Becoming an RN via the LPN route

[MelbaToast007]

first off, hello!! this is my first post and this website has been of great help to answering some questions i've had.

prior to getting to my question, i think it would behoove any answers i may receive to have a bit of knowledge regarding my background. i graduated five years ago with a bs in biology. i'm currently a research associate in a molecular biology and pharmacology laboratory(academia setting) doing basic research. i've been in the position for approximately five years. as you all may or may not know, in order to climb up the "company ladder" it is necessary to get a graduate degree and after long deliberation and experience, i've come to the realization that becoming a p.i(primary investigator), professor or perpetual post-doc is not something i would like to pursue for a multitude of reasons....mainly being that the constant grant proposal writing is just not for me. albeit, with that said, i do like the "research aspect" of being in a laboratory and feel that i would also like to incorporate a clinical and patient aspect. i've done a plethora of research regarding the field of research nursing and feel that this is something i would certainly love doing. however, my issue does not lie in what branch or really any detail of research nursing...it's simply a matter of hopping over that first hurdle....attaining an rn. i have been extremely lucky to have been hired by a p.i while i was still wet behind the ears and even over-looked my horrid final, cumulative gpa(2.36) and have since gained an abundance of knowledge, skills and publications. as i've progressed in sifting through admissions requirements for attaining an rn. i've come to the conclusions that it will be nearly impossible to get accepted to any nursing school b/c of my terrible gpa. to even raise my gpa up to the 2.7-2.8 range, i would need to take at least 14 to 16 classes....this is certainly not attainable for a myriad of reasons(costly, i work full-time, time span, etc). it's starting to prove quite difficult to jump through the admissions hurdle and i've just about given up. i know full well that i can handle the course work and pressures of nursing school. i'm positive my other bullets on my c.v would undoubtedly garner me a position in nursing school...unfortunately that gpa looms over my head like a terrible nightmare. i know not what to do and feel extremely jaded that my gpa will cost me an admissions seat. i know that's the nature of the beast, but i refuse to give up because i'm positive i would make a great nurse....unfortunately...classes got in the way of my college career(when i was young and immature) and now i'm paying the repercussions for such deeds. to make my long story even longer(and thank you for reading even this much), i'm looking for ways to get that rn now besides the asn route and would like to know if anyone here has attained an rn via the lpn route(seems to have lower admissions criteria to be met) and if they could give me any suggestions otherwise....(i.e., how long did it take, how long of experience of being an lpn did you have to have before getting accpeted to an lpn-rn program)

signed,

plagued by an abhorrent gpa