Is there some "stigma" against going for an LPN first and then completing your RN?

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I seem to have gotten several comments from people about "why are you going for an LPN instead of your RN?" Has anyone else experienced this? We're military and typically not in any one place for more than 2-3 years. I know I can get my LPN done if we were to have to move again. How hard is it to find an RN program if you already have your LPN? (I plan on applying to the base hospital for work which is different with their hiring vs. a civilian hospital.) Any thoughts or advice? I appreciate it!!! Thanks!

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We're a military family as well so I understand the logistics of nursing school being difficult. There's not a stigma about LPN, but depending on where in the country you are you may have a difficult time finding work. Many hospitals have phased out LPN and many private practices utilize an RN and MAs do what LPNs used to. At least that's the norm up here in New England. Going for your RN will save you money, time and will make you a lot more marketable. Feel free to pm me if you have questions. Being military, it may be worth your while to take all prereqs and then apply to RN school once you move.

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Thanks! Yes, my goal is to finish pre-reqs and the. Complete LPN and then find an RN program to get into. My ultimate goal is to get my RN...I'm just taking the long way around.

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I went the LPN route in 2012 and got my license. The program was a year and it didn't require a bunch of pre reqs. For me, I wanted to get in and out because I didn't know how long I'd have until orders came down. Also, I needed to make money ASAP.

Another issue was price. My program was 4,000 and most of it was covered by mycaa through military one source. Look into mycaa if you haven't used it. I don't know that I'd pay a bunch of money for LPN school because the job opps are so limited.

When my husband got out the military last year, I wasnt worried about the financial transition. Life happens and I'm glad I didn't wait around trying to get into RN programs. Thats something else to consider. If orders come midway through RN school, what would you do? I doubt you can just transfer classes.

I just got accepted into an accelerated bsn program for fall. So bridging should not be a problem as long as your grades are good.

I have gotten comments and stares. (shrugs) Not everybody has the same straight path. Not everybody has the same goals. I needed to make money and waiting around for RN school would not have worked. You have to do what works for you. Ive learned a lot as a LPN and I dont regret it.

My advice is to go in with a plan. Plan when you will take your pre reqs for RN school if you need to. Try hard to keep your grades up in LPN school, since RN schools may consider them. Go in knowing your opps may be very limited. I've worked LTC, group homes, home health. All areas that most people don't seem to enjoy. Is this something you're willing to do? Wherever you end up, just make the best of it. You can learn something from every nursing job. But I will say... if RN is your goal- don't get stuck. Three years in, and I cant wait to get RN behind my name. I am very limited in what I can do. Working with RN's who do the same job, but they make much more (as they should, they have the education) gets old. Most nurses want more pay, more opps. Thats where Im at. I would not want to be a LPN for life in today's market. Although there is nothing wrong with that!

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Just depends on where you're stationed. I live near a military base in a rural area. LPNs who are transferred here find themselves stuck, because there are no good local options for LPN to RN.

Which isn't to say it's a bad path. I don't think there's really a stigma, and I agree with your reasoning about choosing a program you know you can complete. Just know you might be stuck until your next transfer if you transfer somewhere where there are no bridge programs or they're hard to get into.

If you have an RN program locally that lets you take the NCLEX-PN after the first year, that might be a good option. Also look at the WGU prelicensure program - the classroom portions are online, and my understanding is that clinicals are condensed in such a way that some students are able to commute long distance.

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Specializes in ER/Tele, Med-Surg, Faculty, Urgent Care.

What military branch is your husband in? That might help you narrow down depending on where you might possibly be station unless you go overseas.

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I'm prior service so I have GI Bill and when mine is out I have my husbands as well. He is air force. He is on his last few years before retiring from AD but he also just made rank so there is a 50/50 shot will may get orders one more time before he retires. We live in a small town but there is a bridge program offered in town with the university...I am currently attending community college near by though because it is cheaper. I can either apply for the LPN program next spring and start that fall semester or apply next fall for the RN program and start that next semester (spring). My goal is RN its what I really want and would rather do right out the gate. We do have a really good shot of staying here until I finish school since we've only been here a year but...there's always that what if. (He's already had people from other bases email him after finding out he made rank saying they would love to have him.) We haven't discussed specifics but, if I did do the RN program and he got orders during, we would figure it out for me to stay here and finish...as hard as that would be. Any other thoughts or advice is greatly appreciated!!!!

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Specializes in ICU/ER, Maternal, Psych.

Yes. It's a stigma of non completion. I don't know why tho!!!! I just graduated from and Lvn program

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I'm in Mississippi and currently going to school at a local comm. collegr. There is a good bridge 9 month bridge program through Mississippi Women's University nearby which is said to have a nationally ranked nursing program but, I know they are incredibly competitive. (And I've been told you have to work for a year as an LPN before you can start the 9 month adn bridge program.) The local base clinic is almost always hiring nurses and you can get hired on as an LPN with no issue and have room to move up rank as you get more education under your belt. I'm just having the hardest time deciding what to do. I've already been told by the LPN dept. of my school that if I already had my a&p 2 class done they would have accepted me to start this fall. I just don't know if taking the long way around to get my bsn rn is the way I should go or if I just keep working and try to apply for the rn program next October when I'd be eligible to apply and hope and pray I make it in the first try. Should I go and talk to someone in the RN program's dept? Or would that hinder anything? (I've heard from some of the girls at school that some of the RN program staff can be pretty brutal...but thats only what I have heard and not personally experienced as I have yet to speak with anyone from the RN program.)

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(Also, I do not wish to work in a nursing home/assisted living/home health care.)

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