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LPN Hiring Trends are Dropping
It's no secret among the nursing industry that employers prefer to hire registered nurses, over Licensed practical nurses. However, until recent years the employment opportunities have remained stable. This is just not so anymore. These days, it seems that LPNs are being hired less, while RNs are seeing stability and slight increases.
According to Simply Hired, the job market rate for an LPN, since August of 2010, is down more than 36%. On the other hand, the job market for an RN remained virtually the same as previous years. While recent economic struggles across the U.S. could surely explain downtrends in hiring, it does not explain while there is such a difference across nursing platforms. The only plausible explanation is that the job market gap for RNs over LPNs is expanding. It is most likely expanding due to employers seeing more Registered Nurses available for hire, and they are choosing those RNs over hiring an LPN.
What can an LPN do to maintain employment?
Nobody can argue that patients would benefit from being treated by an RN over an LPN. Employers know this, and that is why they prefer to hire RNs. With access to registered nursing programs being more readily available, it could explain why there are more registered nurses available for hire. So, what can an LPN do to stay in the nursing field, and not be replaced by an RN? The answer is pretty simple; become an RN.
In the past, becoming a registered nurse was difficult. One thing that stood in the path of those wanting to become a RN, was that most nursing programs had waiting lists. Schools had limited space in their programs, and many students had to wait more than a year, just to get into a class. Much of that has changed now.
Following trends in nursing education
Imagine a reality where a school had classrooms of infinite size, and teachers could have the ability to manage many more students than before. Well, that reality has come to life, and schools are certainly taking advantage of the opportunity to bring more students into their classrooms. You may be asking yourself; "How is this possible? How can schools take so many more students than before?" The answer is online education.
Online education has taken off, and is providing schools with the ability to handle an enormous amount of students. There really is no downside to this, and both students and schools are benefitting. With numerous programs available to be taken online, students can attend college and not be restrained by class schedules and drive times. They can work their full time jobs and simply log into their classrooms from home.
One major program affecting the nursing job market is the LPN to RN online program. This program allows an LPN to enter into a RN program, without being held back by waiting lists, and without the worry of having to work less to attend school. It frees up time for the LPN to become an RN, and allows the LPN to start working on their future in the nursing industry. After all, if employers are going to be hiring more RNs over LPNs, then shouldn't an LPN follow this emerging trend?
Are there are downfalls to online nursing programs?
Certainly there could be arguments over which process is more beneficial. However, it really depends on the student. To better understand whether or not online learning has a downside, it might be best to ask yourself some simply questions, to see if online learning is right for you.
- Are you self-motivated?
- Can you discipline yourself, and set aside study time to devote to class?
- Do you have the ability to access the internet, and do you have the ability to understand basic features that would allow you to log into classrooms, chat rooms, and send and receive email?
- Will your family allow you to dedicate time to class and studies, even though you are at home?
Online learning is proving to be the solution for many students. It provides a means of education to students that just didn't have the option of going to school previously. However, online learning does require discipline. Since the student is not confined to a classroom, it requires the student to really take control of their education and commit to completing this education, despite some of the distractions they may face at home.
So, now you can ask yourself. Are you disciplined and motivated enough to begin a new career in nursing, through an online experience? If so, the time is now. Get started today!
