LPN to RN Training Pays Dividends |
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June 5, 2006
by Gabby Hyman
gabby.hyman@healthcare-programs.com
Healthcare Programs Columnist
Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) hold more than 700,000 jobs across the country. And while job growth is expected to remain steady through the end of the decade, LPNs may find themselves increasingly asked to work in geriatric and home-care facilities. LPN training programs typically span one year, so many graduates find themselves in the medical community quickly. However, more and more, LPNs are returning to school for Registered Nurse (RN) training to qualify for work in hospitals where the demand--and pay--is greater.
Why LPN to RN Training?
LPN programs traditionally provide training for entry-level, basic nursing roles. In hospitals, where about a fourth of all NCLEX-PN certified LPNs work, licensed practical nurses take vital signs, collect test samples, and monitor fluids. Because hospital care increasingly involves high-tech devices and nurses are required to augment physician procedures, many hospitals are hiring only RNs today.
RNs may have initially gone through LPN school training programs, but returned to the classroom for LPN to RN conversion programs. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, RNs earn approximately $25,000 more annually than their LPN counterparts.
LPN to RN Training and Conversion Programs
If you've begun a nursing career as an LPN, there are dedicated conversion programs across the nation. You'll want to find a LPN to RN school that offers credit for your previous training and qualifies you to sit for your NCLEX Registered Nursing board exams.
If you have to start from scratch, be sure to evaluate schools and colleges that offer associates as well as bachelors of science degrees in nursing. While the BS programs take two additional years, hospitals today offer strong hiring bonuses and salaries to graduates with extensive training and experience.
Source
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
About the Author
Gabby Hyman has created online strategies and written content for Fortune 500 companies including eToys, GoTo.com, Siebel Systems, Microsoft Encarta, Avaya, and Nissan UK.
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