People who are considering joining the nursing field usually have to first decide if they want to become a LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) or a RN (Registered Nurse). A person can become and LPN in about ten months and get out into the work force much quicker than someone going for an RN degree. Many people make the decision to become an LPN for financial reasons. They want to get their nursing license quickly and start earning a living as soon as possible. However, once they become a LPN they are often faced with extremely limited job choices and wish there was a way to go back to school to become an RN.
Working LPNs who are considering returning to college to obtain an Associate or Bachelors degree in nursing are confronted by several harsh realities. The first problem is that campus based nursing schools are facing a severe shortage of nursing educators and are turning away thousands of well qualified applicants each year. The lucky few who do manage to get accepted into traditional nursing programs commonly have to wait between one and two years before they can get a seat in class to begin their studies. Combine those factors with the fact that traditional...