LVN vs RN

Nurses General Nursing

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what are the pros and cons of going thru lvn instead of rn? what are the pros and cons of going through rn instead of lvn?

i flunked out of nusing school after failing a course twice so i'm thinking since i did so bad i should try lvn since it may be easier than taking up the RN. but i have to wait until the LVN program opens up and there's only one lvn program i know of at a community college. i'm not about to spend 20-30 thousand dollars for an LVN degree when i can wait a year and pay about less than half of that price for the same degree... and at a place i recognize. what should i do for a year? i am planning to get my cna.. then work as a cna...what do you guys think? is this a good plan?

Specializes in hospice, corrections.

It really depends on what course you failed and why. Most of the prerequisite courses for LVN are the same as RN in most states. In fact, the program I graduated from, the first year was LPN and the second year was the RN program, and we had to be CNAs before we could start the program.

Don't go to LVN school thinking it will be easier than RN school. You should take a good hard look at the reasons why you failed and do something about that before you seek another program.

Practical nursing education is NOT nursing made easy. It is an intense, hands on introduction to nursing.

mash, my first year of RN school earned me my LPN license.

I don't know how to advise you. I am sorry that you failed out. I think you need to relax a bit and cry this out before you make any decisions, and getting over this is going to take a few months.

Give yourself the summer to decide what to do next.

{{{{mashamatongo}}}}

It depends where you are! Here, the RN program is a BSN program (4 years), and the first TWO years will allow you to be an LPN. Meanwhile, we have the 2 year LPN program crammed into 12 straight months of education, no breaks.

The LPN program, on average, will lose 1/3 of its students by the year's end.

mash, my first year of RN school earned me my LPN license.

I don't know how to advise you. I am sorry that you failed out. I think you need to relax a bit and cry this out before you make any decisions, and getting over this is going to take a few months.

Give yourself the summer to decide what to do next.

{{{{mashamatongo}}}}

Agreed. This is how I obtained my LPN license. So, in essence, LPN is the first half of nursing school. Therefore, if you failed out of RN school, attempting LVN/LPN school will most likely be met with the same results unless you identify and correct the problem/s that caused you to fail out of RN school.

Specializes in LTC/Rehab/SNF/Sub-Acute.

LVN program was NOT easy!!!

Specializes in CVICU.

I thought most schools required a CNA? You should definitely get one, work on a floor and obtain some skills. It will certainly help you along the way.

I am attending LPN school in August at a local Vocational school. It is 10 months long full time and does not require me to have CNA first (actually, there were no prereqs). I have heard that LPN programs are as intense as RN. Some state that there are more clinicals in LPN and more theory in RN. If I were in your position, I would review what you failed out of because you will most likely be going over this in LPN school as well. Best of luck!

Same here, The first year of your 2 year ASN RN program is the exact same curriculum as that of the LPN (LVN) program. That means if you failed out of our RN program in the first year you also failed out of the LPN program as well. If your motivated I hope you can take the LPN program in your state but you would be out of luck here. I am only taking my PreReqs right now but I know a large percent of those who enter the program here also flunk out so remember that these classes are not easy, they take a lot of work, and you must be motivated. Some of those CC programs (like mine) cram all their classes down your throat. We take around 9 to 10 credit hours every 5 weeks where many programs do 9-12 a semester (10-12 weeks). Good luck.

Specializes in Geriatrics.

So does that mean that after you complete the first/second year of the 3-4 RN program, you can actually sit for the LVN/LPN boards and take them? Work as an LVN while you're finishing up the rest of the RN program?

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