Harder to land RN job after working as LPN?

Chin up · Apr 5, 2011

How do LPN's think?

pockunit, ADN, RN · Apr 5, 2011

Apparently not well. It kind of peeves me off. I mean, people move from low positions at jobs to high ones, and manage to change how they think and work just fine. Who's to say LPNs can't think like RNs? I'm in an RN program, but I am allowed to take the PN boards. I can think both ways.

Chin up · Apr 5, 2011

Apparently not well. It kind of peeves me off. I mean, people move from low positions at jobs to high ones, and manage to change how they think and work just fine. Who's to say LPNs can't think like RNs? I'm in an RN program, but I am allowed to take the PN boards. I can think both ways.

You still haven't answered my question, now think..

APRN., DNP, RN, APRN, NP · Apr 5, 2011

Having experienced that transition myself, I can offer some input.

I personally observed a form of discrimination in the area where I wanted to work, however, allow me to digress in order to establish some background information first.

1. I interview extremely well in past and present tense. I did not become aware of this until it was re-affirmed over and over again. I have been informed of this by hiring managers. I've been in nursing for 22 + years. I've never been turned down for employment - - even in today's tough market.

2. I was an LPN/LVN for approx 15 years before bridging to RN. I have an impeccable attendance record, and many references.

3. I had the unique occasion to become very versatile as a nurse, having worked in numerous fields of nursing from home health/hospice, to acute care med/surg, ortho, trauma, tele, etc.

Having said that....... I was told that I lacked experience (!?!? even though I worked for years in Med/Surg as LPN/LVN) and needed to work Med/Surg in order to gain experience before applying to ICU at my first place of employment. To add insult to injury, I was placed in their "New Grad" orientation program for RN's (This was years ago.....back when they still offered hiring bonuses for RN's). I swallowed my pride, accepted their M/S position (because it was an awesome trauma center) and went through their new grad program with about 20 other new grad RN's where we learned how to safely transfer patients, take accuchecks, and other such BS. During that 8- month long orientation, I became acquainted with 4 other new grad ADN RN's who didn't have a lick of nursing back-ground......and were hired right into the ICU. (No....they were not interviewed before me.)

My vote leans towards: "Yes". It is harder to land a job as a new grad RN after working as an LPN/LVN.

I would like to stress that I think it only applies to new grads. In addition, once you pass the five year mark, the playing field becomes fairly even.

I do not think it is right. After being an RN for many years, I have yet to observe any justification for this manner of thinking and I have a healthy disrespect for anyone who supports this practice.

My two cents.

pockunit, ADN, RN · Apr 6, 2011

You still haven't answered my question, now think..

I'm sorry, did I somehow give you the impression that I don't understand how nurses think?

pockunit, ADN, RN · Apr 6, 2011

Having said that....... I was told that I lacked experience (!?!? even though I worked for years in Med/Surg as LPN/LVN) and needed to work Med/Surg in order to gain experience before applying to ICU at my first place of employment. To add insult to injury, I was placed in their "New Grad" orientation program for RN's (This was years ago.....back when they still offered hiring bonuses for RN's). I swallowed my pride, accepted their M/S position (because it was an awesome trauma center) and went through their new grad program with about 20 other new grad RN's where we learned how to safely transfer patients, take accuchecks, and other such BS. During that 8- month long orientation, I became acquainted with 4 other new grad ADN RN's who didn't have a lick of nursing back-ground......and were hired right into the ICU. (No....they were not interviewed before me.)
My vote leans towards: "Yes". It is harder to land a job as a new grad RN after working as an LPN/LVN.
I would like to stress that I think it only applies to new grads. In addition, once you pass the five year mark, the playing field becomes fairly even.
I do not think it is right. After being an RN for many years, I have yet to observe any justification for this manner of thinking and I have a healthy disrespect for anyone who supports this practice.
My two cents.

It's both insulting and short-sighted. How many hospitals even pay for employees to go through RN programs? Do they then refuse to hire those same employees once they pass the boards?

psu_213, BSN, RN · Apr 6, 2011

I've been told that I would be better off working as a CNA during the second year of the program because local hospitals don't like to hire former LPNs as RNs. Has anyone else heard of or experienced this? Apparently they feel it's too hard to shift gears and stop thinking like an LPN and start thinking like an RN. I'm not sure I buy it, but I'm not in charge of hiring.

During the second year of an RN program you can work as an LPN?

mama_d, BSN, RN · Apr 6, 2011

I don't know...

I'm not even officially in a bridge program yet (all the slots were full, so I have to wait till next Spring). But I've already been told by both ICU and ED that I can work there as soon as I get my RN, and I can also just keep my current position but as a RN instead of LPN, and get the first charge position that opens up. I've been at my facility for over 7 years now though, so I know and have worked with many people who would have that decision making power. If I tried to go to a different hospital I'm not sure how it would pan out.

LTV950rn · Apr 6, 2011

I am in process of experiencing this transition. I'm a new grad RN, with 5 years of experience as an LPN. I worked as a new LPN grad in private duty for 2 years, then clinic work for 3 years, and just recently, have started back in private duty as an RN. I owe the reason I got my current job to my experience as an LPN, especially the private duty experience. Nursing school (for my RN) enhanced my assessment and critical thinking skills. Note I say enhanced-I brought some of that to the table as an LPN. I learned valuable skills as an LPN that I feel have helped me immensely as a new grad RN. I do feel, however, that experience as a CNA is valuable as well, but you are not functioning as a nurse in this role. If a facility feels that experience as an LPN is not valuable or that you can't change your "thinking," then I would not want to be employed by them. In a few years, those new grads (former LPN's or not) become experienced and it is usually hard to tell what a person's background is.

Long story short: no matter what anyone says, experience as an LPN will help you toward becoming an RN. It is valuable.

ANNIENURSEANGEL · Apr 6, 2011

Whoever told you that is rediculous. I was an LPN for 4 years, when I became an RN at the same hospital. My DON was very happy that she did not have to train a new nurse, because I already knew the facility. The only thing that i love more than anything is being responsible for my self, and not being under the supervision of an RN.

pockunit, ADN, RN · Apr 6, 2011

During the second year of an RN program you can work as an LPN?

At the end of the first. It's an ADN program.