LPN Or RN program better?

[missingunc]

I was wondering if I could recieve some advice on what would be a better avenue for me. I graduated in August of 07 from NHCTC Nashua with my Associates Degree in Early Childhood Education. Since starting school I have been working in the field and I want to continue school but I want to be in the Nursing field. My question is whether I should go straight towards an RN degree or LPN to start off with? I know that NHCTC Nashua offers an RN program and from looking at the application It may take me a few semesters of courses before I could be excepted into the program along with taking the test. With St. Joseph's Nursing school im confused if they only offer LPN or if they do offer RN. Plus Im not sure what would be better.

If Im talking in circles, sorry. Im just trying to figure out what would be a better way to go about doing this. Should I start of with my LPN or just get my RN. I have heard it would be better and easier for me to go for my RN rather then the LPN.

Help? Should I just stick with NHCTC Nashua and try and get into their Nursing program?

[MacD]

I'm an RN and while I have only good things to say about the LPN's I have worked with but the truth is you will have many more options and recieve significantly higher pay as an RN. Some hospitals do not hire LPN's and the ones that do in my area only hire them to work specific areas like Medical Surgical floors. Working in the PICU, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, or NICU, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, would not be an option as an LPN at any of the hospitals where I live.

However, the RN programs are more academically challenging. You might investigate whether the school in your area has a program that allows you to get your LPN in the process of pursuing your RN some, far from all, are designed this way. This would give you options along the way. Good Luck

[Okami_CCRN, BSN, RN]

I would tell you to go straight for your RN. Truth of the matter is hospitals are trying to get rid of the LPN's as it is to them a "waste of money"

Sadly to say most LPN's work in a nursing home/rehab area. If you would like to have extensive knowledge in a broad range of fields of nursing then you would need your RN. Plus as an LPN your responsibilities are far more limited than as an RN

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Neither is "easier". I concur with the above that for job opportunity and higher salary go for the RN.

[dopaminequeenRN]

The above posters are right about RN's having a lot more opportunities in nursing, however let me give you this little tidbit of info: Going straight for the RN is a big investment. A lot of people go to LPN school first because if they end up hating nursing, they've not invested as much time or money on school yet. Another good thing about LPN school is you are at the hospital A LOT. You get a ton of clinical experience so by the time you graduate, you feel pretty comfortable with patient care. The downside is you don't come away with as much theoretical knowledge as the RN's. My advice is to do LPN to RN transition. You get the best of both worlds and if you don't like nursing at least you'll know before you waste 2-4 years on the RN degree. Good luck!

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

The LPN/LVN route will open up some opportunities and enable you to earn a decent living.

The RN route will open up many more opportunities and enable you to earn even more money.

[kforgood]

is it true that one year of LPN program is the same as first year of RN? someone on this website told me that her daughter apply for LPN first b/c RN programs choose students through the "lottery" system. it is too competitive that way. The closest schools to my home have lottery system.

[TammiRN]

I know that at the school that I attended, the LPN students went through a grueling summer while the RN program got the summer off and was technically only one semester more than the LPN program. I always suggest to go for the RN program because the nursing program itself is so difficult that if you go for the LPN and finish, you might not ever want to go back again.

The main difference between RNs and LPNs are the pay. RN make a considerable amount than LPNs but they also have more responsibilities including being responsible for the LPNs on their staff. Some LPNs will tell you that they love being an LPN and would never get their RN because they don't want that responsibility and other will tell you that they sometimes feel like "glorified aides" depending on the work environment. You'll always get both answers to this question.

It really boils down to how much effort do you want to put into this. If you are sure that you are going to go for your RN, then go that route. If you are unsure, then start with the LPN.

To answer your other question, the school in my area, during the first year of nursing school, the LPN and RN students are together. You are put on a waiting list for the programs according to the date you finished your pre-requisites and your GPA in the science classes. (I only know this because my sister is currently attending). When I attended this school, you were put on the list according to the date which you applied, so things have changed. Call the nursing departments at your local schools and ask them their policy for waitlisting students and they will tell you. It is better to know beforehand than to figure it out later.