What route to go..LPN first or straight 2 RN?

[gogett]

I am trying to plan ahead and need some good advise on which direction to go. Let me give you some background first. I am currently doing pre-requs now. Have a 2 1/2 yr old and 1 on the way in 3 months(last one!). Will be moving to FLA in 2 yrs with husbands job. Which route do you think fits my life? Go for LPN first OR go straight for RN? I was thinking I could become an LPN first and work as an LPN part time while completing RN. Thanks for any advise!:uhoh21:

[PsychNurseWannaBe, BSN, RN]

Some RN programs allow you to sit for the NCLEX-PN exam once you hit a certain part in your education. However, many RN programs don't want students to work while going to school. I think it is safe for me to say that LPNs are having a difficult time finding employment. And actually new grad RNs are having a hard time as well in certain areas.

What would be best for you is really up to what you think would work in your given situation at home... and how the job market is in your area.

Good Luck!

[Jules A, MSN]

For me the decision to do my LPN first so that I could work in the meantime was perfect. Kind of depends on what you want to do. Good luck!

[LolaVenice]

I'm also doing the lpn first, in the event that I'm able to get a job at a hospital and get tuition reimbursement if I decide to go RN.

BTW, are there online lpn to rn courses? Just curious. on line school doesn't really appeal to me, but I've seen rn to bsn, and wondered if one could do lpn to rn. I imagine that would be super convenient if you could.

[Nenee]

I know you said online programs don't appeal to you, but Indian State University (an actual state university) has an lvn-bsn program.

[Hoppy1]

My advice would be to go straight for the RN. I went the LPN to RN route. I thought I would go back right away but life gets in the way. I have 3 girls now, youngest one is almost 3. If I had it to do all over again I would have went straight for my RN. If you just want to get your associates alot of the colleges in my area only takes as long as it does to get your LPN. But really it is up to you and your family.

[Lovely_RN, MSN]

If I was young, single, and had no obligations I would have gone straight for the BSN. Since I am not any of those things I had to do the LPN first and I have no regrets. The LPN license has enabled me to go to school for my RN while I work part-time as an LPN so that my family doesn't have to suffer w/o a second income for 2+ years. It's really up to you; if you let life get in the way it will. As soon as I finished my LPN and secured a position I was right back in school for my RN. I only took 3 months off!

[Danny-MA]

What your describing is very similar to what Im debating myself. I would like to try LPN to see if I like it....if not, then I will have to be happy making $40,000 as an medical assistant.

[prairie14, BSN, RN]

I was a mom of a 3rd grader when I went back to school for my LPN. my program was very demanding. we were required to be there in class or clicals 8hrs a day 5 days a week for 2yrs, we even had to clock out and in everyday because a day missed was deducted and when you had a certain amount of absences you had to start over again meaning getting back on the 2yr waiting list.I had planed to go straight for my RN BSN bridge then hopefuly some day my ARNP. How ever got pregant before starting the program, as well the LPN-RN bridge in my town requires 200 clinical hours before you can be accepted. this is probably not true every where. I have to say however I am glad I got my LPN first because now I feel very comfortable performing my job as a nurse and I feel ready to cram more info into my already hecktick brain and retain it. I get angry or upset with myself though sometimes because I am so competative and I tend to fall into that "I am only an LPN" which is not good enough but contualy remind myself that I am a good nurse and being an LPN is avery noble proffession and has it's place in the medical team. I try not to read the threads on RN VS LPN's because it sets me into a downward spiral. so anyhow I am doing my RN BSN online because of my toddler and I would not be able to juggle school, clinicals and working part time aswell as being a mother. so far it has worked out great.

One last thought we had a student who had finished law school only to figure out that he hated it. thats why he chose LPN because he did not want to get through a whole nother degree only to find out he hated that as. well turns out he loves being LPN and is even unsure he wants to become an RN due to the kind of nursing he enjoys and would be unable to do as an RN.

[HolliT]

I am getting ready to go into the LPN program (Jan 7th!) and will do the bridge to the RN program. Like others have said, I am doing it this way because of family (two young children) and finanical obligations.