LPN or RN?

[oyster01]

Is there any advantage to geeting your lpn cert prior to an RN? I'm here in colorado and the wait line seems incredibly long..is lpn any shorter? Also, I can't seem to find any info on the scope of practice..what can they DO? Thirdly, I'm currently an EMT, so where does the Lpn fall into the EMS system? ALS? BLS?
THX!

[hsieh]

i went to lpn because i couldn't afford to work part time more than a year. i then went distance education to get my rn - so i worked full time while i got my rn at my own pace. i would go rn because of the more opportunity and rn has. the difference between rn and lpn is rn has a seamester of management courses. i would go to a private school to get your rn - it may cost more but there ususally isn't a waiting in line and i think state nursing schools really rake you over the coles. in my state the final grad rate of most public nursing schools is 1/3. that means 2/3 flunk out. state schools are supported by the state so they don't have to have people graduate - they just need people enrolling all the time. the more people cut from the program the easier it is for the faculty. most nursing is learned on the job through repatition. you don't have to be extremly bright to be a nurse but you have to be vigilant about things like safety. this is the thing i find amusing about state nursing schools - they make the tests so hard that most flunk but if you're that intelligent then why would you be a nurse? if you're that smart work for bill gates or make your own company.

[oyster01]

Well, the advice helps, however I don't know of any private nursing schools in my area..arrgh.

[cleo1958]

First of all you should contact your Board of Nursing there in Colorado. They will send you a copy of the Nurse Practice Act and Scope of Practice or you can go on line and pull it up.

Second, You are probably going to make more money as an EMT versus an LPN unfortunately. You will have the take the NCLEX twice (LPN and RN). If you want to practice nurisng that bad, go for it. I would wait it out until I was admitted to the RN program and keep working as an EMT.

[HDMotorcop]

Originally Posted by cleo1958

First of all you should contact your Board of Nursing there in Colorado. They will send you a copy of the Nurse Practice Act and Scope of Practice or you can go on line and pull it up.

Second, You are probably going to make more money as an EMT versus an LPN unfortunately. You will have the take the NCLEX twice (LPN and RN). If you want to practice nurisng that bad, go for it. I would wait it out until I was admitted to the RN program and keep working as an EMT.

I don't know about the second part of your post. Here in my area of NYS, that would be WAY off base. EMTs don't make squat. I did it for several years "while" working as an LPN. Made way more jing in nursing. That was 20 years ago...........guess what? It hasn't changed! I spent the last 18 years working as an LEO, stayed very close to my EMS roots, those folks make ZERO money.......even the Medics don't do to well. I just got back into nursing part time, in a docs office, and the going rate is what a Medic makes in my area. I could have gone with an agency and made more, but......travel, geri care and uncertain locations would be involved.......money would have been higher, but the other factors weighed in, plus in this docs office they are pushing me to learn new skills that were not part of my LPN program 20+ years ago, but now are within the scope of LPNs.

Next step........after getting well re-aquinted with LPNing, is an RN program (hopefully in a year or so...) THEN I might be able to RETIRE from law enforcement.

Ooopps! I forgot to mention.......what's so bad about taking the NCLEX a second time? I would think that you should be more at ease then, assuming adequate time was spent preparing. Every supervisory test I've taken after the first one was way easier....stress wise atleast.

[ManlyStudentNurse]

Here in Kentucky LPN's get paid about $10,000 more than EMT's. If you are interested in becoming an RN, than LPN is a great choice. You go to school for 1 year for your LPN, then 1 more year for your RN ADN. Theres really no reason not to get your LPN. You don't lose any time towards your RN, infact you gain a year. More than that, as an LPN you learn most of the skills that RN's learn, it's just that your scope of practice is much more limited.

[cougarnurse]

I was an LPN for several years before I got my RN....I considered it as experience gained along the way. Like other posters, there was a wait for the one local RN school (got my degree elsewhere). Personally, I would suggest the LPN to RN route.

[ebeth85704]

I am currently a LPN and in the LPN to BSN program at Univ. of Phoenix. I was in the "lottery" for 3 years to get into our local ADN program, prior to my LPN. The LPN program had no wait (now has a 9 month wait). I vehemently agree that the LPN to RN program is the way to go. In the LPN program, you are immediately in clinicals and learn SO MUCH through the hands on in addition to the classroom setting. In Tucson, EMT's earn $12-14/ hr., LPN's earn $17-21 and RN's $27-30. These obviously are not the rates for agency nurses which make more. Hope it helps!

[SoonToBeNurse]

There is Regis and the Denver School of Nursing. I'm pretty sure Regis has a very small, if any,wait. Denver School of Nursing has no wait. Both are pretty pricey however. Somewhere around $30K for RN

Good luck to you!

Originally Posted by oyster01

Well, the advice helps, however I don't know of any private nursing schools in my area..arrgh.

[oyster01]

Thanks for the info, I'll be checking into both those options. Anyone know where I can get 30 grand?