LPN to RN Bridge programs.... Does the LPN program have to be accredited?

Perpetual Student · Jan 31, 2010

You'll almost certainly have to retake any prereq or general ed classes taken at an unaccredited place. Otherwise, it'll depend upon the individual school's policies. Something else to consider is how easy it'll be to get a job after graduating from the LPN program that is "easy to get into but not accredited."

caliotter3 · Jan 31, 2010

I think it would depend if you were only using the LPN license for admittance or if you were also trying to transfer in credits for classes taken. Most schools will not accept classes taken at these proprietary schools. I would definitely inquire about the acceptability at each of the programs you are interested in. In either case, your LPN license is still legitimate. You just might be required to take prerequisites and corequisites, which might have been the case anyway. Good luck.

newway · Jan 31, 2010

I am the one who is actually trying to talk my fellow students out of going there. The anatomy is the combined not the two semesters class ( I.E. I & II), so I know that won't transfer anywhere.

Their point is while I am taking all these pre req's they will have their LPN and be able to bridge into an rn program, and have their rn before me. I think they are in for a shock when the credits won't transfer and they have to take them all again.

agldragonRN · Jan 31, 2010

looking at some options and some fellow pre-nursing students and i were auguring over this point. i was under the impression, that unless the school was accredited, the classes would have to be retaken. others say since you have the lpn it doesn't matter if the classes were accredited or not, they just go from that point. which is the case?
the point being is that there is a local private lpn school that is easy to get into but not accredited. the question is will we have to retake classes if we go there when we want to bridge to an adn progam?

yes you have to retake the general eds/pre-reqs (a&p, micro, nutrition, etc..) you took in your lpn program because they are not college credit level classes. but your lpn license will allow you to apply to the lpn-rn programs.

my lpn school was not accredited so none of the courses transferred to my college.

horrorxgirl · Jan 31, 2010

From what I understand, and I'm getting ready to start working on my RN after getting my LPN at a school that was not accredited, you can still do a bridge program but you will have to take several prereqs first. In fact, I have to take a full year of prereqs before I can even start the RN program, which will take another year. However, due to me being an LPN, I don't have to take any nursing courses the first year of prereqs, where as students starting fresh to get their RN have Nursing Courses for the full two years of the program. My first year is only general prereqs, and then my second year will focus mostly on Nursing courses. So it takes the same amount of time to get my RN as someone who has never been a nurse, but I don't require the same classes. Does that make sense?

My first year will be used to work on English, Math, A&P 1 and 2, Psych, Microbio, and some others I'm not thinking of right at this moment. No nursing though. Other programs are designed so that if you get your LPN after a year, then your prereqs are already included so that if you decide to start the RN program at a later time, you can go for one year and be finished.

kcochrane · Jan 31, 2010

I agree that your classmates will be in for a shocker. Unless the program they are in specifically states that they get college credit they will have nothing to transfer. Most LPN programs are clocked programs. In some cases the college will allow you to challenge fundamentals and/or med-surg I, but they all vary.

newway · Feb 1, 2010

That’s what I had thought. I think they should at least go to the local community college and do the pre req’s there. Then if they can’t get in, then and then only do the LPN. I am not knocking LPN’s it is just career wise I don’t think it is the best route.

They have hopes of becoming an LPN getting a job and having the place of employment pay for their RN. Which sounds all good and nice, but most likely they are going to be working LTC and those places are known for being cheap and probably won’t do tuition reimbursement. They are also getting fed stories of new LPN’s starting off at 60,000 a year :icon_roll. I am not saying that couldn’t happen, but that is few and far in-between. Most BSN/RN don’t start off at that around here(Chicago burbs)

amjowens · Feb 1, 2010

I don't think the accreditation is the issue here, I think it's the school sounding to be one of the proprietry kind. Nothing transfers from those schools. You get your license, you have your license, and that's what you've got to understand that you're getting. And that's all. It's a personal decision, related to how fast you want to work as a nurse, how much money and time you want to spend, and whether you're willing to retake a few courses. These places do tend to be expensive, and I'd consider the numbers as to whether it's worth it to wait a year or so working as an aide, waiting to get into a community college or college personally. LPN pay for a year would have to really make up compared to CNA pay in order to be worth the $15K, $20K+ that I'm spending (and to not have THOSE classes transfer).

caliotter3 · Feb 1, 2010

Your buddies have unrealistic expectations.

P_RN, ADN, RN · Feb 1, 2010

I guess I am naive, but I thought you had to attend an accredited school in order to apply to take the NCLEX (PN). When did that change? That was the rule when State Board Test Pool exams were the means for becoming licensed.

kcochrane · Feb 1, 2010

That's what I had thought. I think they should at least go to the local community college and do the pre req's there. Then if they can't get in, then and then only do the LPN. I am not knocking LPN's it is just career wise I don't think it is the best route.
They have hopes of becoming an LPN getting a job and having the place of employment pay for their RN. Which sounds all good and nice, but most likely they are going to be working LTC and those places are known for being cheap and probably won't do tuition reimbursement. They are also getting fed stories of new LPN's starting off at 60,000 a year :icon_roll. I am not saying that couldn't happen, but that is few and far in-between. Most BSN/RN don't start off at that around here(Chicago burbs)

Well that's a whole other issue..LPN and than RN. It really depends on what your needs are. I did my LPN first because I had to get back to work after getting laid off. Never though I could make 60k a year though. :lol2:

Many LTC facilities do have tuition assistance, so that part is possible. Some areas do still hire LPNs in the hospital setting too.