CNA to LVN in 5 months

charebec65 · Feb 3, 2007

Lord I hope not..... that is scary!!!!!!

PMFB-RN, RN · Feb 3, 2007

I posted this in the LPN forum maybe i should've posted it here.
is this program legit?
*** Many years ago I challenged the Ca LVN boards based on my experience as a medic in the army. I know several others who did the same based on their time as medics or navy corpsmen.
Might be a good way to go for some people. They could do their 5 months, get their LVN, get their license in Wisconsin and then go to the South West Wisconsin Technical College's 9 month LPN to RN program and be an RN in 16 or so months!

S.N. Visit, BSN, RN · Feb 3, 2007

Five months?? I sure wouldn't want to try it. I had a hard enough time sorting through the ridiculous amounts of info crammed into my 12 month program. It's hardly enough time. Also, I'd be leary because it says it's your responsibility to find out if its accredited with the BON. I'd like to find out their NCLEX-PN pass rate!

NurseCubanitaRN2b, BSN, RN · Feb 3, 2007

I've actually heard a bunch of nurses talking about this...and I live in California.....I think the reason why it's a CNA-LVN program is because a lot of LVN school has to do with CNA work, bathing, ADL's etc....Now is it accredited I'm not sure, but I've heard about it.....

nursekhat · Feb 4, 2007

I don't think you necessarily need to take that program if you are a CNA who wants to challenge the LVN boards. I actually have a couple of acquaintances that has done this. I just heard that you have to have a certain amount of years as a CNA, and experience in Med-Surge, and take a pharmacology class. Your best bet is to look it up under the Board of Vocational Nursing website.

WannaBeNrse · Feb 4, 2007

You'd have to find out if the school is accredited.

It does say, though, that you need 51 months of work experience, and that you MAY be eligible to take the NCLEX- so it sounds shady. Or maybe its different in every state, and in some you could take the LVN exam, in others maybe not. Here in MN, i dont think we have LVN, only LPN, dont know if thats a difference or not.

There are lists out there on the web of unaccredited schools and universities- just do a google search for "diploma mill" or "degree mill"- if this school is on any of those lists, beware ;-)

RN34TX · Feb 4, 2007

Here in MN, i dont think we have LVN, only LPN, dont know if thats a difference or not.

No difference.

Some states (CA and TX) use the title LVN rather than LPN but they are both equivalent levels of licensure.

RN34TX · Feb 4, 2007

[color=#4377d2]"if you are a cna and have at least 51 months* of paid general duty bedside nursing experience in a general acute care facility, you may be eligible to challenge the lvn nclex exam after attending the 64-theory-hour pharmacology module provided by cshs".

[color=#4377d2]

don't get me wrong. i'm all for innovative/new ways of approaching a nursing education and we definitely need more options out there for people.

but for a state like ca (of all states) who has the biggest problem of all with people getting their rn educations via excelsior, i'm not understanding how they are ok with cna's becoming lvn's in this manner.

i was a cna for several years before becoming an lpn/lvn and no matter how many hours of "paid general duty bedside nursing experience" you have as a cna (especially in an acute care setting) none of those work hours are even remotely close to being the equivalent to the knowledge base, skill level, and responsibility of an lpn/lvn.

again, not trying to criticize the program, just trying to understand it.

i'm just not seeing how 51 months of being a hospital cna and taking a 64 hour pharm course is sufficient to step into the lvn role for ca yet they remain so critical of other non-traditional educational approaches.

CHATSDALE · Feb 4, 2007

this boat don't float

giving meds, knowing your a-p, signs/sx there is so much to cram into your head. you can challange some courses but nursing skills are very difficult to do in that amt of time imho

confuzhn · Feb 5, 2007

thanks for the replies, i knew there was something off about it, "[color=#4377d2]you may be eligible to challenge the lvn nclex exam" just didnt sound right. when i tried their online info request, it doesn't have the option to request for cna-lvn brochure.

PMFB-RN, RN · Feb 5, 2007

But for a state like CA (of all states) who has the biggest problem of all with people getting their RN educations via Excelsior, I'm not understanding how they are ok with CNA's becoming LVN's in this manner.

*** I don't know if this has anything to do with it but in California the LVN board of nursing is separate from, and pretty much unrelated to the registered nurse board. Each has different rules and agreements with other states.