're eligible for reimbursement of one official TEAS test.
The following classes can't be more than five years old at time of your application.
- NAD 130 — Pharmacology for Nurses
- NAD 108 — Health Assessment & Clinical Reasoning
- NAD 106 — Medication Principles for Nurses
These classes are offered in the spring semester each year and must be completed before the summer start date.
Potential careers
Employment
Employment opportunities include hospitals, clinics and physician offices, long-term care/rehabilitation facilities, home health agencies, public health facilities, schools, churches, informatics, correctional facilities and insurance companies. The demand for registered professional nurses is very high and expected to increase. It's projected that employment of RNs will grow 16% from 2014 to 2024, much faster than the average for all occupations.
Growth will occur for a number of reasons, including an increased emphasis on preventive care; growing rates of chronic conditions, such as diabetes and obesity; and demand for healthcare services from the baby-boom population, as they live longer and more, active lives.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor.
Working conditions
Most healthcare facilities provide a safe and comfortable working environment. Care is required around the clock, often in eight- or 12-hour shifts, weekends and holidays, and may involve on-call work. Schools, offices and clinics may offer more traditional work hours. RNs provide direct patient care through knowledge (cognitive function), skills (psychomotor function) and professionalism (affective function). Refer to the essential skills & abilities of a registered nurse to determine if you are able to meet these functions with or without reasonable accommodations.
COURSE INFO
Class formats
Sandburg offers courses in a variety of formats to best fit your needs. Regardless of the format, make sure you have access to a reliable computer with high-speed internet. All courses use online resources and require you to access course information through mySandburg. The Galesburg and Carthage campuses have open computer labs for your use as a student.
Sample course schedule
View a sample course schedule.
Estimated costs
The cost for the certified nursing assistant 31 credit-hour course is approximately $11,808.25 for in-district students.
Financial aid, grants & scholarships
Learn how you can take advantage of financial aid, grants and scholarships available to Sandburg students.
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) helps job seekers access employment, education, training, and support services to succeed in the labor market and to match employers with the skilled workers they need to compete in the global economy. Learn more, and complete this form to determine your eligibility.
Career and technical programs/courses follow our equal opportunity & non-discrimination statement. For more information, email the Title IX coordinator, or call 309.341.5258 or the ADA/504 coordinator at 309.341.5262.
Accreditation & licensure
Accreditation
The associate degree nursing program at Sandburg, located in Galesburg, IL, holds full accreditation status by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), 3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400, Atlanta, GA 30326, 404.975.5000.
The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the associate degree nursing program is Continuing Accreditation.
View the public information disclosed by the ACEN regarding this program.
The Illinois State Board of Nursing (ISBN) and the Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation (IDFPR) have approved the Associate Degree Nursing program.
Licensure
After graduation, you can apply to write for the National Council Licensing Examination (NCLEX-RN). Upon successful completion of this exam, you're eligible to apply for RN licensure in any state. You'll need to complete a criminal background check at the time of licensure application and be evaluated by ISBN before licensure is granted or denied. The Illinois State Board of Nursing (ISBN) can deny nursing licensure and discipline those licensed. You can access all licensing and nursing scope of practice regulations at IDFPR.
Cooperative agreements
Chamberlain College of Nursing
Chamberlain College of Nursing is a not-for-profit nursing college, offering degrees ranging from bachelor’s degrees through doctoral degrees in nursing. Sandburg’s agreement offers students who receive their RN degree from Sandburg the ability to transfer into their BSN program.
Saint Francis Medical Center College of Nursing
Saint Francis College of Nursing offers five guaranteed seats into their BSN program after completing the RN degree meeting certain GPA requirements at Sandburg. For more info, please contact the nursing office at 309.341.5299.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville accelerated bachelor of nursing
Sandburg and the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Nursing (SON) offer an accelerated path to a bachelor in nursing (BS) that allows you to complete your general education courses at Sandburg, earning an associate degree in nursing, and completing your baccalaureate nursing coursework online through SIUE. You can take classes at Sandburg and begin a job in your profession while obtaining your BS online from SIUE.
The University of Illinois-Chicago dual-admissions pathway for RN to BSN degree
Under the agreement, the dual-admissions pathway allows you to earn an associate degree in nursing at Sandburg while enrolling in identified courses that are part of the online UIC RN to BSN degree completion program and working in your home region. Once you successfully completie Sandburg's ADN program, you'll be awarded an associate degree and continue your progress in the UIC online RN to BSN program. UIC will confer the bachelor's degree in nursing after graduation requirements are met.