Is becoming a LPN worth it?

Nurses LPN/LVN

Published

Hi everyone!

I need some advice. I have been working hard and am halfway through a LPN program.

I hold a BS in Psychology I received 8 years ago (so nothing counts). I am currently a PCA and although it can be a wonderful job it does not bring home enough to justify putting my kids in daycare. I will be graduating and hopefully passing the state boards this Summer.

Then looking for a job... the question is... will there be a job? I have used all of my resources to do this LPN program and won't have time or money to go higher in my education again. Has it all been a waste? They are saying LPNS are being cut and all of the clinics and hospitals I am familiar with recently said they no longer hire LPNS.

I am terrified. Help! Thanks in advance.

The psych background would make you very marketable in Corrections. Most have their own Mental Health units.

Where are you doing your placements? Start making contacts, develop your networking skills.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
They are saying LPNS are being cut and all of the clinics and hospitals I am familiar with recently said they no longer hire LPNS.
The American Nurses Association proposed an elimination of LPNs back in 1965. Guess what? They're still here in healthcare nearly 50 years later.

You might be disappointed if your heart is dead-set on a job in a clinic or hospital. However, there are LPN opportunities in nursing homes, private duty, home health, doctors offices, hospice, jails, prisons, group homes, developmental disabilities, psychiatric nursing, and other areas.

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It depends where you work. what state you are in. Being an LPN PAYS WELL. but i get treated like a cna. sometimes i get treated like a nurse it all depends what floor i work on. Good luck. being an lpn still makes you a nurse and its worth it if you want to get into the nursing field. i wish you the best of luck.

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I have B.S. in Mass Communication from over 10 years ago. Then decided to go back for my LPN 4 years ago. Fastest option for me at the time. Having both gives me more opportunities in the job market. Instead of just one field. You may decide to get into management. Which they will want someone with a degree. Most Assisted Living and Nursing Home Administrators are not nurses.

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Thanks, after more research and experience since originally writing this post becoming a LPN is absolutely worth it. If you bust your butt you'll find a job, I have found per diem all ready. It is hard, you have to understand that before you make a move. And you have to love it. I appreciate the comments.

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I read this often & wonder if the commenters are writing opinions OR if they know from experience? Obviously in a perfect world we all graduate high school & get right into a BSN program - since in PA philly area it's really necessary now for hospital jobs . BUT I dropped out of RN school following highschool, had a baby & tried to make ends meat at random nursing home / waitress jobs. Because I was early 20s & living on my own it would have been IMPOSSIBLE to take several years off- / so for plan b - LPN program- one year, 12 months- took a short time to find a job & by 23 or 24 with a 3 year old was working a skilled unit - both charge nurse & fill in for the unit managers - with many RNs & LPNS - each of which had some terrible ones & some amazing ones. Honestly I WISH I would have stayed in RN school as it's so hard to find the time off now to afford to take off & I'm feeling trapped at this salary & with limited options. I know it's very hard to find hospice OR ED work as an LPN... BUT , that year was the BEST move I ever made at the time & am now single & still able to always provide for my children (30 now) when a lot of people I know can't alone- so is it a waste? Depends? For me NO! Also I k ow many people who CAN NOT get into RN school - its competitive . But once your an LPN You can bridge easily & I've never seen someone not accepted for the last 2 semesters after testing out of the first 2..LPN is a stepping stone these days- years ago you could work anywhere - but what other woman's career is one year long &your 1st year your making 50k with minimal student loan debt? . I'm ALLL for going right for ASN- actually it's BSN around here now really- BUT I'm also a realist who knows some people do not have the support or financial capability to take several years off ( Bc you really can't work full time during nursing school ) . Another thing is ny mom was an LPN for like 20years - in management & her salary was great, when she graduated RN school if she would have taken the RN salary she would have lost over 10$ an hour- so yea- SKILLED units/ LTC -agency's etc they are usually employed by majority LPNS& I DOUBT so highly we will ever b " phased out" - good luck! The 3 best nurses I've ever met- ones an LPN.ones an RN. & ones a CRNP- all equally as amazing @ what they do

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I'm an LPN working for the federal government. I currently work in a hospital (I'm occasionally pulled to inpatient) and a clinic. It's a rural setting (IHS) so I have more opportunity here. And yes of course it's worth it! I worked very hard for my nursing license and I'm happy to be an LPN. Plus, my program was cheaper than a straight RN program.

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LPNs have been being phased out since my mom started 30 years ago & with closer to a decade myself I am clear we never will be so that myth needs to rest . At least until after the baby boomers, lol

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Why is it when someone asks "what do you do" and you say " I am a nurse", the comeback with RN?, if I knew 15 yrs ago that we weren't considered real nurses I would have had my RN a long time ago. Why have LPN schools if this is how we are portrayed?

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Are we the only profession that is questioned like that? And looked down upon when you say LPN. There are a lot of great CNA's just like LPNs

And just like RNs.

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Specializes in OB, Family Practice, Pediatrics.

This is a really old thread. In my area LPNs were phased out of the hospitals and the push has been for BSNs. However, over the last couple of years clinics and doctors offices have started hiring LPNs again, in place of Medical Assistants. The BLS is also considering LPNs to be a hot career now, because many nurses are retiring and they can't graduate RNs and BSNs fast enough. Most RNs also seemed to be working short-staffed the majority of the time; which would seem to compromise patient care (contrary to their supposed reason for wanting all BSNs). Not sure that LPNs will be re-hired in hospitals, but it seems like they never should have eliminated them to begin with. We have PCTs in the hospitals with the RNs, which are CNAs with additional training; but they have less training than LPNs.

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