LPN vs. RN
Educational Requirements, Scope of Practice, and Career Opportunities
For anyone who wants a career where they can make a real difference, nursing is one of the most fulfilling choices. Nurses are one of the central pillars of our healthcare system, and their skills and compassion help countless patients receive the care they need.
Many people are surprised to learn that there are different types of licensed nurses. If you’re considering a career in nursing, getting to know the difference between a licensed practical nurse (LPN) vs. a registered nurse (RN) can help you choose the best nursing program for you.
While both nursing roles are important and in demand, each has its own educational requirements, scope of practice, and advancement opportunities. In this article, we’ll explore the main differences between LPN vs. RN programs and careers and what it takes to get into each profession.
LPN vs. RN: Overview of Roles
What is a Licensed Practical Nurse?
Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) are trained healthcare professionals who provide direct patient care. They work under the direction of registered nurses, nurse practitioners, or doctors. In addition to performing essential clinical tasks, LPNs provide comfort and support to patients and their families, as well as assist patients with their daily living activities.
What is a Registered Nurse?
Registered nurses (RNs) are clinical leaders with more training, more responsibility, and a higher ceiling for career advancement. RNs help formulate treatment plans and ensure their effectiveness, perform more advanced clinical tasks, and often supervise or delegate responsibilities to LPNs and other clinical support staff.
LPN vs. RN: Scope of Practice
What Does an LPN Do?
The exact scope of practice for LPNs varies between states, but LPNs are generally responsible for monitoring patients’ vital signs, documenting health data, and administering medications according to the patient’s treatment plan. They also perform basic medical tasks like wound care, dressing changes, catheter placements, or collecting specimens for lab testing.
While LPNs still perform plenty of tasks independently, they always work under the supervision of RNs, physicians, or advanced-practice providers like nurse practitioners.
What Does an RN Do?
RNs use their advanced healthcare training to assess patient needs and help develop the overall plan of care. They administer a greater variety of medications and perform more complex medical procedures. RNs collaborate with the rest of the healthcare team to deliver holistic care and educate patients about ongoing care instructions, recommended lifestyle changes, and community health resources.
RNs have a higher level of autonomy that reflects their advanced training. They often supervise LPNs or other healthcare workers and have more leadership responsibility for coordinating care among multiple providers.
LPN vs. RN: Work Environment
Where do LPNs Work?
Licensed practical nurses can find employment in several healthcare settings. Hospitals and outpatient clinics are unsurprisingly the most common workplaces. LPNs can also find jobs in-home healthcare services, residential care facilities, nursing homes, and retirement communities, and private physician’s offices.
Where do RNs Work?
Since RNs often supervise LPNs, they naturally work in many of the same places. Registered nurses also generally have more options to specialize in areas like orthopedics, oncology, pediatrics, or women’s health (to name just a few possibilities). RNs are also prevalent in high-stakes healthcare environments like surgeries, critical-care departments, or emergency rooms.
LPN vs. RN: Education and Training
LPN Programs
To become a licensed practical nurse, you’ll need to complete an accredited practical nursing program. Be sure to choose a program that’s recognized by the state licensing board of the location where you plan to start your nursing career.
The practical nursing curriculum involves medical terminology and anatomy, basic nursing courses, and hands-on training on how to safely administer medication and perform simple procedures. You’ll also complete clinical rotations to gain supervised experience with real patients. Most practical nursing programs take around 12-18 months to complete.
Earning your LPN diploma is one of the fastest ways to get into nursing and gives you the option to continue your education later when you’re ready to advance your career. If you want to launch your healthcare career as quickly as possible, the accelerated at Provo College is worth a look—you can earn your diploma in around a year with small classes and 1:1 coaching from experienced nurses.
RN Programs
There are a couple of potential pathways to becoming an RN, but all of them involve earning a college degree. Registered nurses can earn either an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). ADN programs usually take around two years to complete, while traditional BSN programs can take up to four full years.
Both of these degree options build upon LPN training with more advanced patient care skills and a deeper understanding of medicine. However, a BSN is generally preferred for nurses seeking leadership, administrative, or education positions.
RNs need to have excellent critical thinking and communication skills, so their curriculum involves more general education courses as well as advanced healthcare knowledge. Of course, RNs also go through rigorous hands-on training and complete clinical rotations to perfect their skills in realistic environments.
If you want the near-unlimited possibilities a BSN degree provides—without spending four full years in school—the accelerated BSN program at Provo College can help you build gold-standard nursing skills in as little as three years.
LPN vs. RN: Certification and Licensing Requirements
LPN Certification and Licensing Requirements
After completing an accredited practical nursing program, LPNs must complete a national certification exam before they can become licensed on a state-by-state basis. The National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses (NCLEX-PN) is the final major milestone before an LPN can begin their career. Any quality nursing program will provide resources to help you prepare for (and pass) the NCLEX.
To maintain their certification, LPNs generally need to complete a set number of continuing education hours and/or prove that they’ve worked as a nurse for a sufficient period of time within each renewal window. Specific requirements vary by state, but the big idea of each state’s recertification policy is to encourage LPNs to keep their skills current.
RN Certification and Licensing Requirements
RNs take an even more intensive version of the NCLEX exam that tests more complex clinical situations and problem-solving skills in addition to fundamental nursing knowledge. Compared to the LPN version of the exam, the NCLEX-RN includes up to 60 additional questions and an hour more testing time. Just like LPN programs, the best RN programs support their students with tutoring sessions and practice exams to encourage a passing score on your first try.
Licensing renewal requirements for RNs also vary by state but similarly include a minimum amount of continuing education and/or clinical experience. Continuing education helps nurses keep their licenses current and develop new skills that can allow them to move into specialized roles.
LPN vs. RN: Salary
How Much Do LPNs Make?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, licensed practical nurses across the country make an average annual salary* of around $60,000 per year or over $29 per hour. The top 10% of earners in the field make $77,000 per year or more.
Pay rates vary according to location, experience, and market demand, but LPNs can earn a livable wage and can often access benefits like health insurance, retirement planning, and more. LPNs are typically paid by the hour and can become more valuable to employers by building their skills through training seminars and continuing education courses.
How Much Do RNs Make?
While registered nurses spend more time in school and have a broader scope of practice, they’re rewarded for their efforts with higher earning potential. According to the BLS, the average annual salary* for registered nurses in the US is over $94,000 per year, and the top 10% of RN salaries are $132,000 per year and up. Earning potential can be even higher for specialized roles that require additional training and education, like nurse practitioners or nurse anesthetists.
RNs can be paid either hourly or through an annual salary. They also typically have access to important employer benefits like health care coverage and retirement savings accounts. Becoming a registered nurse can help you earn an above-average income early in your nursing career, with the option to progress even further as you gain experience and continue your education.
LPN vs. RN: Job Outlook
LPN Job Outlook
Licensed practical nurses have a positive long-term job outlook due to the projected growth in demand for healthcare. The BLS estimates a steady 3% growth rate in employment of LPNs by 2033. The growth of home healthcare services and rising demand for nursing home care should both contribute to a favorable long-term job market for LPNs.
RN Job Outlook
Registered nurses are expected to be in even higher demand than LPNs, with the BLS projecting a 6% growth in the field between now and 2033. Demand is even higher for advanced-practice diagnosing or treating practitioners, with an expected 9% increase in jobs throughout the next decade. Because RNs have so many available options to specialize or build upon their education, they’re likely to have excellent job security for the foreseeable future.
LPN vs. RN: Career Advancement Opportunities
LPN Career Advancement Opportunities
Although LPNs have limits to their scope of practice, they still have numerous opportunities for career advancement. LPNs can specialize in areas like gerontology, pediatrics, hospice care, and several other fields. Experienced LPNs may also take on leadership or supervisory roles.
Many licensed practical nurses also advance their careers by continuing their education and earning a bachelor’s degree after working in the field for a few years. Some nursing programs offer accelerated options for LPNs looking to upgrade their skills to the BSN level.
RN Career Advancement Opportunities
Registered nurses generally have more opportunities to progress in their careers, thanks to their higher level of training and a broader range of available specialties. RNs can specialize in a huge variety of fields—like critical care, surgical nursing, women’s health, and many more.
When hiring nurses for management, leadership, or administrative positions, most healthcare facilities prefer BSN-educated registered nurses. Nurses with a BSN can also complete graduate-level degrees to become advanced-practice providers like nurse practitioners or certified registered nurse anesthetists.
LPN vs. RN: Comparing Benefits of Both Paths
The Benefits of Choosing an LPN Program
One of the primary benefits of becoming an LPN is the short training time required before beginning your career. If you’re looking to get your foot in the door of the fast-growing healthcare industry as quick as possible, an LPN program can be a great choice.
LPNs can earn a dependable income and gain nursing experience, with the option to progress their education later on. Because RNs are in high demand, some healthcare employers may even help pay for the cost of earning your BSN while continuing to work as an LPN.
The Benefits of Choosing an RN Program
Registered nurses spend more time in school up front, but their expanded scope of practice and higher earning potential mean the extra effort is worth it for many people if their life circumstances allow for multiple years of nursing school.
Nurses with ambitions of working in leadership, management, or education should strongly consider an RN program—ideally, a BSN-level program. While it’s possible to earn a nursing bachelor’s degree after earning an ADN, it often involves more time and expense vs. completing your BSN from the start.
Launch Your Nursing Career at Provo College
While there are certainly some key differences in the scope of practice and advancement opportunities when comparing LPNs vs. RNs, both options are rewarding careers with great long-term outlooks.
When deciding what type of nursing program is best for you, consider your career ambitions, financial situation, and personal interests to make a choice that aligns with your long-term goals. If you need more guidance, the friendly admissions advisors at Provo College are always happy to discuss the differences between nursing programs to help you make an informed choice.
No matter which direction you go in your nursing career, you can be sure you’ll be making a difference in your patients’ lives—and you’ll have plenty of options for taking the next step.
