3 answers
ashanti
Student
Joliet, Illinois
3
Questions
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What are the pros and cons of an LPN?
whats something that you like or don't like about an LPN #college-major #professional #college #career #licensed-practitioner-nurse #general-and-family-practitioner #career-choice
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3 answers
Valerie Gulston
Work part-time for Board of Elections; counsel college students about careers via networking
34
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Valerie’s Answer
Visit the site Glassdoor.com to learn about the pros and cons of being an LPN. The site has information about educational and licensing requirements,etc. I do know that LPNs work under RNs and often complain about not being respected by their superiors and by patients. If you are seriously considering this career path as an occupation, go to OOH.com, the website of the Department of Labor to learn about salaries, regional variations in salary and the long term outlook for this occupation!!!! OOH stands for the Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Winnie Mwanthi
Assurance
7
Answers
Kansas City, Missouri
Updated
Winnie’s Answer
Hi Ashanti,
I currently don't work in nursing but I have the pleasure of working in the healthcare industry for many years.
First off, when considering wanting to be an LPN, you also have to have a goal of where you want to end up in the nursing field. With that in mind, it will help you determine the pros and cons with a perspective.
Some of the pros of LPN are that you will obviously be making more money than a CNA or MA because its a licenced position. There are so many nursing schools so it can be easy to find one that you can join and finish within a year using their accelerated model of learning. This is beneficial because you get to finish school faster and start earning way more than your peers who are CNAs or MAs. You are rated on almost the same scale as an RN in terms of pay and the work you do. Most of the time it can be a $5-$10/hour difference depending on your experience in the field. Being an LPN is a good opportunity to continue pursuing on your career in nursing and still earning a decent pay to cover your expenses. I call it a stepping stone/bridge career as you look to advance higher in your learning. You can also use this time to see if you like being a nurse and you will not have wasted a lot of time in school and it can be an easy switch without feeling that you have lost time and money.
In as much as you have the benefits above, most places prefer RNs than LPNs especially the hospitals. When you have an LPN licence, you will not be able to get the exposure you need because you will be limited on where you can work. Most hospitals nowadays prefer BSNs instead of plain RNs and this puts you at a disadvantage. You will be able to work in nursing homes, some physicians offices, home health but your choices are limited as compared to holding an RN licence.
I currently don't work in nursing but I have the pleasure of working in the healthcare industry for many years.
First off, when considering wanting to be an LPN, you also have to have a goal of where you want to end up in the nursing field. With that in mind, it will help you determine the pros and cons with a perspective.
Some of the pros of LPN are that you will obviously be making more money than a CNA or MA because its a licenced position. There are so many nursing schools so it can be easy to find one that you can join and finish within a year using their accelerated model of learning. This is beneficial because you get to finish school faster and start earning way more than your peers who are CNAs or MAs. You are rated on almost the same scale as an RN in terms of pay and the work you do. Most of the time it can be a $5-$10/hour difference depending on your experience in the field. Being an LPN is a good opportunity to continue pursuing on your career in nursing and still earning a decent pay to cover your expenses. I call it a stepping stone/bridge career as you look to advance higher in your learning. You can also use this time to see if you like being a nurse and you will not have wasted a lot of time in school and it can be an easy switch without feeling that you have lost time and money.
In as much as you have the benefits above, most places prefer RNs than LPNs especially the hospitals. When you have an LPN licence, you will not be able to get the exposure you need because you will be limited on where you can work. Most hospitals nowadays prefer BSNs instead of plain RNs and this puts you at a disadvantage. You will be able to work in nursing homes, some physicians offices, home health but your choices are limited as compared to holding an RN licence.
Madison Gilder
Medical assistant
3
Answers
Prairieville, Louisiana
Updated
Madison’s Answer
Hi, although I am no LPN, most of my coworkers are LPNs and MAs. The track to get become an LPN is definitely much quicker from what I’ve witnessed, however, the pay for LPNs is much lower than for RNs on average. Many companies see LPN and MA very similarly but prefer the certification and schooling of LPNs for certain specialties. A big pro for becoming an LPN is that it does help get your foot in the door should you wish to further your degree to become an RN.
Again, all of this response is from what I have witnessed working alongside many LPNs and having many friends working as RNs in the same area. Valerie definitely listed very helpful sources to check for more specific details! And there will always be providers who may not appreciate their various supporting staff, you just have to find the one that sees your work! Good luck
Again, all of this response is from what I have witnessed working alongside many LPNs and having many friends working as RNs in the same area. Valerie definitely listed very helpful sources to check for more specific details! And there will always be providers who may not appreciate their various supporting staff, you just have to find the one that sees your work! Good luck