New BSN graduate with 5 years LVN experience!

%D#2 · Feb 1, 2016

Your experience will most likely be considered especially over someone with non-nursing experience, but you may start as brand new RN entry level. Because an LPN is a nurse (I am one) but an RN has a different scope of practice

Karou · Feb 2, 2016

It depends on the setting that you want to work in.

Areas like LTC, rehab, and LTAC are more likely to consider your experience when reviewing your application for hire, as many of these facilities also hire LVN's. Additionally, they may actually count some of your LVN experience when discussing your hourly pay. My first RN job was in rehab, and they counted my LVN experience as "half" of RN, so I started out making more than a new grad RN with no experience.

However, it doesn't seem to be an advantage at all for hospital positions. Apply NOW to new grad RN residency programs if you want to work in a hospital. This is about the only way to get into a hospital setting. This is what I did. I got hired making the exact same as every other new grad RN, despite my experience as an LVN and few months working as an RN (they didn't count rehab because it wasn't "acute care", thankfully). During my interview, my LVN experience was spoken of negatively, if anything. I was absolutely shocked by this. Somehow, they managed to hire me into the residency program for new grad RN's. I was the only nurse of 40 to have LVN experience.

LVN to ADN bridge puts you in this strange situation of experienced with no experience. As someone who had not been an LVN long, this didn't bother me quite as much as it did some of my classmates who had been LVN's for 10+ years. Many of them took cuts in pay after completing their RN to do the exact same job they were doing before as LVN's. This is after several hospitals in our area went RN only, forcing LVN's to go back to school within a specific time frame.

Keep us updated, OP!

%D#2 · Feb 2, 2016

It depends on the setting that you want to work in.
Areas like LTC, rehab, and LTAC are more likely to consider your experience when reviewing your application for hire, as many of these facilities also hire LVN's. Additionally, they may actually count some of your LVN experience when discussing your hourly pay. My first RN job was in rehab, and they counted my LVN experience as "half" of RN, so I started out making more than a new grad RN with no experience.
However, it doesn't seem to be an advantage at all for hospital positions. Apply NOW to new grad RN residency programs if you want to work in a hospital. This is about the only way to get into a hospital setting. This is what I did. I got hired making the exact same as every other new grad RN, despite my experience as an LVN and few months working as an RN (they didn't count rehab because it wasn't "acute care", thankfully). During my interview, my LVN experience was spoken of negatively, if anything. I was absolutely shocked by this. Somehow, they managed to hire me into the residency program for new grad RN's. I was the only nurse of 40 to have LVN experience.
LVN to ADN bridge puts you in this strange situation of experienced with no experience. As someone who had not been an LVN long, this didn't bother me quite as much as it did some of my classmates who had been LVN's for 10+ years. Many of them took cuts in pay after completing their RN to do the exact same job they were doing before as LVN's. This is after several hospitals in our area went RN only, forcing LVN's to go back to school within a specific time frame.
Keep us updated, OP!

That's crazy that they'd look at you negatively during the interview. I know LPN and RN experience are not interchangeable and I wouldn't mind being paid as a new grad, gotta start somewhere. But if I were a manager id be impressed with LPN experience, over a new grad RN with no nursing or healthcare experience. That's just my way of thinking though. Glad everything worked out for you. Hope it does with me and the OP too lol

Karou · Feb 2, 2016

That's crazy that they'd look at you negatively during the interview. I know LPN and RN experience are not interchangeable and I wouldn't mind being paid as a new grad, gotta start somewhere. But if I were a manager id be impressed with LPN experience, over a new grad RN with no nursing or healthcare experience. That's just my way of thinking though. Glad everything worked out for you. Hope it does with me and the OP too lol

There seems to be the fear that an LVN transitioned to RN might be cocky and unwilling to learn. That was the impression I got overall. It was a bizarre interview. Definitely worked out in the end though!! I hope it will for y'all also :)

jmnlvn2bsn · Feb 2, 2016

Thank you all for your replies! I've worked at a LTC/SNF, for Davita Dialysis Centers before starting back to school, and worked in private duty home care for medically fragile children. So, I have a broad range of experience, yet none of it matters to those with higher degrees generally. I can't change all opinions on the matter even though some are quite pretentious and irritating. That's just life. Lol it's been hard biting my tongue for two years being told I have no critical thinking skills and am basically not intelligent enough to think as a nurse until I have an RN behind my name. When in reality I have already learned everything they have taught me, except for all the nursing theories! I am in a general bachelors program, and not a bridge program. It's been quite challenging to not lose my patience!

I am however torn between where I want to go from here! I love love love the geriatric population, especially those with Alzheimer's. They definitely have my heart. I'm not sure if I should continue my journey in the LTC setting or try to gain hospital experience while I'm still younger. (I'm 27) My other issue is that I live in the Beaumont area and I feel that I may have to commute due to lack of opportunities in this area. However, I do not want to drive into Houston! So many decisions.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Feb 4, 2016

I'm north of you, in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, and worked as an LVN for four years before obtaining my RN license in 2010.

Anyhow, some of the hospital systems issue credit for LVN experience. A common formula was to cut the LVN experience in half, e.g. a new grad RN with 10 years of LVN experience would be paid as an RN with 5 years of experience.

HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD · Feb 5, 2016

When determining the initial salary for new hires, my organization counts LVN experience at 50% of RN.. so, OP would have the equivalent of 2.5 years of RN experience. Relevant LVN experience is also a very important factor when it comes to hiring new RN grads.

Best of luck on your job search.

kktegan · Feb 5, 2016

What hospitals are you considering? SETX medical center, St. Elizabeth, Baptist?

jmnlvn2bsn · Feb 6, 2016

I'm north of you, in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, and worked as an LVN for four years before obtaining my RN license in 2010.
Anyhow, some of the hospital systems issue credit for LVN experience. A common formula was to cut the LVN experience in half, e.g. a new grad RN with 10 years of LVN experience would be paid as an RN with 5 years of experience.

Thank you! I'm hearing this a lot and I'm ok with that. Something is better than nothing!

jmnlvn2bsn · Feb 6, 2016

When determining the initial salary for new hires, my organization counts LVN experience at 50% of RN.. so, OP would have the equivalent of 2.5 years of RN experience. Relevant LVN experience is also a very important factor when it comes to hiring new RN grads.
Best of luck on your job search.

Thank you! I know my time as an LVN was not wasted, so I was really hoping it counted for something in this new job search!

jmnlvn2bsn · Feb 6, 2016

What hospitals are you considering? SETX medical center, St. Elizabeth, Baptist?

Honestly, I am not sure. I have heard the pay scale in the hospitals in this area is low. I was contemplating applying outside of hospitals or maybe toward Baytown.