RN vs. LPN clinical rotations

[fifi2323]

I hope that my question does not offend or demean anyone or their education,I really would just like to know-

In one of my previous posts I mentioned my negative experience in an LPN program. I am thinking about trying again,but this time as an RN..In your opinion do you think that I would be less apt to be dismissed due to clinical failure in an RN program? Simply due to the length of time I'd be in school and/or a less ltc-based curriculum.

I am not trying to diminsh the importance of clinicals,and I would rather not be a nurse than be unsafe and/or incompetent. However,I do know that I can be good if given the chance and dont want a hoyer lift to be my downfall. I just wonder if RN programs are as focused on 'weeding out' as LPN programs are.

Any thoughts would be appreciated..

**I hope this post makes sense..it is late and the flexeril I am on is not particularly conducive to mental acuity,lol.

[BaRNs]

I don't know that any nursing program sets out to 'weed out' students. The more students they have pass, the better they look as instructors, and a program as a whole, the school makes more money with more successful students and they get to keep their accreditation another year! :)

An RN program (ADN or certification programs alike) at the community college level will be another year on top of your LPN program and many do ladder formats where you take your LPN exam after the first year then your RN boards after your second.

While I don't know the specifics of your clinical shortcomings and why you were failed I would just say this:

Stay positive, decide if it is appropriate for you, decide if YOU can buckle down and meet the requirements the program sets for you. The school should only be passing those who meet their minimum standards, as is the practice with virtually every educational program. So don't expect it to be easy. While that LPN year may be a shock to the senses if you have never been in higher education before, I can assure you that the RN theory and clinicals will demand much MUCH more from you, and if they didn't then LPNs would be delegating to RNs, you get my meaning? :) Take a deep breath, set aside 1.5-2 hours of every day M-F to study theory and another 30-45 minutes on clinical prep (depending on how you structure clinicals @ your school) and finish any major projects or research papers (ugh, glad that's over) and lastly prepare to have no life.

As far as clinicals go, your instructors will only expect more out of you as time goes, as they should. Neither you nor I want a less than competent nurse/physician/pharmacist caring for us. Do whatever needs to be done in school and play the game to win. When you pass and hit the floor, most of the things you learn go out the window anyway.

If it is something you really have a passion for then keep trying and I wish you the best.

[gilf7243]

I went to school and got my LPN then went back much later to get my RN. I am not sure that either school set out to wean out students. However, there are so many students that are on a waiting list to attend nursing school in my area. If they find that you don't take it seriously and are wasting you and there time they will not have a problem kicking you out so someone else who may be more commited will get there turn and succeed. As far as one being less strict than the other. Didn't happen for me. Both schools equally adhered to their policies and had no problem kicking you out if you didn't comply. In there defense if you aren't there to give it all you have then why are you even there? Hope this helps answer your question. Good luck in RN school.

[vashtee, RN]

I don't think you are any less likely to be dropped from an RN program than you are an LVN program. We have lost about 1/3 of my RN class from the time we started, and I hear that is about average. We had 3/8 of one of my clinical rotation be dropped by one of the tougher instructors.

And I DO think they attempt to weed out underperforming students before it is time to take the NCLEX. A schools reputation is based on the percentage of students that pass the test, so they want strong students taking it to keep their pass rates high.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

I think everyone has a certain fear of clinicals. Now that you have experience and more maturity you should do well. Schools want successful students - that is a measure of their own success.

[nerdtonurse?, BSN, RN]

I know from my instructors that in our state if they don't have 85% of their graduates pass the NCLEX, the program can get in trouble with the state BON, who can pull the authorization for the program. I could see it lead them to tossing people early to try to have students at graduation they were pretty sure would pass.

For the LPN side, anyway, we had several folks that aced clinicals, but it was their grades that knocked them out of the program, none where the grades were good and the clinicals weren't. We graduated about a 3rd of those who started, but everyone passed the boards.

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

I don't think it matters, really. The bottom line is that you will be practicing as a licensed nurse, may it be LPN or RN. There are fundamental things that one must know for both programs. If you can't cut the mustard, then, out you go. What I see is that the schools will fail students that do not have the competence or high chance of passing NCLEX...this is how they obtain students and money. If a school graduates say 50 students, and only 10 pass NCLEX, that may demonstrate that they have poorly prepared their students to practice. I admit, I do not believe that NCLEX is a good indicator of how good a nurse will practice, but this is what they gauge by. Students can also research the percentile of graduates that pass NCLEX, and if you see that the percentile is say 67%, that may be a school that you wish to avoid.