LPN challenge option???

[highasthesky]

I begin the MA program at Nashville college November 2nd, and would like to hear a few opinions about the best route to go afterwards from some who have been there or who have checked into it also. I would like to go for the year LPN program after this, then progress on to become an RN. I know it depends on the circumstances of the individual, but I'm not clear on a couple of things. I see these websites LPN to RN online....is that completely online? And does anyone here have any input on that? And also, when a school says it offers the challenge option for LPNs, what does that mean? If you get your LPN license thru a 1 yr vocational school, then take the challenge option, do you still have to do all of the non-nursing prereq's? I know alot will say to just go straight for RN but I'm having a hard time getting in and will have to take it step by step. Thanks for any insight and I apologize if these questions have been previously asked.

[suzanne4, RN]

Challenge Option means that you can test out of a specific course. Think back to the CLEP exams that you may have heard of when you were in high school that would permit you to place out of certain classes with a high enough score.

There are bridge programs, as they are called, to complete the requirements for the RN after the you have passed the NCLEX-PN exam.

Pre-reqs are specific to a particular school, it will depend on the specific requirements for the program that you choose.

[highasthesky]

OK, so the challenge option doesn't necessarily mean that if you had your LPN license that you could just take this one competency test and skip a year or so of RN School? Sorry, I'm a wee bit ignorant about schools.....been out waaaaaaayyyyyy too long. Thanks for the info

[suzanne4, RN]

No, you would normally need to take an exam for each area. If you pass, then you go onto the second year of the nursing program. But you do not automatically skip, you have to place out of the year.

[elkpark]

Would "LPN challenge option" refer to the RN programs in which, once you've finished the first year of school, or completed some specified point in the program, you are eligible to challenge the NCLEX-PN (LPN boards)?

The ADN program I taught in several years ago allowed students to do that (in fact, most of the other faculty encouraged the RN students to do that, although I didn't because I didn't really see the point).

[highasthesky]

You know what, I'm going to have to reread that........because what you're saying makes so much more sense. I have heard of that but I didn't perceive it that way. I bet I read it wrong. Going to reread now....thank you......