Many of the people who visit this site may be considering becoming an LPN online, but what about people who are already LPNs? Well, there’s information here for those people too! If you already happen to be an LPN and you’re thinking about the move to becoming an RN, you may have wondered about whether or not it’s possible to take LPN to RN classes online and become an RN that way. There’s a lot of information on this page about that topic, so keep reading to learn more about the transition from LPN to RN, and the possibility of taking online courses to help facilitate that move.
Is It Even Possible to Take LPN to RN Classes Online?
There isn’t an easy answer to this question, because it may depend upon where you live. There are certain states that may prohibit taking online classes to become an RN, where other states may freely allow people to take these classes. It’s important to know that some in-person classes will always be required in order to obtain an RN, no matter what. Not everyone is going to like to hear that, but you can’t learn how to start IVs and practice other things that Registered Nurses need to know over the internet. Can you imagine a person starting an IV on you who had only read about doing it online? Of course that would be silly, and this is the reason that in-person classes are required in order to get an RN, no matter where you live or what school you go to.
What Are the Pros and Cons Online LPN to RN Programs?
There are actually a lot of benefits to online programs for some people, however, for others there may be a significant amount of cons. Let’s take a look at both sides and try to understand why.
Online classes typically require a person to be quite good at independent learning, and because of this, they might not be the best fit for someone who prefers to learn in a live environment with an instructor where they can stop and ask questions. Online classes typically don’t stop for any reason, and all messages are communicated electronically. This is good for people who do well with that type of communication, but potentially not good for people who struggle communicating in that way.
People who have busy schedules and don’t have the flexibility to accommodate a traditional classroom schedule may benefit significantly from the flexibility offered by online LPN to RN programs, but someone who has more free time during the day and doesn’t mind being in class might not benefit from online courses.
The question of whether online classes are right for you is a personal decision and something that you need to make on your own. If you like independent learning and have a busy schedule, then online learning might be a good choice. If you prefer a classroom environment where you can interact with your teachers and control the pace of the lecture a bit more, and you’ve got extra time during the day to accommodate a normal classroom schedule, then online learning may not be beneficial.
What’s the Benefit in Becoming an RN if You’re Already an LPN?
Well, this is covered more in depth on the LPN vs RN page on this site, but let’s summarize some key points.
First of all, according the Bureau of Labor Statistics, LPNs make an average of $41,540 per year. In contrast, RNs make an average of $65,470 per year, which equates to a significant amount more, $23,930 per year to be exact, or 35%. This jump in average wages is enough to make people consider becoming an RN, but it is important to understand that wages are never guaranteed and these are just statistical estimates.
With that said, RNs typically enjoy more freedom at their jobs because they are more advanced in terms of their medical education and therefore require less supervision. There are also more roles that an RN can take on, and a wider range of places where they can work. In some areas, this may equate to a greater availability of jobs too.
LPN to RN Bridge Programs
LPN to RN bridge programs are essentially what they sound like—a program that bridges the gap between being an LPN and being an RN. These types of programs (whether online or in-person), typically help build on the knowledge that an LPN already has and teaches them additional information and skills that they need in order to become an RN.
These programs may be offered at a variety of schools, and as mentioned before, are designed to take advantage of the fact that a person taking them likely has both knowledge and professional experience as an LPN, which puts that person at an advantage in terms of learning the curriculum over someone who is starting fresh in nursing school.
Finding Programs
If you’re looking for any type of online LPN programs, there are a few things that you should keep in mind. First of all, don’t be pressured to enroll at any school. Don’t let any admissions counselor or anyone from any type of school pressure you to do anything that you don’t feel is best for you. Make sure to take the time to verify that a school is both accredited and also recognized by your state as having the proper curriculum that satisfies their licensing requirements.
If you visit the home page of this site, you can select your state from the map and then scroll down to the bottom of the page and see a list of schools in your area that may have LPN programs, and some of these programs may have an online component if your state allows that. The lists at the bottom of the state pages are meant only as a starting point. There are various community colleges and other schools listed on each page, and these may be a place to start looking. With that said, remember to take the time that you need to find a school that is good for you and don’t rush the process or get sold on something that isn’t best for you.