[Nurse Q]

I have a dilema. I have been an LPN for greater than 10 years (acute care med-surg nursing). I love my job, the people I work with etc, but it has become routine in a way. I had applied to enter the transition LPN to RN program and have been accepted. I am not sure that I want to go. The school is very close to losing its accreditation due to poor percentages of students passing the NCLEX. The program seems to be in turmoil. To add to my dilema, I have also been offered a job at a small correctional facility that will pay me $5-6/hr more with better benefits than I have now, including a retirement I do not have to pay for. I have done this type of work before and I enjoyed it. I am not sure if I want to put all of my energy into school, or relax and enjoy my life? Any suggestions??

[SuzieR]

Hi! I, too am in a similar position. Although I've been an LPN for 20 years and have slowly (I mean slowly) making progress toward an RN degree. Being that I have reached the ceiling in what I can do with my LPN in the state where I live, I've decided that I must finally complete my degree so that I can have some more options available to me in my career. What you need to think about is what you need to do for YOU. Will you regret not going for it 5 or 10 years down the line? Is obtaining that degree VERY important to you? The easier thing is to take the job and reap the immediate benefits, but relaxing now and enjoying life may leave you feeling stifled and underutilized in the future. You may want to consider working and doing distance learning through one of the programs designed for LPN's to get their ADN, which might be a better alternative than attending a program which appears to be in turmoil.
Good luck in whatever you decide to do.

[purplemania]

You might contact the Board of Nursing in your state to see what happens to students who are in a program that loses certification. It is a rare thing for that to happen, but if it does, the state may allow you to transfer to another school and the school would waive residency requirements (meaning you don't have to worry about starting over or losing what you have). Can you take the new job and go to school too? Seems to me you are not really content any longer with being an LPN or you would not be in this dilemma. I guarantee you will not regret getting your ADN. There is so much more flexibility in your career with an RN license. While I encourage education, I also realize that unless you are dedicated to the program, you will have a difficult time in school. Maybe you could talk to an advisor at the school. Good luck!!!!