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Discussion

How did you do it?

I am an LPN, and have worked as an LPN for 5 years. I would like to try and go on to my RN. I live in a very remote area, and it would take considerable travel to go to any community college.

Has anyone gone from LPN to RN completely online? With clinicals, obviously not online, but anyone start from square one? I have no college credits, so I would have to take pre-eq's as well. Is online even an option?

I understand Excellsior is a choice, and I read that if you are an LPN who is currently working in acute care, you do not have to take the clinical exam? But you do have to travel to a testing center to take the exams. And I am not interested in the college network course of study.

Indiana State is also a viable option, but I need to get the proper pre-eqs first.

Any thoughts on those of you who have done it, who are doing it--any and all thoughts welcome! Thanks!

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    • Featured Replies

    I'm curious, how are you an LPN without any college credits?

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    • Author

    The courses I had to take to get my LPN are not transferrable. TAnd I got my LPN through an 18 month technical school program of study, which were nursing specific courses--and allow one to go from LPN to RN for credit for those, so I do not have to take all of the nursing courses, just some specific to RN. I did NOT have to take English Comp, I took math for meds and pharmacology, but not algebra or stats, and the A&P class did not have a lab. I could perhaps test out of a number of the general ed courses, however, I really would like to take them, as I went to school for my LPN far after high school and could benefit from the pre-equs. I find it hard to navigate how one or if one can do many of these online.

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    • Experts
    I'm curious, how are you an LPN without any college credits?
    I also completed an LVN program at a private trade school that dealt in 'clock hours' and not transferable college credits. Many LPNs/LVNs have gone this route, and therefore, earned no college credits during their programs.

    I live in a very remote area, and it would take considerable travel to go to any community college.
    I commuted 95 miles one-way to attend an LVN program five days per week. I commuted 225 miles one-way across state lines to attend an RN bridge program two days per week while maintaining full-time employment as an LVN in a nursing home. Although commuting is not for everyone, when there's a will there's a way.
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    Excelsior is NOT affiliated with TCN (The College Network) so there is no requirement to use them - many people even suggest you stay away from them. LPN's are not allowed to waive the clinical exam though, regardless of where they practice currently - so I am not sure where you heard that. You are allowed to waive one of the theory exams depending on your nursing program. The good thing with Excelsior as well is that many of your classes that wouldn't transfer to a traditional college from your LPN program would still transfer at Excelsior. I would recommend if you are thinking about them at all, you contact them directly and work with an advisor as that will be the most correct and up to date info you will get. I have not found any other programs online that will allow you to get your RN without physically attending a class other than them.

    Best of luck!

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    I have done several of my pre-req. Online. They were difficult as they were only 5 weeks long , but I found that I WANT to go faster now that I am in a classroom college algebra!

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    For the Commuter

    Are you from California?I'm in Orange County and thinking to try to go to school in Arizona.

    I'm really interested to to lvn-rn but seems imposible in California as I can't even enroll for the pre-reqs.

    Thanks

    For [COLOR=#003366]mrllangston

    Are those pre-reqs online tranferable?What classes did you take and where?

    All your help is greatly appreciated

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    • Experts
    For the Commuter

    Are you from California?I'm in Orange County and thinking to try to go to school in Arizona.

    I'm really interested to to lvn-rn but seems imposible in California as I can't even enroll for the pre-reqs.

    I was born and raised in CA and attended an LVN program in southern CA, but have lived out of state for the past seven years. I attended an RN completion program in Oklahoma.
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    I'm from WI & will be graduating from an LPN program next month. I'm moving to Phoenix in January & was thinking about Indiana State University, but unfortunately Arizona doesn't recognize their program.:-( Probably because its so new. So now I'm looking at Gateway Community College. They seem promising. I just hope that the waitlist isn't so long!!

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    Tcooks7

    Good idea! Look into other colleges too in AZ

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