Military LPN experience

[kjharris]

I'm currently an LPN in the Army on a Tele floor, licensed for just under two years now. We are usually on a team with an RN and sometimes a tech. Prior to this I was a Medic in an outpatient clinic for several years. I'm used to taking at least 3 patients to myself and being responsible for all of their care: assessments, meds, IVs, calling MDs etc. I know I wont be able to do nearly as much as I an capable of when I become a civilian but how much credit can I expect employers to give me for my non-RN experience? Will it count when I bridge to be an RN? I'd appreciate any input, I'm also hoping to skip med/surg as a new grad if possible, I like the idea of outpatient family medicine or specialty clinics and I also have an interest in Utilization Review.

[rm89]

I just graduated with my RN, with 2 years experience as an LPN. My 2 years experience really did stand me in good stead, but I didn't actually get a job in a hospital. I'm working private duty pediatric nursing in collaboration with a home health agency. I think it depends on where you want to work and what part of the state and country you live. In a big city, that experience may not count for as much, while in a smaller town you may get into more of a specialty area with no previous RN experience.

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

Depending on the location and facility, employers may count LPN yeas as 1/2 year equivalent to 1 year RN; for example, my 7 years of LPN experience equates to 3.5 years of RN experience; most won't count it salary-wise until I have been at my employer until a year. This method is called the clinical-ladder model.

[RunBabyRN]

I am a former corpsman and new grad RN. Your medic experience will not be counted as nursing experience, and your LPN experience won't count as RN experience. You'll be lumped in with all of the other new grads. You'll have advantages and disadvantages. I felt like I was stuck in this vortex of being an over-experienced new grad, where new grad programs wouldn't touch me, but positions requiring experience didn't feel I had enough RN experience. BEYOND frustrating!! Of course, all of that experience has been SOO helpful in my RN career, but I have found that speaking to being teachable and eager to learn helped me to land job offers (FINALLY accepted one TODAY in outpatient urology!). I had many interviews, and I spoke to my prior experience, but never got offers. I think that learning to speak to being eager to learn and loving to learn helped a lot. I spoke to having a strong foundation upon which to build my knowledge. Coming from that perspective, rather than the, "Look at my other experience!" position, seemed to be better received.

[kjharris]

Thanks for the feedback! From the information I've gathered it looks like the end game is just like you said, I'll have the experience but still be considered a new grad. Either way , I'll enjoy the fact that I'll have a leg up when it comes to getting my BSN. Thanks for the input. I'm actually working with corpsmen for the first time in my career at my current assignment, all the guys I work with are rock solid. I think they're more well rounded than my fellow Army medics tbh.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Some workplaces took my four years of LPN/LVN experience into consideration, whereas other places considered me an inexperienced new grad. So in essence, it all depends on whether your future employer(s) grant credit for your years of LPN experience.

[Nienna Celebrindal]

I am a former corpsman and new grad RN. Your medic experience will not be counted as nursing experience, and your LPN experience won't count as RN experience. You'll be lumped in with all of the other new grads. You'll have advantages and disadvantages. I felt like I was stuck in this vortex of being an over-experienced new grad, where new grad programs wouldn't touch me, but positions requiring experience didn't feel I had enough RN experience. BEYOND frustrating!! Of course, all of that experience has been SOO helpful in my RN career, but I have found that speaking to being teachable and eager to learn helped me to land job offers (FINALLY accepted one TODAY in outpatient urology!). I had many interviews, and I spoke to my prior experience, but never got offers. I think that learning to speak to being eager to learn and loving to learn helped a lot. I spoke to having a strong foundation upon which to build my knowledge. Coming from that perspective, rather than the, "Look at my other experience!" position, seemed to be better received.

I second all of this. I was also a Corpsman and an LVN, my experience with getting a job after school mirrors Run's very closely. I also found stressing that I knew I was still a new grad with a lot to learn ended up helping me get a job.

As an LVN I felt like employers really loved my Navy experience, but as an RN it felt useless as did all of my LVN experience. Best of luck to you!

[kjharris]

Thanks for the great responses everyone, I appreciate all of the feedback. I think I was kind of on the right track with my own thinking, my experience will be very useful to me personally when I land that first gig but won't put me too high above other new grads. Thanks again!