NCLEX-PN OR NCLEX-RN

Nurses General Nursing

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Hello, all:

I am have just completed my first semester of an ADN program. I am planning on taking the LPN exam after my 3rd semester and wonder if I should start studying now with an NCLEX-PN or NCLEX-RN book.

Also, is it even worth it to go for my LPN if I will be graduating with my RN 3 or 4 months later?

Thanks.

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Specializes in LTC.

If it's only going to be 3 or 4 months, I would hold off until graduation. Just my .02.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

Most people probably would not bother. There are advantages of taking the exam, however. It can take the edge off for taking NCLEX-RN; some of that state board anxiety should be alleviated. We take the exam in the same setting, obtain the results the same way. At least, some of that will be familiar when you return. And, you never know what will happen in life...if you are not able to take NCLEX-RN as fast as you would like, you do have a license under your belt for the time being.

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If it's only going to be 3 or 4 months, I would hold off until graduation. Just my .02.

My mistake...I actually meant 2 or 3 semesters.

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Most people probably would not bother. There are advantages of taking the exam, however. It can take the edge off for taking NCLEX-RN; some of that state board anxiety should be alleviated. We take the exam in the same setting, obtain the results the same way. At least, some of that will be familiar when you return. And, you never know what will happen in life...if you are not able to take NCLEX-RN as fast as you would like, you do have a license under your belt for the time being.

So I should be studying from the NCLEX-PN book now instead of the RN test book, or does it make a difference?

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
So I should be studying from the NCLEX-PN book now instead of the RN test book, or does it make a difference?

Hard for me to say since I never entered an RN program. I know plenty of RN students that told me they did not feel the need to study from an NCLEX-PN book to take the exam and did well. One thing for sure is that you need to check with the BON in your state to see if this is allowed. I live in New York, and either last year or 2007, they stopped RN students from challenging NCLEX-PN while still in school; they were told that they can do it once they graduate from their RN programs. Of course, by then, for the majority, this made no sense to focus on the PN exam. Personally, I would say that you would probably be able to do it with the RN books now, but I could be wrong.

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Specializes in Home Health Care.

Having taken both exams, I would only study the PN for the NCLEX-PN and RN for the NCLEX-RN. The PN NCLEX will deliberately ask you questions about issues pertaining what a PN can do and delegate. You have a chance of getting a lot of legal issue questions. (I did). If you study the RN you may get confused, because the RN book only teaches you what you can do as an RN. They are tricky questions. I took my PN-NCLEX for practice and I don't regret my decision at all.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Having taken both exams, I would only study the PN for the NCLEX-PN and RN for the NCLEX-RN. The PN NCLEX will deliberately ask you questions about issues pertaining what a PN can do and delegate. You have a chance of getting a lot of legal issue questions. (I did). If you study the RN you may get confused, because the RN book only teaches you what you can do as an RN. They are tricky questions. I took my PN-NCLEX for practice and I don't regret my decision at all.

From what I saw in the Saunders Comprehensive Study Guides for both, LPN and RN, there were not many differences in the study material (from what I saw) between the two. I am not saying this to challenge your response, because I did not enter into an RN program (so, I am not a reliable witness, so to speak). When I was in the process of choosing a guide to study for my NCLEX, I compared the two out of curiousity and did not see a major difference. To be on the 'safe side', I choose PN in order not to be confused, but it did look like page to page that there were just a few things that were different. I also knew plenty of LPNs that chose to study RN guides and also passed.

What stood out to me the most is that it seemed that one has to be skilled in test taking strategy. My NCLEX had strange questions. I can't say WHAT helped me pass because it seemed to be the test from hell compared to what I did in school, and when I shared the questions I got with my friends who were RN students, they were just as perplexed as I.

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That's a lot of money for a license you're never going to use once you graduate and get an RN license.

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Specializes in Home Health Care.
That's a lot of money for a license you're never going to use once you graduate and get an RN license.

Although she could actually get her investment returned, if she got hired some-where and worked as an LPN while waiting for her RN ATT & licence. It took my school 3-4 months just to forward our transcripts to the BON. My place of employment keeps employees on and gives appropriate raises when their title changes. Hopefully she could find a place like mine.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

I had a friend that worked as an LPN for 9 months. She failed med-surg 2 in the RN program, so, she did take NCLEX-PN (when they did allow this in New York) and used that time to work as an LPN in a nursing home while she repeated her class again. So, you never know where life will lead.

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