Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) are an untapped resource in the health care workforce because they represent a group that can transition to become registered nurses (RNs), and also bring diversity to the RN workforce. We know very little about the factors that affect LPN-to-RN transitions, or the policies needed to foster LPN-to-RN transitions.

This research brief examines the career trajectories of LPNs in North Carolina to describe predictors of their transitions to the RN role.