LPN or BSN

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I am a 22 year old student who just decided to become nurse. I am about to complete my pre requisites. I have been told to go to a 4 year university to pursue a BSN and I have also been told to go get my LPN. I don't know which would be more beneficial and faster for me to become a nurse. I want the degree that is more worth my money and worth my while. I do not want to get a degree that is pointless for me to have. I want to make sure that I get the best experience so that I can be the best nurse.

Any ideas?

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I'm going to vote for the option you didn't consider in this post: ASN.

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Specializes in Critical Care and ED.

LPN would be quicker but would considerably limit your career prospects and the areas in which you could work. There would be further expense and time once you decided you wanted to go back and do a bridge program. BSN has the best career prospects but is more expensive and time consuming. Personally, I think that without a career there are fewer life opportunities so it's worth investing in. Get a BSN.

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Skip the LPN... You will waste your time and money. Consider a BSN first or an ASN second.

I would never consider an LPN degree if your young and able to commit to a BSN or associates program. In Washington state I don't even know if they have very many LPN programs, they pretty much fazed out of them. I know 3 colleges that have stopped offering them in the last 5 years.

My mom is an LPN and I see so many limits with her degree that I would be frustrated with it. You need to consider what type of area you want to work in and if they take LPNs. Most of the LPNs I've seen work in long term care (nursing homes) and VERY few scattered thoughout our hospital.

You also get paid just a little bit more than a CNA but a lot less than an RN.

The LPN program (from what I hear) is very intense and roughly 1 year to 1 1/2 long program. Why in the world would I get a lesser degree when an RN program is 2 years long (without prerequisites)??

If I were to get a LPN degree and eventually decide to get a BSN degree I would waste many years completing bridge programs and probably end up spending more money than if I had gone to a university for a BSN to begin with.

So in conclusion I would NEVER have considered a LPN degree. But I do think it depends on everyone's personal circumstances to what they can commit and what is desired in their area.

I am writing from my personal opinion and just what I have noticed so you don't need to take my advice/ recommendation.

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P.S.

I have nothing against LPNs. I know many LPNs personally and I love them dearly... My own mother is one. But all of them have always encouraged students to seek a RN degree instead of LPN and many seem unsatified with this degree and wished that they would have gotten thier RN a long time ago.

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I wouldn't go for the LPN route. If in the future you want management positions, etc., then go for your BSN. If that is something you know you aren't interested in then go for your Associates in Nursing.

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Like already stated, LPN is fastest but hard to find a job when you finish. I have a friend who is a LPN and she said it was a waste of time because she can't do much.

BSN takes longer but worth it because thats what places want these days and it will open so many doors.

ASN is a good middle ground but check job listings to see if they all say BSN preferred.

Good luck :)

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I'm looking into LPN then bridge to RN. I have no desire to be apart of management which is why I'm not interested in BSN. You have to start somewhere right?

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I'm looking into LPN then bridge to RN. I have no desire to be apart of management which is why I'm not interested in BSN. You have to start somewhere right?

Yes you have to start somewhere. If your going to do LPN then bridge make sure places in your area hire nurses. You don't want to waste time on a license you can't use. LPNs are being phased out and made to go back to school where I live.

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Yes you have to start somewhere. If your going to do LPN then bridge make sure places in your area hire nurses. You don't want to waste time on a license you can't use. LPNs are being phased out and made to go back to school where I live.

Of course. I'm using it as a stepping stone based off my circumstances at the time. I've been doing a lot of research and there are plenty of jobs around hiring for LPNs & CNAs. I'm just not in a good place right now to jump right in to ASN.

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Specializes in ER.

You will make more as an RN. However, I would look at seeing whether you can get into an associate or a BSN program first. If you get into an ADN program, you could do a RN to BSN program. There is no point in waiting 3 years to get into any program if you can get into a program quicker. I was accepted quickly into an ADN program and I completed the RN to BSN portion in less than 9 months because I made sure my classes would transfer to the school. It was cheaper for me.

However, other people transferred to a BSN school because they couldn't get into my school's ADN program or they completed a BSN before they even started the ADN program.

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I don't regret becoming an Lpn as I love the bedside care and the pay is actually decent where I live. I was beginning an RN program and got very sick. I needed money and health insurance fast. So I went the Lpn route and I've gotten lots of experience. When I go back for my rn I'll already have my foot in the door. But if I hadn't gotten sick I would have went straight for bsn.

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