AAS-LPN/ Confused!

[lifelearningrn, BSN, RN]

I'm curious about the associate degree LPNs. Don't LPN have a more limited scope and less pay? Isn't an associates degree about the same amount of time in school? I was under the impression that LPN was a one year certificate type thing and associates degrees were RNs... but I know a woman that says she got an associates degree LPN. If the amount of time in school is the same, why would someone take that route? Maybe I'm mistaken about something?

[Little Panda RN, ASN, RN]

I was an associate degree LPN. I had less to do for my RN by doing it this way. When I went for my RN all I had were the RN core classes to take, all my pre reqs were already done.

[cookienay]

I have never heard of an associate degree LPN. But it does not mean that it does not exist. Yes, an LPN has a lesser scope of practice and generally makes less money. I would have to wonder why someone would want to take two years to obtain a degree for LPN when you can get an RN in the same amount of time and make more money. But that is just me.

[Little Panda RN, ASN, RN]

The technical colleges here require that you are a LPN before going for your RN. Were I live there is only a 2 year LPN degree offered. There are no diploma programs. If you want to go straight for you RN here you go to a 4 year college.

[happyheatherp]

At the college I teach at (a 1+1 nursing program), the students have a few gen. ed. classes they have to have to start the LPN program, then at the end of the 1st year they set for their boards. Then as an LPN they return for the 2nd year, completing the rest of the gen. ed. classes during that 2nd year. Some of the students have completed all of the gen. ed. classes during their 1st year or prior to starting their 1st year, and when they complete their first year they would have earned their associate degree as well as an LPN license. It would just take less time to get their RN degree. As said previously, all they would have to complete are the RN core classes.

Many people go into nursing school with their associate's degree and some even with their Bachelor's degree in other areas. It just makes completing nursing school easier without gen. ed. classes to complete at the same time.

[Hospice Nurse LPN, BSN, RN]

I have AAS LPN degree. I went to nsg school in North Dakota in the 90's and at that time, the only LPN training was the AAS degree. RN's were all BSN. I'm now in a BSN program and had just a few pre reqs to take before beginning the nursing classes.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I have never heard of an associate degree LPN. But it does not mean that it does not exist.

There are plenty of associate degree programs in practical nursing (LPN), but the majority of these schools tend to be located in the Western and Midwestern regions of the United States. Click on the link below to see the plan of study for a practical nursing associate of applied science degree:

College of Technology - Plan of Study - Nursing AAS

[BackfromRetirement]

Speaking strictly for my area, LPN's acquire their education thru a technical school. They attend classes 8 hours a day for one calendar year. There are a few AAS RN programs but you must commute quite a distance to attend.

[Fiona59]

The technical colleges here require that you are a LPN before going for your RN. Were I live there is only a 2 year LPN degree offered. There are no diploma programs. If you want to go straight for you RN here you go to a 4 year college.

Sounds like you live in Canada. Only way to become an RN is via four year degree at uni. PN is two years.

[BackfromRetirement]

This has been a trend every time the economy goes south. This creates a "Bertha-better-than-you" attitude within the echelons of nursing. I am amazed folks still promote this. Hospitals may get picky over grade point average, but you do the same work, you take the same RN-BSN exam. Having been thru the cyclical ups and downs of the nursing economy, this is so much horse-hockey. Critical thinking only gets in the way of a code situation. Stop buying into this job sales BS. No BSN grad is better than a 20 yr experienced RN or LPN. In 5 years you will see the truth.

[Fiona59]

This has been a trend every time the economy goes south. This creates a "Bertha-better-than-you" attitude within the echelons of nursing. I am amazed folks still promote this. Hospitals may get picky over grade point average, but you do the same work, you take the same RN-BSN exam. Having been thru the cyclical ups and downs of the nursing economy, this is so much horse-hockey. Critical thinking only gets in the way of a code situation. Stop buying into this job sales BS. No BSN grad is better than a 20 yr experienced RN or LPN. In 5 years you will see the truth.

You need to jump over to the Canadian forum and read the rant thread. Go on, I dare ya.

[BackfromRetirement]

I did just that. Pettiness might be a result of the working conditions in Canada's socialized medicine. Who knows? Like a bunch of chickens fighting for pecking order, its noisy and messy. LPN's and RN's were created and identified as useful and necessary or the state boards would have never approved their standards. This bickering does not promote team work, and it takes an entire team to give the best of care.