Why are students going into LPN programs?

ErinRN2B · Oct 11, 2011

I have no problems with LPNs in general. The vast majority of the ones I've met have been knowledgeable and kind.

However, I've had a few issues with some in my class currently. I'm an RN student, and half of my psych class is LPN-RN transition students. The ones I haven't gotten along with are very whiny, constantly complain about how "you never need to know this crap on the job," and don't value assessment at all.

But I'm sure not all LPNs are like that. :)

Lifeofanurse · Oct 12, 2011

ErinRN2B - I think some of the LPN's are like that because our program for the most part is very skills heavy. My program taught a lot of the nursing theory too but from what I hear that isn't the norm. Our school has a high number of students who use the LVN program as a stepping stone like I am...and transitioning to RN so having the theory part helps us when we are placed mid year in the RN program.

I know for us....assessments were HUGE. Honestly I have yet to see ANY nurse (Lvn, RN whatever)...do a full neuro assessment. Most of them don't even have a penlight no less carry it with them and I did clinical in ED, ICU, CCU and medsurg.... you would think I would have seen it done ONCE...nope. Yet I did a round at a dr.'s office and they do it on every patient.

For us...if you didn't do a full assessment there was no point in doing a focus assessment because you didn't get the full picture of their health...overall. I agree.

michele742 · Oct 12, 2011

I think the OP has a legit question. Maybe a list of pros and cons?

Pros = gain valuable experience before entering an RN program, great pay while continuing one's education, normally shorter time to completion and get out in the workforce. Lower tuition cost (not sure about this one though).

Cons = continuing through to RN will take 3-4 years whereas one can go into an RN program and be done in 2. Less autonomy. No room for advancement unless you have that RN-BSN title (although this goes for two-year RN programs as well...need that BSN to advance if that is what one wants).

Anyone else who is actually an LPN want to add or detract from this list? :) I'm not a nurse...I'm just going through some of the thought processes I had when I was weighing my options.

Leafhouse · Oct 12, 2011

i get paid 10/hr as a PCA, the CNAs on the nursing home side of my building start at 11.50, LPNs get 17-18, RNs get 22-23. its more like the RN only gets paid a couple more dollars than an LPN.
i dont know about you but i think a 6-7 dollar jump is worth it.

I haven't read every post but to make a long story short, it seems that the pay and demand for LPNs varies state to state and like any career decision, you should do your research ahead of time to see what the job market is like and determine if it's a good choice based on where you are and where you want to be amongst a million other factors. I make $18/hr as a CNA in hospital in CA and new grad RNs start at about $35-37. No sure how much LPNs make but I'm assuming somewhere in the middle.

Streamline2010 · Oct 13, 2011

I'm sorry but I feel like it is a waste of time and money. In my area in NJ you cannot find LPN jobs. If they want the patient experience why not become a cna? I am a cna and a bsn student. I just want to pull them all aside and say dont waste your money or time!

In my area of mostly rural NW PA, the hospitals employ probably 2 LPNs for each RN. It's LPNs who do post-op in the outpatient surgery clinics.

The small nursing homes here pay about $15/hr to start, but you can purchase a tolerable home for $40,000 to $80,000, too.

If you are willing to drive or move to Beaver, Allegheny, or Washington County, there are nursing homes that pay LPNS $18 to $20 or $22 / hour.

In this region, the starting pay for RNs is only about $22/hour. You have a whole lot more responsibility as and RN, and are expected to do all of that patient assessment, too, which I am starting to see as doing the doctor's job for only $22-$25 / hour.

LPN is task-based, and if you are task-oriented, and lots of men and career-changers are more task-oriented and don't want bothered with all of that other assessment and diagnosis carp in the RN curriculum, LPN might actually be a very sensible choice. There is little difference in what an LPN can do and what an RN can do in PA. Most male LPNs I have met are quite happy with being employed at that level. Many of the women LPNs do decide they want to become an RN. But some don't.

Here, it only costs about $11,000 to $12,000 total with books, uniforms, and all expenses to become an LPN, and every county has a vo-tech school that starts 3-4 LPN classes each year. The wait time is short, slots often open up last-minute because someone doesn't get funding, or changes his or her mind. Some of the vo-techs just across the line in OH offer LPN programs that are 3PM to 10 or 11PM, one experimental one that stretches the full time day program out to 18 months, and a couple of part-time 2 year programs.

Streamline2010 · Oct 13, 2011

I thought of one other reason: Because you learn how to do the job.

In the RN program that I am in, 'way back in Orientation, a student asked a question about some changes in the clinical experiences that she believed shortchanged us in essential clinical training. The school's response was "We are teaching you how to pass the NCLEX-RN exam." Okay, but that's a different emphasis from teaching us to be great nurses.

Then, this school went on to completely overload us with too much required reading, gives 6-8 hours of classroom lectures three days per week, and tons of cr*pwork reports and research papers and other papers that take hours and hours to do, and all work has to be submitted in typed format, per the Standards for Typewritten Work, and all of it has to be properly cited and references, in great detail, and on and on. I just wanted to learn how to be a competent nurse and do patient care. Assess, to me, looks more like diagnose, which is just responsibility without authority or paid compensation.

As same school on at least two major exams has proceeded to flunk fully 75% to 80% of the class, with students getting scores as lot as 54-58%. We are now contacting legal representation, the state Board, and documenting the entire experience and the inept way that the school has handled it. So, on year into RN school, that's where I am.

One year into the local very well-run and expertly-taught LPN program, I'd be job-hunting. So, do not always thing RN is superior to LPN.