What is the difference between Practical Nurse an RN?
filed in One Bytes on Nov.30, 2009
Well I’m going to graduate this year. I want to go to collage after wards, to become a nurse. I want to work in the maternity ward. So would I have to be in the RN program or Practical Nurse program? What is the difference? I’m 18 so I want to start a career asap.
November 30th, 2009 on 11:15 pm
Find out which local community college has an RN program. You might not be able to pick a specific interest at first but you can put yourself in the right opportunity. I haven’t heard the term practical nurse in years, it means nothing.
November 30th, 2009 on 11:15 pm
Both LPNs and RNs can usually be found in the maternity ward. Most of the differences you will find between the two are the roles which they fill and in compensation. An RN can do all of the things an LPN can do, but can also give medications. LPN’s require a year less in school, but RN’s will be compensated at a higher pay rate.
November 30th, 2009 on 11:15 pm
Note to Makin: LPNs CAN give medications!
Okay, to answer your question, LPNs are considered to be a "bedside nurse" where RNs are the "administrative nurse". LPNs have less training and are under the supervision of an RN and their scope of practice is smaller. Some people think LPNs aren’t "real" nurses, which is a crock of $hit.
My advice is this: get into whatever state approved nursing program that will take you because competition can be ferocious. If you get accepted to an LPN program and not an RN program, go for the LPN and bridge to RN after you become an LPN. Also, if you need a career, any sort of career, under your belt ASAP (like me), go for the LPN program since you’ll be making decent money after you graduate and pass the NCLEX-PN and bridge to RN while your working as an LPN.
November 30th, 2009 on 11:15 pm
Get the RN. Pay is better and you can do more. Do a google search on "RN LPN" or "RN LVN"
November 30th, 2009 on 11:15 pm
For general career information: http://www.bls.gov/oco and can search ‘registered nurses’, ‘licensed practical nurses’ or such.
For US colleges: http://www.utexas.edu/world/univ
November 30th, 2009 on 11:15 pm
If you want to start a career ASAP, you could consider becoming an LPN first. I don’t know where you live, but in Canada where I live, that is 2 years. LPNs typically have 2 years of education, an RN is 4 years of schooling.
LPNs generally work with the more stable patients and do mostly bedside care. However, they can be found working alongside RNs in acute care settings with less stable patients, and in labour and delivery. It just depends on your provincial colllege of nursing’s scope of practice, as well as what your health region and facility allows/prefers. If you are in the US, why not call around and see in what capacity your local hospitals use LPNs?
LPNs in Canada work independently, and do not have to work under an RN as long as they are in their scope of practice. For example, they don’t need to be supervised by an RN with a stable patient, however if a patient becomes unstable and/or is beyond their scope of training, legally they must immediately pass them off to an RN. LPNs in Canada study from the same knowledge base as RNs, it’s just that RNs have a broader and more in depth knowledge. But LPNs still take courses in pharmacology, pathophysiology, anatomy, psychology, etc.
All of that said, if you are 100% sure that you want to be a nurse, and you can afford to be in school for 4 years (or however long it takes to be an RN where you live), then it makes a lot of sense to directly become an RN. As an RN you should have no issues working in most if not all areas, including the mat ward. You may or may not need to take additional certification/training first. As an LPN you can work sooner, but as an RN you may have more choices and you will have a larger scope of practice.
My advice to you is to call your local nursing schools and talk to an academic advisor about what’s best for your particular goals.
January 6th, 2010 on 3:14 am
Congratulation for select nursing field. First you have to know about RN and Practical Nurse. Select option in which you are interest.