Is LPN school just as hard as RN school?

[NICUplease]

Hey guys,

I will be starting an RN 1+1 program (1st yr LPN, 2nd yr RN) this August. I was just wondering if LPN school is just as hard and demanding as RN school? Will it require the same amount of studying and tedious work? I hear LPN school is more clinical work, whereas, RN school is more theory, any truth to this? Anything helps. Thanks is advance!!!

[Ginger's Mom, MSN, RN]

As an instructor who has taught in the PN and RN programs, I think the PN program is more intense, more is packed in during a short period of time. RN level is a bit more detailed but not as intense.

PN clinical the acuity of the patients is not as intense as RN.

[LaneRN]

I do not know about the RN program but I am 8 wks away from finishing a 3 semester Pn program. We did learned to start IV's but enable to do it in the hospital we will need to be certified in IV therapy. We also did care plans and journals. Which I totally hated. We learned to assess the patient the way an RN does, for example for an admission patient, even though we will not do this unless the RN is present, we can help but not do alone. We were taught alot of the samethings that the RN's were doing or at least thats what friends in the RN program stated, because alot of the PN students at our school usually go on to the RN program. We even done IV pushed meds and IV meds and I know in some states this is not allowed by the LPN. So when I get into the Rn program hopefully in 2010 I will be able to tell you more. Good luck to all Future Nurses reading the forum

[Guy84RN]

rn is way harder than lpn, i've seen many lpn's flunk the transition, but it can be done!

[picurn10]

rn is way harder than lpn, i've seen many lpn's flunk the transition, but it can be done!

Um, have you actually done LPN? I have TONS of friends and instructors who did both and none thought that RN was "way harder". Different, more paperwork, more patho, but definitely no one thought it was "way harder".

I get tired of RN students/RNs assuming that LPN is a cakewalk and that we can't hack it academically. I am taking a class this summer with three 3rd semester RN students and I can run circles around them in terms of nursing knowledge and even experience clinical wise: we have more clinicals time in our 11mo of LPN than my RN program has in BOTH years. I've always been a great student, so I know I'll be fine in RN school. I've got a four-year degree in another field so it's not like that level of learning is new to me, or most of my fellow LPN students for that matter (most have either a 4yr degree or 2yrs of college work).

AlexK, thanks for sharing your viewpoint! It's interesting to hear for someone who's taught both.

[ogerpus]

I graduated from LPN school in 10/08. Finished at the top of class, with zero difficulties or challenges. I have heard SO much rhetoric about how much "harder" the RN program is. I start the LPN-RN bridge program in August. I can't wait to challenge that program to see just how much "harder" it is. I have a funny feeling that I will have similar results. We will see!