PURPOSE: The purpose of this national survey study was to describe the transition conditions (facilitators and/or inhibitors) encountered by LPN-to-RN students. SPECIFIC AIMS: (1) describe the frequency of specific transition conditions experienced by LPN-to-RN students; (2) explore relationships between transition conditions experienced by LPN-to-RN students and student (personal) and program (community) characteristics; and (3) characterize (through open-ended questions) transition conditions experienced by LPN-to-RN students that were not included in the empirically-based investigator-designed survey. FRAMEWORK: This study was framed by Meleis et al.’s (2000) transition theory; each transition condition included in the survey was linked to one or more category of transition conditions described by Meleis et al. DESIGN: In March 2020, a cross-sectional national survey was distributed to all LPN-to-RN programs in the United States. RESULTS: 873 students, in programs across 37 states, responded to the survey. The least frequently reported facilitators were emotional support from faculty and finding online courses helpful. The most frequently reported inhibitors were personal stress and balancing school with non-school responsibilities. The most frequent characteristic related to transition conditions was taking classes with non-LPNs. Respondants reported several transition conditions not included in the survey, including prior experiences (facilitator) and challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic (inhibitor). CONCLUSION: These results suggest areas where faculty can further support LPN-to-RN students through their own actions and highlight the importance of carefully planning how to integrate LPN and non-LPN nursing students if they share classes.

This doctoral dissertation intends to contribute to an understanding of the experiences of Mexican American students in a high school to college transitional program and how their culture influences their writing. The transitional program used for the study was located at a community college in the Southwest. This qualitative study incorporated the research instruments of interviews and writing samples using discourse analysis. From the results of this study, several themes emerged and demonstrated how both cultural and social capital are significant in these students’ experiences as they participate in the transitional high school to college program. Research has asserted the high rates of Mexican American students dropping out of school and not completing higher education. This study will enable us to help reduce the current rate of attrition and help students complete their higher education. This study’s findings have implications for the field of adult education because they provide a lens to understand the importance of cultural and social capital as they relate to adult students learning in the classroom.