Would It Be Better To Be A Lpn First, Then Go For Rn?

Nursing Students LPN-RN

Published

HI.. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY ADVICE?? WOULD IT BE EASIER TO GO FOR LPN FIRST BEFORE JUMPING INTO RN PROGRAM?? IM NERVOUS ABOUT ALL THE MATH AND CHEMISTRY CLASSES FOR RN THEY SEEM TO BE REALLY HARD. SO NOW IM WONDERING IF I SHOULD EASE INTO THIS SLOWER..??

HELP PLEASE!:rolleyes:

THANKS! wannabaRN

in louisiana you can take a accelerated program which ids ROUGH but it gets you ad-rn degree if you are licensed as an lpn

but i agree if at all possible go for rn but the important thing is to get started if yoour husband is military there are a lot of places you can be sent that do not hire lpns england comes to mind off hand

you can get a lot of experience as an lpn which will help you doing the work even if the credits are not accepted

no, it wouldn't be "better" or "easier", just a shorter time in school....that's just my two cents....

i'm 36 & in my 3rd semester of an r.n. program w/ all my pre-reqs done & it's taken me 2 1/2 yrs. part-time, but in 9 mos. i'll be done.

the pre-reqs are challenging, but if i could do it you can do it, trust me!:blushkiss

now, here's the negative side of the r.n. program......by the time you're in your 3rd or 4th sem. of the nursing program your brain is fried......and it takes every ounce of motivation to keep going but,

some of that is my age & the fact that i have a health issue.

I've been biting my tongue on this one but really.

One person's viewpoint in one state is not gospel nor should it be used to determine a persons career goal.

I live in an area where PN's are pretty much utilized to full scope. If we were a "dying breed" our hospitals, continuing care centres, immunization programmes, OR, dialysis units and employment safety firms would collapse.

There are waitlists of up to two years for either level of nursing.

Sounds like someone has never worked with PNs and might be intimidated with our usefullness.

Specializes in Ortho/Neurosurgical.

Might I point out she isn't a nurse....check the name wannabeRN.....just her perception of what an LPN is used for in her area of the world. Although LPN's are mostly used in my area (FL) for nursing homes, some hospitals (and jails...with really good benefits) hire LPN's and pay as much as some make as new grad RN's. Chalk the comments up to lack of knowledge. I am going LPN first because I can and am starting in Jan.....and also because I have a bachelor's degree already and hope to bridge to RN and just take an accelerated program for BSN....either way I'll be done before any other individual going for an ASN is.

Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Okay, all I have to say is number one.. I respect your opinions and your experience as an RN. But I must say, you just made a current LPN student feel like crap. I myself would have gone for an RN program, but the waiting lists are riddiculous and this is just an better option for right now.... My school has graduated HUNDREDS of LPNs, that of which about 94% of have found employment, and there are JUST as many job opporitunities in my area for LPNs, which suggests that we are not a "dying breed"... and by the way, LPNs are REAL NURSES too!

Don't let an inconsiderate person make you feel like crap. Sounds to me that this person has an ego problem, thus, feels the need to insult those perceived to be inferior.

I am on the other side of the fence in that I was never interested in becoming an RN. My focus may change in the future, but, I was attracted to caring for the stable patients with predictable outcomes moreso than critical care, ER and the other places. I have total respect for the RNs because it does take a special person to wish to go further, but that does not denote that LPNs are inferior to them in the least, and, I am not envious of them. I want to help them and the patients.

If you have the opportunity to further your education after this, please do it, and at least you will be one of the RNs that consider everyone a part of the health care team. Once a person goes around denouncing those of lesser titles are doomed in my eye, because they are the ones that will look out for your patients and warn you if something is wrong. No man is an island.

Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
I've been biting my tongue on this one but really.

One person's viewpoint in one state is not gospel nor should it be used to determine a persons career goal.

I live in an area where PN's are pretty much utilized to full scope. If we were a "dying breed" our hospitals, continuing care centres, immunization programmes, OR, dialysis units and employment safety firms would collapse.

There are waitlists of up to two years for either level of nursing.

Sounds like someone has never worked with PNs and might be intimidated with our usefullness.

It seems to be that there are trends where LPNs are more utilized, then, the RNs become, depending on the need and the financial stability of the institutions that hire nurses. Years ago, the hospital where I work laid off many of the RNs from the clinics and utilized the LPNs more until the unions got involved and added a bit more to the functions of the RN, bringing them back to their clinics. Whatever the case, we are ALL nurses. How would an RN feel if a nurse practitioner were to tell a BSN that they were not really nurses?? It is a silly concept to have; believing that a lesser position deserves lesser respect.

HI there! I am new here & just read ur posting. I too was pondering the same thing. RN ? LPN? Well, because of my personal needs I opted for the LPN first. I started the program this past Monday. Its the decision I made & I am pretty happy with it. I feel like I may be taking the slower route..But my foot is in the door & I hope to gain lots of experience on the way. I plan on finishing my pre-req's along the way so I can eventually begin an RN program. I hope I made the right decision. After leaving school for quite some time, I feel it was better to take the safer, slower route..lol. Good Luck on reaching a decision. In my opinion either one is a GREAT step : )

I took some classes towards my MSN/ARNP in January surrounded by BSNs and 55% of them failed the patho class. That doesn't mean that anyone was dumb, it's just that there is a difference in schooling for LPNs,RN's, ARNP, and etc..Graduating with my MSN/ARNP will only take 15 months but I can't say it's the same as being an RN because the schooling isn't long. I am being trained to take a different role but utilizing my knowledge as an RN.

The same way an LPN can't say their job is the same as an RN because it only takes another year to earn the ASN. It's accelerated because they are utilizing your current knowledge as an LPN to train you in a new role as an RN, which is totally different. I have 2 friends who are LPNs currently working towards their RNs. One failed and the other one is still hanging in there. They use to think they did the same as an RN until they started RN school.

Be realistic and you will get much further in life.

Good luck

Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
The same way an LPN can't say their job is the same as an RN because it only takes another year to earn the ASN. It's accelerated because they are utilizing your current knowledge as an LPN to train you in a new role as an RN, which is totally different. I have 2 friends who are LPNs currently working towards their RNs. One failed and the other one is still hanging in there. They use to think they did the same as an RN until they started RN school.

Be realistic and you will get much further in life.

Good luck

Most LPNs/LVNs that I know of do not ever claim to be doing the same thing as RNs because, after all, the LPN and RN are not the same type of nurse. I am an LVN who is fully aware that my duties and scope of practice differ from that of the RN. My major gripe occurs only when uppity people feel the need to insult or mock one's educational level or career choices.
Specializes in Gerontological, cardiac, med-surg, peds.

At my former community college, LPN's could bridge into the 5-semester ADN program (if there was an open slot) in the third semester.

Specializes in Gerontological, cardiac, med-surg, peds.

moderator's note: please refrain from any lpn bashing on this thread. it will not be tolerated. thank you.

HI there! I am new here & just read ur posting. I too was pondering the same thing. RN ? LPN? Well, because of my personal needs I opted for the LPN first. I started the program this past Monday. Its the decision I made & I am pretty happy with it. I feel like I may be taking the slower route..But my foot is in the door & I hope to gain lots of experience on the way. I plan on finishing my pre-req's along the way so I can eventually begin an RN program. I hope I made the right decision. After leaving school for quite some time, I feel it was better to take the safer, slower route..lol. Good Luck on reaching a decision. In my opinion either one is a GREAT step : )

I am happy that your are in, I feel lik a yo yo I statrted my prequisites for RN ADN applied to the program and found out that I did not take biology or chemistry in HS. After all this time one year has passed and I am not in the program, when I finish these last 3 pre recs I will still be on the waiting list for the Rn program. I have decided to go for the LPN and then start working and in the midst of that go for my RN. I never realized it was this diffucult. I want to be a RN more that anything, I feel like I am going backward by going for the LPN, I just need to get my foot in the door, not getting any younger, 39 years old and still do not have a career

+ Add a Comment