RN student nurse, taking NCLEX-PN???

earthflower · Apr 27, 2005

I don't see why you couldn't become an LPN. I suggest you call your state nursing board and ask them, I'm sure they have dealt with situations like this before. Good luck!

FocusRN · Apr 27, 2005

Wwell I guess since you are about done, the state board most likely wouldn't see a problem, but personally it rubs me wrong at little. This is not mean tto fuel the LPN vz RN fire, but LPN grads tend to have more clinical experience than RN grads, so you may have the theory down to become an LPN, but the hands on might get you caught with your pants down on the job. But hey we can all do anything that we sent our minds to, so go for it.

andre · Apr 27, 2005

Wwell I guess since you are about done, the state board most likely wouldn't see a problem, but personally it rubs me wrong at little. This is not mean tto fuel the LPN vz RN fire, but LPN grads tend to have more clinical experience than RN grads, so you may have the theory down to become an LPN, but the hands on might get you caught with your pants down on the job. But hey we can all do anything that we sent our minds to, so go for it.

LPN grads have more clinical experience than RN grads????? Really? Hmmmmm......In my two year ADN program, I had clinical 16 hours a week for four semesters. Did you get more clinical experience than that???

As for taking LPN boards, I was able to take them after the third semester of my RN program--though I've been told in some other states you can take it after two semesters. So yes, the BON is the right place to ask. Now I'm working in a LTC facility as an LPN and will finish my RN in a few short weeks. Good luck!

GN1974 · Apr 28, 2005

I don't think so typically. The community colleges that are local here (ADN) program go 1 year pre-req and 2 years nursing...and they basically start clinicals in their first semester. The local LPN program is 10 months and also includes theory...far less clinical hours. I am unsure where you got this info but I don't think it is entirely true. I believe that students with with the 2 semesters in an ADN program can take LPN boards here.

Wwell I guess since you are about done, the state board most likely wouldn't see a problem, but personally it rubs me wrong at little. This is not mean tto fuel the LPN vz RN fire, but LPN grads tend to have more clinical experience than RN grads, so you may have the theory down to become an LPN, but the hands on might get you caught with your pants down on the job. But hey we can all do anything that we sent our minds to, so go for it.

FocusRN · Apr 28, 2005

LPN grads have more clinical experience than RN grads????? Really? Hmmmmm......In my two year ADN program, I had clinical 16 hours a week for four semesters. Did you get more clinical experience than that???
As for taking LPN boards, I was able to take them after the third semester of my RN program--though I've been told in some other states you can take it after two semesters. So yes, the BON is the right place to ask. Now I'm working in a LTC facility as an LPN and will finish my RN in a few short weeks. Good luck!

Well first let me repeat myself when I say, what I said was not meant to fuel the fire, and I can tell by your attitute that you took it that way. I have even entered school yet. Now next up I said CLINICAL EXPERIENCE, not clinical hours, big difference. My question to you have you ever seen a new grap LPN, and a new grad RN-BSN on the floor together. Well I have, actually I have seen quite a few, while I won't say every time, but most of the time I see LPNs run circles around the RNs. Why is that? Well, my personal opinion, clinical experience. How many first hand accounts have we read on this forum alone, about new RN grads, that have never given a bed bath? And last but not least, I was told by three nursing departments at three different schools, that all told me that their LPN programs give more CLINICAL EXPERIENCE than their RN programs. And the head of the nursing departments at one of the schools, told me that I would do better going for LPN first then the LPN to RN, bridge, because I would come out with more hands on, and theory as an RN. And as a matter of fact at that particular school, they won't have another RN program, until fall 2006, because they are revising the program, and of course have to get it approved by the state; if you ask me clinical experience is why. Ohh, and before I go one last example, when I was 5 months pregnant, on Sept 30th,2004, I had to go to the hospital for an ultrasound; which was in L&D. I was there for over 4 hours, waiting on the hospital to get their back log straight. When I was there I saw about 10 nursing dtudent from a BSN program about 5 minutes away from my house. And what did I see? I saw the (and mind you this was for over 4 hours), watching tv, eating popcorn, going back and forth to the snack machine, trading opinions on chocolate peanut butter cookie recipes, that one of them had brought in the day before, and that is it. Oh no, that wasn't it when I had first arrived one of the students took my file, tured around and handed to the nurse. So take what you can from that.

Katmease · Apr 28, 2005

She said she was in a diploma program which generally has more clinical time (plus for the fact that I had to make beds in my RN program, I would think it's a basic thing.

As you said, it kind of burns you-sounds like sour grapes to me & you haven't entered school yet so really don't have the hands on experience to know first hand.

RN2Bn2006 · Apr 28, 2005

umm, excuse me, but I am just finishing up my 2nd semester RN, and I have given many many bed baths, wiped even more butts, and made beds 'til I'm blue in the face.
I think someone gave you wrong information.

suzanne4, RN · Apr 28, 2005

hi, i'm new to this site and I have a question, I'm hoping I can get some information about taking the NCLEX-PN.
I am a RN nursing student, at a diploma program, that is 2 years long. I only have this coming summer semester to go, to graduate and be an RN. However, due to personal and family reasons, I cannot complete the curriculum, this summer. I was wondering about becoming an LPN, at least for the time being. I was hoping to avoid taking a training program/course....because I think I already have the necessary training. That said, does anybody know how I would go about doing this, or if I have to take the course, anyways?
I live in PA and I've contacted the American Red Cross and plan on contacting the PA state nursing board tomorrow, to inquire about this.
Has anybody else run across this issue, or have any advice? Thanks in advance and have a great day!!!
:)

Contact your BON, they will give you the correct info..........There should be no problem with you taking the NCLEX-PN boards...........Good luck to you. And hope that everything works out for you............... :)

FocusRN · Apr 28, 2005

umm, excuse me, but I am just finishing up my 2nd semester RN, and I have given many many bed baths, wiped even more butts, and made beds 'til I'm blue in the face.
I think someone gave you wrong information.

If you are going to quote me quote evrything I said, and try not to make it look like I said something that I didn't.

What I said was,

How many first hand accounts have we read on this forum alone, about new RN grads, that have never given a bed bath? And last but not least, I was told by three nursing departments at three different schools, that all told me that their LPN programs give more CLINICAL EXPERIENCE than their RN programs.

And if you read what is as plain as day, on this forum alone I have read many accounts of new RN grads, that have never even given a bed bath. And if you think someone gave me the wrong information, well that's fine; but considering that one of the people that gave me the wrong info as you say, what the department head of the nursing program, in that instance I'm pretty much assured that info in right on. So take it how you want.

andre · Apr 28, 2005

Well first let me repeat myself when I say, what I said was not meant to fuel the fire, and I can tell by your attitute that you took it that way. I have even entered school yet. Now next up I said CLINICAL EXPERIENCE, not clinical hours, big difference. My question to you have you ever seen a new grap LPN, and a new grad RN-BSN on the floor together. Well I have, actually I have seen quite a few, while I won't say every time, but most of the time I see LPNs run circles around the RNs. Why is that? Well, my personal opinion, clinical experience. How many first hand accounts have we read on this forum alone, about new RN grads, that have never given a bed bath? And last but not least, I was told by three nursing departments at three different schools, that all told me that their LPN programs give more CLINICAL EXPERIENCE than their RN programs. And the head of the nursing departments at one of the schools, told me that I would do better going for LPN first then the LPN to RN, bridge, because I would come out with more hands on, and theory as an RN. And as a matter of fact at that particular school, they won't have another RN program, until fall 2006, because they are revising the program, and of course have to get it approved by the state; if you ask me clinical experience is why. Ohh, and before I go one last example, when I was 5 months pregnant, on Sept 30th,2004, I had to go to the hospital for an ultrasound; which was in L&D. I was there for over 4 hours, waiting on the hospital to get their back log straight. When I was there I saw about 10 nursing dtudent from a BSN program about 5 minutes away from my house. And what did I see? I saw the (and mind you this was for over 4 hours), watching tv, eating popcorn, going back and forth to the snack machine, trading opinions on chocolate peanut butter cookie recipes, that one of them had brought in the day before, and that is it. Oh no, that wasn't it when I had first arrived one of the students took my file, tured around and handed to the nurse. So take what you can from that.

Wow. I actually thought my post was encouraging, too (to the OP) . I was genuinely asking a question, not giving you "attitude".

Anyway, I do disagree with you, for sure! But you're of course entitled to your opinion. We all know students, whether LPN, RN or BSN, who didn't make the most of their clinical experiences--those are the students who stood around at the desk instead of searching out learning opportunities at clinical. I realize you're making a distinction between clinical hours and clinical experiences--but I will maintain that if you've got four semesters of clinical hours vs two semesters of clinical hours, the four semester program gets more "experience". Especially if you use your clinical time wisely.

I know many, many LPNs who could run circles around me, sure. But it's not because they had more clinical experience--it's because they have more real-world experience than I've had (yet), being a new grad and all.

GN1974 · Apr 28, 2005

And if you read what is as plain as day, on this forum alone I have read many accounts of new RN grads, that have never even given a bed bath. Qouted from New moms post.........

From your above qoute, this should be taken with a grain of salt--certainly not everything you hear or read on the posts is accurate. For various reasons info gets distorted sometimes. Like Andre said in the above post, four semesters of clinicals is more experience than two. I also agree that real world experience is what gives you the edge. We are all in control of our learning experiences and some don't seek to use their time to their full potential.

Karen