Difficulty transitioning from LPN to RN?

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Hey everyone! I am a last semester RN nursing student and was wondering about the difficulty for a LPN to transition into the RN program. I personally have not been a LPN, but when I was in my third semester our class was joined by several LPN students. I became close friends with many of them and it seemed as if the transition course did not help in preparing them for all that was expected of them, even right from the get-go. The POCs, concept map, and testing style was difficult for several. By the end of the semester we had lost a lot of classmates, RNs and LPNs. I give credit to all of you who have been in this situation and have gave it your all to get where you are. Does anyone agree that the transition was more difficult than it should have been? Should there be a better transition course to "prep" you so you may do well?

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

I was an LVN for 4 years prior to becoming an RN. I felt that the RN completion program that I attended was substantially easier than the LVN program from which I graduated. So, no, my transition from LPN to RN was not difficult or challenging.

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I will be starting a LPN to RN program in January. I have not been working for the past year and a half due to having to care for family members and taking pre reqs for RN school. I am wondering what I should brush up on so that I am not totally rusty when class starts. Any recommendations for study materials??

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Specializes in 4.

I am a working LVN and I have actually been told the opposite from friends who are RN's. Now it may be easier for an LVN who is currently working but I have approximately 19 yrs of medical exp (6 yrs NON CMA, 12 yrs at a health insurance co & a little over 1 yr as an LVN). Currently I am taking my RN pre-reqs & from what I am experiencing, I don't think I will have a harder time. I think the difference you may be seeing is if the person is becoming a nurse because of passion or $$ or stability or ?? My friends who are nurses for any other reason than passion, have a heck of a harder time in school. Sure they are good people but nursing isn't their passion. I waited 18 or so yrs to go to school to follow my passion. It was never the right time (marriage, divorce & growing up kept me busy) in my 20's & early-mid 30's. I went the LVN route cause I was working full time when I finally learned to put my dreams 1st. I have zero regrets & nursing is in no way easy or for those whom have no clue what hard work is about. Now can someone who wasn't passionate about becoming a nurse turn into an excellent, caring nurse? Sure! Once the "light bulb" goes off, it all comes together & it is smooth sailing from there. That is my experience & there are many nurses who are in it for all the wrong reasons, just as in any profession.

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

When I was in nursing school I observed that ANYONE who had worked in the medical field came to nursing school with some pre-set ideas and, if there was conflict, some had a hard time adjusting. In other words, the ones who tended to argue with the instructors the most were the LVN's, RT's and EMT's. The rest of us just accepted what we were told. It really comes down to the individual.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
When I was in nursing school I observed that ANYONE who had worked in the medical field came to nursing school with some pre-set ideas and, if there was conflict, some had a hard time adjusting. In other words, the ones who tended to argue with the instructors the most were the LVN's, RT's and EMT's. The rest of us just accepted what we were told. It really comes down to the individual.
People with extensive experience in the medical field are no longer working with a 'clean' mental slate because they have seen how things are done in the real world of healthcare.

Unfortunately, many of my former classmates struggled because they had the tendency to answer test questions using their 'real world' fund of knowledge. However, in nursing school, it's only the 'textbook world' that matters.

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Specializes in hospice, HH, LTC, ER,OR.

So far no, if anything it has made my transition a lot easier. I am bored out of my mind in clinicals and my instructor tells the nurse that I am working with I am an LPN. She rarely checks on me and the things I have to do in clinicals she said I can tell you have done this many times before. I do not feel my non-medical classmates are getting the training they deserve. They will be in for a rude awakening once they have a taste of what real world nursing is like. Praise the lord I am flexible and I dont argue in class or clincals, I do what im told and leave it at that, because I am there to learn and not cause trouble with anyone. Good Luck :)!

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Specializes in Step-Down.

I am currently in my second semester of Lpn to Rn transition. There are a few others Lpns in the class but the majority are new nursing students. So far I have learned absolutley nothing and am hair pulling bored in clinicals. This semster and last semester in clincals we asses our patients for a max of 15 min then sit down and write care plans for 3 hours. How is this a vauluble use of our clinical time? Only 3 or 4 students pass meds out of 9 a week and we don't do any foleys or trachs. Thank god i work full time and have 40 patient med pass and do hands on skills at work. I feel as if when these students graduate they will have no idea what to do on a hospital floor

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I am not sure what school you are going to, but I know that for me it was helpful to brush up on medications and the disease processes. I struggled with the cardiac portion so these are just a few things I would brush up on. I hope that helps a little.

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That is just a great insight and I think that you might be on to something. Thanks for your thoughts!

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