The LPN/Paramedic Bridge Program Application is available 12:00am May 1st - 11:59pm August 15th each year.

Current GHC Students

Current GHC students must meet the nursing program Admission Criteria and have the required documents to submit with their nursing application:

1. A scan or picture of the front of the applicant’s driver’s license or other government issued photo ID.
2. Proof of attendance from a nursing information session.
3. An active LPN or Paramedic license.
   1. The LPN/Paramedic license must be active through the August 15^th
4. LPN/Paramedic Work Verification Letter Template or proof of graduation within the last two years:
   1. Work verification letter – required for applicants that have worked as an LPN or Paramedic for longer than two years. The letter should only cover work for the past two years.
   2. Proof of Graduation – for applicants who graduated from an LPN or Paramedic program within the last two years. Applicants must upload an unofficial transcript showing their graduation date and that it is from an LPN or Paramedic program. All official transcripts must be submitted to the GHC Admissions office.

Transfer Students & GHC Readmits

Admission for transfer students is a two-step process:

1. Must complete all general college Admissions requirements to become a student of the college.
2. Must meet the nursing program Admission Criteria and have the required documents to submit with their nursing application:
   1. A scan or picture of the front of the applicant’s driver’s license or other government issued photo ID.
   2. Proof of attendance from a nursing information session.
   3. An active LPN or Paramedic license.
      1. The LPN/Paramedic license must be active through the August 15^th deadline.
   4. Work verification letter or proof of graduation within the last two years:
      1. Work verification letter – required for applicants that have worked as an LPN or Paramedic for longer than two years. The letter should only cover work for the past two years.
      2. Proof of Graduation – for applicants who graduated from an LPN or Paramedic program within the last two years. Applicants must upload an unofficial transcript showing their graduation date and that it is from an LPN or Paramedic program. All official transcripts must be submitted to the GHC Admissions office.
   5. Applicants must complete all prerequisites by the summer semester before applying to the nursing program OR be completing their final prerequisites at GHC in the summer semester of applying to the nursing program.

Please note: Applications received after July 31st are reviewed in the order they were received.

For a copy of the LPN/Paramedic Bridge Advising Pathway sheet, please visit the link below and look under Associate and then Career Programs: https://sites.highlands.edu/advising/program-checklists/

Current GHC Students

1. Applicants must meet the following requirements for program eligibility:
   2. A minimum GPA of 2.5 in the nine general education prerequisite courses
      1. A grade of C or better is required for A&P I, A&P II, Microbiology, ENGL 1101, and MATH 1001 or higher (STAT 1401 included)
         1. The C in the biology courses include both the lecture and lab
         2. A&P I, A&P II, and Microbiology no longer expire for working LPN’s and Paramedics.
            1. If an applicant retook the three science classes within the last six years those grades will be used instead of older attempts.
         3. A&P I, A&P II, Microbiology, and MATH 1001 or higher (STAT 1401 included) must be completed by the summer semester a student plans to apply to the program.
            1. If any of these four classes is not completed by the August 15th deadline, the application will be marked ineligible.
         4. An official ATI TEAS score report is required by the application deadline (The nursing department does not control the time between attempts at exams, that is determined by each testing facility/provider):
            1. The application cycle runs August 16^th – August 15^th each year.
               1. Score reports cannot be older than two years from the application deadline.
               2. Only the first four attempts in an application cycle are eligible.
               3. A total of eight attempts is possible between the last two application cycles.
            2. A minimum composite score of 70 is required.
               1. The score is not rounded up, a 69.9 is not eligible.
            3. If English is the student’s second language, proof of the following achievement on the TOEFL is also required:
               1. 550 on paper-based exam
               2. 213 on computer exam
               3. 80 on internet exam
            4. All applicants must attend a nursing information session:
               1. Proof of attendance is required to be uploaded with the nursing application.
                  1. The proof of attendance is given to all attendees at the end of each information session.
               2. Information sessions are held in person at Lakeview Auditorium on the Floyd campus.
                  1. Registration links are available under the Nursing Information Sessions drop down menu at the bottom of this page.

Transfer Students & GHC Readmits

Transfer applicants must follow a two-step process:

1. Submit the following materials to the Georgia Highlands College Admissions office:
   1. Completed Georgia Highlands College application.
   2. Copy of high school transcript.
   3. Official copy of transcripts from all previously attended colleges.
   4. Check Admissions Status
      1. If a transfer student is accepted into the nursing program, they MUST complete all general college admissions requirements as soon as possible to avoid issues with registration for nursing classes.
      2. All Admissions holds must be cleared.
   5. Transfer applicants must meet the following requirements for program eligibility:
      1. Fall semester grades are not used in the nursing admission score. The nursing admissions committee meets in early September to determine admission scores and make their decisions.
      2. A minimum GPA of 2.5 in the nine general education prerequisite courses
         1. A grade of C or better is required for A&P I, A&P II, Microbiology, ENGL 1101, and MATH 1001 or higher (STAT 1401 included)
            1. The C in the biology courses include both the lecture and lab
            2. A&P I, A&P II, and Microbiology no longer expire for working LPN’s and Paramedics.
               1. If an applicant retook the three science classes within the last six years those grades will be used instead of older attempts.
            3. A&P I, A&P II, Microbiology, and MATH 1001 or higher (STAT 1401 included) must be completed by the summer semester a student plans to apply to the program. If any of these four classes is not completed by the August 15th deadline, the application will be marked ineligible.
         2. An official ATI TEAS score report is required by the application deadline (The nursing department does not control the time between attempts at exams, that is determined by each testing facility/provider):
            1. The application cycle runs August 16^th – August 15^th each year.
               1. Score reports cannot be older than two years from the application deadline.
               2. Only the first four attempts in an application cycle are eligible.
               3. A total of eight attempts is possible between the last two application cycles.
            2. A minimum composite score of 70 is required.
               1. The score is not rounded up, a 69.9 is not eligible.
            3. If English is the student’s second language, proof of the following achievement on the TOEFL is also required:
               1. 550 on paper-based exam
               2. 213 on computer exam
               3. 80 on internet exam
            4. All applicants must attend a nursing information session:
               1. Proof of attendance is required to be uploaded with the nursing application.
                  1. The proof of attendance is given to all attendees at the end of each information session.
               2. Virtual information sessions are held via Microsoft Teams and live information sessions are held in person at Lakeview Auditorium on the Floyd campus.
                  1. Registration links are available under the Nursing Information Sessions drop down menu at the bottom of this page.

Each student must take responsibility for making sure his/her records are current, complete and received prior to the application deadline.

Criminal background checks and drug screenings are required for clinical practice by institutions used by the nursing program for the clinical experiences associated with the nursing courses. These will be completed after being accepted into the nursing program. A student will be required to participate in these checks upon acceptance to the program and at least annually while in the program. All criminal background checks and drug screenings will be at the expense of the student. Criminal background checks and drug screening are to be performed through AdvantageStudents (www.advantagestudents.com) as required by many of the clinical facilities. Clinical experience is a component of all required nursing courses. A course cannot be satisfactorily completed without completing the clinical component of the course. Should a student be denied placement by a clinical facility related to results on a criminal background check or drug screening, the student will be dismissed from the program with no opportunity for readmission.

A student who has been arrested or convicted of a crime other than a minor traffic violation may not be permitted to take the RN licensure examination. This decision rests with the Georgia Board of Nursing (sos.ga.gov Mandatory Reporting).

Students with a criminal record must contact the nursing program interim director Dr. Walker (swalker@highlands.edu) for advice before submitting an application regarding the licensure examination.

**Clinical experience is a component of all required nursing courses. A course cannot be satisfactorily completed without completing the clinical component of the course. Should a student be denied placement by a clinical facility related to results on a criminal background check or drug screening, the student will be dismissed from the program with no opportunity for readmission.

1. Annual Flu Vaccination – due by November 30^th
   1. Flu vaccination form available
   2. DO NOT complete this requirement before August 1st
2. BLS – American Heart Association certification only
3. MMR
   1. Positive titer showing immunity or
   2. Proof of two or three dose vaccination series
4. Physical
   1. The last page of the Student Health Screen Requirements
      1. A different physical form will not be accepted
5. TB
   1. Two stacked TB skin tests or
      1. Students attending clinicals at Piedmont Cartersville are required to have one TB skin test within 90 days of the start of their clinical rotation
   2. Recent negative T-spot skin test or
   3. Quantiferon Gold TB test
6. TDAP
   1. TDAP vaccination within the last ten years or
   2. TDAP vaccination older than ten years plus a TD booster within the last ten years
7. Varicella
   1. Positive titer showing immunity or
   2. Proof of the two dose vaccination series
8. Covid 19
   1. Not required, but students who are vaccinated are encouraged to upload proof
9. Hepatitis B
   1. Positive titer showing immunity and proof of two or three dose vaccination series
   2. Students with low or no immunity, and proof of the two or three dose vaccination series, can submit a Hepatitis B Declination Form once assigned to clinical rotations
10. Advantage Students/InfoMart Background Check & Drug Screen
    1. All students must create an Advantage Students/InfoMart profile with their GHC student email and link Advantage Students to ACEMAPP for clearance
       1. Only students attending clinicals at AdventHealth Redmond will be required to upload their background check and drug screen to ACEMAPP
          1. Students attending clinicals at Atrium Health Floyd, Piedmont Cartersville, and WellStar Paulding's background check and drug screens will be satisfied by linking to ACEMAPP

Document examples and expanded requirement information available on our Clinical Credentialing website: https://sites.highlands.edu/nursing/associate-of-science-in-nursing-program/clinical-credentialing/

Criminal background checks and drug screenings are required for clinical practice by institutions used by the nursing program for the clinical experiences associated with the nursing courses. These will be completed after being accepted into the nursing program. A student will be required to participate in these checks upon acceptance to the program and at least annually while in the program. All criminal background checks and drug screenings will be at the expense of the student. Criminal background checks and drug screening are to be performed through Advantage Students (www.advantagestudents.com) as required by many of the clinical facilities. Clinical experience is a component of all required nursing courses. A course cannot be satisfactorily completed without completing the clinical component of the course. Should a student be denied placement by a clinical facility related to results on a criminal background check or drug screening, the student will be dismissed from the program with no opportunity for readmission.

A student who has been arrested or convicted of a crime other than a minor traffic violation may not be permitted to take the RN licensure examination. This decision rests with the Georgia Board of Nursing (sos.ga.gov Mandatory Reporting).

Students with a criminal record must contact the nursing program interim director Dr. Walker (swalker@highlands.edu) for advice before submitting an application regarding the licensure examination.

The nursing program is split between the Floyd Campus and Heritage Hall Site, please visit the new Virtual Tours website to take an online tour of each Georgia Highlands campus.

Current GHC Tuition & Fees: https://www.highlands.edu/tuition-and-fees/

The LPN/Paramedic Bridge Nursing Program is 26 credit hours total:

First Semester: 9 credit hours

Second Semester: 9 credit hours

Third Semester: 8 credit hours

Approximate Program Costs:

1. Covered for all ASN students by our partner, Atrium Health Floyd:
   1. Nursing Resource & e-Book Bundle: approximately $800 per semester
   2. One nursing uniform: (Scrubs, shoes, jacket, and patch) approximately $325
      1. Additional nursing uniforms are paid for by the student.
   3. Covered for all ASN students by the nursing department:
      1. Clinical supplies: Approximately $220 per semester for the first semester.
      2. ACEMAPP: the $50 per year clinical credentialing system used by our clinical partners.
   4. Costs for students:
      1. Tuition & Course Fees
      2. Health Insurance
         1. If students use school provided health insurance, it costs approximately $1,100 per semester.
         2. If students want to use their personal health insurance, they must submit a waiver that is handled completely by the GHC Business Office. The waiver removes the $1,100 fee each semester and is available at certain times at the start of each semester and can be completed using the Student Health Insurance link under our Navigation links.
      3. Background Check & Drug Screen: approximately $100 each year
         1. Students are not to complete their background check and drug screen until they have been accepted into the nursing program and told to do so.
      4. Liability Insurance: approximately $16 per year and included in student tuition and fees.

Nursing Scholarship Information

Information about the Atrium Pathway/Scholarship Program is available here: https://sites.highlands.edu/nursing/asn_pathways_program_faqs/

General scholarship information is available through the GHC Financial Aid website: https://sites.highlands.edu/financial-aid/

Nursing information sessions are available virtually once per month through Microsoft Teams until August 2025. Virtual sessions are held 1pm-2pm.

Nursing information sessions are held from 6:45pm - 7:45pm in the Lakeview building on the Floyd campus at 3175 Cedartown Highway Rome, Georgia 30161. Proof of attendance from an information session is required for program eligibility and is given out at the end of each information session. If a student loses their proof of attendance, they will be required to attend another information session.

Anyone arriving to the virtual information session after 1:05pm will not be admitted to the session and will need to register for a future session. Please complete the attendance form between 1pm-2pm, if your email is received after 2pm you will be requested to attend another session to obtain proof of attendance.

2025 Virtual Information Session Dates (Arrive early, no one will be admitted after 1:05pm):

January 15th                                July 16th

February 19th                              August 15th

March 19th

April 16th

May 14th

June 18th

2025 Live On Campus Information Session Dates and Times 6:45pm-7:45pm:

September 17th

October 15th

November 12th

December 17th