As the demand for registered nurses continues to rise, West Georgia Technical College (WGTC) is helping to address the shortage through its LPN-to-RN Bridge program. This year, the program has welcomed its largest cohort to date, with eight students preparing to transition into registered nursing roles.
The LPN-to-RN Bridge program provides experienced licensed practical nurses (LPNs) with the education and training needed to become registered nurses (RNs). By building on their existing skills, students can take on expanded responsibilities, increase their earning potential, and advance their careers in the healthcare field.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the registered nursing workforce is projected to grow by 6% over the next decade, increasing from 3.1 million in 2022 to 3.3 million in 2032. Additionally, federal projections indicate a shortage of more than 78,000 full-time RNs by 2025. Georgia is among the states expected to experience one of the most significant nursing shortages by 2035, with a projected deficit of 21%. The WGTC LPN-to-RN Bridge program helps address this critical need by preparing highly skilled nurses to serve healthcare facilities in west Georgia and east Alabama.
The program focuses on equipping graduates with the skills needed to excel as registered nurses in various healthcare settings. Through a combination of classroom instruction and hands-on clinical training, students develop critical thinking, effective communication, time management, problem-solving, and patient safety skills. The curriculum emphasizes clinical competence and professional responsibility, ensuring graduates are prepared to work in hospitals, clinics, schools, and home healthcare settings.
WGTC supports students throughout their transition from LPN-to-RN by offering a comprehensive curriculum, experienced faculty, state-of-the-art labs, career counseling, and financial aid options. The program’s focus on real-world clinical experience ensures graduates are ready to meet the demands of modern nursing and provide high-quality patient care.
“With the growing need for registered nurses, programs like our LPN-to-RN Bridge pathway are more important than ever,” said Kristen Buoy, Vice President of Academic Affairs at WGTC. “We are proud to support our students as they take this significant step in their careers and contribute to the healthcare workforce.”
For more information about the LPN-to-RN Bridge program at West Georgia Technical College, visit westgatech.edu or contact program director Sheila Mayfield-Kelly at [email protected].
West Georgia Technical College, with campuses in Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson, and Troup counties and class sites in Heard and Meriwether counties, offers more than 120 associate degree, diploma, and technical certificate programs of study. A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, West Georgia Tech is one of the largest of the state’s 22 technical colleges. For more information, please visit www.westgatech.edu.
