# Top LPN to RN Programs in Milwaukee, Wisconsin - Canonical: https://33rdsquare.com/top-lpn-to-rn-programs-in-milwaukee-wisconsin/ - Published: 2024-03-18 - Author: Charlene Farwell - Categories: [School](https://33rdsquare.com/category/education/school/) --- Milwaukee offers excellent options for licensed practical nurses (LPNs) looking to advance their education and careers through LPN to RN programs. These programs build upon prior nursing knowledge, allowing LPNs to develop expanded skills and earn an Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN) or Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN) that opens doors to additional nursing roles. When researching programs, it is important for prospective students to look at factors like: - Enrollment statistics - Graduation and job placement rates - Reviews from current pupils and alumni - Clinical rotation opportunities - Curriculum focus areas - Cost - Admissions competitiveness - Technologies used for teaching - Diversity initiatives - And more Here is an overview of exceptional LPN to RN programs available across Milwaukee: ## Moraine Park Technical College | Year | Enrollment | Graduation Rate | Licensure Exam Pass Rate | Job Placement Rate | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2022 | 132 | 83% | 86% | 94% | | 2021 | 129 | 79% | 88% | 91% | | 2020 | 107 | 63% | 73% | 84% | | 2019 | 92 | 53% | 79% | 90% | | 2018 | 83 | 48% | 83% | 76% | _Table data sources: [National Center for Education Statistics](https://nces.ed.gov), Wisconsin Board of Nursing, Moraine Park Technical College Disclosures_ Moraine Park Technical College‘s LPN to RN program has a strong reputation for quality – evident through its high licensure exam pass rates and graduate job placement numbers. The curriculum focuses both on core nursing competencies as well as specialized knowledge for fields like pediatrics, psychiatry and community health. Students split time between lectures, simulations featuring advanced mannequins, and clinical rotations at partner hospitals. With small class cohorts and experienced faculty dedicated to learner success, Moraine Park graduates 120+ nurses annually who help meet growing industry demand in Wisconsin. --- ## The Nursing Shortage Crisis Nursing shortages have impacted healthcare systems for decades, but current trends indicate an approaching crisis as demographic pressures exacerbate nurse staffing deficits. Key drivers of today’s shortage include: ### Aging Nursing Workforce - 1 million current nurses expected to retire by 2030 - Average nurse age now exceeds 50 years old in half of states ### Limited Education Program Capacity - 82,000 qualified applicants turned away from nursing schools in 2019 - Shortfall of 1,900 nursing faculty limiting program growth ### High Burnout and Turnover - Up to 30% turnover rate for first-year nurses - 37% of nurses under 30 leave roles in first 2 years These dynamics have created substantial nurse staffing gaps affecting patient care quality and outcomes through issues like: - Nurse fatigue due to unsustainably high patient loads - 65% of nurses report having to skip breaks, meals while working - Limitations on time spent with each patient Without major investments to expand education pathways and retention efforts, the U.S. could see a Registered Nurse (RN) shortage exceeding 450,000 by 2030. LPN to RN programs represent one part of a multipronged strategy to grow America’s nurse workforce. --- ## Meeting Evolving Healthcare Demands LPN to RN programs play a vital role in helping offset shortfalls through leveraging existing nurses and efficiently progressing them to fill more advanced roles. Education innovations are also modernizing nursing curriculum to equip graduates with competencies aligned to changing care settings and patient needs, including: ### Transitioning Care Settings - Greater focus on community health, preventative care, social determinants - Preparation for outpatient, home health, telehealth nursing ### Managing Chronic Conditions - Over 50% adults now have one or more chronic illness - Enhanced training in care coordination, patient education, motivational techniques ### Applying New Technologies - Utilizing telehealth platforms, mHealth apps, AI assistance tools - Improved capacity to analyze, interpret technical data for decision-making ### Serving Diverse Patient Populations - Patient populations becoming more ethnically, racially, socially diverse - Greater emphasis on cultural competency, inclusivity, accessibility in care By bridging the practical knowledge of current LPNs with additional clinical, technological and cultural skills training, LPN to RN programs create higher-level nurses ready to provide compassionate, comprehensive care aligned with the direction of modern nursing. --- ## Featured Milwaukee Schools ### Cardinal Stritch University At Cardinal Stritch University, the RN program for LPNs focuses both on core and specialized nursing knowledge through a mix of rigorous academics and experiential learning in community settings. Stritch has one of Wisconsin’s top NCLEX RN exam pass rates and graduate job placement numbers thanks to this effective approach. The nursing pathway emphasizes development of essential healthcare skills like: - Clinical judgement - Patient assessment - Education techniques - Ethical leadership - Cultural awareness This holistic development combined with dedicated mentoring prepares Cardinals Stritch graduates to advance their careers while making meaningful impacts through faculty partnerships with underserved clinics across the state. ### Bryant & Stratton College Bryant & Stratton College offers flexible online-centric LPN to RN bridge programs allowing students to work while earning their Associate’s Degree in Nursing. The curriculum interweaves virtual simulations into the coursework to enable evidence-based skill and judgement mastery. Their state-of-the-art nursing labs feature advanced human patient simulators and other teaching technologies that expose students to real-world healthcare environments. This immersive, interactive digital learning, supplemented with in-person teaching, allows LPNs to leverage their existing medical knowledge while efficiently gaining expanded RN capabilities qualifying them for advanced roles. ### Herzing University Herzing University’s use of Shadow Health’s Digital Clinical Experiences sets their LPN to ADN pathway apart. The virtual simulations expose students to a diverse range of patient scenarios, diagnoses and healthcare settings to develop key nursing abilities around: - Clinical judgement - Treatment coordination - Communication - Technical skills - Compassion The varyied situations challenge students’ critical thinking in a safe learning environment to strengthen their competencies. Combined with schedule flexibility, multiple campus options, and supportive faculty, Herzing’s cutting-edge solutions remove barriers for LPNs striving to reach the next level as RNs. --- ## Steps to Grow Nurse Workforce Pipeline While nursing education programs significantly expand student capacity, bottlenecks still exist due to limited placement sites for clinical training. Strategic partnerships between academia and healthcare providers can increase quality clinical rotation access. - Incentives for staff nurses to become preceptors for students - Shared simulation centers supplementing hands-on experience - Formal agreements outlining rotation commitments at partner facilities Additionally, policy and funding initiatives must continue addressing nurse faculty shortages, diversity barriers and ongoing retention challenges to create sustainable growth. With innovative public-private collaboration, Milwaukee can optimize bridges helping to narrow wide nurse workforce gaps. LPN to RN pathways represent one essential route to expand the city’s healthcare talent pool, equip practitioners with evolving skill sets and ensure access to quality care that saves lives. --- Source: [Top LPN to RN Programs in Milwaukee, Wisconsin](https://33rdsquare.com/top-lpn-to-rn-programs-in-milwaukee-wisconsin/)