LVN vs RN

My ultimate goal is to be an RN in L&D or NICU. I have zero college credits and I am trying to decide between becoming an LVN (it's quicker, 2 yrs part-time) or going balls-to-the-wall and getting my RN! I know that getting my RN is alot more time consuming but with the RN as my ultimate goal, does it make more sense to do LVN first or power through the pre reqs & RN program? I am a mom of 3 kids and am really excited about starting this new chapter in my life. Any advise would be helpful. Thanks!
I am also a mother of three children and as of now I am enrolled in a lpn program. Honestly I would go for the RN program, I myself might be transferring into a RN program next semester. I have done quite a bit of research and find it more beneficial to go to RN than lpn.

Hi, I'm an LVN and have been for several years. If you want to work in a hospital plan on getting your RN because its the wave of the future. California hospitals don't hire LVNs any longer.

Balls to the wall, do the RN program. And try to get into a BSN program - either RN to BSN or just the three year BSN program.

you should do your rn first and use only lpn as a back-up. rn programs are very competitive so you might have to wait a couple of years to start the program. if that is the case, i recommend doing lpn and bridge to rn later. that's what i did.good luck with school.

depends on your situation, do you need to make a decent salary immediately to start providing for your family? How is the family support. Ultimately you know what works best for you. If you need to work stat then you should try to get in a LPN program since you will become a nurse faster, and then can work and continue on to getting your RN or BSN through a bridge program. A relative of mines became a LPN first before RN because she needed to make a decent salary to take care of her household. Upon completion of her job and securing a full time night position, she bridged and became a RN. If everything is all fine and dandy, money is no issue, then by all means go for the RN or a RN w/BSN.Personally me being young, with no responsibilites, I am just going to working my way up the ladder starting from LPN. I want to know the limits and abilities at all levels on up.... Good luck on your new journey.

I am an LPN, & chose that route because of the program my local college offered. At that college you become an LPN first, then can bridge to the RN with just two more classes once you have the LPN. That college offered an evening/weekend LPN course that was perfect for me. I was a mom of a 4 year old at the time, and had little childcare help. The evening/weekend program helped me juggle school & being a housewife. I only need 2 more classes to bridge to the RN, & hope I get to soon. I now have another child, and am currently a stay at home mom for now.... school is currently out of the question. I think over all the best route is RN though. Many more job opportunities with the RN... You just have to do what works best for you & your family...

LPN's are amazing and make my work easier every day. Most of them have much more knowledge and experience than I do as an RN and I appreciate it always. But if you have the option, go for your RN. You will have more job opportunities. The only real difference between RN and LPN/LVN is this: RN can assess, LPN cannot. RN can teach, LPN cannot, in my area anyway. In our hospitals, they are not really hiring LPN's. Most of the LPN's I know work in nursing homes or long term care facilities. If you really want to advance your career go straight for the RN. Bottom line, I had 4 LPN's in my RN graduating class, they all had to start right at square one with all of us, even those like me with NO healthcare experience. I am not knocking LPN/LVN in any way, it's just the way it is where I live.

Quote from vinsonmmHi, I'm an LVN and have been for several years. If you want to work in a hospital plan on getting your RN because its the wave of the future. California hospitals don't hire LVNs any longer.

Quote from kmamaMy ultimate goal is to be an RN in L&D or NICU. I have zero college credits and I am trying to decide between becoming an LVN (it's quicker, 2 yrs part-time) or going balls-to-the-wall and getting my RN! I know that getting my RN is alot more time consuming but with the RN as my ultimate goal, does it make more sense to do LVN first or power through the pre reqs & RN program? I am a mom of 3 kids and am really excited about starting this new chapter in my life. Any advise would be helpful. Thanks!

Thank you all so much!! I am looking for something that will help pay the bills and get food on the table and I think the LVN will help me do that. The college near me offers a part-time (2 year) program that is 2 nights a week and a select Sat/Sun. That works best for my family. Again, thank you all so much. I really appreciate it.

flip a coin and heads rn, tails lvn just depends about the money , isnt it allways about the money?? if you can afford to RN is the way to go

that part time program is pretty lenghty, where i am at all lpn programs are 12 months long. you can enter a RN program full time aqnd be done in two years, but you have to have about 1.5 years to 2 years of pre-reqs done. it took me a year 3 semesters to finish all the courses to be elgible for the ADN program