Difference between LPN and RN
One of the noblest of professions in the whole world which provides a person with an opportunity to serve and be of assistance to those who genuinely require it due to their diseases and sicknesses is the profession of Nursing. In case a person is interested in enrolling as a nurse in the healthcare industry, it is all the more better to know the specifics of the two courses in order to make a well informed and better selection. The objective of this writing is to emphasize on the variations between the two courses, known as LPN and RN. The LPN and RN are two separate degrees that one has to obtain to be a qualified nurse and enter a career in nursing.
The terms, LPN means a Licensed Practical or Professional Nurse while on the other hand RN is referred as a Registered Nurse. There are a large variety of differences entailed in the training in these two courses. An LPN is recognized for offering only basic nursing training along with both nursing and management training; the RN puts into focus on the practical patient care and lays stress entirely on patient nursing.
There is a difference in the duration of these two courses where the Registered Nurse or RN is the longer of the two courses and takes around two years to complete while the LPN is for only one year. The bachelor’s degree in RN takes approximately four years to complete. The RN is exposed to an in-depth and wider comprehension of the essential topics which include clinical practice, delivery systems, pharmacology and physiology.
On completion of the RN or LPN, these nursing students are required to undergo another examination for qualifying to be eligible to join the healthcare industry. The qualifying examination for RN candidates is NCLEX-RN and for the LPN students, they need to pass the LCLEX-PN examination, which is known as the National Licensing Examination for Practical Nurses. Of course, those who have become RN are provided jobs with higher responsibilities as compared to candidates who have cleared the LPN. The certification of RN is either an associate’s or bachelor’s degree of science while of the LPN is a diploma or a certificate.
In critical cases, nurses with RN certification are given the freedom to take independent decisions though LPN nurses are authorized to do so. Taking a look at the hierarchy in an organization, RN nurses are positioned much higher than LPN nurses and this is portrayed in their pay scales. Similarly, the hourly wages for the RN nurses varies between US $ 18 to $ 20 as compared to the lower pay scales of LPN Nurses which is around US $ 12 to 14.