If you have ever been an LPN...

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Hello to all,

I just wanted to get some input from any nurses who might have went the LPN to RN route and are now working as an RN.

I already know the route I am going to take for my education (LPN to RN) but I am starting to have some worries. I am feeling worried that my LPN program( starts in august) wont prepare me enough to be an RN student. I am really not nervous about the LPN program, just the transition after. Did any of you bridge and find that your LPN program didn't provide the knowledge base that the RN program wants you to have when you get there? Or did you basically enter into the RN program and know everything that they expect you to? Any experiences/comments would be greatly appreciated. :eek:

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Specializes in Tele, Dialysis, Med-Surg, ICU,GI.

It depends on the school, I went to a great LPN program, that gave me a good strong background. My RN program was terrible in comparision to it.

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Specializes in LTC, AL, Corrections, Home health.

I am about half way through the process, looking to start bridge program, but most of the school in my area that I am looking at have a transition course that is designed to make sure you are prepared and to teach the differences between an lpn and rn and the things that are taught in year one of the rn program that an lpn may not be familiar with. One of my lpn classmates that jumped right into a bridge (unlike me who is waiting a yr, to take prereqs) She told me(b/c I had that same concern) if i could make it through our lpn program that the bridge was a breeze because we were already conditioned to that stressful nursing school environment, but I guess it would depend on the school. We had a really great program. My word of advice would be to just buckle down and focus on what you are doing, absorb all of the knowledge and make the best of your clinical experiences while you are in school and you will be ready when the time comes.

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Specializes in Psych, LTC, Acute Care.

Stop worrying,you will be fine. Nursing school is all in what you put into it. You will learn most of the information in LPN school as you do in RN school but it will cater to your scope of practice. When your in clinicals take the initiative to learn all you can and be proactive. Thats what I did and I learned alot more than some of my classmates who sat around chatting about what they were gonna do over the weekend. I asked the nurse could observe various treatments and procedure and learned alot. Thats my best advice to you. Good Luck!

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Specializes in NICU.

I got an LPN halfway through RN school at my local community college. The first year (after which students are eligible to sit for NCLEX-PN) was more basic information, the second year went into quite a bit more detail. You should be fine.

Working as an LPN during NS was one of the best things I did; I learned so much from actually working with patients that the theory was much easier.

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Thanks for all of the replies- I start on the 13th for LPN and I really want to soak up every little piece of info that I can. After I get that under my belt I think I am going to go work LTC while doing my pre-reqs for RN. I think that it will just keep me in practice and also help me with some skills. Your posts are all very encouraging, I am beginning to get very excited about the whole thing. So, thanks everyone! :heartbeat

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