LVN or RN?

Nursing Students LPN/LVN Students

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Hello, I am debating on if I should do the LVN program first before RN to get really comfortable with the Nursing duties before I become an RN. Or should I just go straight into RN without any experience or previous knowledge? I am anxious because I am already almost 35 years old and am one of those people that worry about my age and being to old to be an RN. What are your guys' opinions on what route I should go? I want to climb the ladder slowly so I can become extremely good at my job and know what I am doing before going higher, but don't know if that's the best option. :confused:

Specializes in Emergency Department.

FutureLVN40, I applaud you for making a decision. No matter what others say about your decision, you have weighed your options and have arrived at the decision that is right for you. While I think CNA education will be very basic, you'll be learning and doing a lot of the very basics of nursing and you'll see things from the inside, so to speak. They may not teach you the why behind what you're doing, but I guarantee that if you decide to further your career and become an LVN or an RN, they'll teach you that. Since you'll know how to do a lot of stuff, you'll be able to spend more time learning the why behind it, and perhaps even help teach your classmates how to do the stuff you already know. Much of your advantage will disappear by mid-2nd semester, but you'll have a seriously solid foundation and you'll be able to carry that forward with you.

Just remember this: use this time as a gut-check. There'll be a lot of stuff that you'll do that might be a bit unpleasant for you. There's a lot that I don't find exactly pleasant either. I know from my own previous experience that I have found where I need to be. I can deal with the unpleasant stuff. You'll come out of this knowing if nursing is where you need to be. Once you make that decision, own it and feel secure that you will have, once again, made the right decision for you, regardless of what it will be.

I think we all here wish you the best!

First, let me say that ultimately, the decision is yours. Now, your decision either way could be beneficial or not. The traditional ASN program is so competitive that you may not get accepted. On the other hand, you may be one of the lucky few. Of course, there are more RN opportunities should you make the cut for the nursing program. And like the other poster said, if you get in the nursing program, it will cut out the need to return to school unless you plan to pursue the BSN, which is also available in a bridge program as well as a traditional.

Contrarily, I don't THINK the LPN program is as competitive, making it easier to get into, therefore allowing you the opportunity to bridge for the ASN after passing the NCLEX-PN. Also, if you're not selected into the traditional LPN-RN bridge program, you can always go the online route.

In the meantime, until you make your decision, I would make sure that all general education courses taken are at the college-level.....just in case.;) It would be a shame to have to repeat courses because a said course that you may have done, was not at the college level, should you decide upon the ASN rather than the LPN.

Good luck!

This was the best advice ever and I couldn't have said it better myself.

IMO, I don't think there is no right or wrong route when it comes to nursing. Each route has it's pros and cons. You could save a lot of time and money going straight for RN, but you could get put onto a waiting list for an RN program, they are more competitive, a lot of people said doing LPN/LVN made it smoother to bridge over into an LPN-RN/bridge program. You just have to weigh out your options, do what is best for you and do not let anyone else tell you other wise. In the mean time, knock out some of those prereqs and like ^^^^^ said, make sure they are college credits. Good Luck

akulahawk and DivaLaJuicy Thank you so much! I had to take a little break from school and work more but now I am trying to get into a CNA program. Hopefully I will get in this August 2014. :)

I am a CNA and almost done with the PN program. I didn't have a choice. The school I chose is a ladder program. Meaning you have to be a CNA to get into the PN program and then you have to be an LPN to get into the ADN program.

I'll be 31 in a couple of weeks and I would like to hurry the process along but I'm glad I've had to do it in stages.

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