Question for ALL Nurses!!!

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I am taking courses at a community college. I was planning to apply to two city colleges in October. I have taken all my pre-req's for the Associate Degree RN program. I originally planned to go straight for the BSN but I wanted to get a little experience in the nursing field first, right now my current job is well paying but it has NOTHING to do with nursing, so I'll be going into the nursing program without any experience only what I've learned from my pre req classes. I don't have CPR certification, a CNA license, an LPN certificate or any experience whatsoever working in the nursing field.

My Problem: Only two of the city colleges are licensed and certified for the RN program..but they have a very long waiting list..should I do the LPN route in the meantime so I can quit my job and focus more on the nursing profession by being a LPN? Or should I continue to take classes towards my bachelors degree and wait to be accepted into one of the RN programs?

Please ALL responses are welcome...

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Specializes in 5years OR; NICU since Oct 2011.

i vote to just go straight for your rn... once you get out of school it is hard to go back. at least for me it is. i went straight for my bsn and i believe its the best thing i have ever done for myself. i have since wanted to go back for my np, and i cannot get motivated afte being out of school for only 4 yrs. also my mom took the long route.. cna, cma, lpn. she has been an lpn since 2002. she has tried several times to countinue on to her rn and is still strugling with it (due to work, home and other obligations). if you can get into rn program just go for it!! good luck with whatever you choose to do.

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Either choice has advantages. But you could use an LPN license to get you into an LPN to RN bridge program. Therefore, if you have the means to pay for it, I would go to LPN school while you are waiting. You can still take courses toward a BSN program while you are in LPN school, (one course at a time), and accomplish both goals at the same time.

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Specializes in NICU.

I went straight from high school to taking nursing pre-requisites to nursing school. This all happened in 4.5 years and I have a BSN degree. I had NO nursing experience...none! Many fellow nursing students had zero nursing experience, and we all did fine. Sure, it might help a little bit, but I don't think it's a significant advantage. I passed the NCLEX on the first time, too.

So what I'm trying to say is that going for your LPN license first just because you want experience before nursing school doesn't really give you that much of an advantage. This is just my opinion. Of course, becoming an LPN will never hurt you...it's just the extra time it will take you to get to that RN license that you have to think of.

Caliotter is right, maybe the bridge from LPN to RN could be a route would be something to think about. That's a popular route to take if it fits with your professional goals!

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Go straight for the BSN. The job market has changed so do what you need to put yourself in a good position.

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