From vet tech to lpn

katiemk · Mar 25, 2009

I understand where you're coming from, as I'm in a similar position. I currently work with animals, and I'm debating between going to school for a Vet tech program or an LPN program. I know you haven't been an LPN yet, but maybe you could tell me a little bit about your experience as a vet tech? I'm wondering if the love of animals is worth the pay, job prospects, and tough job requirements...after all, I like helping people too, and although the job requirements would probably be equally tough, the pay and job prospects are much better...

Are you leaning twoards going for LPN at this point, or still debating?

~KelRN~ · Mar 25, 2009

I am in the same boat as you two. I was a vet tech for 8 years, worked in the emergency clinics and regular vet offices. I loved it, but I decided that I really needed a career that I could support myself and my son with if I needed to. It wasn't very hard to choose to apply for LPN school. Good luck with what you choose.

Tiffanytlc · Mar 26, 2009

I have been putting a lot of thought into both vet tech school and lpn school. On one hand I question if I will truly be able to work with people full time, or I know at least that it would take a lot of hard work to get good at it. i love working with animals but I've already gotten bit twice, the pay is low, I have no health insurance, no paid days off, and I'm beginning to get tired. Being an lpn I believe, after lots of experience of course, would be a very rewarding career. and i would be financially stable. I think im leaning towards lpn. I need to make a decision already! one thing that sucks is admission for a local lpn school is not till 2010!!!

tammy07 · Mar 27, 2009

I just left the animal world 2 years ago, I went to lpn school and I have been working in ltc for a year I miss the animals and I still try to do a little bit of that but the pay is a lot better in the human world you can actually do more medically for the animals than you can people the major difference is that people bite harder...LOL

pagandeva2000, LPN · Mar 27, 2009

People are sometimes even LESS thankful than animals. At least with the animals, you can understand...they do not have the capacity to speak, but they show their appreciation with gestures. () Forgive me, I had a bad day...LOL

I have always been curious as to how much vet techs are paid, veternarians as well. You have to find your nitch. I suggest starting for CNA training to get your feet wet while you are applying at different nursing schools and see how it goes.

Jules A, MSN · Mar 27, 2009

People are sometimes even LESS thankful than animals. At least with the animals, you can understand...they do not have the capacity to speak, but they show their appreciation with gestures. () Forgive me, I had a bad day...LOL
I have always been curious as to how much vet techs are paid, veternarians as well. You have to find your nitch. I suggest starting for CNA training to get your feet wet while you are applying at different nursing schools and see how it goes.

Sadly enough a RVT with an associates degree that is almost identical to ADN only makes around $15 an hour in my area. If you work for a speciality you can get up in the low $20s per hour but thats really it. I've done both and if I could make the money with the animals thats where I'd be.

Tiffanytlc · Mar 28, 2009

thanks to everyone for the replies...i was hoping people wouldn't bite!! I work for a very small aniaml hospital, no benefits whatsoever, i was roped in and told i would get raises, but no such luck!...i believe that human patients will be appreciative when the nurse feels confident in her field...but even if the patient is difficult nurses have to take it with a grain of salt, and know they are just trying to help.

Tiffanytlc · Mar 28, 2009

it is a very interesting job, i learn so much about the medical aspect of animals, yet i work for a small company, and i have to clean cages even when i dont feel like it, i have to answer phones, check people out, basically run the show, surgery assistant, etc. I am not certified yet, b/c I am still debating, animals or people. I would say lpn is a more stable career.

Jules A, MSN · Mar 29, 2009

i have to clean cages even when i dont feel like it, i have to answer phones, check people out, basically run the show,

Hmmmm sounds surprisingly similar to what I do as a RN also.

musickeys · Mar 30, 2009

Hi all,

I have been a vet tech for 21 years - - I LOVE what I do and I know that I have made a difference. I have felt that my calling was in this area. However, I must say that after 21 years I am STILL not making $15 an hour (that's about right for some of the PA areas - - mostly the reason I think is because there are no laws stating that you must be certified so the pay is pulled down for everyone as many vets still like to hire and train.) As much as I love this job, I am forty-ish and, although married, have basically no retirement of my own. I work 5 days a week but am part time because I work mostly evening shifts of 6 hours per shift. I want to put my kids through college and find that should I ever have to survive on my own, I could not on my salary. For those of you contemplating LPN vs vet tech school some words of wisdom I have gained over the years: The common story that I have found at my clinic is that even the techs that are full time, have no children and nobody to support but themselves cannot make it on their own. One young girl can't afford to move out of her parent's home and is even working an extra job on top of full time teching - - something is wrong with that!!!! But...that may be the area in which I live - - if you can move to a more urban area or specialty hospital, that may be much more lucrative. I am finding that after all of these years, I am seriously looking at transitioning into human medicine. It took me several years to work through my prereqs - - I even took my first RN clinical and passed but had to unfortunately put education on hold because I have 2 small children and I have to continue to work a lot to put myself through (was exhausted). I am looking at perhaps doing the LPN course because they will let me transfer my clinical over and finish over the Summer (much more feasible with kids) and then someday perhaps I can finish RN. I love geriatric people too so LPN would give me a wonderful opportunity to work with elderly clients. I am like most of you vet techs though wondering how much I will miss the animal world - - as you know, in vet teching you: pull blood, then run your own bloodwork and do cytologic analyses, install caths, take rads, intubate everything from kitten size to great dane size (often just with a light, a tube and a hemostat!! LOL - no fancy instruments for us!! - - must be harder with people - don't know), you then anesthetize, monitor anesthesia, surgical assist, medicate, etc. etc. - - it's so very sad that the job is not very lucrative - - it's never dull that's for sure!!. I tell myself that perhaps I can become a nurse and then volunteer to help animals since that was my first calling. I have to tell you that if you are a vet tech, the nursing clinicals are much easier because you already are familiar with drugs and all the other stuff (just always keeping everything separate in your mind can be a little tricky :0) I guess I posted here because after all these years I am worried (down right scared) too about making the move away from teching (my comfort zone) into nursing but it sounds like we are all a little concerned about financial security too.

PS do any of you vet techs thinking of becoming nurses also worry about the radiation that you may absorb by taking so many rads in vet-teching (I do and that's another reason I am thinking of leaving - - even though we have lead aprons, gloves, thyroid prot, we still have to stay and hold the animals at the beam - didn't used to bother me - now that I'm older - it does - ugh). What are your thoughts ???

sorry for rambling

Tiffanytlc · Mar 31, 2009

yes i do worry, i had to get my breast checked for a lump recentlyand it made me tighten up my lead apron so they would not be exposed at all. this makes me feel bad for my last vet tech job, the aprons were so old and worn out that they were probably not doing their job of protecting!