LPNs often choose to transition to an RN career for the salary and growth opportunities, greater autonomy and scope of practice and the variety of specialties available. To make your transition, you must consult an advisor, complete prerequisites, earn your BSN, pass the NCLEX and apply to nursing roles.
From LPN to Registered Nurse: Fast-Track Your Nursing Career
Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) work side-by-side with registered nurses (RNs), but LPNs lack the autonomy RNs are afforded when delivering care. That’s why many LPNs choose to take the next step in their career and earn their nursing degree.
If you’re ready to transition from LPN to registered nurse and hold a non-nursing bachelor’s degree or existing college credits, you might be eligible for Notre Dame of Maryland University’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program. Using your established health care background, you will complete online coursework, in-person skills labs and clinical experiences. Plus, the accelerated nature of our program allows you to graduate in as few as 15 months.
The choice to further your education isn’t easy, but the financial and professional benefits are often worth the effort.
Top Reasons to Advance from LPN to RN
Building experience as an LPN is an excellent way to find your footing in health care, but there are many reasons to advance into a registered nursing role. When transitioning from LPN to RN, you will reap rewards, including:
- Higher pay and earning potential
- Long-term job security
- Paths into leadership and management roles
- Greater authority to make clinical decisions
- Opportunities to grow skills and scope of practice
- More available specialties and job settings
- More straightforward progression into advanced degree programs
Your LPN experience primes you to take on the advanced skills and responsibilities of an RN, but it is important to know exactly how your role will change when you transition from LPN to registered nurse.
Licensed Practical Nurse vs Registered Nurse: What’s the Difference?
LPNs play a vital role in ensuring patients’ comfort and working as part of a care team under the supervision of an RN or physician. An LPN’s daily duties entail:
- Taking vital signs and completing charts
- Delivering oral medications
- Supporting activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing, toileting, and eating
- Tracking blood sugar levels
- Supporting patient comfort by discussing treatment and noting concerns
- Completing basic care tasks, such as changing dressings and starting IVs, depending on the state
Since LPNs work with more limited autonomy and scope of practice, these nurses typically have higher patient loads per shift. While an LPN may care for up to a dozen patients at a time, RNs often have two to four patients, depending on the care unit.
RNs complete many of the same tasks as LPNs, but their prolonged education allows them to take on additional responsibilities, such as:
- Performing patient assessments
- Administering IV medications
- Collaborating with doctors to develop and execute treatment plans
- Educating and comforting patients and their families
- Conducting prescribed diagnostic testing
An RN’s daily duties also depend on their chosen specialty or setting. While there is plenty of overlap, a pediatric nurse likely won’t encounter the same patient care scenarios as a critical care nurse.
LPN to Registered Nurse Education Requirements
Becoming an LPN is a shorter track to nursing. They must earn a high school diploma or GED, complete an approved program and pass the NCLEX-PN exam. Registered nurses typically hold an associate or bachelor’s degree.
While an associate degree is an acceptable credential for an RN, the growing complexity of health care interventions demands a more comprehensive education. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing reports that most employers prefer BSN-educated nurses, as they are associated with lower mortality rates and better patient outcomes.
Traditional BSN programs require four years of dedication and are designed for students transitioning into higher education after graduating high school. With the growing need for more flexible curriculum models, however, some schools have begun offering online and accelerated BSN programs, like the ABSN program at Notre Dame.
How to Go From LPN to RN
The transition process from LPN to registered nurse can be broken down into five steps.
1. Talk to an Admissions Advisor
Before applying to your chosen school, speak with an admissions advisor to review the admissions process and determine whether you’re a good fit for the program. Each school has its own admissions requirements that help staff measure whether applicants have the educational background to succeed in the program.
At NDMU, we ask that students have the following:
- Non-nursing bachelor’s degree, with a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher OR existing college credits
- Completed ABSN prerequisite courses (22 credit hours) within the minimum grade requirements
- Current resume
- Personal essay
- A minimum composite score of 65% on the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS)
- Two recommendation letters
2. Complete Prerequisites
ABSN and other programs designed for career changers understand that each student has a unique educational background. That’s why most accelerated programs require applicants to complete several prerequisite courses before enrollment to ensure each student enters with the same foundational knowledge.
For instance, Notre Dame requires only eight prerequisites, including:
- Basic Statistics
- Microbiology
- Survey of General, Organic & Biochemistry OR General Chemistry
- Anatomy & Physiology I
- Anatomy & Physiology II
- Ethics
- Nutrition
- Human Growth and Development
As an LPN, you may have completed one or more of these courses in your prior education. If the course was completed within seven years of applying with a “C” grade or higher, it may be waived.
Once you meet all eligibility requirements, your admissions advisor will help you compile and submit the necessary application materials.
3. Earn Your BSN
After admission into the ABSN program, you will work through the three components of the curriculum:
- Coursework: Delivered through an e-learning platform or an on-campus setting, NDMU’s nursing theory learning component allows students the flexibility to work through key concepts from their preferred location.
- Skills and simulation labs: In skills and simulation experiences, nursing students travel to Notre Dame’s satellite location to apply online concepts and theories to realistic scenarios using high-tech manikins and faculty guidance.
- Clinical experiences: Clinicals place students in top health care facilities to gain hands-on experience in various specialties. There, they get hands-on experience with patients under the supervision of nursing professionals.
Overall, the ABSN curriculum is a serious commitment that requires full dedication to complete within the minimum 15-month timeline.
4. Pass the NCLEX Exam
The NCLEX-RN exam is similar to the NCLEX-PN exam required for LPN certification. The exam goes beyond testing theory and concepts, using an adaptive model to measure a candidate’s clinical judgment and decision-making skills.
The NCLEX is a challenging test, so it’s essential that you begin preparing months in advance. Notre Dame offers academic success coaches who can provide individualized support and resources for your academic achievement.
5. Start Your Nursing Career
After passing the NCLEX-RN and becoming certified in your state, you can pursue jobs in your preferred specialty. Your education may be complete, but your nursing journey has just begun.
Don’t let yourself be intimidated by the NCLEX-RN exam. Learn more about what the NCLEX is and tips to prepare.
Benefits of Earning a BSN as an LPN
As mentioned, most nursing employers prefer applicants with a BSN over an ADN, but there are also personal benefits. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) does not distinguish the median annual pay by degree level, but salaries often vary by experience and education, allowing BSN nurses to access a higher range of salary benefits. In 2024, the BLS reported that the annual median wage for registered nurses was $93,600, and the highest 10% of RNs earned $135,320.
Additionally, RNs with a BSN have fewer barriers to job growth and advanced nursing careers. Most advanced nursing opportunities require further education in the form of a master’s or doctoral degree. A BSN, however, is a typical requirement for eligibility in these programs. So, if you want to move upward into an administrative or advanced practice nursing role, you are best off earning your BSN today.
If a BSN is just the beginning of your nursing journey, discover how to become a Clinical Nurse Specialist and the benefits of an APRN role.
Level Up Your Career at Notre Dame of Maryland University
With a main campus and an ABSN location in Baltimore, Maryland, and three start dates per year—in September, January and May—you can transition your career sooner. Our program is focused on applying our Catholic values to every aspect of our curriculum to graduate confident and compassionate nurses, making Notre Dame of Maryland an excellent choice to transition from an LPN to a registered nurse.
Start your application today and contact one of our admissions advisors.