LVN's and/or RN's who were once LVN's. HELP!

dark_knite · Dec 12, 2010

i went through the lvn-rn route and it was the best decision i could have ever made. i went to a community college and the entire thing, including books and graduation cost me about $2000. most of the lvn coursework does not transfer to rn programs, at least as far as i know. the pre-requisites should though. for this reason, i would recommend at least taking the pre-reqs at a community college in order to be sure of the credits being accepted once you decide to bridge to an rn program. some of the reasons why lvn-rn bridge route worked out for me are:
1. it was a heck of a lot easier for me to get into the rn bridge program, than applying directly to an rn program to compete with hundreds of other applicants with grades just as good and even better than mine. my grades were pretty good too! i was accepted into the only lvn program and then the only rn program that i applied to...both times i applied on the deadline date (of the extension period). it might not have worked out this way, had i gone straight into an rn program
2. it allowed me to be able to work while going through the rn program. people say that it probably takes the same amount of time to go through the lvn-rn route, as going straight to rn. in my case, this is true, but i would not have been able to work (i was in it before) and maintain my school work requirements had i not been an lvn. it afforded me so much flexibility, plus i made more as an lvn than i do as an rn. i lived alone and paid all my bills the entire time and finished school debt free.
3. going through the lvn route made the rn bridge program so much easier for me. i already knew a lot of what was being taught, to a certain extent. it also made critical thinking come a lot easier for me at that point.
4. i'm starting my bsn program next week, and my employer will pay for almost all of the tuition. well..maybe this is a mute point as they probably would have paid anyway, had i gone straight into the adn program. i aim to complete my bsn then go for my msn and have them pay for that as well, and graduate debt free...sweet, huh?
this route may not be the best route for everyone, but it sure was for me. i would caution you though that the lvn program (at least mine) can be very rigorous, because everything is compacted into 1 year. it may be difficult to work and do this at the same time. if you do go this route, i would recommend (if at all possible) going to a community college...so much cheaper than private school. just do lots and lots of research on what colleges are out there within a certain acceptable radius from where you live...it might be a little far, but it can be done. then apply to all of them, don't put all your eggs in one basket. last but not least...you could work on the pre-reqs for the rn program while applying to both lvn and rn programs and see which one you get into the quickest. the lvn pre-reqs, like i mentioned earlier, will probably be some of the same pre-reqs for the rn program, so it would be a win-win situation. i wish you the best, whichever route you opt to take. just go for it, you can do it!

dear missdeevah, thank you so much for your post which is the best one i've found so far !

this really encourages me ! i am right now in the same situation like you were before ! i have applied to all lvn, rn and bsn as well. but only accepted to lvn program, and i didn't know if i should go for it. after reading your great post, i have decided not to miss this chance !

yes, you are right ! we should go step by step ! and the chance for an lvn to be accepted to rn program is always higher than students without lvn license.

i have learned that i should satisfy with what i am offered !

good luck to all great nursing students !

incana · Dec 31, 2010

Here's my 2 cents...as it was mentioned before, if you want to go right back to work as a nurse, LPN/LVN programs will work great! I live in WA, I was laid off a couple of years ago (I taught Science in high school), and really needed a job (I have a two-year old now, and I was pregnant when I started retraining). I went to a local Worksource office for ideas and they advised me to retrain into something in high demand, plus I always liked medicine anyway. So I took all the necessary pre-reqs at a local tech school (I was lucky many of them were credited to me from my Master's degree) and then got on a waiting list. I wasn't on it for very long, again, the Worksource gave me a priority as a laid-off worker to enroll into the LPN program right away, they also paid for the tuition, books and supplies, which I'm very grateful for. I was also on unemployment while in school, it was called the Commissioner Approved Training so I didn't have to file the claims while attending school.

I got hired by an Assisted Living even before I took NCLEX, I was totally surprised, because I thought it would be tough finding a job, but the trend is, around the end of each college 1/4 some nurses become RNs and they leave nursing homes/clinics and such for the new grads!

I don't have any regrets whatsoever for not going into the straight RN, you will make more money while working as an LPN while getting RN, and it will be easier to grasp the concepts with your nursing experience. Currently I'm on a waiting list for LPN-RN bridge at the same college I took my LPN. Again, it's just another way "to skin the cat" as my nursing instructor used to say ))) Plus, as an RN student you pay your tuition for the clinical hours while you're getting paid as an LPN for the same thing.

Good luck!