Becoming a registered nurse opens a wide range of greater opportunities for any licensed practical nurse. Choosing to return to nursing school to become an RN after years of working as an LPN is never easy. But with the many opportunities available to RNs that are not offered even to the most experienced LPN, obtaining a degree to receive an RN certification is great a way to have that competitive edge.
It is a fact that registered nurses are one of the most in-demand healthcare workers in spite of an economic downturn. For any licensed practical nurse, there is no better way to endure the present challenges than to acquire further education and training in order to practice as an RN. Better financial compensation, job security, career mobility and self-fulfillment are the major reasons why LPNs should seriously consider obtaining an RN certification.
By completing a campus-based or an LPN-to-RN online program, licensed practical nurses are given the opportunity to explore and expand their careers. Registered nurses work in a variety of settings, such as in hospital, physician offices, home healthcare settings, nursing homes, private companies and teaching hospitals. RNs are given the opportunity to specialize in their fields of choice. The options for RNs are limitless. These same options are the ones that LPNs constantly miss, in spite of their dedication and solid experience. For this reason, it is important for LPNs wanting to achieve career mobility to enroll in LPN-to-RN schools or in accredited LPN-to-RN online program. LPNs may either enroll in LPN-to-RN associate degree programs or LPN-to-RN baccalaureate degree programs.
The need for registered nurses in the coming years is not only the reason why one should consider it as a career. Although both groups of nurses command respectable salaries, obtaining an RN certification can increase an LPN’s salary up to $20,000 per year. In wide terms, an RN may earn from $37,000 to $75,000 per year, and an LPN may earn from $29,000 to $55,000 annually.
Online LPN-to-RN programs for associate degrees prepare nurses to perform the duties of registered nurses efficiently in different clinical settings, such as in hospitals, physician offices and long-term facilities. The curriculum consists of online-based classes and hands-on training in local facilities. Students learn the meaning and the clinical significance of medical terminologies. The most common nursing procedures and actions are taught as well. Nurses are also responsible for promoting the patient’s well-being, and so, therapeutic communication techniques are emphasized and developed throughout the program.
Online LPN-to-RN programs for baccalaureate degrees consist of courses that prepare an aspiring RN manage complex or complicated patient conditions or scenarios. Critical thinking skills are emphasized throughout the program to help nurses make sound clinical judgments in actual settings. The addition of risk reduction and disease management courses can achieve this goal. This program trains students to handle supervisory or managerial positions through leadership and management courses as well. In addition to online-based classes, the completion of hands-on training at local facilities are necessary before the baccalaureate degree is obtained.