StaceyLynn05

As of right now you can go straight to valencia without working as an lpn. But schools are starting to change the requirements to a minimum of 1000 work hours and I'm sure Valencia is soon to follow. But as of right now no work experience is needed. :)

If you do well on the CPT and don't have to take any remedial classes, then it should only take two semester to do your pre-reqs if you take 4 classes a emester and don't mind taking a bunch of science classes together. And the LPN to RN Bridge program is 3 semesters once you get in. So after TECO it'll take you about two years minimum to get your RN. But the good thing about it is that you can work as a nurse and get experience as you're taking your pre-req's for your RN. To do the two year RN program at Valencia you'd still have a year or two worth of pre-req's and then an automatic one year wait list to get in, so it would take you five years that way. With TECO its faster ad the Bridge program enrolls through all three semester so there isn't a waitlist. But it is super competitive so make sure you do well on your pre-reqs because you need a good GPA. I would recommend printing out the Info packet for the program off the Valencia webite and make ratemyprofesor.com your best friend when picking professors for your pre-req's. And I don't know the starting pay for the hospitals but I know they pay less than the nuring homes and the nursing homes start at about $17 an hour for a new nurse, so I would guess about $14 to $15 an hour. Good Luck!!

I'm currently in the LPN program at TECO. It transitions into the rn program at Valencia which is online except for one clinical day a week. But you have to do all the rpe-req's before you can apply. Theres also Seminole State College but if you don't do their LPN program you have to work 1000 hours before you can apply and you have to do allt heir pre-req's too. There's Exselsior, which is all online but really hard to pass the practicum and its super expensive. And you have to travel out of town for the practicum and the closest one is in Georgia and you have to pay all expenses. There's also Galen in Tampa and you can do your pre-req's while in the program. As for jobs the highest paying jobs for LPN's are in the retirement homes. But Osceola Regional Medical Center and Winnie Palmer Hospital are hiring LPNs. Hope that helps!!