So you’re ready to explore healthcare and nursing. At this point in your research, you may be getting annoyed by the myriad of acronyms you’ve come across — RN, LPN, and CNA are some of the most common, but don’t forget about the APRNs and FNPs, as well! As someone brand-new to nursing, these titles can sound a lot like insider lingo and therefore difficult to navigate.

So, how do you enter the nursing profession in a way that works for you? How do you know which title is the best possible fit? Research, of course! Often, it’s your professional ambitions, interests, and timeline that will ultimately decide your future nursing career. For example, you may want to start earning a salary as a certified nursing assistant (CNA) after your first semester of class. Alternatively, you may spend a couple of years in nursing school to qualify for a registered nurse (RN) license, where you’ll eventually undertake more responsibility and lead nursing teams. No matter which path you pursue, there’s a way that fits your learning and lifestyle. You may just have to dig a bit to uncover it.

Many students prefer learning on the job to being stuck in a classroom, leading them to explore nursing programs that offer short school timelines and opportunities for career and skill growth along the way, rather than waiting several years before they’re finally helping patients.

Let’s unpack the nursing hierarchy a bit and see what might best facilitate your next steps.

Climbing the nursing ladder: RN vs. LPN vs. CNA

Think of the nursing hierarchy as a ladder, each rung necessary to support the overall structure. At the top of the ladder is the APRNs, or advanced practice registered nurses, who coordinate care plans, have their own patients, and are backed by a specialization and graduate degree. You can learn more about APRNs, here.

Toward the middle of this ladder are registered nurses (RNs). They earn a fairly high salary and carry a lot of responsibility. They’ve also completed a decent amount of schooling and training (though at the undergraduate level) before joining the professional world.

A rung below, with a little less responsibility and a bit fewer months in the classroom, are licensed practical nurses or licensed vocational nurses (LPN or LVN). Due to these factors, LPNs earn a bit less, with room to grow into leadership roles down the line.

Then comes CNAs, or certified nursing assistants. CNAs are not technically nurses, but play an important role in supporting nursing and patient care teams. CNAs stand on the front lines, often working long nights and unsociable hours, and are a patient’s first call when something’s wrong. Their hard work supports the rest of the hospital structure, ensuring patients receive high-quality care from the moment they enter the doors. You can become a CNA through a certificate-level educational program, combined with passing a licensing exam.

Become a nurse at Goodwin!

Registered nurse (RN)

Let’s zoom in on this ladder a bit to see what supports each rung. Becoming a registered nurse (RN) means you must have completed a prelicensure Nursing program, such as an associate degree in Nursing (ADN), bachelor’s degree in Nursing (BSN), or accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program, and passed the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). This training typically takes 2-4 years, plus several months of study for examination and licensing.

After which, RNs are eligible for positions supervising nursing staff and ensuring that patients’ needs are met and that they receive appropriate healthcare in a safe environment. In addition to their own shift duties, RNs are often asked to oversee care provided by LPNs and CNAs, as well as to perform initial patient assessments and develop patient care plans. This work is rewarded with ample compensation; recent data report that the mean annual wage for an RN is around $93,600.

Licensed practical nurse (LPN)

A licensed practical nurse (LPN) must have completed an accredited practical nursing program that typically takes 16-28 months, like the Practical Nursing certificate at Goodwin, before successfully passing the NCLEX-PN test.

Once qualified, LPNs provide care for sick and disabled patients in medical and home environments under the supervision of RNs. Their scope of care includes administering medications, collecting patient data and vital signs, and effectively communicating this to their supervising RN.

However, these skills and qualifications are professionally transferable in some surprising ways, after you’ve got some experience under your belt. Plus, it’s a stable salary to start with; in 2024, the mean annual wage for licensed practical and vocational nurses was $62,340, an impressive pull for less than two years in school.

Certified nursing assistant (CNA)

At the bottom of the nursing ladder sits the hard-working CNA, selflessly supporting the rest of the structure. Certified nursing assistants are required to answer call lights, assist patients with bathing and dressing, serve and feed patient meals, take vital signs, report to nursing staff, transport patients, and make beds. For their labor, they take home a modest salary of around $40k annually, along with benefits and support that help them reach the next rung of the ladder within a few years at most.

Honestly, this is a phase in most professionals’ lives, as most CNAs are paying their dues while also working their way through school. If you’re in a Patient Care Associate certificate program like Goodwin’s, you’re eligible to take a CNA state licensing exam after only a semester of study. This same program later qualifies graduates as both phlebotomy and EKG technicians, both positions that hold a bit more responsibility and take-home pay, not to mention better hours, than CNAs.

Without a doubt, nursing is a profession for those committed to making a difference in people’s lives. Every professional hour is dedicated to helping the sick and injured, and those patients often view their nurses as guardian angels in scrubs during some of the toughest moments of their lives.

No matter how you decide is best for you to step into the nursing profession, you’re joining a group of people who make the world a better place, one patient interaction at a time.

Get on the nursing ladder at Goodwin!

Goodwin’s programs support nursing professionals from CNAs in PCA programs to graduate Nursing students ready to run their own practices in the Advanced Practitioner Registered Nursing Family Nurse Practitioner (APRN – FNP) programs.

Wherever you are ready to serve, we’re here with the assist. Learn more about nursing programs at Goodwin University to see how we can support your growth.