What is the difference between Practical Nurse an RN?

From this site http://mynursingprograms.com you can find the necessary information

If you want to start a career ASAP, you could consider becoming an LPN first. I don't know where you live, but in Canada where I live, that is 2 years. LPNs typically have 2 years of education, an RN is 4 years of schooling. LPNs generally work with the more stable patients and do mostly bedside care. However, they can be found working alongside RNs in acute care settings with less stable patients, and in labour and delivery. It just depends on your provincial colllege of nursing's scope of practice, as well as what your health region and facility allows/prefers. If you are in the US, why not call around and see in what capacity your local hospitals use LPNs? LPNs in Canada work independently, and do not have to work under an RN as long as they are in their scope of practice. For example, they don't need to be supervised by an RN with a stable patient, however if a patient becomes unstable and/or is beyond their scope of training, legally they must immediately pass them off to an RN. LPNs in Canada study from the same knowledge base as RNs, it's just that RNs have a broader and more in depth knowledge. But LPNs still take courses in pharmacology, pathophysiology, anatomy, psychology, etc. All of that said, if you are 100% sure that you want to be a nurse, and you can afford to be in school for 4 years (or however long it takes to be an RN where you live), then it makes a lot of sense to directly become an RN. As an RN you should have no issues working in most if not all areas, including the mat ward. You may or may not need to take additional certification/training first. As an LPN you can work sooner, but as an RN you may have more choices and you will have a larger scope of practice. My advice to you is to call your local nursing schools and talk to an academic advisor about what's best for your particular goals.

For general career information: http://www.bls.gov/oco and can search 'registered nurses', 'licensed practical nurses' or such. For US colleges: http://www.utexas.edu/world/univ

Get the RN. Pay is better and you can do more. Do a google search on "RN LPN" or "RN LVN"

Find out which local community college has an RN program. You might not be able to pick a specific interest at first but you can put yourself in the right opportunity. I haven't heard the term practical nurse in years, it means nothing.