Paramedic to RN Bridge, A.S.

(72 credits: 8 experiential credits awarded for Paramedic status)

The College offers opportunities for Paramedics to become Registered Nurses through an accelerated curriculum. Because of the common body of knowledge between the Paramedics and the Registered Nursing program, it is possible for accepted Paramedics to complete the core nursing courses of the Associate in Science Degree in Nursing (ASDN) PM-to-RN Bridge Program in three semesters.

The ASDN program is approved by the Florida Board of Nursing (1964), 4052 Bald Cypress Way, BIN C02, Tallahassee, FL 32399-3252, (850) 245-4444 and accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), 3343 Peachtree Rd NE, Suite 850, Atlanta, GA 30326, (404) 975-5000, fax (404) 975-5020.

Program Learning Outcomes

1. The student will recognize the patient or designee as the source of control and full partner in providing compassionate and coordinated care based on respect for patients’ preferences, values, and needs.
2. The student will minimize the risk of harm to patients and providers through both system effectiveness and individual performance.
3. The student will be able to use information and technology to communicate, manage knowkedge, mitigate error, and support decision making.
4. The student will function effectively within nursing and inter-professional teams, fostering open communication, mutual respect, and shared decision-making to achieve quality patient care.
5. The student will integrate evidence based practice with clinical expertise to include quality improvement methods for delivery of optimal health care.

Students seeking admission to the Paramedic to RN Bridge Track must:

• Submit a Florida Gateway College admission application to the Office of Enrollment Services.
• Have official high school transcript, GED or documentation of Home Schooling, and any transcripts from colleges other than FGC sent to the FGC Office of Enrollment Services.
• Provide scores for ACT or SAT standardized testing OR register and take a college placement test prior to advisement in the nursing department.
• Complete developmental education courses as required, prior to registering for college level courses.
• Complete all prerequisite classes with a GPA of 2.80 or higher and no grade lower than a C. All prerequisite courses must be completed by end of the fall semester of the year the student is applying to the program.
• Submit to the Nursing Department by the established deadline:
  • the PM-RN Bridge supplemental application,
  • an unofficial copy of transcripts from colleges attended including FGC,
  • a copy of current Florida Paramedic license,
  • a current score (within past two years) of 75 or higher on the nursing entrance exam (RNET/HESI),
  • documentation of 6 months of full-time work experience from an employer/employers as a Paramedic prior to admission.

The student must provide official transcripts to the Nursing Department and the Office of Enrollment Services immediately following the end of the semester for prerequisites taken at a college other than FGC during the semester in which the student is applying. The transcripts must be received by the last day of open registration as determined by the FGC Academic Calendar. Failure to provide these in a timely manner may result in non-admission to the nursing program.

Applicants are responsible for providing the above documentation if they wish to be considered for admission to the nursing program. Make copies of all documentation for your personal records. Failure to present proper documentation may result in non-acceptance into the program.

Meeting the above criteria does not guarantee admission to the program. Admission is competitive. Admission is awarded to those individuals with the highest points using the ASDN Point System for Competitive Admission.

In-depth admission information may be found in the ASDN Paramedic to RN Application Packet on the College Web site at www.fgc.edu. Florida Gateway College reserves the right to make changes in admission criteria and program information as circumstances require in the continuing development of the program.

Conditional acceptance letters are mailed by the date designated within the Application Packet for the upcoming admission period.

In order to meet clinical agency requirements where student training will take place, all students in the Nursing and Health Sciences Programs must now meet state and federal regulations as described by Florida Statutes S. 400.211. An in-depth background screen and drug/alcohol screen are required. Further instructions regarding the background and drug/alcohol screen are provided in the acceptance letter. All screening must be completed by the timeframe as designated by the program coordinator. Random screening within the program may be required. Cost is the responsibility of the student for admission background and drug/alcohol screening and any further random analysis.

All students who graduate from a nursing program and wish to take the registered nurse NCLEX-RN exam in Florida are subject to the licensure and screening process of the Florida Board of Nursing.

Program Readmission

A student who has been admitted into the program and withdraws or does not satisfactorily complete the requirements for a required course may be considered for readmission. A student may be readmitted no more than one time. A student who has previously been readmitted and who subsequently earns a grade of D will be dismissed from the program.

The PM-RN Bridge Track component includes 30 credit hours of non-nursing courses, 34 credit hours of nursing courses, and 8 experiential learning credits. Nursing courses are designated with the NUR or NSP prefix. Human Nutrition (HUN 1201) , a transferable non-nursing course, is counted within the non-nursing credit hours.  

Core Courses

The nursing courses are to be completed in the following sequence. In order to progress in the nursing program, all nursing courses must be completed with a minimum grade of C.

Registered Nursing A.S. Total 72 Credit Hours

Program Notes:

• All nursing students must construct their class schedules with the assistance of the nursing faculty, who must approve all course exemptions, alternatives, or substitutions.
• Additional costs are required when admitted to this program including costs of uniforms, clinic shoes, liability insurance, health insurance, medical exam, standardized testing, graduation costs, in-depth background screen, and licensing fees.
• Students are required to submit proof of current CPR certification - health care provider prior to participation in hands-on clinical rotations. Students must maintain current CPR certification throughout the nursing program.
• Standardized tests and remediation are mandatory for all students.
• Laboratories in nursing are calculated using a 1 to 3 ratio or one credit equals 150 minutes.
• Course calendars may vary from the College calendar due to availability of clinical sites.