Nursing-Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)

Interested students are required to attend a mandatory nursing informational session. Due to Covid-19, face to face info sessions have been suspended. Please review RVCC’s LPN Nursing Information Session presentation. We will continue to monitor the situation and will resume our face to face info sessions as appropriate.

TEAS Testing

RVCC is pleased to offer prospective nursing students the Test of Essential Academic Skill (TEAS) remotely. Use our step-by-step guide to register now! 

Register for the TEAS test at http://atitesting.com

RVCC 2023 TEAS DATES

May 1, 16

June 5 & 21

July 5 & 17

August 2 & 14

September 13 & 25

October 11 & 23

November 8 & 20

December 6 & 18

Estimated cost: $120

   ·       Remote TEAS testers will need to have free Proctorio proctoring software installed on testing computers prior to testing.

   ·       To access The Proctorio Quick Start Guide click on this link    STUDENT_RemoteProctoring_QuickStartGuide

Submission of a completed application packet is the responsibility of each nursing candidate. Candidates will not be considered for admission until all admission requirements have been met. 

Applications for January, 2024 are now being accepted; the deadline for applications is September 30, 2023 for Keene, Laconia, Lebanon, Littleton and Manchester. 

Applicants will be notified by October 31st each year of their admissions decision.

Candidates must complete the college admission requirements and provide documentation of the following criteria for admission consideration: 

1. Attend RVCC’s LPN nursing informational session. 

2. Complete a college application 

3.  Submit all high school and college transcripts to the Admissions Department. Official transcripts may be sent directly to:

River Valley Community College
Admissions Department
1 College Place Claremont, NH 03743

Official transcripts may also be sent directly from high school or college electronically to: [email protected]

4. Register for and complete the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) of Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI) – Use our step-by-step guide to register for the TEAS now!

Go to www.atitesting.com 

Students must achieve minimum scoring in the following areas: 

Reading – 69.0 

Math – 63.3

Science – 43.8 

English – 56.6

Current New Hampshire Licensed Nursing Assistant (LNA) licensure is required for entry; however, you may be eligible to have this requirement waived if you are currently working in Allied Health. Please contact [email protected] and you will receive an application and skills self-survey.

Additional Requirements

Upon acceptance into the Practical Nurse program, students must provide proof of the following:

• CPR Certification – American Heart Association Basic Life Support for Health Care Providers
• Criminal Background Check
• Drug Test
• Medical insurance
• Covid and Flu vaccines are mandated by the clinical sites and are therefore required prior to the start of all nursing programs at RVCC.

To be accepted health insurance must meet the following criteria:

• United States based insurance plan;
• Provides the 10 essential health benefits specified in the Affordable Care Act (https://www.healthcare.gov/glossary/essential-health-benefits/);
• Includes access to hospital and physician providers in the area where the student is attending a New Hampshire community college;
• Will remain in effect for the entire semester (except for termination due to the attainment of a maximum age, or other situation resulting in a loss of plan eligibility.

Practical Nursing Student Learning Outcomes

Graduates of the River Valley Practical Nursing curriculum will demonstrate competency
in:

 Patient-Centered Care

Recognize the patient or designee as the source of control and a full partner in providing compassionate and coordinated care based on respect for the patient’s preferences, values, and
needs.

 As evidenced by:

·       Demonstrating
culturally competent, patient-centered care for patients and families across
the lifespan in a variety of clinical settings using nursing process as a
systematic approach for organizing, planning, implementing, and evaluating
care. 

·       Providing
equal and respectful care for patients and families from all socioeconomic
backgrounds and cultures.

·       Using
interpersonal skills and professional values to create a therapeutic, caring
relationship with the patient and family.

·       Demonstrating
collaboration and coordination with patients and families when making clinical
decisions regarding nursing care.

 Evidence-Based Practice

Integrate best current evidence with clinical expertise and patient/family preferences and values for delivery of optimal health care.

 As evidenced by:

·       Participates in data collection and/or other research activities

·       Collaborates with other professionals to provide individualized
care based on best current evidence, patient values, and clinical expertise

·       Locates evidence reports related to clinical practice topics and
guidelines

·       Participates in the integration of new evidence into standards of
practice, policies, and nursing practice guidelines

 Safety

Minimize risk of harm to patients and providers through both system effectiveness and
individual performance.

 As evidenced by:

·       Participates in error analysis and systems improvement

·       Contributes to the development of effective patient safety plans

·       Uses appropriate strategies to reduce reliance on memory and
interruptions to reduce the risk of harm to self and others

·       Demonstrates effective use of technology and standardized
practices that support safe practice

·       Demonstrates effective use of strategies at the individual and
systems levels to reduce risk of harm to self and others

·       Participates in collecting and aggregating safety data

·       Uses organizational error reporting system for “near miss” and
adverse event reporting

·       Communicates observations or concerns related to hazards and
errors involving patients and/or members of the health care team

·       Prepares timely data collection to facilitate safe, effective
transfer of patient care responsibilities during care transitions

·       Demonstrates the use of debriefing strategies to reduce
psychological and physical harm to patients

·       Utilizes established safety resources to ensure safe and effective
practice

 Teamwork and Collaboration

Function effectively within nursing and interprofessional teams, fostering open communication, mutual
respect, and shared decision making to achieve quality patient care.

Collaborate with the patient and family using effective communication to develop patient-centered,
goal-oriented, culturally appropriate plans of care.

 As evidenced by:

·       Demonstrates self-awareness of strengths and limitations as a team
member

·       Initiates plan for self-development as a team member

·       Acts with integrity, consistency, and respect for differing views

·       Functions competently within the Licensed Practical Nurse scope of
practice as a member of the health care team

·       Assumes the role of team member or leader based on the situation

·       Initiates requests for assistance when the situation warrants it

·       Acknowledges areas of overlap in role or responsibility as a
member of a team

·       Uses the contributions of others when assisting patients to
achieve health goals

Informatics

Use information and technology to communicate, manage knowledge, mitigate error, and support decision-making.

 As evidenced by:

·       Accesses needed information accurately and efficiently

·       Utilizes sources of data that reflect current standards of
practice

·       Utilizes appropriate technologies in the process of assessing and
monitoring patients

·       Uses information effectively to improve nursing practice

·       Uses information technology to enhance own nursing knowledge

 Quality Improvement

Collects data to monitor the outcomes of care and uses data to continuously improve the quality and safety of health care systems.

 As evidenced by:

·       Actively seeks information about quality initiatives in individual
care settings and organizations

·       Participates in quality improvement processes to make processes of
care interdependent and explicit

·       Participates in the use of quality indicators and core measures to
evaluate the effect of changes

·       Participates in the use of quality improvement tools to assess
performance and identify gaps between local and best practices

Effective February 8, 2021, this nursing program is a candidate for initial accreditation by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. This candidacy status expires on February 8, 2023. 

Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)

3390 Peachtree Rd NE Suite 1400

Atlanta, GA 30326

(404) 975-5000
http://www.acenursing.us/candidates/candidacy.asp 

Note: Upon granting of initial accreditation by the ACEN Board of Commissioners, the effective date of initial accreditation is the date on which the nursing program was approved by the ACEN as a candidate program that concluded in the Board of
Commissioners granting initial accreditation