Florida, FL | LPN to BSN Nursing School Program

LPNs in Florida earn good money and have plenty of job opportunity. So why pursue an LPN to BSN program in Florida? Because a BSN opens up far greater opportunity for diverse career options and can effectively double your income.

From rehabilitation to critical care to nurse management, typical RN occupations are available with a BSN—however, a BSN leads to opportunities outside of hospital and clinical settings as specialized research work in both public health and corporate settings typically recruit BSNs over ADNs. From Cancer and pharmaceutical research to the instruction of Certified Nursing Assistants, a BSN provides the opportunity to go beyond patient care and delve into any number of occupational streams. Currently, the average pay for an RN in Florida is over $60,000 per year (according to BLS.gov) plus benefits, and with a BSN, the opportunities for work in the private sphere can lead to salaries into six figures.

How to Do an LPN to BSN in Florida

LPNs who are currently working can get a BSN in two and a half years of full time study around their work schedule. However, if this seems like too much, there are also part time options available at most schools. A BSN does not lead to a higher level of licensure than an Associate Degree, Nursing—nurses in a BSN also take the national Registered Nurse licensing examination, the NCLEX-RN. It does, however, offer further opportunities for targeted learning in areas that are of particular interest to a student.

Student must take general education courses like math and English, and science courses such as microbiology upon entry into a Florida LPN to BSN. But, most of the program focuses on nursing-specific education in areas like clinical study and theory, and focused topics such as pediatrics, medication, assessment, legal issues in health care, even bioterrorism and more. Indeed, it is through the extra time allotted to a BSN that an LPN can pursue the areas of nursing that they find the most interesting towards an enjoyable and personally gratifying career path.

An LPN to BSN program also qualifies student to take the NCLEX-RN and become a Registered Nurse at a cost of $204 to the Florida Board of Nursing and an additional $200 to Pearson Vue, who administers the exam. RNs make almost twice as much as LPNs—an average around $60,000 per year in Florida—making the fees minimal in comparison.