LVN to RN???

NephroBSN, BSN, RN · Feb 19, 2006

Hi everyone!! I am in my last semester of nursing prerequisites for the ADN program at my CC. My question is, how many of you had your LVN license before you got your RN. I ask this because where I live the nursing schools have such looong wait lists and most of the time there are only 30 spots for like 400 applicants!! I am seriously considering going the LVN to RN route.
I can either wait one more semester and finish the BSN program prereq's in the fall or go straight for my LVN. There is a program close by that only takes 11 months to complete but it is a lot of $$$$! If anyone has any advice for me i would greatly appreciate it!! Thanks!!

Hi Erika,

I was an LPN for 17 years before I went back to get my RN. I wish I had done it sooner but life got in the way. There is nothing wrong with being an LPN for awhile. I believe it will make you a better RN and make RN school easier. Also, as an LPN you can make more money to save to go to RN school. I would encourage BSN simpley because it will save you from going back to school a third time.

If I were younger I'd go the NP route. JMHO.

Good luck in whatever you chose.. I know you'll be good at it.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Feb 19, 2006

A lot of the people that are doing the LPN-RN route are posting here:) :

LPN to RN Student Forum

https://allnurses.com/forums/f233/

NurseKevin · Feb 19, 2006

Wow toughone...

though, I would say tough it out and go straigth to the ADN or BSN progam

Good luck and keep us posted

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Feb 19, 2006

Hi everyone!! I am in my last semester of nursing prerequisites for the ADN program at my CC. My question is, how many of you had your LVN license before you got your RN. I ask this because where I live the nursing schools have such looong wait lists and most of the time there are only 30 spots for like 400 applicants!! I am seriously considering going the LVN to RN route.
I can either wait one more semester and finish the BSN program prereq's in the fall or go straight for my LVN. There is a program close by that only takes 11 months to complete but it is a lot of $$$$! If anyone has any advice for me i would greatly appreciate it!! Thanks!!

The LPN program i went to, i was able to pay out of pocket for. So not only am i gaining nursing experience while i'm going back to school, there are several classes in my ASN program that i won't have to take, because i've already had them in the LPN program. But this is also what works for me, though.

Faeriewand, ASN, RN · Feb 19, 2006

I say go for your BSN straight off if you can. That's where we all want to be so don't waste your time and money and just do it from the beginning. Start checking out the websites of hospitals for jobs and see what they want. I did that in my area and discovered that they really want RN's more than anything. They have new RN grad programs. They know that the new grad doesn't know anything and they don't care. They will teach you. So just go for it! Work in the summer if you want as an aid to gain experience.

I"m going for LVN because I can get in when they start in the fall and it's cheap. $2,500 for the whole program which includes books. But I"ve noticed that the hospitals around here don't advertise positions open for new LVN's. They might have one or two opening for LVN's with experience in a certain field. I'm just hoping I can get a good job in an acute care setting because that is where I want to be. Not LTC. If I became an RN I would have it made in the shade! :chuckle

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Feb 21, 2006

I say go for your BSN straight off if you can. That's where we all want to be so don't waste your time and money and just do it from the beginning.

80 percent of all RNs are ADNs and diploma-graduates. It's unnecessary to have a BSN, but more education will definitely enrich one's life.

suebird3 · Feb 21, 2006

hi erika,
i was an lpn for 17 years before i went back to get my rn. i wish i had done it sooner but life got in the way. there is nothing wrong with being an lpn for awhile. i believe it will make you a better rn and make rn school easier. also, as an lpn you can make more money to save to go to rn school. i would encourage bsn simpley because it will save you from going back to school a third time.
if i were younger i'd go the np route. jmho.
good luck in whatever you chose.. i know you'll be good at it.

i, also, did the lpn to bsn/rn route. it may have taken several years, but i did it o n my terms. yes, life "got in my way" also, but i gained alotta experience along the way. some universities give you crdit for the prior lpn knowledge. i say......go for it!!!!

suebird

Jo Dirt · Feb 21, 2006

I say go for your BSN straight off if you can. That's where we all want to be so don't waste your time and money and just do it from the beginning.
If I became an RN I would have it made in the shade! :chuckle

It is NOT a waste of time and money to become an LPN first. In fact, every nursing instructor I've asked is a firm believer that all RN's should be LPN's first (and nurses should be CNA's first).

If I had not become an LPN first I believe I would have missed out on a lot of opportunities. I realize the world seems to be trying to phase out the LPN but LTC isn't the only place an LPN can work and lately, I am seeing many new ads for LPN's in the paper. I currently work as a private duty LPN and make more than the starting salary for RN's at the hospital.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Feb 21, 2006

If I had not become an LPN first I believe I would have missed out on a lot of opportunities.

I completely agree. And it certainly wasn't a waste of my money (or time) either. In fact, since some of my classes will transfer, i'm not really paying much more for going this route than i would have to go straight for the RN.

fla orange · Feb 21, 2006

Hey Group, just adding my two cents. Being an Lpn has helped a whole lot, at the CC I attend I clept out of the first 3 semester of the Rn program. Here I am now with a little more than 2 months of school till graduation.Yes being a Lpn heeeellllpppps!

3KittiesRN · Feb 21, 2006

Thanks everyone for you replies! I am still not sure what I want to do yet, but it definintely seem like going for my LPN will give me an advantage when I get into the nursing program. A lot of the ADN programs here have LPN bridge programs where the LPN enters the program during the second year. I don't know if i want to spend too much money on an LPN program if I know I will get in on a couple trys of applying. But at least I know that I have that option. Thanks again I will keep you posted!!