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

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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?

Specializes in Wound Care, LTC, Sub-Acute, Vents.
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.

these LPN programs are approved by the state board of nursing. that is why they are able to take the nclex-pn. however, most of these programs are not accredited by chea, nlnac, aacn, etc... so the credit do not transfer because they are not college credit courses.

for example, my nutrition class in lpn technical school lasted 2 weeks (mon-fri), micro lasted 3 weeks (mon-fri), etc.. i retook micro (rn student) in community college because obviously 3-week long micro won't cut it. i knew from the start that none of the non-nursing courses would transfer but i did not care because i just wanted my lpn license.

but if the community college provides the lpn program, lpn students take the same pre-reqs as the rn, such as the api, apii, and micro. and these credits will transfer because they are college credits.

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Specializes in Med Surg, ICU, home&pub health, pvt duty.
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?

Good question. I do not know. However, I know that The College Network classes are not accredited. However, some colleges/universities accept them, i.e., ISU. Should you go to a college that does not accept TCN classes, you would have to take them all over again. I have the feeling the same is true of a nonaccredited LVN/LPN school.

If you know of a bridge class, call them and ask them the question.

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Specializes in Med Surg, ICU, home&pub health, pvt duty.
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)

LVN/LPNs earning $60K a year...yeah, and $3.00 will buy a cup of coffee. Out here in La La land (Los Angeles), LVNs receive anywhere from $18 hr to $25--a far cry from $60k. The only LVNs I know who earn that type of money work more than 1 full time job or work full time and pick up a prvate duty job. Some LVNs with experience work home health and make numerous calls a day and they are paid per call. Depeinding on the agency and how busy they are, they could make some money but I doubt $60k.

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Specializes in Wound Care, LTC, Sub-Acute, Vents.
lvn/lpns earning $60k a year...yeah, and $3.00 will buy a cup of coffee. out here in la la land (los angeles), lvns receive anywhere from $18 hr to $25--a far cry from $60k. the only lvns i know who earn that type of money work more than 1 full time job or work full time and pick up a prvate duty job. some lvns with experience work home health and make numerous calls a day and they are paid per call. depeinding on the agency and how busy they are, they could make some money but i doubt $60k.

i made 62k last year (2009) with less than 2 years experience as an lpn. my first year, i made 60k (2008). granted i did this with ot. but not that much ot. once a month or 2x sometimes. what i did was i worked "all" the holidays because i get paid 3x my regular pay for those days. so yes $3.00 will buy a cup of coffee! ;)

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Specializes in Med Surg, ICU, home&pub health, pvt duty.
i made 62k last year (2009) with less than 2 years experience as an lpn. my first year, i made 60k (2008). granted i did this with ot. but not that much ot. once a month or 2x sometimes. what i did was i worked "all" the holidays because i get paid 3x my regular pay for those days. so yes $3.00 will buy a cup of coffee! ;)

are you working acute or long term?

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Specializes in PACU.
i made 62k last year (2009) with less than 2 years experience as an lpn. my first year, i made 60k (2008). granted i did this with ot. but not that much ot. once a month or 2x sometimes. what i did was i worked "all" the holidays because i get paid 3x my regular pay for those days. so yes $3.00 will buy a cup of coffee! ;)

what state and what's the cost of living like?

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Specializes in Wound Care, LTC, Sub-Acute, Vents.

central, new jersey - ltc owned by the county. so the benefits are excellent! :monkeydance:

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Specializes in Med Surg, ICU, home&pub health, pvt duty.
central, new jersey - ltc owned by the county. so the benefits are excellent! :monkeydance:

clearly they are. i was not considering ot, just base salary. base pay out in ca is as i mentioned and the cost of living is high. :banghead:

best to all and take time for yourself.

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I hope LPN programs arent... because mine sure isnt. Its only accredited by the state board.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

No, the LPN program does not need to be accredited if you plan to bridge over to an RN program. I attended an LVN program at an unaccredited trade school and was still able to get accepted into an RN bridge program, as were my classmates.

However, the major catch is that you will have to take prerequisites at a community college, university, or other regionally accredited institution. The A&P that I took at the trade school was shorter and "diploma level," so I had to take certain classes. In addition, most credits earned at vo-techs and trade schools do not transfer. I simply received 1 year worth of en bloc credit and advanced placement for having had an LPN license, which enabled my classmates and I to bypass the first year of an RN program.

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Most LPN programs that I know of are "Vocational/Workforce Programs", the same classification as say a Medical Assisting, or PCT program would have. At the end of the program you don't receive a degree, you receive a Certificate. With that being said, it doesnt matter whether or not the LPN "Certificate" was received at an accrediated institution, or none accrediated. As long as you have a LPn License that is unrestricted you can apply for a bridge program. Like others have already suggested, I would advice your classmates to take their Pre-Req courses at a community college or university, but it doesnt matter where the LPN courses are taken as long as they pass the boards and obtain an LPN License. This may just be my opinion, but I think they are smart. It actually takes the same amount of time to receive their RN licensure. They will be able to work as an LPN while finishing the rest of their RN education. The competition to get into an RN bridge program is smaller, than applying freshly to an RN program without an LPN License. They could even take one Pre-req class at a time through their community college while completing the LPN program. Even if the LTC facility or where ever they obtain employment as a LPN doesnt offer tuition assistance, they will still have an edge, and experience that most New Grad RN's wont have. Experience working as a Nurse. They can even find employment in a facility that also hires RN's, and this will make their job hunt so much easier once they graduate as an RN, because they could simply transfer positions, or move up in the facility they are already hired in. I think they are thinking very wisely. They are not losing time, or money, because the LPN Program is the first year of Nursing school.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
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.
The school/nursing program does not need to be accredited in order for a graduate to be eligible to take the NCLEX. It simply needs to be approved to operate by the state's Board of Nursing.
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