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Illinois, IL | LPN to RN Nursing School Program

Why Enter an LPN to RN Program in Illinois?

A job as a Licensed Practical Nurse in Illinois can be rewarding. But there are many options for career advancement, including licensure as a Registered Nurse—the largest group of health care practitioners in the United States, and a group that is expected to grow substantially in numbers in the coming years. Registered Nurses in metropolitan areas of Illinois average around $71,000 per year plus benefits. It only takes one more year of study to move from LPN to RN in Illinois and reap the benefits of significantly higher wages and increased flexibility and responsibility in the workplace, making an LPN to RN program in Illinois an attractive option.

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Registered Nurses are responsible for a much larger range of tasks than LPNs. Basically, they oversee and manage Licensed Practical Nurses and Certified Nursing Assistants in patient care. They are also responsible for assessment of patient needs and create and modify a plan of care based on their assessments. Although over sixty percent of RN’s work in a hospital, Registered Nurses can also work in a wide range of other settings from doctor’s offices to long term care facilities and public settings such as schools and community centers. In addition, RNs can be community educators with regards to public health. From occupational and mental health to anesthesia, radiology, rehabilitation, and beyond, the opportunity for specialization extends to all areas of health care.

How to Enter an LPN to RN Program in Illinois

In Illinois, LPN to RN programs add another year to a nurse’s education—a year that can be completed online while an LPN is still working in a health care setting. Prerequisites include current certification as an LPN and, usually, a year of experience working as an LPN. Required courses build upon those taken during LPN training and include biology, math, chemistry, English, communications, and, of course, are mostly made up of nursing-specific study. LPN to RN training in Illinois usually leads to an Associate Degree of Nursing, as well, as the nurse will then have completed two years of nursing school.

LPN to RN students take the RN version of the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN), which costs $200 along with a $91 application fee to the Illinois Board of Nursing. The test adheres to a stricter standard than the NCLEX-LPN, but pass rates are still very high with a success rate close to ninety percent.

Taking an LPN to RN in Illinois is only the second step in nursing training. The next step can lead to a Bachelor of Science, Nursing, and after that it is possible to enter graduate programs in both health and education, which lead to even more diverse careers in the education system, public health, patient care and beyond.