Help! Stay in LVN or go to RN?

agldragonRN · Mar 5, 2011

i will stay in the lvn program until you get your acceptance letter from the rn school. can you talk to admissions in rn school and tell them you prefer to start in feb. 2012? that way you will be done with lpn school.

i had a classmate/friend who got accepted into a generic rn program during our last semester of lpn school. she attended lpn school in the morning and rn school at night. she was able to graduate lpn school and got licensed and continued on her rn schooling. life got in the way, she got married and had a baby, so she could not finish the rn school and quit.

she is happy she finished the lpn school and is making decent money to provide for her family. it's always good to have that lpn license as a back up. you never know what will happen later on.

i did the lpn-rn bridge program and finished in one year. i have a coworker now who is still doing the generic rn program (2 years) and who have been lpn for 4 years prior and will graduate this may/june. she still had to do the bed bath and vs on her first semester but she said she still learned a lot of new things.

good luck to you.

BeJuled · Mar 5, 2011

Thank you for the reply!!!

The RN school I'm on the waiting list for does not allow you to defer enrollment to the next enrollment period anymore.. so if I was accepted for Fall 2011 and I said NO then I would be taken off the waitlist and have to reapply... so should I drop the LVN and start RN in the fall if I do get in?

It's good to hear that other LVNs have started from the beginning of RN programs... do you know how it works though if you are an LVN in RN schools as far as being held to your license? Because right now I'm obviously under my instructor's license if any mistakes are made or when we sign she has to countersign.. does that change when you have an LVN license, I'm assuming you are held to that license should anything happen in clinicals?

nakinok · Mar 6, 2011

Make sure you wait until you officially are enrolled in the program to drop your current school. Well if it was me if one program is day and the other evening I would over lap and do both for the few months, but if not possible go into the RN program in Fall 2011. It would break my heart to lose the money already spent on the LVN program but if your plan was to just bridge any ways it is a shorter route to jump into the RN. Just make sure that program is gonna work for you ( ex schedule, funding ect) You dont wanna drop your current program to get into one not really doable for what ever reason. If you get into the Spring class do it cause again it is a quicker route to your goal. Look at it this way you have a jump on the curriculum and you can brush up on anything you may have not done the best in before. Good luck hope it all works out and congrats on the opportunity.

cookiemonster84 · Mar 7, 2011

I am not an lvn or rn but my general thoughts are to finish the lvn program, you've already invested 5 months in it! Time and money will have been somewhat wasted...

secondly, you'd be able to work as an lvn during rn school. Try getting a job in home care, home health, hospice, dialysis, the veterans affairs, state prisons and assisted living if you're not willing to work at a snf. :)

good luck!!!!

RN/Mom · Mar 13, 2011

My first question is how much you're paying for the LVN program you're enrolled in right now. If you're enrolled in an expensive, private program (such as the one I graduated from), I would quit now so as not to rack up any more debt. In all honesty, your income as an LVN will never be able to justify the $30,000 price tag some of these programs have. If your current LVN program is not creating a financial or personal hardship for you, however, then I'd stick it out (just in case you don't get into the RN program).

BeJuled · Mar 16, 2011

Thank you everyone for your advice!

I am totally loving the LVN program right now (even though it is really hard work) but I am getting soo much experience! I'm paying around $4,000 for everything for LVN school right now so even though it's not a TON of money, it is still hard earned money that I won't get back. The RN program that I am planning to go into is around the same price as well. So I guess what it sounds like is I should hope to get into RN school in the spring?? that way I am done with LVN school and can work as an LVN part time while starting RN from the beginning?? The only thing I still need to decide is there's a small possibility I could be accepted into the FALL 2011 RN program so should I stay in the LVN if that happens and then bridge afterwards?? because there's no way I could start the RN program while still in the LVN because they are both during the day.

Thanks again :)

camtech · Mar 16, 2011

Best advice get LPN first, then the rest will come to you.

cookiemonster84 · Mar 16, 2011

why are you in an LVN program that costs so much? are there any offered at your local CC?

same with RN, even if you are in a state BSN program...it shouldn't cost that much.

at my local CC you can get your RN for 4k.

BeJuled · Mar 16, 2011

that's not really that much for an LVN program.. other ones in my area are about 30,000 for LVN. Mine is actually a little over 2,000 plus books and supplies and everything. And a BSN is wayy more than that! And the RN I am thinking about going to is at a CC and its around 4,000

nmac19 · Mar 18, 2011

Hey

Well im in ur lvn class & if I were you I will take the RN route if u get the opportunity to enroll in fall 2011 & even better if u get accepted spring 2012. Our program is tough !!good luck :)

mariatere · May 18, 2011

Hi, what school do you go to? I am looking for a good LVN school in southern california.

Good Luck with your decision, but I would probably overlap and finish the LVN program.