People used to ask me why I "settled" and went to a vocational school to become an LPN, instead of going to a traditional college and becoming a "real nurse." I always had a list of potential answers running through my mind when that happened:
✔️ I do the exact same thing an RN does at my job with absolutely no variation.
✔️ I train both new grad RN's and BSN's, and have discovered that in my field, experience and competence are more valuable than the initials at the end of my name.
✔️ I work with babies, which is pretty damn cool (turns out I like them better than many adults).
✔️ I have an incredibly flexible schedule that allows me to continue my education.
✔️ The pay is much, much better than when I was the drive-thru girl at Taco Bell.
✔️ I took on 11 months of school and no debt to make sure nursing was what I wanted, rather than 2-3 years and a boatload of loans.
✔️ This Microbiology test isn't hard. My six-month old vent-dependent patient went into respiratory distress last night, and I guided them through it. That was tough. I eat micro exams for breakfast!
✔️ Vocational school helped me develop study/homework skills, so that when I entered traditional college, I got easy A's.
✔️ In Honors classes revolving around theory, I could speak about practical application in real life situations.
✔️ When scholarship time rolled around, I wasn't simply a student who wished to change the world. I was already actively changing the world.
So many students apply to awards because of who they want to be, whereas I could apply because of who I already am. When I had to write numerous essays, personal statements, and narratives about myself and my future dreams, I had so many compelling stories to tell about my job as an LPN. When asked about community service, volunteer work, or past experience performing good deeds for others, I got the opportunity to explain how such things weren't simply extracurriculars to me, but rather an integral part of my day to day life as an LPN.
Those people who used to ask me why I "settled" and went to a vocational school to become an LPN, instead of going to a traditional college and becoming a "real nurse?" These days, I don't need to tell them anything. Because I was awarded $124,500 dollars to complete my bachelor's degree, and $200,000 dollars for any graduate school I choose. Not because I was a traditional student (I came from one of those schools, a vocational school for people who weren't "good enough" for regular college). Not because I did well in high school (I dropped out at 15). Not because I was cookie cutter (I've got a dirty mouth, a sarcastic streak a mile wide, and I wear jeans and red converse to business casual events). Not because I had special advantages (as an older student, I had to fight for every opportunity, knock on many doors, and annoy professors into letting me take on special projects). I received all of this because of my work as an LPN and the way it made me stand out among other students when I transitioned back into traditional college.
So don't let anyone tell you this is a road for people who "settle" or don't have what it takes to hack it at a "real" college. You have no idea where an LPN license will lead you, or the impact you will have on the world because of it.
This particular post makes me want to decline all my LPN acceptance letters and focus on becoming an ADN-RN and later bridge to a BSN. There seems to be a big difference in LPNs and RNs, whereas I thought the only difference was that LPNs and RNs was that LPNs cannot push meds. I was inspired being accepted to LPN school but based on the majority of all these post it seems I have found part of my answer to my earlier questions I posted today. BTW I am in Mississippi.
Before making that decision, check out the market where you live. It may not be the same as where I live, or where another poster lives. If your ultimate goal is to get your BSN, it may not make sense to do the LPN first. Some people can't spare more than a year to get the education; for them starting with the LPN makes sense. They can start working sooner and can bridge part time. It all just depends on your individual circumstances.
Before making that decision, check out the market where you live. It may not be the same as where I live, or where another poster lives. If your ultimate goal is to get your BSN, it may not make sense to do the LPN first. Some people can't spare more than a year to get the education; for them starting with the LPN makes sense. They can start working sooner and can bridge part time. It all just depends on your individual circumstances.
I'd like to add to this a little bit as well and note that it also depends on where you ultimately want to end up. While being an LPN in the hospital is a tough feat these days secondary to many hospitals phasing out LPNs at the bedside, if you yearn to work in a clinic, or get your experience in LTC or LTACH, being an LPN first may not be a bad gig. Being an LPN does get you late entry/preference into an ADN program in my state (you would start in year one, semester two as an LPN) and your ability to work while attending college may work to your benefit. You may also find you have less difficulty in some of the more basic nursing tasks once you become an RN (I'll post the disclaimer that I'm not making an equivalency here between LPNs and RNs). Or ... you may find it was a waste of time and money as 2-year ADN programs are very much still alive and well in many parts of the US. It just depends on your goals, locale, support systems, financial situation, and desired work environment.
I am an MSN and my BEST trainer was an LPN. I was sad when my hospital at the time went Magnet and no longer employed LPNs. What a huge mistake to lose all that knowledge.
I chose to be a LPN only because I wanted to have the 1:1 patient contact, (AKA bedside nursing). Even before I finished my stellar, gut-wrenching, wicked hours of training, I knew I had chosen the path for which I was intended. Even though a master's prepared RN instructor attempted to sway me to "upgrade" my education, I knew what I needed to do.
As the years rolled by I never regretted my decision and actually I preferred not having the work of all the things for which the RN, etc. were responsible...I had my patients and their needs as my responsibility. Let the RN deal with the docs, I needed to tend to my needful patients.
As time passed, I ended up being the Executive Director of a clinic...what I missed most was the patient contact. As luck would have it, periodically, I was able to squeeze in some valuable time with some patients who came into our clinic.
Any person who wanted to denigrate my choice...I responded with: "Sheesh, my dog has papers!"
Pursue what you are happiest doing...you will not regret it.
Specific to the state and/or employer. Not all instances require an RN to hold an LPN license in order to work in an LPN job.
However, even if an RN is hired for an LPN position, the BON will hold him or her to the standard of performance of a registered nurse. That's because that BON gave him or her an RN license. Therefore if that nurse omits to perform aspects of practice (such as assessment, patient teaching, and more), saying these are not required in the LPN role for which she or he was hired will not excuse them from consequences.
However, even if an RN is hired for an LPN position, the BON will hold him or her to the standard of performance of a registered nurse. That's because that BON gave him or her an RN license. Therefore if that nurse omits to perform aspects of practice (such as assessment, patient teaching, and more), saying these are not required in the LPN role for which she or he was hired will not excuse them from consequences.
This is ACCURATE and should be noted by anyone with one license taking on the job requiring a different license. You WILL be held to the standards of your own license, regardless of any other considerations.
Hey folks, OP here. I apologize for not keeping up with the thread or immediately clarifying/addressing questions or concerns (I wasn't even aware the article was posted for several days).
Let me just clear up a few things:
1. I submitted this article under the LPN student tab. I did not intend to present it to the general pool of seasoned nurses. I had no control over where it was placed on the forums. I do a lot of motivational speaking/mentoring/you can do it! presentations these days, and while it works for directionless college kids or new students fearful of their future prospect, this may not necessarily be what seasoned nurses need or want to hear.
2. This is not an LPN/RN debate. My fellow RNs have only ever been wonderful, supportive people. The just an LPN snark comes from non-nurses who don't understand how the two jobs overlap/interrelate. Being back in college, I am surrounded by 18 year olds who are either going to be a doctor or an engineer; the idea of being a nurse itself is slumming it to them, and getting an LPN certificate through a trade school seems inconceivable. But in the scholarship world, being a working LPN is an incredible asset. Again, this article was intended for students at the start of their educational path who may very well need financial assistance to obtain their RN/BSN and beyond.
3. I work in PDN and HH visits, so the job I do is the same as an RN. I work with patients 0-3 yrs on vent/trach/gt/various tech (most of them fresh from NICU to home), so I pull a lot of training shifts for BSN/ASN/LPNs. In my particular field, the one with the most experience takes the lead (so long as it remains within the scope of practice). However, I wouldn't even be able to work in a hospital. I don't work with acute patients. In a hundred other settings, RN nurses would run circles around me. Additional training is NEVER a detriment, and can only enhance quality of care. I was simply dispelling the myth of working beneath someone, when it is much more of a collaborative effort (and again, in my particular non-acute job, experience trumps all).
4. Yes, I received 325k to complete my grad school education even though at the time of application, I hadn't even received my AA (though I am in uni now). I won the largest undergraduate transfer scholarship in the country (specifically for community college students), as well as two other smaller awards. That money is intended not just for tuition, but for the total cost of living over the next 6+ years. Tuition is a big part of it, but so is rent, transportation, books, food, health insurance, miscellaneous fees, study abroad grants, internship grants, and all sorts of wonderful things that are meant to put me on equal ground with financially privileged students who don't stress over incidentals and can take unpaid opportunities. The cost of an education is much, much higher than mere tuition. I am one of 87 students to receive this scholarship (including two other LPNs), so yes, it is a legitimate scholarship offered for any cc student with at least 30 credits.
And to those of you who criticized this article or pointed out how it may seem devisive, pompous, or misleading: thank you. I dashed off this article on a whim and hit send without considering the broader implications. I've been on this forum since '11, and I can always count on the folks here to keep me in check and grounded.
Again, I want to emphasize that this article is not haha, you don't need an RN, or praise how cool I am or An LPN degree will make you a millionaire. What I wanted to convey is that there is inherent value in being an LPN, and it can be a transformative force in someone's life rather than devalued as a mere stepping stone.
Hey folks, OP here. I apologize for not keeping up with the thread or immediately clarifying/addressing questions or concerns (I wasn't even aware the article was posted for several days).
Let me just clear up a few things:
1. I submitted this article under the LPN student tab. I did not intend to present it to the general pool of seasoned nurses. I had no control over where it was placed on the forums. I do a lot of motivational speaking/mentoring/you can do it! presentations these days, and while it works for directionless college kids or new students fearful of their future prospect, this may not necessarily be what seasoned nurses need or want to hear.
2. This is not an LPN/RN debate. My fellow RNs have only ever been wonderful, supportive people. The just an LPN snark comes from non-nurses who don't understand how the two jobs overlap/interrelate. Being back in college, I am surrounded by 18 year olds who are either going to be a doctor or an engineer; the idea of being a nurse itself is slumming it to them, and getting an LPN certificate through a trade school seems inconceivable. But in the scholarship world, being a working LPN is an incredible asset. Again, this article was intended for students at the start of their educational path who may very well need financial assistance to obtain their RN/BSN and beyond.
3. I work in PDN and HH visits, so the job I do is the same as an RN. I work with patients 0-3 yrs on vent/trach/gt/various tech (most of them fresh from NICU to home), so I pull a lot of training shifts for BSN/ASN/LPNs. In my particular field, the one with the most experience takes the lead (so long as it remains within the scope of practice). However, I wouldn't even be able to work in a hospital. I don't work with acute patients. In a hundred other settings, RN nurses would run circles around me. Additional training is NEVER a detriment, and can only enhance quality of care. I was simply dispelling the myth of working beneath someone, when it is much more of a collaborative effort (and again, in my particular non-acute job, experience trumps all).
4. Yes, I received 325k to complete my grad school education even though at the time of application, I hadn't even received my AA (though I am in uni now). I won the largest undergraduate transfer scholarship in the country (specifically for community college students), as well as two other smaller awards. That money is intended not just for tuition, but for the total cost of living over the next 6+ years. Tuition is a big part of it, but so is rent, transportation, books, food, health insurance, miscellaneous fees, study abroad grants, internship grants, and all sorts of wonderful things that are meant to put me on equal ground with financially privileged students who don't stress over incidentals and can take unpaid opportunities. The cost of an education is much, much higher than mere tuition. I am one of 87 students to receive this scholarship (including two other LPNs), so yes, it is a legitimate scholarship offered for any cc student with at least 30 credits.
And to those of you who criticized this article or pointed out how it may seem devisive, pompous, or misleading: thank you. I dashed off this article on a whim and hit send without considering the broader implications. I've been on this forum since '11, and I can always count on the folks here to keep me in check and grounded.
Again, I want to emphasize that this article is not haha, you don't need an RN, or praise how cool I am, or An LPN degree will make you a millionaire. What I wanted to convey is that there is inherent value in being an LPN, and it can be a transformative force in someone's life rather than devalued as a mere stepping stone.
Thank you for finally coming back and clarifying, OP
From the website: "The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship is a highly-selective scholarship for the nation's top community college students seeking to complete their bachelor's degrees at selective four-year colleges or universities. The Foundation provides up to $40,000 per year for up to three years, making it the largest private scholarship for community college transfer students in the country."
Once a person wins the JKCF award, they are automatically eligible to receive 50k/year for up to four years to finish their graduate education (so long as they maintain GPA requirements), so it's a wonderful opportunity for aspiring nursing students.
I want to call bull **** on this...sorry, but a lot of this seems false as well as over the top. LPNs do not perform the EXACT same tasks as an RN..please consult your state's nurse practice act.
I want to call bull **** on this...sorry, but a lot of this seems false as well as over the top. LPNs do not perform the EXACT same tasks as an RN..please consult your state's nurse practice act.
I'm sorry that it rings false to you. Again, I reiterate that in my particular job, RNs and LPNs perform the exact same function (in other settings, the same cannot be said). Other LPNs have chimed in to say that in their respective fields, that it also the case (my job does not involve hanging blood, IV push, etc). In terms of scholarship money, you are free to Google the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation undergraduate transfer scholarship to confirm (if you think I didn't win it, I suppose I could scan my acceptance letter with my info blacked out, but do you really care that much?). Naturally, not everyone can take the same path, but I think it's tremendously important for LPN students or LPNs returning to school to understand the value and possibilities that come with their license, especially in terms of financing/scholarships. You'd be amazed at how many nursing students -especially nontraditional/returning students- assume they won't qualify for or aren't attractive to scholarship foundations, and sell themselves short.
You can call it over the top if you like, but this has been my personal experience, and I wished to share it nonetheless.
Horseshoe, BSN, RN
5,879 Posts
Before making that decision, check out the market where you live. It may not be the same as where I live, or where another poster lives. If your ultimate goal is to get your BSN, it may not make sense to do the LPN first. Some people can't spare more than a year to get the education; for them starting with the LPN makes sense. They can start working sooner and can bridge part time. It all just depends on your individual circumstances.