A Model of Practical Nurse to Registered Nurse Educational Articulation: A Successful Approach to Advancing the Nursing Workforce

A consortium of practical nurse (PN) and associate degree (AD) nurse educators in New York State developed a voluntary statewide articulation model in 2003. The model is designed to promote educational mobility, moving qualified PNs into the second year of participating AD programs as advanced placed students. In the model, PNs who otherwise meet admission criteria are awarded 12 to 15 credits in nursing for their PN education. In 2005, 2 hospital-based “sister school” AD programs that share a common curriculum implemented the model. This study compared the outcomes (National Council Licensure Exam RN pass rates, course grades, and Assessment Technologies Institute Content Mastery Series assessment proficiency levels) of matched pairs of PN and generic students. No statistically significant difference in outcomes was found on any measure. This articulation model may offer a successful approach to seamless academic progression for PNs.