Advice on 2nd career.....

bluegeegoo2, LPN · Feb 17, 2008

I would probably see how many of my earned credits would apply towards a RN program, and decide from there. I say RN because my personal experience is I just graduated from an LPN program in July '07 and am already signed up to start down the road to being a RN. It has only taken me 2 months of being a licensed nurse to figure out I would rather have the options available to work in a variety of settings as opposed to only long term care or Dr. office's, as I have here (Indiana) as a LPN. Long term care pays the best, but as a new nurse I am "stuck" on 3rd shift. I may be stuck on 3rds as a new RN, but the different areas of practice are appealing to me. It really just depends on what you are willing to do to get where you want to be. I like LTC just fine, but feel rather "trapped" because of the limited variety of jobs available to me here. Other states allow LPN's a much broader scope of practice than Indiana, so it also depends on where you live. And don't worry about what family says. Most of us have families "suggesting" that we go back to school, do this, do that, but the bottom line is that they don't (or can't, or won't) understand where we are in our lives. I'm a 35 (almost 36) year old married mother of 4, but my Mom is trying to talk me into MED SCHOOL for Pete's sake. I smile and nod at the appropriate times and let it go in one ear and out of the other. I know what's right for me and my family, and that's all that matters. And I'm sure you know what's right for you and your son. Hang on to that and do what feels right to you.

RT2RN80 · Feb 17, 2008

I would probably see how many of my earned credits would apply towards a RN program, and decide from there. I say RN because my personal experience is I just graduated from an LPN program in July '07 and am already signed up to start down the road to being a RN. It has only taken me 2 months of being a licensed nurse to figure out I would rather have the options available to work in a variety of settings as opposed to only long term care or Dr. office's, as I have here (Indiana) as a LPN. Long term care pays the best, but as a new nurse I am "stuck" on 3rd shift. I may be stuck on 3rds as a new RN, but the different areas of practice are appealing to me. It really just depends on what you are willing to do to get where you want to be. I like LTC just fine, but feel rather "trapped" because of the limited variety of jobs available to me here. Other states allow LPN's a much broader scope of practice than Indiana, so it also depends on where you live. And don't worry about what family says. Most of us have families "suggesting" that we go back to school, do this, do that, but the bottom line is that they don't (or can't, or won't) understand where we are in our lives. I'm a 35 (almost 36) year old married mother of 4, but my Mom is trying to talk me into MED SCHOOL for Pete's sake. I smile and nod at the appropriate times and let it go in one ear and out of the other. I know what's right for me and my family, and that's all that matters. And I'm sure you know what's right for you and your son. Hang on to that and do what feels right to you.

Thank you so much. This is so hard and depressing, I feel like I'm wasting my life away. Is it possible to get on at an agency as a new LPN?

Jules A, MSN · Feb 17, 2008

Hi,

Do you need your income to support your family? If so I'd probably get a job in one of the fields you listed. You can always start your pre-reqs for nursing part time but at least you won't be falling behind financially. If you don't need the money then sure go ahead and pursue nursing now. Good luck with whatever you decide. Jules