Medical Assistant - Which path: LVN or RN?

I agree. while going on for your RN i would make it a BSN. the trend/recommendations for entry level nursing is the BSN. it will take longer but u will be done. unless u decide to go further.

i am an LPN & have not worked for 15 yrs & now need a refresher course to go back to work. there are no refresher courses near me. so i have to decide what i'm going to do.

I was a medical assistant and I chose RN. Get it over with before you have kids. It's hard going to nursing school and working while having small children.

I have been working per diem as a medical assistant while in an ABSN program. I have a four year old and it has been challenging but I don't regret anything about it. I second what NurseBeth said about becoming a nursing assistant while in school because you have an opportunity to be an internal candidate when you graduate. I would have done that but I love the not for profit that I work for sooo much that I can't say goodbye just yet.

If you do not have kids that you are supporting full time right now go for your RN.

I am at a point in my life that is similar in some respects. I was talking to my daughter about it over the Christmas holidays. She is currently in her third year of medical school. She stated that the LVN programs will start being phased out by 2020. I am not sure what this means for current LVNs. She stated that RNs with Bachelor degrees will be the employers choice of candidate. I suppose that the employers are wanting someone w/ more knowledge. She did not tell me the reasoning behind this. So, as I make my plans I am searching only for programs which are for a Bachelors degree. While you may be busy with child rearing you might be able to handle an online program are offered by reputable colleges and universities around the country.

I am teacher who is trying to change careers. I have 2 yrs to take prerequisites before I quit my teaching job and make the move.Good Luck with you decision.

I haven't seen any short term crash courses for an LPN program but that's just me. Most I've seen are 12-16 months full time. I originally went this route thinking it would be easier and if I had to do it over again I would have gotten my RN and skipped getting my LPN first. I ended up getting married, having a family, and at first deciding that I would just stop at the LPN..,until the job market took a nose dive where I live. Now, I'm finishing a bridge program while married with a five year old 15 years after finishing my LPN and going back to school with all the extra responsibilities is not easy. In the end, getting my LPN first only cut out the first semester of the RN program (not very time saving considering I went to school 24 hours a week for 16 months to get my LPN).

Denise, there are plenty of refresher courses that are online with a local clinical component. Depends what state you're in. I did my online didactic portion through a South Dakota university, but am from Texas. I did my clinical hours locally.

I agree with those who recommend you going straight to BSN if you can, and it sounds like you can with a supportive spouse and a step child who has gotten pass the toddler years.

I agree. while going on for your RN i would make it a BSN. the trend/recommendations for entry level nursing is the BSN. it will take longer but u will be done. unless u decide to go further.

i am an LPN & have not worked for 15 yrs & now need a refresher course to go back to work. there are no refresher courses near me. so i have to decide what i'm going to do.

I'm going to advise you to thoroughly research your local job market. Listening to the local rumors is nonsense. I would get in touch with the HR depts of places you want to work and see what they are hiring and what degree is needed.

Do not be under the impression that a LVN program is easier than a RN program. Some LVN programs are much more vigorous.

Investigate your options.

Where can I verify this info on LPN's?