Difference between RN and LPN programs

[latebloomer74, LPN]

I am applying for an RN program after having completed 99% of my LPN program ( unfortunately I didn't make it all the way to graduation). So my question is what is the main difference between the RN and the LPN program other than length of the program?

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

Stronger focus on pathophysiology and nursing process (problem solving). RNs ultimately are making decisions that LPNs are not able to make. That is what you will be learning. I used to tell the new grads that we were orienting that they would be stamping out little fires all the time. That is what RNs do. Who tells them about these fires? A lot of times, the LPNs.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I completed an LPN program nearly 5 years ago. I am set to graduate from an RN program in about 7 weeks.

The main differences that I have noted include more in-depth exposure to different disease processes, more emphasis on leadership issues, more focus on problem solving, and more attention to critical thinking. Both RNs and LPNs are taught basic nursing skills, also known as the fundamentals. However, in the nursing food chain, the buck stops with the RN.