Need Advice! school with wife, I was accepted she wasn't

fergus51 · Aug 8, 2005

If you can do the RN, do the RN. LPNs are great, but there is no point in limiting yourself to fewer job opportunities if you don't have to.

LexieLPN · Aug 8, 2005

I'm assuming the LPN is a one year program and the RN is a two. How hard will it be for you to get into the RN program in a year? If you do the LPN program with your wife will you be able to then bridge to the RN program and finish up on the same time schedule? If you do the LPN program with your wife, besides the extra emotional support for both of you will another benefit be that you be able to save on some expenses (ie books) as well? How is your relationship with your wife? Do you guys do well with a lot of time spent together, will there be a "competition" factor that could help or hurt things?

Personally, if this were me.... if I could exit school with my RN in the same time frame and be reasonably assured that I would be able to get into the RN program again then I would go the LPN route with my spouse. If on the other hand you're talking about sacrificing the RN completely in order to the do the LPN with your wife I'd advise against that. You can still be a great source of support and encouragement to each other even though you're not physically in the same program... after all they will be very, very similar.

Any other opinions?

hotdog19d · Aug 8, 2005

Well she plans to bridge over, after receiving her LPN. Her long term goal is to become an RN. My long term goal is to continue with school, and possibly attend medical school/masters something along those lines.

On one hand it just seems more logical for me to just go ahead and do the LPN with her. We work great together and that was our intial plan. On the other, it seems sort of like a waste for me to stop short, esepecially with the school only accepting 4 LPN's to bridge. I'm afraid that if we both start the LPN programs, thats what we'll stay for the rest of our lives.

raynefall · Aug 8, 2005

I would definitely go for the RN. I'm sure you know how hard it is to get into nursing school, so why give up the chance when you're accepted? My advice is go for your RN and get it over with.

Catys_With_Me · Aug 8, 2005

Well she plans to bridge over, after receiving her LPN. Her long term goal is to become an RN. My long term goal is to continue with school, and possibly attend medical school/masters something along those lines.
On one hand it just seems more logical for me to just go ahead and do the LPN with her. We work great together and that was our intial plan. On the other, it seems sort of like a waste for me to stop short, esepecially with the school only accepting 4 LPN's to bridge. I'm afraid that if we both start the LPN programs, thats what we'll stay for the rest of our lives.

Okay if they only take 4 LPNs to bridge then I would definitely do the RN. Take it while you've got it. Lexie's right you and your wife can encourage and support each other just fine even though you won't be in the same program. YOu're going to be doing coursework and clinicals that are similar, you're going to have a lot to talk about and a lot you'll be able to help each other on. Stay with the RN.

hotdog19d · Aug 9, 2005

Okay if they only take 4 LPNs to bridge then I would definitely do the RN. Take it while you've got it. Lexie's right you and your wife can encourage and support each other just fine even though you won't be in the same program. YOu're going to be doing coursework and clinicals that are similar, you're going to have a lot to talk about and a lot you'll be able to help each other on. Stay with the RN.

Thats true that they only take 4, but we could always apply at other schools.

texas_lvn · Aug 9, 2005

Well, what has your wife to say about it? Is the main reason you are considering LPN is because you do not want to hurt her or is there another reason? If you plan on getting a higher degree, go for the RN. I am an LVN (Texas), and do not regret it one bit, but now that I am going back to school, it is taking me longer than if I would have just went straight into RN. None of the LVN classes account for anything toward the RN except experience.

hotdog19d · Aug 9, 2005

My wife wants me to do the LPN with her, because she feels that she needs the encouragement to make it throught the program.

Danelle · Aug 9, 2005

At my school, the RN's and LPN's take the same classes the first 2 semesters, and then the third lpn semester is different, as it is their last, and the rn's move on to their second year.

If this is the case at your school, then you would be with her two out of three of her semesters anyway.

Besides, the knowledge you will gain as an RN will be invaluable to her when she starts working toward her RN, and the encouragement you can give her will be far more valuable as she can see that it is possible, and becoming an RN is a realistic goal, because she watched you do it.

hotdog19d · Aug 9, 2005

At my school, the RN's and LPN's take the same classes the first 2 semesters, and then the third lpn semester is different, as it is their last, and the rn's move on to their second year.
If this is the case at your school, then you would be with her two out of three of her semesters anyway.
Besides, the knowledge you will gain as an RN will be invaluable to her when she starts working toward her RN, and the encouragement you can give her will be far more valuable as she can see that it is possible, and becoming an RN is a realistic goal, because she watched you do it.

We never thought of that! Thank You!! We'll have to ask the school tommorow.

Princess74 · Aug 9, 2005

I would not turn down that spot in the RN program. I'm sure your wife will be just fine taking the LPN program without you. She has to do it on her own anyway, you will not be by her side 24/7 once she starts working as a nurse. Yes I'm sure it would be great to do it all together but it seems thats not the way that things have turned out. I think it would be very selfish of her to hold you back and you may both regret it later on down the road. I am very sorry that she did not get accepted also. I know that puts you in a bad position.