Where to work as an LPN while going for RN?

cursenurse · Dec 28, 2005

I was just wondering where is a good place to work as an LPN while I go to school for my RN? I see many of the RN classes are in the day, so I assume something in the evening? I don't know if I could handle the whole 11pm to 7am shift...that would give me one hour to get to am classes! Likewise, 3-11 would be hard because classes get done at 330! I was thinking of working at a clinic in UC because here in MN they hire LPN's to work in clinics...thing is that hours for UC are quite spotty...a weekend here and there, an evening or two per week. Is it possible to work at 2 different clinics? I'm really trying to AVOID nursing homes and I know that statement will earn me a tongue lashing, but I just finished my first clinical rotation in a LTC and I hated every minute of it. Liked to residents, they were nice (when they were not decking me in the stomach). But...not for me.

hi, i was an lpn for approx 7 years, and went back for my rn. you may not like nursing homes, and i totally understand, but that may be the way to go. i signed with several different agencies, and worked at many different nursing homes to get close to 40 hours a week while i was in school. the good thing about agency is that you can choose your hours. i worked practically every shift (days/aft/mn) in order to make my hours. there were times that i worked 3 different agencies in the same week, sometimes two different agencies in one day. it took a lot of juggling, but i did it, and all the hard work was worth it. since nursing homes are probably the largest user of lpn's, that may be the only way for you to support yourself while in school.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Dec 28, 2005

NH are probably going be the most flexiable with shifts.

I have friends that had worked double shifts on weekends, with weekdays off, totaling to 32 hours a week. Yes, that many hours like that is exhausting, but this freed them up to take any classes any time during the week.

KacyLynnRN · Dec 30, 2005

I was an LPN for a year and a half before I went back for my RN. I worked in a hospital on the medical/surgical floor. They were flexible with shift times, and working on med/surg made clinicals a breeze when I went back for my RN. That year of RN school is hell but SOOOO worth it when you are done! Good luck to you!

:) Kacy

LPNtoRN1967 · Jan 4, 2006

Well....I will agree with you it takes a special person to do NH nursing....I've been an LPN for 8yrs now and knew once I graduated back then that NH setting was not for me....I know at my work place, if you have so many credits under your belt you can work on some floors as a nursing student and just give them the hours you can work and usually they are very flexible.....I thank my lucky stars for landing a job on my unit when I did, because being the only LPN has its advantages for me while I'm continuing my education to become an RN....Also depending on where you work there is a program called the Linc...in which you only work 24hrs but get paid 40hrs....I was just accepted in this program after working fulltime and going to school parttime for several years, which is very time consuming and grueling.....also as someone already stated agency work maybe something to look into.....good luck on finding the right path

luckyangel · Jan 22, 2006

I work home health right now. I have a vent patient that I stay with on the weekends for 12 hour shifts. Having only one patient gives me TONS of study time :) Plus, where I'm at, it pays more

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Jan 23, 2006

My classmate worked the 11pm to 7am shift at a nursing home and always arrived at school on time at 8 o'clock in the morning. She said she always had at least 3 to 4 hours of uninterrupted study time during her work shift since many of her clients were asleep. This girl's grades were some of the highest in class.

Graveyard shifts at a nursing home might not be too bad.