LPN credit for RN program

jansailsea · Jun 25, 2005

I have been waiting over a year for the LPN program in my area. I finally get my placement card and am on the back up list. I have been taking classes at the community college working towards the RN degree. Once I became an LPN I was hoping to go into the transitional RN program. After doing research I discovered that if i was an LPN I would only get 10 credits towards my AS nursing degree. Has anyone else heard of this? I can't believe after working so hard for atleast a year and you become a LPN you only get 10 credits? To me it sounds like a waste of time and money going through the LPN program. And that I should continue in the basic RN program at my school. Does anyone have any advice or has been through this dilema?

To be honest with you, many of my classmates feel the same way. There's no respect for the intensity of the training we put ourselves through. We complete Sarasota County Technical Institute's PN program 07/29/05 and we learned Manatee Community College's Transition program doesn't give much credit either. They just say the LPNs have an easier time in their RN courses. I can tell you we definitely had some of MCC's 1st year RN students tell us they felt outclassed by us while doing clinicals at Sarasota Memorial.

Mainly, it's about getting into the workforce, getting your foot in the door, then working to complete the RN program.

By the way, I live so close to the Prime Outlet Mall in Ellenton, I can walk to it. Very familiar with Brandon.

jansailsea

suzanne4, RN · Jun 25, 2005

There are many bridge programs available to you once you have your LPN in hand. Do what ever is easiest for you, then go on from there.

Most programs do give credit for the time that you put into your LPN/LVN program. :)

honeydust29 · Jun 26, 2005

hey there. i am an lpn student due to graduate in december. i think you should continue on your course. every single rn i have talked to including my instructors have said that lpn's make better rn's especially right out of school. one of the biggest and best tips my instructor got out of rn school was to find an lpn and shadow them for a few weeks. she even told me that she wished she had done lpn first rather than go straight rn. lpn's usually get more clinical exerience and seem a lot more capable right after graduation. not to say that rn's aren't capable...so don't anybody write and nasty replies. i think rn's are just as great. but my suggestion to you is look for a community college that has a bridge program for lpn's wanted to get the rn. usually for an associate rn you only have to complete the second year. at leas that is how it is here in northwest florida. good luck.

mchanrice · Jun 26, 2005

Thanks for the replies. I think I will make a better nurse going through the LPN program first.

jude11142 · Jun 26, 2005

I am an lpn, who just sent in applications to a technical college and one to a private college. Both offer a "bridge course", so you basically don't have to do the first yr of nsg school. I know several co-workers who went this route and they were happy to do so. As an lpn,first, we do have more experience than an RN right out of school. Whichever you choose, you'll be fine. You have to find the right way for you, and you will. I was enrolled with Excelsior, but I just wasn't disciplined enough. I felt terrible that I couldn't complete it,but I had to accept that it wasn't for me.

Good luck in whichever you choose.

JUDE :Melody:

LPN01112005 · Jun 27, 2005

The bridge program at my community college is 9 mos. Basically, you get credit for the first year of nsg. school, and will merge with the ADN students in their 2nd and final semester of nursing classes. Of course, if during your PN education, you didn't take degree level core requisite classes, then you'll have to retake all those. This is where so many people are misinformed about the length of the bridge program. It's 9 mos.(Sept.-June) for someone who is "ready" for the actual NSG. classes. It can be much longer for an LPN who has no English, Math, Psychology, Biology, History, etc. credits to transfer. Technical school core req. credits don't usually transfer to the community college unless your technical school offers associate degrees in some majors, and you took those degree level core classes. I didn't take those, because at the time, I didn't know there was a difference. So in order for me to bridge, if I were interested, I'd have to take about a year's worth of core req. classes, then bridge into the ADN program.

lajordan25 · Jul 1, 2005

Well here in Memphis, TN i think its about the same. They have an LPN to RN mobility track(thats what they call it but its the same). They award 7 credit hours( i think) and thats for the foundation course and clinical. "But">>> if you completed all your prerequisites or maybe not(still a couple to go)..... After you have your LPN, the RN program is just one year(spring, summer, fall)!!! So the same amount of time you put into a 2- 2 1/2 year AS RN program is about the same amount of time as if you were going from LPN to RN, plus experience and a job while you're completing the RN program. If you can get into the RN program vs LPN.... Go for it!!!!!! you have nothin to lose. but from what i heard from fellow RN's who were LPN's first, they had an easier time going through the RN program vs... someone who go straight through the RN program first without experience or medical background.

I have been waiting over a year for the LPN program in my area. I finally get my placement card and am on the back up list. I have been taking classes at the community college working towards the RN degree. Once I became an LPN I was hoping to go into the transitional RN program. After doing research I discovered that if i was an LPN I would only get 10 credits towards my AS nursing degree. Has anyone else heard of this? I can't believe after working so hard for atleast a year and you become a LPN you only get 10 credits? To me it sounds like a waste of time and money going through the LPN program. And that I should continue in the basic RN program at my school. Does anyone have any advice or has been through this dilema?

honeydust29 · Jul 3, 2005

Has anyone heard of Excelsior College? It is a distance learning LPN to RN and is accredited thru nnlac?? and the middle schools accrediting association?? and supposedly you can sit for boards after you complete their course. Anyone out there heard of it and is it legit? Thanks for all the info.

magichospital · Apr 6, 2011

That is really strange, at the community college near my area if you are a LVN and get accepted into the LVN-RN bridge program all you have to do is take 30 units/credits and you can register and take the NCLEX-RN and become a RN without a degree if you pass. And if you are accepted you automatically get into the second year of nursing coorifices. Or you can opt for the degree and be half done. That is really strange that your school does it that way.....

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Apr 6, 2011

That is really strange, at the community college near my area if you are a LVN and get accepted into the LVN-RN bridge program all you have to do is take 30 units/credits and you can register and take the NCLEX-RN and become a RN without a degree if you pass. And if you are accepted you automatically get into the second year of nursing coorifices. Or you can opt for the degree and be half done. That is really strange that your school does it that way.....

Of course, this discussion was started way back in 2005, so hopefully the school might have changed the manner in which they do things in the six years that have elapsed. I hope that the original poster has graduated from an RN program by now.