LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) vs RN (Registered Nurse)

Reason #1 – There are less prerequisite to enter the LPN program

Typically, in order to enter a Registered Nurse (RN) program, you need English, math, chemistry, microbiology, and Anatomy 1 & 2. These pre-requisites can take up to a year to complete. For the LPN programs (at least in the state of Florida), you just need a TEAS test and TABE test (if no HS diploma). With LPN programs, you can get into the program much faster.

Reason #2 – The LPN programs are shorter than the RN programs

In the United States, it takes only one year to complete a licensed practical nurse program compared to a registered nurse program which takes two years to complete. With LPN, you can get out much faster to start practicing.

In Canada, it takes two years to become a Licensed Practical Nurse, it’s called RPN, which stands for Registered Practical Nurse. To become an RN, you need a Bachelor of Science (BSN), which typically takes four years to complete.

Reason #3 – LPN school is less expensive than RN school

The price varies from state to state, but typically the price for LPN school is significantly cheaper than RN school. In my state (Florida), I found a price of 5,550 for accredited programs compared to RN school which was 10,869 which was close to double the price for LPN. In the end I would say the Licensed Practical Nurse route is the way to go.

If you are prospective students, I have a lot of resources on this site and on YouTube, feel free to check them out. Links are below.