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Discussion

Are you gaining new knowledge?

LPN to RN Students: do you feel like you arent learning anything new in the RN program? Originally I was going thru excelsior, but I knew I would probably crack under the pressure of the CPNE so I chose to do a local program that is actually offered online except clinicals and midterms/finals. Im halfway there and graduate in early or mid December. Im pushing through it, but at times it seems like a waste of time. Especially after going halfway through this program and not learning anything new, I strongly feel that LPNs should be able to challenge the RN boards after X amount of experience or at least only be required to take a leadership course,etc and then be eligible to take the RN boards. I barely study and have made all A's so far mainly due to retaining most of the information from LPN schoo(I graduated a year and a half ago) I say this because I refuse to read the zillion chapters they assign us weekly. I get the jist of it from my NCLEX book and Im good to go.

This takes me back to when I was in an NCLEX review course for the LPN boards...there were RN students in there as well. The Saunders NCLEX RN and Saunders NCLEX PN books were IDENTICAL, word for word, page for page except some of the RN questions would ask delegation questions. I dont see why were are required to go back through the same material we already learned in LPN school. I really dont get it...the only difference I can see is the RN requires college credit pre reqs and the LPN only requires passing the TABE and the NET. Clinicals are especially a joke because the only skills that I dont use already (IV's, drawing blood, etc), we are not allowed to do in clinicals. I think its been determined that I can already pass medication and change dressings. Luckily the bridge program is only a year! One long, pointless year, but still...only a year! I cant wait till this madness is over! It really makes me wonder why RN's get so much more respect than LPNs. If only people realized we are being taught the same material in a shorter time and are far from "just an LPN". That one extra year of schooling surely doesnt suddenly make one a genius.

thanks for letting me vent! Having a rough week and midterms so Im grumbling about how unfair it is...lol. Where is the justice? :lol2:

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I'm learning a lot, particularly about the A&P aspects of the disease process. I understand things a lot more thoroughly.

It's Excelsior, and it's reading, but yes, I'm learning a lot.

I feel very challenged, but to some degree that's how I make it. I am a straight A student, so I'm working on maintaining that.

Our program seems a bit more difficult than yours, though. In clinicals we do IVs (which I already do, I'm IV certified, oh well), basically whatever the RN on the floor does. One thing that I've done in clinicals that I haven't done in LPN practice is change a central line dressing and give meds through a central line.

I work in a community hospital on an acute care medical floor. My clinicals are in a much larger hospital; I think more than anything else it is cool to see the different computer and charting systems, the different bar code systems, staffing, report, just the difference between organizations. The nursing is the same, so far, for the most part.

But in the "classroom," (I'm in an online program, too) yeah, I'm learning a lot. I'd be frustrated, too, if I thought I was languishing. Good luck!

  • Author
I feel very challenged, but to some degree that's how I make it. I am a straight A student, so I'm working on maintaining that.

Our program seems a bit more difficult than yours, though. In clinicals we do IVs (which I already do, I'm IV certified, oh well), basically whatever the RN on the floor does. One thing that I've done in clinicals that I haven't done in LPN practice is change a central line dressing and give meds through a central line.

I work in a community hospital on an acute care medical floor. My clinicals are in a much larger hospital; I think more than anything else it is cool to see the different computer and charting systems, the different bar code systems, staffing, report, just the difference between organizations. The nursing is the same, so far, for the most part.

But in the "classroom," (I'm in an online program, too) yeah, I'm learning a lot. I'd be frustrated, too, if I thought I was languishing. Good luck!

They let the generic students do IVs but not the Advanced standing students (LPNs,RTs, Paramedics..). Some kind of liability thing. But we are required to be IV certified to get in the program which makes no sense. Sounds like you are in a good program :) Ours is still pretty new (we are only the second class) so that is probably why it leaves something to be desired...lol. I cant wait till december!

There are several different possible reasons for your feeling like the bridge program is a waste of time - in no particular order...

1. The bridge program you're in isn't very comprehensive. You'd be more challenged in a better program.

2. Your LPN program was better than average, meaning that the bridge content isn't new to you but might be valuable for other students making the transition.

3. You, as a nurse and as a student, are beyond the transition content due to your own diligence and independent learning.

While I understand the frustation of having to take courses on stuff you already know, I can also see the importance of requiring such coursework because there may be folks with a similar background to yours who DO need the content covered. I wouldn't want the NCLEX to be the ONLY requirement for a nursing licensure. I could imagine some people being able to pass the NCLEX without ever going to nursing school just by studying review books.

And if RN and LPN education aren't that different, then I think we need to rethink the education as opposed to challenging the licensing tests. In any field, a person could theoretically study up or have some kind of related experience and be able pass the relevant licensing exams without ever officially studying and passing required coursework.

  • Expert
There are several different possible reasons for your feeling like the bridge program is a waste of time - in no particular order...

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I think this is one of the best posts I have ever read on allnurses. Too often, people fail to recognize that their particular circumstances may be different from that which is typical. They assume that because they personally are not getting a lot of benefit from an educational program, then the whole system is wrong.

System development and national policy cannot be based on the personal experience of a relatively few people. The fact that SOME LPN programs include "extra" content that overlaps with typical RN content should not lead people to assume that ALL LPN programs include that same content. The fact that SOME LPN's have learned a tremendous amount on their own does not mean that ALL LPN's have learned those things. And the fact that SOME RN programs are weak and include only slightly more content that the typical LPN program should not lead one to assume that ALL RN programs are weak. etc. etc. etc.

I look at it this way. If I needed brain surgery, I would want a neurosurgeon with both experience and the proper educational credentials. I would not want somebody who said, "I didn't go to school for this and I don't have the credentials, but I have learned a lot on my own."

Edit: One more thing: My father used to ask us, "What did you learn in school today?" If we answered "nothing," he would blame us, not the school. He felt that there was always something to be learned if we looked for it.

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