Sedalia, Missouri – July 13, 2020 – With the launch of the new Paramedic Transition course at SFCC-Clinton this summer, State Fair Community College has expanded the pipeline in to its #1 ranked Nursing program in Missouri. The four-credit hour course is available each summer and open to certified paramedics who want to become registered nurses.
“In researching the workforce need for RNs in the Clinton area, we recognized an interest of paramedics to transition from their paramedic field to becoming an RN,” said Dr. Rhonda Hutton Gann, SFCC’s dean of Health Sciences. “After more research, we discovered that there are only two other schools in Missouri who offer a paramedic to RN transition program. We already have an LPN to RN program, but a paramedic has somewhat of a different skill set than an LPN, so we needed to create a separate transition course. The paramedic to RN transition course expands the opportunity for more individuals to become RNs.”
The course is designed to build upon existing knowledge and skills obtained from a formal paramedic education program. Using an outcome-based curriculum, students learn to apply nursing knowledge, skills and attitudes to provide high-quality, safe, and effective care. Students have opportunities to demonstrate competency in the application of the nursing process, display expected professional behaviors and examine the dynamics of the healthcare team.
Upon completion of the Paramedic Transitions course with a B grade or higher in July, students in the inaugural course will enter the Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program in August and graduate in May 2021. Graduates may then apply to sit for the RN-NCLEX licensure exam.
There are three students currently enrolled in SFCC’s first Paramedic Transitions course that began in June. All three are currently practicing in the field and choose SFCC to meet their career goal of becoming RNs.
“Be prepared to dive into a new thought process of critical thinking and understanding the ‘why’” said Jason Elliot, a paramedic who is taking the course. “Ranging from the time management aspect to learning a new style of patient care, the course truly gives you a taste of what’s going to be expected once you are in the RN program and the level of dedication you will need to succeed.”
The course was developed by a team of SFCC nursing faculty after conversations with faculty from the other schools in Missouri and out of state that offer a paramedic transition course. One of those team members is Dr. Meg Beebe, Level Two Nursing Coordinator at SFCC-Clinton Campus and the course instructor.
“Paramedic students have been very eager in my class to learn and are showing great promise to be exceptional professional nurses!” said Dr. Beebe.
The Paramedic Transition course is a hybrid course that meets on-ground and online. The LPN to RN program in Clinton is offered in a similar format and was initially funded by the MoExcels Workforce Grant and a generous gift from Golden Valley Memorial Healthcare.
