RN and LPN Nursing Reentry Program

The Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG), with the support of the Georgia Board of Nursing (GBON), has developed two pathways to reenter the high demand field of nursing in the state of Georgia:

• Registered Nurses (RNs) Reentry Program, and
• Practical Nurses (LPNs) Reentry Program

Both the RN and LPN reentry programs, approved by the GBON, provide the individualized combination of 40 hours of independent online study (delivered via Blackboard) and 160 hours of clinical study required by the Board for reinstatement of licensure as a registered professional nurse.

These nurse reentry programs are designed for those nurses who are presently ineligible for reinstatement of their license because the license has lapsed or has been inactive. Nurses who have active licenses returning to direct patient care who have not worked in the clinical area for some time may also benefit from this program.

Who Does This Apply To?

RNs and LPNs who have an active GA nursing license but have not practiced nursing for four or more years and want to refresh their knowledge base and nursing skills in preparation to reenter the nursing profession in a clinical setting

RNs and LPNs who want to reinstate their GA nursing license by completing a required Board-approved re-entry/refresher program

RNs and LPNs who have an active nursing license in another state but need to complete a required Board approved reentry/refresher program to apply for a GA nursing license

Program Requirements

The 40 hours of study relevant to nursing must be completed before beginning the 160 hours of supervised clinical study. Upon completion of the 160 hours of clinical study, verification of this will be sent to the Board to support the reinstatement of RN or LPN licensure. Before the clinical time begins, the applicant must provide the following information to the RN Re-entry Coordinator:

• A physical examination within the past six months indicating a good state of health
• Documentation of a 2-step TB skin test unless documentation is provided of annual TB skin testing or documentation of a negative Quantiferon or TSpot test.  If past history of positive TB skin test, then a chest x-ray within the past 12 months (some facilities may require 6 months) with results within normal limits is required.
• MMR – Two doses or documentation of positive Measles, Mumps and Rubella titers.
• Documentation of Tdap within the last 10 years.  Td alone is not sufficient.
• Varicella Vaccination two doses, or documented history of Chicken Pox disease or Varicella titer.
• Current American Heart Association BLS for Healthcare Providers
• Active malpractice liability insurance ($1,000,000 each incident, $4,000,000 aggregate).
• Active accidental health insurance (medical coverage)
• Complete the Hepatitis B Series or show proof of immunity.
• May be other requirements based on the institution’s policies and procedures.

OFTC Requirements

• Nurses completing their re-entry program through Oconee Fall Line Technical College will complete their clinical hours at one of OFTC’s approved clinical sites within the OFTC service delivery area.
• OFTC vendors for Drug Screen and Background checks must be utilized to meet clinical site requirements.
• Drug Screen:
  • Participants must pay OFTC for their drug screen at the time of registration. The initial cost is $50.00. If additional confirmation testing is required in the event of a positive result, an additional $40.00 charge will be incurred.
  • Participants are required to use Dublin Drug and Alcohol and can schedule their testing by contacting Ann Morton, amorton@oftc.edu, 478-274-7840.
  • A Consent form will be sent to the participant at the time of registration and should be returned to Ann Morton, amorton@oftc.edu, at the time of or prior to testing.
• Background Checks:
  • Background Checks can be completed and paid for online directly by the participant using the college’s screening vendor PreCheck. Instructions for how to obtain your background check will be emailed to you upon registration.
  • The estimated cost will be $56.65

Enrollment Steps

1. Complete appropriate GBON Re-entry packet for LPN or RN and submit to GBON. 

2. Once official letter is received from GBON with application ID#, email a copy of the letter to Samantha Bell at samantha.bell@sctech.edu for approval for registration into the program. 

3. Once student has received communication from Samantha Bell with approval to register for the course, complete the OFTC Continuing Education Registration Form and submit payment of $1,500 to: Katrina Veal, OFTC, 560 Pine Hill Road, Dublin, GA 31021, or pay with card by phone at 478-275-6592.

4. Once payment and registration form have been received by OFTC, Samantha Bell will contact student to begin independent online study. 

More Information & Contact Us

For more information about reinstatement of a Georgia RN license, please read our Nurse Re-Entry Program Q&A. You can also go to the Georgia Board of Nursing website.

For more information, please contact:

Kim David, VP of Economic Development
Ph: 478.240.5157
kdavid@oftc.edu