Should I get my LPN license while im in nursing school?

Jolie, BSN · Feb 1, 2012

My question is, "Why do you think you can get an LPN license during your RN program?"

It was once fairly common for RN students to be allowed to sit for LPN boards after completing the first half of their program. That is rarely the case any more.

You need to check with your board of nursing to see if it is allowed in your state. If so, check with your nursing education program to see if they are willing to forward the necessary information to the state in order for you to do so.

This practice has gone by the wayside as education programs have changed over the years. Most are no longer set up in a way that teaches LPN information in year 1 and RN information in year 2. Also, states have balked at the expense and hassle of licensing individuals as LPNs who are not likely to practice as such, but rather go on to obtain RN licensure within a year or so.

turnforthenurse, MSN, NP · Feb 1, 2012

Some states do allow that but most schools will not let you. I would just focus on your RN.

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Feb 2, 2012

what they said. don't waste your time and money.

elkpark · Feb 2, 2012

I used to teach in an ADN program in which a lot of the students wanted to get their LPN license ASAP and start working while finishing school. Some of the faculty actually encouraged them to do this, although I always discouraged it if I were asked. The local nursing homes gave them a warm, rosy story when they interviewed about all the great orientation they would get, how the facility would be happy to work around their school schedule, etc., etc., etc. Needless to say (to anyone with any LTC experience), none of that happened; the students would quickly find themselves trying to pass meds on 60 people by themselves, having v. little cooperation with school schedules, and struggling to keep up with their classwork because they were so overwhelmed with trying to adjust to their new LPN role at the same time they were trying to attend school full-time. Some of them came v. close to either flunking out of school, or "crashing and burning" in their new LPN position. Most ended up giving up the LPN job to focus on finishing school successfully.

Then there's the whole question of why you would bother putting the money and time into sitting the exam and getting license that you're never going to need again once you finish school in a short while and get licensed as an RN.

IMO, it's a really bad idea unless you just absolutely need to work as an LPN while still in school and truly have no other option.

countrychic01 · Feb 13, 2012

Would you recommend on internship at a hospital during my summer break???

♑ Capricorn ♑ · Feb 14, 2012

Honestly, like the others above have said. I wouldn't bother with LPN school if you're currently in an RN program right now. It would be a waste of time and money. You have your CNA, so I would work maybe part-time or PRN in a hospital or somewhere for some money and experience.

Internship? I would continue to work as a CNA/Nurse Tech/Patient Care Tech (whatever) until you graduate.

notpuurfctbtgdenghns · Feb 14, 2012

countrychic01,

Yes, by all means. I know of RNs who took LPN exam while in the RN program. Not only that this is good for your education, but it is also helpful for you financially. You can work as an LPN when time allows. Best of luck!

Al.ginger · Feb 14, 2012

I will definetly do it.

I have a strong personal reason to do it. So, my situation is not applicable to everybody.I don't know if I will work as LPN. Although my current employer - LTC - have an oppening for exactly the same hours that I'm working as CNA. So, I may just advance myself without changing schedlue much.

Some of my claamates want to do that just for sake of licence. I don't know if they will change their mind.

hgrimmett · Feb 15, 2012

Why pay to take the NCLEX-PN when you have to pay again for taking it as NCLEX-RN a year later? That's a lot of money..

es3040 · Aug 27, 2012

Some of these comments are very nasty and unwarranted. Yes or no would suffice. I will try to answer your question without degrading you for asking it at all!

Before you consider taking the exam, you should consider whether it's a decent investment for you. I worked as a CNA during nursing school and when you have to work part-time the pay really sucks. I didn't have anyone supporting me, so no magic money from mommy or daddy or a trust fund. Even if you only use this license for 6 months, you will still get your money back since you'll be making around $22-24/hr versus the CNA $9-13/hr. These pay scales depend on your state. That's significant when you can only work 8-25 hours/week. Any comment about it being a waste of your time falls under the category of "easy for you to say". I'm guessing the people who are shooting you down were fully supported through nursing school and never had to struggle.

If the answer is affirmative and you want to go through with it, you need to get the info from the school. I asked my nursing department if they would do it and they said no. Instead of getting my grades sent through them, I had it sent through the registrar at my school which has nothing to do with them. Then I asked the state NOT to release my test grade to the school. I live in NYS, so they don't require official records from the nursing department, only that the school can verify you've taken so many hours of general nursing education. I took the test, passed and worked six months until I graduated. If I had continued with CNA, I only would have earned $10K gross until graduation. As an LPN, I earned $29K gross. That's some fat change. So the "it's not worth the money" argument doesn't hold water.

However, if you have a good support system and people to pay things for you, I would still say do it. Why? Well, depending on how your state functions, if you can sit for the exam you will 1.) have testing experience for the NCLEX-RN which are similar, 2.) a job that will have given you real nursing experience prior to becoming an RN. The experience factor is what will get you hired faster than the next guy who only went to nursing school but never touched a person outside of clinicals.

Do what is best for you. Of course, my situation is unique according to my state, what is required in the way of documentation and why I would even do this to begin with.

Good luck!

bubblejet50 · Aug 27, 2012

My school required us to get our lpn after the first year. If you work in a hospital and want to work through school talk to your manager. My state does not let you work as a cna with a nursing license. I had to quit a stellar job because they had no nurse openings. The people in my class who could stay at hospital jobs had an easier time getting a job after graduation. I worked fulltime along with rn school. I had no option. But I agree with poster who teaches. My ltc experience did give me great experience in time management because if I did meds I passed to 50 people and if I was charge I had 35. My don worked with my schedule but was super unprofessional and I left asap to save my license. Do your homework and do what is best for you after graduation. :)