CNA to LPN Bridge Program
“School is very expensive and I feel so blessed to be able to be doing this nursing program without having to worry about tuition cost, and textbooks, and other nursing fees.”
Jaylin Cezar-Butac, CNA to LPN Bridge Program Student
Program Overview:
Hale Makua has partnered with the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College (UHMC) Practical Nursing program for the past five years to help train and develop Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs). Starting in January 2023, UH Maui College launched a new program called the CNA to LPN Bridge Program which aims at developing working CNAs at Hale Makua and other OPH facilities on Oʻahu and Kauaʻi into Practical Nurses in 12 months. This Bridge program will double the number of LPN graduates annually throughout the state.
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The program offers online lectures, and in-person labs and clinicals are provided at the employer’s site. Those in the program will be scheduled to work to maintain part-time CNA hours.
Ohana Pacific Health will launch the next cohort in January 2024.
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Purpose:
With the need for more nurses increasing in the community and across the state, more healthcare facilities desperately turn to agency nurses from out of state to help fill the gaps. The solution is not only costly, but merely a temporary fix as agency workers rarely seek permanent employment and often return to their home state after their contracts end. This Bridge program will allow local CNAs with an interest in furthering their career an opportunity to do so while they continue employment. The ability to continue working a schedule that accommodates their schooling as well as having access to financial aid, workforce grants, and OPH’s tuition assistance program, candidates face less barriers preventing them from reaching their career goals.
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Contact Info:
Those who are interested in becoming a Licensed Practical Nurse through this pathway can contact talent@ohanapacific.com.