Hi Casey,

Have you looked into the College Net (http://www.college-net.com/)?  They are the only school in California that LPN's are allowed to use for online education.  In California, we have to get our BSN though if we use them.  Is your state the same way maybe?  I'm not sure if you are interested in online education, but when I looked into them recently, they said that they do not have a waiting list.  I hope this helps.

Tina :) 

cf1970cf says ...

I am in need of help! I am an Illinois resident and an LPN for 19 years. I have all my prereqs completed for a transition program to RN at my local college. Now I find out I have to wait a few years to even get in it because of the extremely high amount of enrolles that have occured since I began my prereqs... I have done alot of my own research to figure out what is happening to us LPNs who desire to get our RN degree... It is almost impossible!!! I am really upset with this state of Illinois. I have contacted local law makers and even springfield. NO HELP!!!! The state of Illinois will not even let LPNs go thru a NLN approved online RN program... I have begun to look outside the state of Iliinois for schools. Any one out there that has the same problem? I dont give up easily and ready to team up with others to pursue a way to make LPN's have equal rights of getting into an RN program!!!!! Casey

First of all, no one has the right to go to nursing school.  It is not the state's fault that competition for seats in ADN or BSN programs is stiff.  Each state has the right to set its own standards of nursing education, and each school gets to decide on its own admission criteria.

Every state has its own requirements for licensure.  Illinois clearly wants LPNs to bridge to RN in a program that has a strong clinical component.  Online programs typically have students do only a couple of days of clinic.  NLN approved or not, this is not sufficient for the Illinois Board of Nursing.  You have to keep in mind that the Board of Nursing exists to protect the public from bad nurses, which is why they get to set the educational standards for your state.

You can look outside of Illinois for schools, and that is a good idea.  Just check with the board and make sure any school you go to will be acceptable with them so you can sit boards in your state.  They do not have to accept the degree of an out of state school and let you sit boards.  Most boards of nursing will take the degrees of most schools, but there are some that are not taken (Excelsior is not accepted in all states)--you don't want to waste your time in a program and find out you can't sit boards.

Your story is not unique.  I went through similar difficulties when I went from LPN to ADN.  My ADN program wanted me to take their pysch course before formally admitting me to their nursing program because my LPN program had no pysch rotation.  They did not guarantee me a spot in their program before I took their pysch course.  I took the course, and did not get in that fall's class.  I almost didn't get in the following year's class--I got in at the last minute because I called to see if anyone had dropped at the last minute.

Find out what other programs are in your area and apply to all of them.  Investigate the possibility of going out of state for school.  I know people who have gotten into out of state programs, lived on campus, and returned home for weekends with the family.  It is difficult but doable.

Ask yourself, what sacrifices am I prepared to make to get through nursing school?  Are you willing to move?  Are you willing to move temporarily, in a dorm, while in school?  Are you willing to spend time away from your family to get through school?  If you are willing to take bold steps, take risks, and make sacrifices, then more options will be available to you for schools and schooling.

I understand cf1970 frustrations cause Illinois is not very helpful when it comes to LPN  transitioning to a RN. As far as the comment about working out of state and visiting your family on the weekend that may not be an option for cf1970 she may have young children and would you want tosee your family on weekends. I had a friend who had to leave Illinois to obtain her RN and still had a difficult time obtaining a license in Illinois. I can only suggest to find on out of state praogram and complete the courses and apply for a license in Illinois. That is one of the reason why I have never considered an ADN  I plan on going for my BSN. I have this converstion with alot of LPN's and they ahve had the same frustration. Good Luck