LPN vs. RN It was June 9, 1997. I was one month and five days away from my sweet 16. Instead of feeling excitement, I was drenched with sadness. My dad lay in a hospital bed in the living room of our home, dying of cancer. He was diagnosed on May 8th and died one month and one day later on June 9th. I had experienced pure evil up close and personal and I vowed at this time to fight cancer and take care of its victims. Now, fast-forward 20 years later and I am working toward a nursing degree so I can fulfill my promise. I’m still unsure if I want to be an LPN or an RN. While it’s true that both are nurses, their duties, education and salary are quite different. LPN stands for Licensed Practical Nurse. These caregivers, primarily take vitals and help bathe, change, and keep patients comfortable. Furthermore, they assemble medical equipment and take care of patient’s feeding tubes and oxygen supplies. Appealing to potential nurses is the fact that it only takes between 12-18 months to complete the program at most technical and community colleges. The coursework focuses on biology, pharmacology, and supervised clinicals. Finally, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the projected job growth for …show more content…
Ultimately, I simply want to help patients and their loved ones affected by cancer. I want something positive to come from my father’s death. So after much research and consideration, I have decided to pursue a career as a Registered Nurse (ADN). Although, becoming an RN will take longer and increase my responsibilities, it will also provide a higher salary and ultimately a more rewarding career. Becoming a Registered Nurse will allow me to work more closely with cancer patients and be more involved in their care. Although my father is gone, I will use his memory as fuel to reach my goal and help those that I encounter throughout my career as an