Working nurses advance their careers through OHIO Chillicothe's LPN-to-RN track

Jonda Pitts has worked as a licensed practical nurse for 16 years. She has started and stopped several nursing programs in pursuit of her registered nurse credentials, derailed at different times by work demands, a health crisis and life's unexpected challenges.

 Last spring, she found the program she says was worth the wait: Ohio University Chillicothe's LPN-to-RN Advanced Placement Track. 

Pitts is one of a growing number of licensed practical nurses choosing OHIO Chillicothe to take the next step in their nursing careers. 

"Throughout Ohio, everyone knows Ohio University, and their nurses are very well educated, very well-rounded, and they succeed," Pitts said. 

Designed specifically for licensed practical nurses, the three-semester track allows students to earn an Associate of Applied Science in Nursing and become eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). The accelerated program combines nursing and general education coursework with classroom instruction, laboratory experiences, and supervised clinical placements.

Students who complete the associate degree may also qualify for dual enrollment in OHIO's online RN-to-BSN program, creating a seamless pathway to a bachelor's degree.

For Pitts, who commutes from Circleville, the combination of academic rigor and personal support set OHIO Chillicothe apart from other programs she has tried.

"The professors here have just been very encouraging,” she said. “OHIO Chillicothe is family, and that's been really nice."

She credits clinical instructor Tonianne Carpenter with helping calm her nerves during an early skills checkoff and English instructor Debra Nickles with strengthening her confidence as a writer. Pitts is dual enrolled in the associate and bachelor's programs and plans to graduate with her associate degree in the spring, take the NCLEX-RN and complete her bachelor's degree later that year.

"I'm highly motivated," Pitts said. "I have planned out every semester and I’m ready to go."

Choosing rigor and reputation

Like Pitts, Zach and Madison Wilcoxon were looking for a respected program that would help them advance their nursing careers. 

The married couple, both of whom work for Nationwide Children's Hospital, evaluated several nursing programs before enrolling together at OHIO Chillicothe.

Madison Wilcoxon earned a degree in English in 2015 before training as an EMT. She and Zach met while working as EMTs and decided to pursue nursing careers together, first earning their Certified Nursing Assistant and LPN credentials.

When they were ready to take the next step in their nursing education, they narrowed their choices to programs that offered strong academics, widely-recognized accreditation, and affordability.

A visit to a Medical-Surgical Nursing class taught by Associate Director of Nursing Lindsey Shotts made their decision easy.

"I was really impressed by her and what felt like a different level of rigor," Madison Wilcoxon said. "We felt like if we come here, we're going to be better nurses for it."

Zach agreed, noting that the curriculum emphasizes critical thinking rather than simple memorization.

"The program teaches you to understand why things are happening with a patient," he said. "It's not about shortcuts."

From military medic to the emergency room nurse

Teresa Freas' path to OHIO Chillicothe started in the U.S. Air Force. 

Image

After serving as a military medic at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Freas faced challenges transferring her training into civilian credentials. She ultimately enrolled in a practical nursing program and today works as an LPN in the emergency department at Mount Carmel.

"There is no greater feeling in the world than when you have a code come in and you revive that patient," Freas said. "Seeing that heartbeat on the monitor when they didn't have one before…there’s no better feeling."

While she finds her work deeply rewarding, Freas wanted the broader responsibilities and opportunities that come with the role of a registered nurse.

"As an RN, you think more about these critical things and you have a broader scope," she said. "You can push those life-saving medications and continue those life-saving drips."

Freas previously began pursuing her RN degree elsewhere, but said concerns about accreditation ultimately led her to seek a different option. At OHIO Chillicothe, she found the quality and credibility she wanted close to home.

She credits Carpenter and Assistant Clinical Professor Michelle Purdue with helping her grow as a nurse and student. She also points to Pitts as an important source of support within the cohort.

"We call Jonda the mom of the group," Freas said. "She is always very resourceful, and a lot of us don't know what we would do without her."

Freas' advice for nursing students is simple. 

"Plan ahead. Plan your study. Don't cram," she said. "Even if it's a couple minutes a day, just repeating that reading and being familiar with it over time is a lot more effective than trying to cram right before."

A pathway built for working nurses

Shotts said the LPN-to-RN track was designed for experienced caregivers who want an efficient path to career advancement.

"These students are committed professionals who already bring valuable clinical experience to the classroom," Shotts said. "The program helps them build on that foundation and move forward in their careers."

The three-semester curriculum, combined with the opportunity to continue directly into OHIO's RN-to-BSN program, allows students to expand their credentials without starting over.

For Pitts, that goal is now within reach.

She left a position with a regional health system to focus on completing her degree full-time, motivated by a childhood experience that first inspired her to become a nurse.

"When I was little, I was very sick, and I had an amazing nurse who really eased my mom's anxiety and made me feel like I was going to be okay, even though things were uncertain," Pitts said.

Today, she is preparing for the next stage of her career with the hope of providing that same reassurance to patients and families when they need it most.