[sweet_n_low]

Hi everyone,
I'm a LPN/LVN student from Texas. I am almost finished! (yay!) We graduate in may.
I'd like to ask a couple of you seasoned gals and guys for some advise.
What job do you consider best for a new LPN graduate?
I want to go on and get my RN so studying is going to take a large amount of my time. Most of my classmates are going to work at one of our local hospitals and they will work full time. The orientation lasts several months also. I am not sure I can handle working full time and school. My instructors make me feel like I'd be less of a nurse if I don't take a job on the floor to get that first year experience.
I have a job opportunity to do pediatric home care (under an agency) for chronically ill children. I'd love to do that, but I don't want to cut myself short in the experience department.
What's your 2 cents? Where did you work when you first graduated? Thanks in advance

[Jeepgirl48]

Well.....I started on a med surg unit as a new nurse. The experience is most definately worthwhile especially if you are pursuing a RN degree at some point. It will help you greatly. I stayed on that unit about 1 year than transferred to LDRP where I currently work. I just started taking classes for my RN and am glad I had the med surg experience. It's not something you forget easily. With said you must really follow your heart and get a job that makes you happy. Good Luck

[3sodapop]

I think you're pretty savvy, and you already know the answer to your question. I'm in my 3rd term now, and my ultimate goal is to become an RN and run a home care business, but my instructor (whom I greatly admire) has said many times that going straight into home care without any experience to back you up is a bad idea.

When you're doing home care, you're on your own. I know I wouldn't want to jump into that right away...too scary!

Are there any long-term pediatric facilities in your area? What about a pediatrician's office? I'm just thinking as a part-time employee you'd get the supervised experience you need while going for your RN.

Congratulations on finishing your program!

Good luck!

[NickiLaughs]

Had I the chance to do it all over again, even though I really dont like acute care. I would probably do a year of acute care. There are so many jobs that I have wanted in psych and other settings; but they all required that year of acute.
Good luck in whatever you decide.

[pagandeva2000]

If you are able to work in a hospital for weekend shifts only, that may be helpful while you attend school. I do feel, though in that if you got hired at a DECENT long term care facility (that is hard to find), that had subacute care, it may also be a nice start to obtain skills, also. I like to learn slowly, but surely.

I did start home care within a few months after getting my license (it was a weekend job on the side). It wasn't bad, but you do have to consider the fact that you are alone and are the first (and sometimes only responder) in case the patient goes south. But, what you can do, is visit the case before you start to see if you think you can handle it. I learned about suctioning, nebulizer treatments, changing trach collars and how to handle when a respiratory patient starts to destat through that home care case, and now, I am more confident in dealing with things like that. I was honest with the agency and the child's mother. They all taught me a great deal and the agency RN I had to answer to really, really liked me, so, she made herself available to me. I'm glad I did it, but I would not rush to do any home case that I think I can't deal with.

[jcsinging]

I started 6 months ago at a state facility for the mentally challenged. We did some clinicals there and I must say that I never would have thought to go there or even known this place existed if we hadn't. I LOVE working there. The clients (residents) are wonderful people who I am very pleased to have gotten to know. Certainly, there are some challenging behaviors, but everyone is someone's favorite. I have learned a staggering amount of nursing working in the medically fragile areas. I am gaining in confidence and still soaking in knowledge like a sponge. The pay is better than I would have received in a nursing home and it is managed very well. (this facility is one of the best in the country). They have a scholarship program for schooling that can't be beat. Anyone can apply for it. I oriented for a month before I was 'cut loose' on the population and there were numerous classes to attend on policy and procedure.
Consider looking into different areas than just nursing homes. I've heard some horror stories about nursing homes...

[bmackd2]

I am just getting ready to start LPN school and I thought I would share what my plans after graduation are.

First of all, before deciding to goto LPN school I checked out all the hospitals I was interested in working in. I called many human relation depts. and found out that the hospitals in my area still utilize LPN's in most every dept. except for critcal care. That was good news. The starting pay rates weren't to bad either.

For myself personally I don't really want to work in LTC. I did that for several years and it is just not my thing. I will do it if I have to but I would rather not.

I really want to work in Med Surg after graduation to gain all the experience that I can. I think if I went right to the psych hosp. that I want to eventually work in I would lose alot of my skills that I learned in school. I am willing to take pay cuts just so I can really learn what I am supposed to be doing.

The State Psych hospital here pays really good for LPN's. I eventually want to work there and take advantage of there scholarship program.

Just my . I feel the more experience we gain the better off we are. Especially if we continue to RN. I am hoping that it will make my schooling a little less grueling.

Good luck to you.

[TheCommuter]

Upon completion of my LVN program, I worked 16 hour weekend double shifts every Saturday and Sunday at a skilled nursing facility while attending school during the week. I always had Monday through Friday off unless I chose to work overtime, and my workplace paid me for 40 hours under the Baylor plan. In my humble opinion, this type of scheduling is a good idea if you'd like to earn full income while continuing your education.

In addition, take the job that interests you as a new grad. While all of my former instructors urged the students to attain 1 year of acute care experience at a hospital, I've done just fine without it. In addition, you can learn these skills later on down the line during an RN program or a refresher course. Good luck with whatever decision you make!

[dfroll]

Hi guys, I just graduated from LPN school on May 2 and most LPN jobs that I have found are asking for 1+ years of experience. Also most of the hospitals where I live are phasing LPN's out at the hospitals. So, for that reason I am looking for a good Nursing Home to work double on the week ends while I go back to school for my RN during the week. Of course, I will take any suggestions because making decisions about my career in nursing is driving me crazy.

dfroll

[PN143]

I am a new grad (Dec 07) from LPN school. I made a mistake and went to work for a doctor's office in Jan. I just quit that job and will start work in a hospital on a med-surg floor. I am very excited and ready to learn. I feel that the doctor's office was a big mistake because I didn't learn enough there, but the hospital is hiring me as a new grad and I hopefully will get caught up on where I need to be on my skills. The doctor's office paid more, but I need the skills worse than money right now.