If you’re an LPN, you could take the next step in your career and become a registered nurse. To make the switch from LPN to RN, you'll need to earn a nursing degree and pass the NCLEX-RN. RNs have more autonomy and earning potential and can pursue career advancement.
As a licensed practical nurse (LPN), you play an important role in the healthcare industry. You provide a comforting touch to patients, document their concerns, and assist them with activities of daily living (ADLs). Yet, you may be seeking to take on the responsibility of a registered nurse (RN). It’s possible to go from LPN to RN quickly at Madonna University in Metro Detroit, Michigan.
Madonna’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program allows you to graduate with a BSN in as few as 16 months. You can then complete the practical nursing to RN transition by passing the NCLEX-RN exam. Although you don’t need prior healthcare experience to apply to Madonna’s program, your time spent working as an LPN could serve you well.
Before committing to the transition, consider the reasons to pursue a career as an RN, such as professional autonomy and increased salary expectations. Then, learn how to earn your degree with Madonna University’s ABSN program.
Can a Practical Nurse Become an RN?
For many LPNs, this is a natural progression to continue working in healthcare and take the next step toward career advancement.
Your experience as an LPN provides a foundation for pursuing further nursing education. To become an RN, you’ll need to earn a nursing degree, such as a BSN, and pass the NCLEX-RN exam. Since you’re already working as an LPN, you might explore whether your current healthcare employer offers tuition reimbursement to practical nurses who wish to become RNs.
Take a closer look at the levels of nursing, including the different roles and career requirements.
Why Go From LPN to RN?
There are many differences between an LPN vs. RN, and taking a closer look at those differences can reveal some compelling reasons for the switch from LPN to registered nurse. An LPN is limited in their scope of responsibilities. They can assist patients with ADLs, monitor vital signs, and administer treatments under an RN’s supervision, but they cannot make independent clinical decisions. RNs are authorized to handle far more patient care tasks. Compared to an LPN, an RN also:
- Works with greater autonomy, making clinical decisions independently or collaboratively
- Can choose from a wide range of nursing specialties and work settings
- Can provide enhanced patient care, contributing to better outcomes
- Has the potential to pursue career advancement and step into nursing leadership roles
- Enjoys greater earning potential and a faster job growth rate
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), LPNs earned a median annual salary of $62,340 as of May 2024. The anticipated job growth rate is 3%, indicating that healthcare employers will hire about 16,900 new LPNs from 2023 to 2033.
In contrast, the BLS states that RNs made a median annual salary of $93,600 as of May 2024. They have a projected job growth rate of 6%, faster than the national average, from 2023 to 2033. This indicates that healthcare employers will hire about 197,200 more RNs during this period.
Steps to Go From an LPN to Registered Nurse
If you’re ready to go from LPN to RN, you’ll need to start planning your career pathway. It begins with understanding your options for making the transition.
1. Research Your Options
Before researching your options, you should understand your starting point. LPNs are generally not required to have a college education. Instead, they must complete a state-approved training program or diploma course. If you lack a college education, you’ll need to enroll in a traditional BSN program, which typically takes four years to complete. Madonna University is pleased to offer a traditional BSN program that welcomes LPNs and an accelerated program for those with prior college education.
If you have a non-nursing college degree or at least 60 completed credits, you may be eligible for an ABSN program, such as the one at Madonna University. You’ll also need to meet the minimum GPA requirements. If your GPA falls short of the requirements, you could boost it enough to apply by doing well in the prerequisite courses.
Spend time thinking about your options and contact an admissions representative for personalized guidance.
2. Apply to Nursing School
Your admissions rep will review your unofficial transcripts to determine your eligibility for the program and identify which prerequisites you may need to take. They’ll also help you navigate the rest of the application process. In addition to a degree or college credits and the minimum GPA requirements, you’ll need the following to apply:
- Official transcripts
- Letter of intent
- Proof of completed or expected completion of all prerequisites
- Criminal background check
- Application
Discover what every prospective nursing student should know about getting into nursing school.
3. Earn a BSN
If you’re enrolled in Madonna University’s traditional BSN program, you can look forward to a blend of general education courses and nursing education classes, labs, and clinicals. ABSN students can expect a focus on nursing education. As an ABSN student, you’ll work through the following:
- Nursing classes: Madonna University offers a hybrid approach to learning. You can complete your nursing theory coursework online.
- Skills and simulation labs: Our labs feature state-of-the-art nursing training equipment. You’ll work with high-tech medical manikins to practice nursing skills and develop problem-solving skills and clinical judgment in simulation labs.
Clinical rotations: You’ll complete a series of clinical rotations starting toward the end of your first semester. You’ll gain hands-on experience providing patient care under supervision in various nursing specialties, including pediatrics and medical-surgical.
4. Pass the NCLEX-RN
After graduating, you can apply for an authorization to test (ATT) from the state board of nursing. The ATT allows you to schedule your NCLEX test date. It’s common for nursing graduates to take the NCLEX within a couple of months of graduating. Plan to commit time to intensive study sessions to prepare for this rigorous test. It tests not only your nursing knowledge, but also your ability to develop appropriate clinical responses to various patient care situations.
At Madonna University, our combination of didactic and hands-on clinical learning thoroughly prepares students to take the NCLEX. Plus, our Academic Success Coaches can assist you one-on-one with NCLEX prep.
5. Pursue RN Jobs in Your Chosen Specialty
One of the great aspects of transitioning from licensed practical nursing to RN is the ability to choose from a wide range of nursing specialties. As an RN, you might decide to pursue nursing jobs in any of the following areas:
- Critical care
- Dermatology
- Dialysis
- Gastroenterology
- Labor and delivery
- Medical-surgical
- Oncology
- Pediatrics
As you gain clinical experience, you can switch to another nursing specialty, or you might decide that your first choice was the right one. If it’s the latter, consider adding to your resume by pursuing certifications in your specialty area.
Earn Your BSN at Madonna University
Madonna University is a leading choice for future RNs. Our ABSN learning site in Metro Detroit offers small class sizes, invaluable clinical experiences, and personalized student support with Academic Success Coaches, who will work with you to facilitate your progress. In addition, our nursing curriculum is infused with our Franciscan values. We guide our students toward becoming socially responsible nurses committed to compassionate nursing, community service, and responsible nursing leadership.
If you have completed a non-nursing bachelor’s degree or at least 60 non-nursing college credits, you may be eligible to apply. Discover if you could earn your nursing degree in as few as 16 months and switch from LPN to registered nurse. Contact an admissions representative today.