How long is it going to take?

[pnanas982]

Hello everyone. Im really new to the nursing world and wanted to know, How long does it take to become a LPN/LVN? Do I need to be a CNA or MA first? I know that question may sound a bit funny but like I said I'm just starting out and have so many questions before I decide if this is the right path for me and my family.

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

hi, pnanas982!

here are some links i put together for you to help you learn more about what a nurse and an lpn in particular does. i've also included a link to their professional organization as well as a link to a widely circulated newsletter that has many job postings so you can see what the job outlook for lpns is. you can usually find a listing of the lpn schools in your state by going to the website of your state board of nursing. you can get that link by running your mouse over the "links" button on the top right side of this page and then clicking on "boards of nursing" when the drop down menu appears. your state and a weblink to it will be listed alphabetically. happy searching!

the answer to your question about do you need to be a cna or ma first is, in general, no. however, lately, some schools of nursing have been making getting a cna a pre-requisite. the only way you would know that would be to contact each individual school of nursing and find out what their entrance requirements are.

http://www.discovernursing.com/

http://www.nursingsociety.org/career/cmap.html

http://stats.bls.gov/oco/ocos102.htm - about lpns from the u.s. department of labor

http://www.lopez1.com/lopez/nurses.views.of.the.nursing.profession/oliver.vicky.alabama.nurses.htm - nurses writing about their views of the nursing profession

http://www.nflpn.org/ - national federation of licensed practical nurses web site. the lpn professional organization

http://lpn.advanceweb.com/ - advance for lpns. advance is primarily a job seekers periodical that is published in several regions of the country and mailed out weekly to those on their mailing lists. however, they also have articles that are relevant to nursing and some continuing education offerings. a good site to check out.