be honest....

[dsanto3]

Hello everyone,

Just wondering if it is any easier going LPN to RN than if I were just starting with RN. I will graduate my LPN in 3 months and I'm planning (and super excited) to enroll right away for my RN. I know it will be hard and I'm used to having no life, but I was wondering if anyone found it a little easier because of having the LPN knowledge first or if it doesn't matter and it will still be tough?

I would appreciate your honesty because I was in the accelerated program for LPN and my life was basically HELL for the entire time. Class every day from 8 to 3. Actually, I had no life and every day we had 3 tests to study for and I studied 8 hours a night. I hoped since college is a little more spread out that I might find it easier.

I am asking because I was trying determine if I would be able to maintain a full time job and full time schedule or if it would be too difficult.

Any input would be happily accepted. I love to hear your stories and advice. Thanks so much.:rcgtku:

[Lost In Transition]

Well, I'm going to give you both sides of the story. I had been an LPN for 6 years when I decided to go back for the transition. The pros of being an LPN: you do have a great knowledge base to build on, you are looked up to by the regular RN students, you can work during your RN schooling if need be (I don't recommend it once your in the actual mud of the nsg courses), and often employers will pay for your RN if you agree to work for them as an LPN and when you finish RN school for a certain pd of time.

Now, there are also cons... I'm still paying on my student loans from LPN school on top of what I will need to pay back when I graduate (I've wasted A LOT of money!). I am expected in clinicals to "teach" regular RN students who don't have experience and I feel I'm missing out on my own clinical experiences. My school, and many others, would not take my LPN schools credits for prereqs and everything else....so I spent 1 year in LPN school and now I'm in my 3rd year of RN school with one more to go!!!! I could have gone in 4 years and had my BSN but I will only have an associates degree. 2 years of prereqs as an RN was never explained to me when I signed up for this school.

However, it's all in personal preference really. I can say I could have, should have, would have done things differently but the fact is that it is what it is. My situation was that when I graduated LPN school I was 19 years old, I was just excited to be able to be a nurse and start life. I bought a house and ended up meeting my husband ( a funeral director who had to come for one of my patients), we had a baby together. If I would not have been an LPN, I would have none of those blessings in my life right now.

My advice, do what you feel is right in your heart. The truth is that the answer is not the same for everyone. Good luck to you.:heartbeat

[dsanto3]

Dear Lost,

Thanks so much for sharing your experience. I was just in the offices of my LPN school getting a letter to give to my college that I will be attending in the fall. They specifically stated that RN is a two year program. I showed them the paper that showed "actual nursing classes" as 2 years and the prereq's additional time. They said I must be misunderstanding it...."ADN for RN is only 2 years total.

I knew in my heart that this isn't so, and that it will take me much longer, but I guess I wanted to believe them. {{Sigh}} after reading your post I know now that it will take much longer, especially if I can't go full time and if I need remedial math (I've forgotten all my algebra, high school was 20 years ago).

I truly would love to be done and enjoy my evenings at home relaxing after a hard day at work instead of more studying, but I know if I don't do it now, I never will. Thanks for the encouragement.

PS, I see your specialty is OB/GYN. Are you in a doctors office? Is the pay a lot less or is it comparable?

[Lost In Transition]

I understand, I think that all of the schools try to make it sound so easy just to sell it to you. I'm learning it's all about the $ wherever you go to school. Yes, I have been an OB/GYN office nurse most of my LPN career. I very much love prenatal care and getting to know the girls throughout their pregnancies... they really remember you later and send pics of their little ones. There is a lot of trust building in that specialty. I loved office nursing for many reasons mostly because the hours are perfect if you have a family, can't ask for much more than weekends and holidays off! You become an "office family" with other employees and the doctors because you spend so much time together. Also, I for one prefer not caring for the critically ill. I like to help people and see them on their way- hopefully better than when they came in. The money was considerably less than hospital nursing. I was maxed out at about $14.00/hr. In my area (very small town) that pay is hard to find in an office. Average is about (10.00-12.00).

RN's have a lot of trouble finding office jobs because doctors generally don't want to pay an RN. I worked with an RN in our OB/GYN office who made about $20/hr. Usually specialists are about the only ones who may have an RN on staff.

I plan to continue with hospital based OB care- probably more the L&D side rather than nursery but who knows.

Sorry I get so excited about nursing stuff I ramble on and on. I do have to share with you this though. Because I am and have been a student I know how difficult and exhausting it can be. If you ever need a little "pick me up" or begin to question why you chose nursing, go to Johnson & Johnson's website and watch some of their nursing videos. They are pretty short I PROMISE you by the end you will be so inspired and crying if your like me! Discovernursing.com

[dsanto3]

I too would love to work in an office, but it's the pay that is discouraging. I love the hours also, I'd like to be on a more "regular" schedule LOL. I too would love to do OB, but there are no LPN's in that field in hospitals.

Thanks for the tip on the website. I will definitely check it out! :rcgtku:

[TashaLPN2006RN2012, ASN, RN]

Hi there just wanted to chime in! I havent acutally started my LPN to RN program but i thought i'd give another spin on things! I opted to go to a Private school for my LPN to RN...it will only take 15 months from start to finish and they did take a few of my classes from the LPN program as well as some pre-req's i had from WAY back lol...I have struggled with the decision as to whether to work or not too. My MIL told me to take one or two PRN jobs (Hospice and a Home Health Agency) so that if one didnt have enough shifts for me i could always pick up at the other place. Plus my first job out of LPN schoo was Home Health and i loved it! And as far as on your resume Med-Surg being more "marketable" than Home Health, that's NOT entirely true. My Home Health experiance helped me land an acute care job at the hospital (i ended up turing it down though d/t being preggo at the time) here in TX, and the reason i got the offer over the other nurses was because they were impressed on my ability to assess patients and work independantly and handling emergencies. Whey you are private dute or a traveling nurse you have to be stong in those area's! I also got a lot of wound care experiance that i would not have gotten had i not been a home health nurse. anyway....i just want to get school out of the way so giong to a private RN school is a better option for me an my family. While my husband is deployed, i go to school, i did this the last deployment and go my LPN now i will do so again and get my RN *hopefully* =) good luck in your choice and have fun!

[TashaLPN2006RN2012, ASN, RN]

Oh forgot to add, i'm going to try to work PRN mostly weekends only so i can focus on school during the week...LPN school was 8-5 Mon- Fri, then when clinicals started it was 7-330 M, Tue, and 8a-5p W- Fri so i never worked duing th week..this school will be much the same but worth it!