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The Benefits of LPN to RN

If you’re looking to start a career with minimal schooling, becoming a licensed practical nurse (LPN) is a great option.  As an LPN, you will learn basic nursing care that will still allow you to begin your career.  Nurses at all stages are challenged with balancing work, school, family obligations, and finances, which may affect educational pursuits.

Once an LPN is in the profession for a while, he/she will likely want to take on more responsibility and start advancing within the healthcare field – that’s when studying to become an RN comes in.

There are many benefits of transitioning for a licensed practical nurse (LPN) to a registered nurse (RN).

• When transitioning from LPN to RN, you will notice that you will have more responsibilities.  As an LPN, the work load tends focus on bedside care and is task oriented, while an RN focuses on the bigger picture and has more medical responsibilities.

• Typically, an LPN works under the supervision of an RN, so another benefit is that if you decide to become an RN, you will be moving up in the ranks.

• As an RN, you will use your knowledge to analyze the situation and any underlying medical conditions your patient may have, while the LPN would not be in charge of doing that.  In addition, the RN makes the initial assessment of a patient.  They work on formulating the diagnosis, putting together a plan for care, and initiating actions to start that care.

• Another benefit of transitioning from an LPN to an RN is the salary.  The average salary for an RN is about $65,000 annually, while an LPN’s average salary is about $41,000 annually.

• There is a high demand for both registered nurses and licensed practical nurses.  Throughout the nation there are more RNs than LPNs, but both fields are growing.  According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, LPNs are expected to grow 22% from 2010 to 2020 and RNs are projected at 26%.  There will be more opportunities for jobs as an RN, since they are more hirable due of their scope of knowledge.