JR Ewing

I just graduated from an LPN program this past Summer and it was such a great feeling to finally be finished. I wanted to point out some things that I have learned and noticed. First off if I knew what I know now before I had started school, I would have gone through the ADN program, to begin with. Our LPN program basically mirrored the ADN from start to finish albeit with a few minor nuances. The LPNs workload was more because of the 1-year program length. Contrary to popular belief the LPN schooling is not easier than ADN at all and it has been said by the instructors and classmates it is harder as a matter of fact. One thing I feel torn about the LPN experience is that when hired on as an LPN you definitely do the work of an RN without the pay to match. I know on paper and facility policy there are other "differences" or things you aren't allowed to do, but working as a floor LPN compared to floor Rns our work IS THE SAME.? I am just so thankful for having accomplished something so many people only get a chance to dream of, just wish I knew a little more beforehand.

Hey! So to answer your question being state approved is not the same as being accredited. State approval is given by the state board of nursing to a nursing program in order for it to operate. State approval also allows graduates of a nursing school to take the NCLEX. Nursing School accreditation is secondary and basically means that the program is recognized by ACEN or CCNE as a quality program. The only experience I have had about accreditation or state approval was when the local bridge programs for LPN to RN said accreditation was a requirement. But when I called each they said by me having my nurse license it was good enough. So, I would just apply and see what happens. I think a lot of people don’t know the difference. Also yes a compact license gives you full authority to practice in a compact state. Good luck ?

So, I too have a Bachelor's Degree and will be finished my LPN program in about a month. I have plans to advance my nursing degree from LPN to MSN. Specifically the program offered near me is a Master’s Entry to Nursing Practice, so at the end of the program one would be a master’s prepared RN. After that one could get a post-master’s certificate to become a NP. From the research I have done, when you go into any pre-licensure Master’s nursing program it doesn’t matter what you have your bachelor’s degree in or that you have a LPN Diploma, you start from the beginning of the program and are not exempt from any classes. They just require you to have the necessary prerequisites completed with a competitive GPA to match. The only other alternative I have seen is that instead of a master’s prepared RN program is that some schools have entry masters nursing programs that end with an option for NP. Good luck on your search. Let me know what you find.

I applied right after the Spring Semester was over, when I finished my last pre-req. Your current school may offer electronic transcript ordering, where the school you send it to gets it the same or next day. OCTech accepts electronic transcripts. Go to your school’s website and see if they have an electronic transcript option to send. You should also ask your professor if they can post your grade immediately after the final so you can order the transcript right after, due to the application deadline. Also if your school doesn’t have electronic transcripts, you can reach out to the program you are applying to and ask if you can submit an unofficial transcript for review until your final one is received. I wouldn’t wait another semester to apply, I would just apply and see what happens. Best of luck to you

Yes ! I applied to the PN program and got accepted...Are you doing anything special in preparation for this huge learning curve we are about to partake in . I know Fundies for ADN and PN have been merged so we’ll be in it together starting off.

Hello All, I just wanted to reach out to see if anyone had applied to either of the programs and have heard any news as of yet? If not good luck to all that applied!