LVN or RN?

OrganizedChaos, LVN · Sep 11, 2013

Get your RN. I love being a nurse but if I could go back in time I would've gone straight & gotten my RN. Much less hassle & schooling. Lol.

NotMyProblem MSN, ASN, BSN, MSN, LPN, RN · Sep 12, 2013

First, let me say that ultimately, the decision is yours. Now, your decision either way could be beneficial or not. The traditional ASN program is so competitive that you may not get accepted. On the other hand, you may be one of the lucky few. Of course, there are more RN opportunities should you make the cut for the nursing program. And like the other poster said, if you get in the nursing program, it will cut out the need to return to school unless you plan to pursue the BSN, which is also available in a bridge program as well as a traditional.

Contrarily, I don't THINK the LPN program is as competitive, making it easier to get into, therefore allowing you the opportunity to bridge for the ASN after passing the NCLEX-PN. Also, if you're not selected into the traditional LPN-RN bridge program, you can always go the online route.

In the meantime, until you make your decision, I would make sure that all general education courses taken are at the college-level.....just in case. It would be a shame to have to repeat courses because a said course that you may have done, was not at the college level, should you decide upon the ASN rather than the LPN.

Good luck!

futureLVN40 · Sep 13, 2013

Thanks! :)

vagirl76 · Oct 14, 2013

Ive been an lpn for 7 months. If I could rewind,I would've went straight for RN

MissPriss618 · Oct 17, 2013

It depends on your personal situation..If you plan to pursue RN anyway & you're able to do it now, I'd say just skip LPN & go for it!!I chose to do LPN first b/c I wasn't in a position to be able to commit to a 2 year program @ the time, whereas the 1 year LPN program timing was perfect.Idk what state you're in, but I honestly think the LPN material here in GA is just about as hard as the RN b/c our scope of practice is so wide.

jennifergrant034 · Oct 20, 2013

There are other factors at play. I was in the same boat. No prior experience whatsoever.

Another possibility is to bang out a CNA class. They had one at the local votech that was 8 weeks over the Summer, and it REALLY helped me a lot when I got into a nursing program.

The RN programs are tough. A certain percentage drop out when it becomes overwhelming. I did notice that those with prior experience as CNAs seem to have an easier time than those of us with no prior experience whatsoever.

akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P · Oct 20, 2013

Actually, I'd say that you should do CNA first, if you're wondering if nursing is for you. It's relatively cheap, gets you some very basic nursing skills, may get you a foot in the employment door later, and gives you a chance to see if healthcare is for you. Some places have CNAs and some don't. The ones that don't have the Nurses do all the care. The better and more familiar you are with the very basics, the more your brain would be able to process "higher" level nursing stuff.

Here's an example. I'm a Paramedic. I spent some time as an EMT first. I can do the EMT stuff very, very well and almost without thinking about it so I can concentrate on other things. Will you learn the stuff as an LVN/LPN? Sure, but it's a more expensive road and gets you well into nursing. In my case, I didn't do CNA because I already know this is the field I want to be in. If you're wondering if healthcare is for you and you think nursing might be what you want to do but you're not sure, CNA is a good place to get your gut-check. If you ultimately decide to pursue nursing, your experience as a CNA should allow you to see what RN and LVN staff does, and you can decide which way to go.

This is a very personal choice and only you can make it.

slicksGIRL · Oct 20, 2013

Everything I wanted to say BSNINTHEWORKS touched up on. I completely agree!

I just wanna share with you my experience.. I've always wanted to be a nurse and my ultimate goal is NP. I am young.. So right out of high school I went to a CC to take all my prereqs and after about 2 years I was ready to apply to every BSN program (notice I never mentioned ADN.. Cus I figured why take an AA for 2yrs when I could do BSN at the same time) BUT I underestimated how competitive it was. I ended up having no offer, I was very disappointed. Nevertheless, I was eager to start my nursing career.. I ended up going to an LVN program. Now my only advice with this is.. If you're planning on furthering your career make sure you choose a program with a decent tuition or else you will be in soo much debt by the time you get your BSN. Anyways, fast forwarded finished my program, passed my boards and I am now employed at a hospital on a subacute unit. In all honesty, I am glad I chose this route because I feel like I'm learning A LOT and this will definitely help me to become a better RN in the future.

I have started applying to LVN-RN bridge program and I am crossing my fingers on one of my top choices.

HelpfulRose · Oct 22, 2013

Those of you guys who are already LVN's, how do you enjoy the work? what is the pay scale in the real world? Was it hard finding a position? I want to become an LVN but have heard that it's hard to find a job.

slicksGIRL · Oct 22, 2013

I got hired at a sub acute unit in a hospital. Our floors don't have CNAs. Jst LVNs and 1 RN. The LVNs do patient care as well as suctioning, meds, tx, etc. We are assigned 5 pts per shift. I was offered $19/hr as a new grad but an extra $2 for shift diff and about .80 for being IV cert. It is true that it's quite difficult to find a job.. But I networked right out of LVN school. That was a big factor that helped me get the job.

I feel like being an LVN is a stepping stone to my ultimate goal. The experience I'm getting is amazing! Everyday I wake up and I don't dread going to work cus I love it. I love what I do.. and it only fired me to further my education.

futureLVN40 · Oct 30, 2013

Thank you everyone for your comments. I'm applying for a CNA program here in Fresno, Ca and will go from there on which route I want to take, after I get some experience working as a CNA. :)