RN Refresher Program

Admission to the RN Refresher Course is open to Registered Nurses with an active, unencumbered license, as well as those with an inactive or expired license who apply for reactivation through Washington State Department of Health **.

Nurses who do not need the clinical practice portion of our program may also apply for admission and take only “Core Competencies & Specialty Areas” (the online component) and the on-campus lab skills portion.

Application Period: December  – March 1st

Application Requirements

• Current resume or CV
• Diploma information – name of school, degree and program, year of completion
• Current status of license

Application Process

1. Complete the application for admission
2. Receive a confirmation of your application by email (add @plu.edu to your Safe Senders list to make sure our emails don’t get marked as junk/spam)
3. Promptly provide any additional documentation requested
4. Receive acceptance or denial by email
5. Confirm your participation by creating an account in our registration system

*If you are a nurse who needs to enroll in a refresher course as part of a stipulation on your license, you must provide the School with a copy of your orders from the Nursing Commission. Clinical placement sites must be notified of these Orders and are not required to agree to your participation.

**The nurse who does not have an active license must have a Limited Education Authorization (LEA) from Washington State to complete the clinical portion of the program, which will be requested by the university. This process may take 4-6 weeks to complete with the state and the LEA must be granted prior to starting the clinical portion of the refresher course.

Prior to entering the clinical setting, students must have an active RN license from Washington State or a Limited Education Authorization (LEA), for licenses inactive/expired for 3+ years)

Not sure if you need an LEA or how to reactivate your inactive WA State license?

• • FAQ – Inactive and Retired Active Status (WA Department of Health)

Required Documentation

The following requirements must be met at least 4 weeks before the start date of clinicals. Note: you will enter most of the information in our online Castlebranch System, which you will receive access within 2 weeks of registration.

1. Hold a current license to practice registered nursing in Washington State with no encumbrances or a temporary license also known as a Limited Education Authorization (LEA) from WA Nursing Commission
2. Show evidence of liability (malpractice) insurance coverage for a minimum of 1,000,000/3,000,000
3. Show evidence of a major medical, accident or sickness insurance coverage
4. Completion of CPR for Health Providers that remains valid throughout the clinical experience. CPR must include 1 and 2 person, child, infant choking and AED
5. Complete the Application and submit prior to 3/1/24 (American Heart Association pref)
6. Complete the Washington State Patrol Disclosure Affidavit
7. Complete and sign the Release and Hold Harmless Agreement
8. Completion of the Personal Health History form and all screening and immunization: TB Screening, MMR, Hepatitis B, Chicken Pox, Tetanus, COVID-19
9. Non-native English speakers will be required to demonstrate English proficiency using the TOEFL
10. Successful completion of all RN Refresher Lab Skills sessions, as evaluated by the instructors
11. Be ready and available for all clinical shifts on any day of the week, including holidays and 8 – 12 hour shifts. To facilitate your successful completion of the clinical experience other employment during this same 5 weeks as your clinical is highly discouraged. (There have been instances where participants were unable to successfully complete the program due to over commitments and fatigue).
12. Be able to meet the list of Physical and Psychological Expectations of Nurses Returning to Professional Practice
13. if you have not attended a 6 hr WA state approved Suicide Prevention course please go to https://www.wsha.org/articles/new-free-training-for-suicide-prevention-available-for-behavioral-health-providers/ to take the free 6 hr course. Once completed please save your completion certificate.
14. Must have access to a computer and internet.
15. You will receive a guest pass email from the Sakai the learning platform, and must complete the registration into that system.
16. Must have access to a mode of personal transportation.
    
    Miscellaneous considerations: There may be a commute involved to reach your clinical placement facility. However, we will make every effort to secure your clinical placements within 60 miles of the PLU campus in Tacoma. Please consider planning ahead for child care and commute strategies.