LPN to RN?

Nurses General Nursing

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Hello, again.

I have yet another question. :roll

I am wondering how many of you went from being an active LPN in a job to going back to school for RN. I am considering it right now, but I am a little nervous. :chair:

I guess it would ease my mind a little to hear about the experiences of others and what type of LPN jobs they (you) have all had before going back to school...This is a big decision for me, and I need all the information I can get before taking such a giant leap. :D thanks a million!!!

Hi,

I personally thought it was great to have had a few years of experience as an LPN (RPN here in canada) prior to getting my RN.

I felt that I already had good organizational skills etc. So, it allowed me more time to focus on other things. I was already comfortable with patients and the basic care etc. I worked in the same hospital as an LPN as I do now as an RN. Its an acute medical floor. I think that also helped because I was very comfortable in this setting, knew where everything was, and all that.

I had a teacher tell me once, that the best RN students she has ever had, had been LPN's returning to school.

Good luck in your future!

Originally posted by Jenni

Hi,

I personally thought it was great to have had a few years of experience as an LPN (RPN here in canada) prior to getting my RN.

I felt that I already had good organizational skills etc. So, it allowed me more time to focus on other things. I was already comfortable with patients and the basic care etc. I worked in the same hospital as an LPN as I do now as an RN. Its an acute medical floor. I think that also helped because I was very comfortable in this setting, knew where everything was, and all that.

I had a teacher tell me once, that the best RN students she has ever had, had been LPN's returning to school.

Good luck in your future!

:)
Specializes in Critical Care and ED.

Sorry for my ignorance, but I am a foreigner. What is the difference between an LPN and an RN? In England we only have RNs (qualified) and Healthcare Assistants (unqualified).

:confused:

Hello,

In response to your questions about returning for your RN: I was an LPN for MANY years and decided to go back and get my BSRN. I ended up being a mentor to the RN students, and end result was landing a job with the University with free tution to pay for my Master's as an Acute Care Nurse Practitioenr , supervising the BSRN students later on.

You do have to have a bachelor's in order to enter a program of study for an advanced practice nurse as I have, so I recommend going for the BS instead of the Associates and then having to bridge.

I had graduated from LPN school in 1982, and practiced as an LPN in the critical care arena, home health, hospice, vent. units, and even taught medical assisting students for about 4 years. (As well as many other areas of nursing). I obtained every certification I could. Go for all that you can!!

What I love about the Nurse Practitioner program I am currently in is that I will graduate from this Decemer--- and I am able to spend taht quality time with my patients and educate them about their health. And as a nurse practitoner, you have prescritive priviledges, and get reimbursement from insurance. Our opportunities out there are endless. Where I live, ACNP's have opened up a CHF clinic run exclusively by Nurse Practitioner's, and it is phenomenal!! Many peolpe aren't aware of the role of the NP, so look into it if you have a good strong nursing background and think it's for you.

I am 42 years old, and if I can do it, so can you!! IT JUST REQUIRES ALOT OF DEDICATION AND A DETERMINED SPIRIT!

My advice: take your lower division requirements at a junior college, after first making sure they transfer (ask for an articulation guide from your prospective University where you plan to attend for your BS degree as RN to make sure). Then apply for application to upper division for acceptance at your local University. Having several years of experience is is the key, as it makes school easier. I don't advocate going from BSRN to ACNP (or any other NP track) without lots of experience.

Good luck to you!!

I am working on pre-reqs for my RN as we speak. I graduated with my LPN in July 2002. So it's been less than a year for me, but I am determined.

Go for it! :)

Hi! I just finished my 1st semester in the BSN program here. So far, I feel challenged yet well prepared. I have been a Lpn for 13 years, working in long term care and home health. I took my prereq's at a community college and then transfered to a university. I am planning to go straight on for my master's (looking at maybe NP in Gerontology). I have 3 more semesters before I finish the BSN program. Good luck!

Sounds like many of you are reaching your goals.

Keep your determination strong, and you WILL succeed.

Asking God to help me everyday, realizing I could not do this without his strength, made all the difference. Only he could give me the ability to retain the tremendous amount of knowlege required to reach my professional goal of ACNP.

Keep your faith strong!

Never lose sight of your focus.

Always treat every patient as if THEY were your own family member.

Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho.

I was a LPN for 8 years. Worked on my pre-reqs part-time and worked full-time, then switched the routine when i had all the pre-reqs done. I went to school fulltime and worked parttime until i finished the RN. It's a tough go, especially with a family at home. I went the Associates route first, and i considered bridging LPN to BSN. But decided against it when i saw how little they valued my LPN education and experience. I just couldnt commit that much time from my growing family at the time. I may go finish the BSN, i havent really decided yet, but good luck in whatever you decide. You will make the right choice for you.

It is a tough decision when you are an LPN and you want to go back for your RN ( assoc. or BS) because of the fact that Universities do not recognize any ot he LPN experience, and NO sort of bridge program exists for it. (not in my state, anyway)

I know I was really disapppointed that I had to basically start from scratch, but am now glad that I just bit the bullet and did it anyway. It ended up being fun (not to mention fairly easy because of experience), but it allowed me the opportunity to be a mentor to other students that had no type of nursing experience at all. I knew I had to find something posisitive in it all, and the time flew by quickly.

End result was that the clinical instructors got to know how well I performed in clinicals, and I was able to become a clinical instructor myself when I later came back to complete my Master's, as a GTA for the University, because of my choice, the exposure, and my serving as a mentor to others.

I am an LPN and have been one for 4 years! I am also an RN student, and I love it! I really feel like my LPN experience has been soooooooooo valuable! It is not nearly as stressfull as it has been for the traditional students, and my university also gave me a full years credit, allowing me to only have to complete the last year! Not to mention the respect that I recieve from the instructors, an fellow students too! They really look at us LPN's as a valuable resource to the whole class! We have a couple of students who were a little snoooty towards us at first, but after they got to know us they totally changed! I say go for it! Find a school who will give you credit for your LPN and that will also treat you with the respect you deserve! Afterall, you have earned it! And, keep your head up! It is not without some difficulty, but the harder you fight for something; the more you learn to cherish it! Let me know how it goes!-Tara, LPN/SN

hi--I too was an LPN first---think it has a few advantages having it and some knowledge for what nursing is--insted of no background knowledge. I agree with someonw before me it is tough with a family and work also but can be done, a lot of determination seemed to work for me!! Good Luck.

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