With layoffs looming and the economy slowing, many job seekers who want stability are turning to the health profession. The demand for nurses grows higher every year, with an aging nursing force retiring and not enough new nurses coming into the profession. Nurses are needed in public and private schools, hospitals, doctors offices, clinics, prison systems, psychiatric facilities, and many other areas.

A degree in registered nursing can open numerous doors. Registered nurses are paid well and can advance to even higher paying specialized professions such as that of Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, which pays in the six figures.

Unfortunately, there are so many people who want to get into nursing school right now that it is creating a bottleneck of nursing students at many nursing schools. It can take several years to get into traditional four year nursing schools or into the two year associates degree programs offered by community colleges.

However, when you are applying for those rare, coveted community college slots or the four-year Bachelor of Science in nursing programs, there is another option they’re not going to tell you about. And it’s a great way to start working as a nurse much faster while finishing up your RN degree.

The trick: become a Licensed Practical Nurse first. It’s a one year program if you go full-time, one and a half years if you take a part-time program. Then while you are working and earning a salary as an LPN, take what is known as an “LPN to RN bridge program”. Many community colleges offer these bridge programs, in response to increased demand for registered nurses, and so do many online nursing schools. And at the community college level, there is a much shorter waiting list, sometimes no waiting list, for the LPN to RN bridge program.

Where can you get an LPN degree? Many private “career” colleges, technical schools, and community colleges offer programs in Licensed Practical Nursing.

Check with your local community colleges to see what kind of LPN programs they offer and what type of waiting list you might face. If they have a long waiting list, look for private career colleges or vocational colleges in your area. Your state board of nursing will have a list of all accredited nursing schools in the state that you live in, both public and private.

Here’s a tip: If you are considering an online LPN to RN degree , check with your State Board of Nursing to make sure that they accredit the online school you are interested in. Some online schools offer degrees that are accepted in some states but not in others. If your State Board of nursing does not accredit the online LPN to RN program, than no matter how great the program is, it is a waste of your time.