RN Class vs. LPN Class - Which Nursing Degree Is for You?
Trying to get a nursing major is confusing. Many schools offer a Licensed Practical Nursing major, but relatively few offer the Registered Nurse degree, and even fewer offer a Bachelors of Science in Nursing degree. How far do you need to go? The simple answer is: it depends on your goals.
If you jump right into an RN Class without first acquiring your LPN degree, you will have a hard time keeping up and making decent grades. You generally won’t be the only person in your RN class in that situation, but you almost certainly won’t be at the head of your class. Shooting for a BSN requires at least an RN (also called an ASN, or Associate of Science in Nursing degree), but being certified as an LPN isn’t necessary.
In the long run, however, unless your plan is to teach or to take a specialty such as Nurse Anesthetist, getting a BSN is largely unnecessary. If your goal is to work in a hospital, any hospital, from Charlotte NC to Anchorage AK, an RN class is all you need. On the other hand, if you can’t afford to spend two years getting your RN, an LPN course may be a viable option. It’s still a year of full-time schooling, but it’s much easier to obtain than an RN degree.
The major difference between the two is that an LPN degree focuses almost entirely on patient care, and LPNs are limited to working patient care on the medical/surgical floors, whereas an RN is much more focused on the legalities, paperwork, and leadership aspects of nurse duties — but an RN can work in any department that has an opening.
So, the correct answer to your dilemma is complex. If you can afford to go two years without a paycheck, or you’re interested in long-term flexibility and broader opportunities, take the RN class. If you need to be working as soon as you can, or you don’t mind taking the RN class later alongside work, go for the LPN license. You don’t have to start as an LPN to become an RN, it’s so much easier if you do that you might want to consider it regardless.
