LPN. or RN

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I recently relocated due to a nasty divorce, I have been trying to figure out which to do. LPN or BSN. I was waiting for the in-state tuition to kick in before I made a decision. (In Arkansas the wait is only 6 mo ) I really need the opinions of RN's and LPN's....which is better to have as far as pay and benefits? I have heard that Rns get paid almost the same as LPN's? I'm getting my CNA this summer so that I can get a job as well as go to school. I'm going crazy trying to figure out which road to go! Someone please give insight into each path. Do you regret the path you took? If so, why...I'm really interested.

Specializes in ICU, Informatics.
Not true and not everywhere. I personally started at a higher pay rate at an LTC as a New Grad LPN while a New Grad RN hired at the local hospital was getting paid less. Currently as an LPN I am making more than an RN counterpart is where they work. (Same field)

Indeed this is very hard to believe, would you mind providing some stats?

What state do you work in?

How much did you start out at as an LPN?

What hospital did your RN acquaintance work at?

How much did s/he start out at?

If nothing else I'm curious to know how hospital admin can possibly get away with it!

Specializes in LTC, Geriatrics, MDS.

Based on your situation you described. If i was you, my opinion would be to go for my LPN first. This way you can get a better idea of the nursing field plus make more money while you go back to school for your RN. Overall i do support and recommend getting your RN in the long run. ASN and BSNs usually get paid the same amount and i know most places don't really look at the degree but simply the certification. Im currently a LPN working on my BSN. With that said, at lest in my area (Maryland), i go to school full time and work mainly just on the weekends and bring home on average about $1200/2 wks. Some schools even offer for you to be able to test after a certain amount of classes for your LPN. I most definitely don't regret the path i took mainly because in the end LPNs can do most of the things RNs do and i feel that it gave me a stronger passion for this proffession. Whichever you decide to do go for it with all you have.

Specializes in LTC, Geriatrics, MDS.
Indeed this is very hard to believe, would you mind providing some stats?

What state do you work in?

How much did you start out at as an LPN?

What hospital did your RN acquaintance work at?

How much did s/he start out at?

If nothing else I'm curious to know how hospital admin can possibly get away with it!

I can say that here in Maryland, depending of course. Most rural areas do pay LPNs and RNs at similar rates. I know that i have myself 3yrs experience as a LPN and make more than the new RNs. I do MDS and charge right now at a LTC. I have not worked in our local hospital but i know that right now they are only hiring BSNs and phasing out their ASNs. Its that whole Golden Care thing... Funny how larger tax breaks influence peoples lives. They do employ LPNs for IV infusion and i believe two other floors. I have a friend who started working there after she graduated with her BSN and she is getting paid a dollar short from me. She is on Telemetry. She started at 21/hr I'm at 22/hr roughly. And i know that its mainly based off of demand with pay. Short on positions and the hospital has to meet guidelines then they have to have the spots filled = increased rate to get people in. low amount of positions open and meeting guidelines then its basically what they decide. I only know that because of the pervious job i had with a nurse consultant team.

Specializes in ICU, Informatics.

Parity in LTC sounds intuitive. I'm always interested in how variable RN pay is across the country. New grads RNs in Oregon hospitals are now starting pretty consistently at $30/hr in hospitals, rural, urban, union/non, all pretty close. LTC it seems is around $24/hr.

I recently relocated due to a nasty divorce, I have been trying to figure out which to do. LPN or BSN. I was waiting for the in-state tuition to kick in before I made a decision. (In Arkansas the wait is only 6 mo ) I really need the opinions of RN's and LPN's....which is better to have as far as pay and benefits? I have heard that Rns get paid almost the same as LPN's? I'm getting my CNA this summer so that I can get a job as well as go to school. I'm going crazy trying to figure out which road to go! Someone please give insight into each path. Do you regret the path you took? If so, why...I'm really interested.

If you are going back to school to become a nurse, bypass the ADN and go straight for the BSN. While the ADN programs are good, many many hospitals are now not even hiring ADN prepared nurses.... and going directly to BSN trained nurses. I have been an LPN since 1976, and except for hanging blood and blood products, and pushing medications was doing the exact same thing, however a new grad fresh out of RN school started at the hospital where I used to work at more than 3 dollars more an hour than I was making when I left to move to another state. When I arrived in the state I live in now, I could not get a job as an LPN in anything except long term care, or working in a Doctors office. I am now in RN school.

Definitely go for RN. Start with your ADN from a local technical college (generally these programs offer a "LPN exit point" where you can decide to stop classes and take the LPN NCLEX if you really want to). If you decide you'd like to go back for your BSN in the future, your future employer may cover most or all of your BSN completion education.

You will be able to do MUCH more with your RN license. LPN's are being phased out of health care. In my area, they are only hired at nursing homes for med pass, and even that is being changed to require a RN degree at a lot of places. I see many LPN's working as MA's in clinic settings now because they're unable to find work elsewhere.

RN's also make significantly more money than LPN's. You can check out www.salary.com to find the averages in your area. There is also a lot more potential for advancement in your career.

Getting your CNA is a good first step. Good luck in you decision and future endeavors!

Thanks everyone. Here in Arkansas to get the ADN I have to get my Lpn first. I am definitely going to get my CNA certification first. My step father was not keen on me staying there for the 4 months it took me to get settled into this new location. So, no they would not let me stay there even for one year, believe me I asked. I have to be able to work at night and an LTC facility is the best place I can think of. I started volunteering with the activities director and have had a blast. They may even offer me a pt time weekend job! Keeping my fingers crossed to help me pay for my class!

Why would you have to get your lpn first?

I was wondering that too. Is it a requirement in AK that you must have your LPN prior to getting your RN??

Why would you have to get your lpn first?
In the programs in Arkansas the LPN classes can be put toward the ADN program and because they require you to have an LPN before they will admit You to the program.
In the programs in Arkansas the LPN classes can be put toward the ADN program and because they require you to have an LPN before they will admit You to the program.

....So there is no such thing as a RN only school? you don't have BSN programs? Every RN in Arkansas has been an LPN? that really weird and kind of whacky.

Is RN school only a year long there for the ADN?

If thats the case i guess you don't have a choice and I think that you should further your education to become an RN.

There also is a 4 year school. My mother has been a nurse(BSN) for 30 years. I asked her opinion and she told me just be an Lpn, its not worth it being an RN. I tried to question her further for her reasons, but She wouldn't discuss it further. So I wanted other opinions to see if other people felt that it was useless getting. I thank everyone for their opinions. Its going to help me quite a bit.

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