LPN Bridge or Straight to RN

HazelLPN, LPN · Jan 27, 2012

Hello, guys! I'm Colby and I'm a prospective nursing student. I am a male and I work in a hospital as dietary aid, which allows me to be on floor with the patients, nurses, and physicians.
I'm actually in a local vocational school studying culinary arts. I really do like working in the health care field (I was actually planing on being a cardiologist a year or so ago). I still love culinary arts, but nursing is a good and stable field to be in for a career. I have looked into going to college to be an RN, but we only have two colleges in my small town. One is a Christian school that offers only a BSN in Nursing ($25,000/year living at home). The other is a college extension, which has a LPN/EMT bridge to RN program (ASN in Nursing for a total of $16,000 for the whole program).
I noticed my vocational school has a LPN program, which is really cost efficient (probably for about $5,000). Doing that I could do the bridge program for my ASN, then I could later move out to a college that does a RN to BSN or do an online program. I know the head nurse (or whatever you call them) and I could easily get a job as a LPN at our hospital while in school, which would be a good starting job and good pay.
Long term I would like to become a FNP. Short term I would like to become an RN, so I could work to help partially pay my way through school.
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What do you guys think? Would it be better to do the Christian College's BSN program or become an LPN and do a LPN to RN bridge program?

I tell all young people to get their BSN immediately out of high school because it will give them the most options in their career. If you wanted to be a cardiologist or be an RN,you should take a rigorous college prep program at your high school with as much advanced science and math classes as possible. If your school offers AP classes in calculus, chemistry, biology and physics, all the better.

Best to you,

Mrs H.

IThinkICan100 · Jan 28, 2012

@HazelLPN: Yeah, I plan to get my BSN immediately, but it would just be in steps. I would love to go to a community college for cheap, but I live a hour away from the closest biggest city with good colleges. So, I'm trying my best to stay locally. My family is in financial crisis, so I don't have a lot of money to go to expensive colleges.

I did want to become a cardiologist, but that was a few years ago. Like every teen, I change my mind 24/7; that's why I was in culinary school. I really do love the health care field and a good friend of mine is a ARNP and runs a clinic, so she is helping guiding me and has inspired me to become a FNP (I really don't have patience to go to medical school).

I'm also a home school student, so college prep programs are out of the picture. I was in a private school a year ago and I did advanced science and math classes, but the public schools wont accept my credits. I've taken calculus, chemistry, and biology during my first few year of HS.

CloudySue · Jan 28, 2012

If you proceed with your nursing career in smaller steps and start with a shorter program such as LPN, you will see your potential income increase earlier as well. LPN's make anywhere from $15-25 an hour depending on your location, so after only a year or two of schooling (depending on the program) your earnings will be that much better while you continue your education to earn your RN. Plus Practial Nursing programs are generally less expensive, especially at community colleges. It's nice to graduate with a viable skill and not be up to your eyeballs in debt! You can even work for a year or two full time and save money to move on. There are many options for LPN's to go on to be RN's, including online programs in which one can progress at their own rate depending on their personal committments. Since you are a former homeschooler, you would probably do well with that!