PRACTICAL NURSING PROGRAM

This WIP component will establish a new Practical Nursing (PN) program at Laramie County Community College (LCCC). Staffing shortages of healthcare professionals like Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) continues to grow toward a critical high, especially in underserved states like Wyoming. A standalone PN program presents the opportunity for more students to secure training and seek employment in this in-demand occupation.

Currently, LCCC Nursing students qualify for the PN licensure exam after successful completion of the first two semesters of their intended degree, the Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN). LCCC has the highest passage rate (avg. 93%) for the inclusive PN program out of all Nursing programs in Wyoming. Many students do take their exam and secure summer employment as LPNs. However, those students often leave their employers at the start of the subsequent fall semester to complete the final year of their ADN degree. This results in the LPN positions, in many cases, remaining vacant.

The WIP proposes to address this through a program designed for students who seek to be an LPN as the next step in their educational and professional journeys. The proposed PN program will be delivered in a standalone hybrid/asynchronous format that pairs online didactic instruction with a regular bi-semester residency requirement on the LCCC campus in Cheyenne, providing an accessible and flexible format for students throughout Wyoming and specifically benefiting rural communities. This programming will have three semesters, the last of which ends with a required capstone clinical experience that can be completed in the student’s home community.

LPNs are critical healthcare workers in long-term care facilities, hospitals, public health, home health, and private practices. The job provides for a life-sustaining wage as well as an on-ramp to additional training and careers in healthcare for those who seek it. This innovative program will attract students from across the state and benefit communities where healthcare vacancies are impacting the promise of quality care. To learn more, please visit Practical Nursing Course Sequence - LCCC | Laramie County Community College, Wyoming.