Help with my approach to a career in nursing

World Canada

Published

Hi,

I've been working as a hospital clerk for about 3 years now and I have decided to pursue a career in nursing - ER nurse in particular. I've grown to appreciate what nurses do and realize that there is more to nursing than just "wiping butts." I've especially grown interest in triaging, and would like to become one in the future - to be an excellent triage nurse. I'm well aware that nursing school is very challenging and, knowing my learning habits, I need to be doing something in repetition in order to excel in whatever it is that I am doing. So i've decided to start off by applying for a spot in a Practical Nursing Program. After finishing an LPN diploma I will gain a bit of experience before applying for the LPN-RN bridging program. I do plan to work as an LPN and and RN at the same time.

I've done my research and my options are (stenberg college, CDI, Sprott shaw, Vancouver community college, or the Norquest distance LPN program.) I'm well aware of the bad reputation that private colleges have (CDI, Stenberg, Sprott Shaw) because of their high tuition costs and lack of proper training, but my question is - if I were to attend one of these private colleges, how badly would the quality of training affect my performance once i'm in the field? Is it really the school's fault for developing poorly trained students or is it the student? From experience, i've always had the tendency to ask unique and important questions during hands on practice or preceptor ships and I've had experience with average performance in class but do really well in practicums. If I do well in my preceptorship then would it really make a significant impact on my chances of landing a job?

I guess my main question is, how will the school that I attend affect me? Some people are telling me that if I had to choose between CDI or sprott shaw, to go to sprott shaw... but what difference does it make? Theyre both private colleges and they both have bad reputation when it comes to training their students. I'm honestly leaning more towards CDI college just because its 5 minutes away from my home and tuition is about the same as SS and Stenberg. Unfortunately VCC has too long of a waitlist for both their RN program and LPN program, which is why I'm leaning more towards the private colleges.

If anyone has any input it would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you very much,

Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

Private schools tend to just want your money. I would check out NCLEX passing rates for any school. You cannot work as an LPN and an RN at the same time.

Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.

If people know that a school is bad it could make it hard finding a job because people assume things about your education.

No, bad schools are bad schools, it's generally not the students. A lot of the for profit & private schools don't give a flying carp how their students do once they have your money.

Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

Yes. Good point. Going to a school with a bad rep could affect getting a job. In today's market you need every edge you can get. Mainland BC is a terrible market for new grads.

Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Moved to the Nursing in Canada forum

You cannot work as an LPN and an RN at the same time.

If you are licensed as both, you can work as a PN for one employer and a RN for another employer.

Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
If you are licensed as both, you can work as a PN for one employer and a RN for another employer.

But wouldn't you held to your highest licensure? An RN can work as a CNA but will still be held accountable as an RN should anything go wrong. Just sounds like a bad idea.

But wouldn't you held to your highest licensure? An RN can work as a CNA but will still be held accountable as an RN should anything go wrong. Just sounds like a bad idea.

Yes, they are held accountable to the higher level, but it is fairly common for a PN-RN grad to work a permanent PN job and work a casual RN job until they can obtain a permanent RN job. In addition, working both jobs is the only way they can maintain both licenses.

Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
Yes, they are held accountable to the higher level, but it is fairly common for a PN-RN grad to work a permanent PN job and work a casual RN job until they can obtain a permanent RN job. In addition, working both jobs is the only way they can maintain both licenses.

Still seems dangerous to me. I wouldn't work under any license but my highest. It only takes one accident, one irritated patient, one horrible doctor, etc to ruin both licenses.

OP, have you run the tuition numbers from the private college compared to the BScN fees at Langara or Douglas or BCIT?

I think both career wise & expenditure wise it would make more sense to keep working as clerk right now, start working on your pre-req's and apply to the BScN programs / get on the waitlists at the big public schools. I wouldn't spend that much money at the private colleges with dubious reputations for a paper which really isn't your end goal anyway.

Still seems dangerous to me. I wouldn't work under any license but my highest. It only takes one accident, one irritated patient, one horrible doctor, etc to ruin both licenses.

The OP is in Canada, most Canadian nurses who read their licensing body's discipline decisions know in order to ruin their license it typically takes; a serious breach of the nursing practice act, a/or professional misconduct, or fraud, or a criminal conviction etc.

Yup, the only person I've ever heard of losing her licence lost it due to lack of hours worked. Not for the narc she stole, abused, and got sent to rehab for.

Being downright dangerous and almost senile? Still fit to practice. Because nobody wants to copilot the documentation and submit it to CARNA because it would hurt the Rn in questions feelings. So, scheduled to work the quiet shifts with 'strong' nurses. I mud you not.

CDI graduates were so poorly prepared that CLPNA forbid them to function as a PN programme here

+ Add a Comment