LPN and RN

AntFlip7395 · Jun 7, 2009

hey there - I've been gathering lots of information about what RNs do, but I was just wondering if anyone could tell me a bit more about the LPN role.

I've always heard that as a new RN you should start out on a Med-Surg unit and stay there for at least a year. is there a similar path for a new LPN? where do they get their experience from? I'm told most of them work in LTC, but what about home health, rehab, and hospitals? can you start out in any of those places as an LPN? rehab sounds particularly attractive. are there LPNs in psych nursing? what are LPN hours usually like? are they usually going to be the same 12 hours a day, 3 days a week setup that RNs have?

I'm going to apply to an 11 month LPN program on monday, not yet sure if I'll go there or to the 2 year ADN program I got accepted to. at this point having real, full time work by June 2010 instead of May 2011 is very, very attractive. (my goal here is to move out on my own and support myself ASAP, and get my feet wet before deciding if I want to go for my BSN. I figure I can do that just as well as an LPN as an ADN-RN, so I'm just curious about the LPN role)

The LPN role varies drastically from state to state and from facility to facility. Many LPNs do work in LTC, but a good many also work in home health, rehab, doctor's offices, and ambulatory care facilities. Some do work in hospitals, however, some choose not to utilize LPNs to their full potential or not at all due to limited scope of practice. Again, that depends on the state you live in. Hours are the same as the RN, given the same facility. RNs do not necessarily have to start out on med-surg. There are preceptorship programs in other areas, such as ER, ICU, and OB. If an LPN starts out in a hospital, they are most likely to work in med-surg or telemetry; that's not to say they couldn't work elsewhere.

LPNs are competent nurses and anyone who is an LPN should be proud of it. To make the choice, it's a matter of priorities. Is it more important to be financially independent in a year or would it make more sense in the long run to bite the bullet and go for RN. Nursing schools are competitive, since you already have acceptance into an RN program, it may be in your best interests to go ahead with that program if you can possibly afford to. Another thing, competition for nursing jobs is stiff in certain areas, many new grads are having trouble getting that first job, both LPN and RN. But I don't think anyone could really deny that having RN behind your name, especially if BSN follows it does make you more marketable. It really depends on what your ultimate nursing goal is. I believe that LPNs do work in psych, but depending on the area and facility, you may only be passing meds. Some questions you need to ask yourself:

If I pursue LPN now, will I go right back to school for RN or will I get accustomed to the money and not having to study? This happens to many people, I can personally attest to it.

What area of nursing really interests you? If you are wanting to work in a critical care area, for example, you really need to pursue RN. There are some LPNs that work in critical care, but these are mainly nurses who have been doing it for a long time.

I will tell you that it is easier for an RN to bridge to BSN v. an LPN to BSN. Yes, there is Indiana State University, but there are a plethora of RN-BSN bridge programs out there. And would it ultimately be cheaper to cut out the cost of an LPN program in favor of getting your RN and then having your future employer help you out with your BSN?

Hope I've been of some help.

feralnostalgia · Jun 7, 2009

Again, that depends on the state you live in.

I'm in Arkansas right now, going crazy living with my parents. (...I have very seriously considered going to therapy to help survive living with my homophobic fundamentalist parents as a gay pagan.) I really want to move to the pacific northwest, probably Seattle, ASAP.

If an LPN starts out in a hospital, they are most likely to work in med-surg or telemetry; that's not to say they couldn't work elsewhere.

cool, thanks.

Is it more important to be financially independent in a year or would it make more sense in the long run to bite the bullet and go for RN. Nursing schools are competitive, since you already have acceptance into an RN program, it may be in your best interests to go ahead with that program if you can possibly afford to.

as stated above, I'm living with parents since my nursing school happens to be in the same city they live in. it's way cheaper, but that said, I'm a lot less independant now than I was 6 months ago, and it's really getting to me.

It really depends on what your ultimate nursing goal is.

I have two passions, learning, and helping people. I thought nursing would be a good way to fund the former while doing the later, after I saw what a big difference my grandfather's hospice nurse made in the lives of all my family. I've pretty much always intended to go back to school, my plan has been to see if I like nursing, if so, maybe become a nurse practitioner, if not, then just use it as a fall-back career and something to do part time while I pursue other interests. I can't respect myself if I don't feel like what I'm doing has real meaning and is making a difference in people's lives, but for me that could just as easily be in the classroom or a garden as in a hospital. I'm thinking that becoming an LPN would let me get my feet wet and see if I wanted to go on and get the BSN just as well as the ADN would, and with the added bonus of being much cheaper and letting me move out of state much sooner.

If I pursue LPN now, will I go right back to school for RN or will I get accustomed to the money and not having to study? This happens to many people, I can personally attest to it.

I study for fun, haha. I went to college on a full scholarship with only a 9th grade education...make all A's and B's but never take notes because I just remember stuff. *shrug* the book learning is no problem, but most people are better at kinesthetic learning and just dealing with blood and guts type stuff than I am. honestly a big part of why I want to be a nurse is that I feel like I live in my head too much and I want to be forced to deal with the physical "real world" stuff to help keep me grounded.

What area of nursing really interests you? If you are wanting to work in a critical care area, for example, you really need to pursue RN. There are some LPNs that work in critical care, but these are mainly nurses who have been doing it for a long time.

I'm not sure. all I really care about is making a difference and being comfortable with where I'm at. again, if it's something I can learn a lot from it would be great, but I don't care about career advancement and I don't like a lot of stress. I'm in no rush to do any kind of critical care type setting, though maybe moving up to something fast-paced would be more interesting once I'm really comfortable with the basics. beyond basic med-surg I've considered home-care, psych, L&D, HIV/AIDS, public health, and possibly hospice if I could handle it. I'm really interested in working with groups of people I wouldn't otherwise be exposed to - doing something like a tribal reservation or working with the Amish community or something would be very cool, as would some kind of doctors without borders thing. barring that, working with marginalized and disadvantaged populations would be nice...gay men's health, an inner city clinic, anything like that. I also have this idea in the back of my head that I'd like to live off in the country somewhere and get into organic agriculture. I'd say "commune" if that didn't conjur up images of sloth, drugs, and free love. being able to contribute to a community like that as a primary healthcare provider would be amazing, but I think I'd have to be a nurse practitioner in order to do that. I've had friends say they want me to deliver their babies, if a (gay) male nurse midwife could find any patients who didn't prefer a woman, that would be very rewarding. (frankly I'd put on a dress if that made the clients more comfortable, but I doubt it would. stupid gender roles.)

And would it ultimately be cheaper to cut out the cost of an LPN program in favor of getting your RN and then having your future employer help you out with your BSN?

I know of at least one person in my ADN program who is a scrub tech, getting 60% off her classes to become an RN - it would've been 100% off if she'd gotten into the BSN program at the teaching hospital she works at. if CNAs and Scrub Techs can get their tuition paid for, I assumed I could as an LPN, too. I'm quite content to take the slow route, I'm single, no kids, and simple tastes. so long as I'm happy with my coworkers and making enough to not get stuck at home with parents, I'm quite happy taking the scenic path.

Hope I've been of some help.

you certainly have been. thanks for listening and for asking good questions!

***newmember*** · Jun 7, 2009

I've been an LPN for along time. 25 years to be exact. At the time, the hospital I worked for as an ER tech paid for my schooling. I have never regretted it! I have ALWAYS worked in the critical care areas. I have been ACLS certified since 1987 (back when you HAD to pass it). I know times have changed a little, but LPN's are still needed. It is a good first step because you get so much more clinical training. You will be a better bedside nurse. I started day one in ICU, but the manager knew me from my work in the ER. I knew arrhythmias and while going to school the hospital taught me how to set up the different pressure lines so she said 'we'll teach you the rest'. That too was during a mild nursing shortage though. I have worked in PACU and the last 8 years or so in ER, levels 1 & 2. My most recent adventure has been traveling and I have had no trouble getting jobs. Granted there are not as many, but I still get a job. After all this I decided to bridge and am about finished. The ONLY reason I did it was to open up more options as a traveler. I want to be able to go anywhere I want to go. That is not possible as an LPN. LPN's should not be looked down on. That program is a monster! Anyone that can pass it should receive a kudo! Good luck with you decision. BTW, the facility I am at now, there is no difference at all in the two nurses. I even spike blood at this facility which I have never been allowed to do in my life. But it is allowed by this state with facility training. The practice acts do vary from state to state.