Confused...should I become an LPN first?

terra105 · Feb 23, 2011

Thanks for the advice everyone!

Dinah77, to answer your question, yes there are a lot of nursing jobs where I live, both LPN and RN. I live in PA and I check all of the local hospitals and nursing home job postings each week.

I really don't know what I want to do, but I've been considering becoming a nurse for years. I'm just impatient and want to get there quick, so thats why I was considering the LPN program. I know that most LPNs here work in nursing homes but is it really that bad?? I've been around elderly people my whole life and I don't think I'd mind working with them. A lot of people say that working in nursing homes is crappy work.

The LPN program that I'm interested in starts this July; however, it is 18 months, Tuesday thru Thursday from 4:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and every other Saturday and Sunday from 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It seems like a long time compared to everyone else's LPN program on here. Also, the whole program costs $14,500.00. Is that a lot for an LPN program? Penn State offers the program, so I guess you're also paying for the name.

There are also a couple RN programs that I have my eyes on but I need to take about 5 prereqs before I can even apply. By the time I get those classes done and get into an RN program, it could take years. Ugh. I'll be 30 this year and I'm just not as patient as I used to be with school.

Sorry to ramble everyone but I'd appreciate everyone's feedback.

CrazyGoonRN · Feb 25, 2011

Thanks for the advice everyone!
Dinah77, to answer your question, yes there are a lot of nursing jobs where I live, both LPN and RN. I live in PA and I check all of the local hospitals and nursing home job postings each week.
I really don't know what I want to do, but I've been considering becoming a nurse for years. I'm just impatient and want to get there quick, so thats why I was considering the LPN program. I know that most LPNs here work in nursing homes but is it really that bad?? I've been around elderly people my whole life and I don't think I'd mind working with them. A lot of people say that working in nursing homes is crappy work.
The LPN program that I'm interested in starts this July; however, it is 18 months, Tuesday thru Thursday from 4:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and every other Saturday and Sunday from 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It seems like a long time compared to everyone else's LPN program on here. Also, the whole program costs $14,500.00. Is that a lot for an LPN program? Penn State offers the program, so I guess you're also paying for the name.
There are also a couple RN programs that I have my eyes on but I need to take about 5 prereqs before I can even apply. By the time I get those classes done and get into an RN program, it could take years. Ugh. I'll be 30 this year and I'm just not as patient as I used to be with school.
Sorry to ramble everyone but I'd appreciate everyone's feedback.

I think it depends on what nursing home you are working for. You can look nursing homes up and see what they were rated on their last inspection. I considered applying at one I had never heard of so I looked it up and it got 1 out of 5 stars on its last inspection. There is no way I was going to apply there! I interviewed at a 5 star facility recently and it was so nice and it was privately owned. The interviewer explained to me that since they are not owned by a coorporation they do not have to wait months to get something when they need it. They tell their owner and she immediatly orders it for them. I think that if you can find a privately owned nursing home then it will probably be a nice place to work at, but always check the ratings (you can google it and easily find it).

A friend of mine who has been an RN for 1 year worked her first nursing job at a local nursing home that dosn't have the best reputation. She said they didn't give her much of an orientation. She said that she was basically left to figure things out on her own most of the time. She did say that she learned a lot of wound care there and a lot about some of the most common medications. So I guess it wasn't all bad.

My LPN program was 5 days a week from 7:45am-2:30pm for 1 year. When were in clinicals the schedule varied. For example, when we were scheduled to do clinicals at the health department we were there from 8am-2pm since they didn't open until 8am. At a local hospital we had clinicals from 6:45am-1:15pm. The LPN program I went through cost approx $5000, but this was at a technical school that only offered diplomas and certificates. The school is basically geared toward adults who want to expand their skills. If you can find a technical school then possibly the tuition might be more affordable. Oh and my school is in Tennessee so that might be another reason for the price difference.

Good luck to you :-)

DogWmn · Feb 25, 2011

As most posters have stated it will depend on you and your own situation, there are lots of paths to get where you are going and now days so many more options.

If you get your LPN first there is also the distance learning option that you also might want to look into and with your prior degree it might be the option that works best for you.

J*Mart · Apr 27, 2011

I have a BS and an MS and have been trying to get into various nursing/PA programs for almost 2 years with no luck. I've been on plenty of interviews for these programs though. Whenever I ask the panel if they think it would be beneficial for me to get my LVN first and bridge they more or less tell me no (some outright others imply it).

They all tell me to spend the time it would take me to go through LVN school and become a CNA instead (for nursing programs), become an EMT (for PA programs), to volunteer more (I already have 400+ hrs), to take over my science pre-reqs and earn more A's (darn you B's!), and to study harder for my entrance tests (TEAS, GRE, etc.).

I don't have a bad science GPA or anything but when your competing with those who have a 4.0 you don't stand a chance with only a couple A's and the rest B's. It all comes down to points in the end.

Not to be Debbie Downer or anything but this has just been my experience. Good luck!

RN_in_the_making · Apr 28, 2011

Weigh all your options and do what fits you best. I applied to all programs, LVN and RN and only got into a LVN program, finished got my liscence started working as a LVN and got into a bridge program all within two years. I worked my current occupation while doing all of this. I am glad I took the route I did there really was no other choice. I did community college because I have a family and couldn't see putting a burden of loan payments on us. I am about to start the LVN to RN bridge and next I will go for my BSN MSN or Doc in Nursing which ever seems a better fit for me, as I have a BS in chemistry already. It took me a long time to figure out what would fulfill me as a career but I think Ive found it. I am glad I became a LVN first because now I am sure nursing is the way for me and two years goes by really fast.

lacrisha hall · May 4, 2011

I personally think it is a great idea for you to become a LPN first! LPNs were designed to be bedside nurses and they receive more clinical time than RNs and RNs were designed to be managers. Not only will you gain an insight as to what this line of work entails but you will gain a tremendous amount of experience. Hope this helps. :)

lacrisha hall · May 4, 2011

I agree!