Should I become an LVN before becoming an RN

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I will be going to nursing school in the Sacramento, CA area and am debating on whether or not to apply to LVN programs. My baby will be 1 once I'm done with pre requisites and I'm not sure if I can wait to get into an RN program. Do you think it would be harder to just stay a CNA and hardly get by while I wait years to get into an RN program or should I become an LVN then do a LVN-RN program? I know LVN's are being phased out of hospitals but that isn't a concern of mine because I won't be staying an LVN.

All in all, which route do you think would be quicker? My husband is in law school so the sooner I can get my degree the better!

Also, your science pre reqs have to have a 5 year recency and people have mentioned waiting that long to get into a program.. Has anyone had to retake courses due to that situation?

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

Hello, and welcome to Allnurses.com! I will provide some personal information regarding my educational journey.

I completed a 12-month LVN program at a trade school in CA back in 2005, relocated to Texas six weeks after graduation due to the lack of LVN jobs in CA, and worked as an LVN for 4 years before earning my RN license. The LVN role provided a great foundation for me. In addition, I was able to support myself nicely while pursuing my RN license.

However, I strongly advise against paying $20,000 to $40,000 for LVN training at the numerous private for-profit institutions in CA. Although I attended one of these schools, the same LVN education could have been obtained at a public school for less than $10,000 in tuition.

In my honest opinion, it would be best to attend LVN school inexpensively an adult education center, community college, or regional occupational program. You would not want to be $30,000 in debt with no job to show for it after graduation. Good luck with whatever you decide.

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Thanks for the reply. It is hard not to get suckered into those expensive private schools when the community college waiting lists are so long. Most nurses who got their education in California probably could have been doctors in the same amount of time it took to become a nurse! Lol

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