Advice Needed. RN, LPN, Schools...Life Track?

[oONightFireOo]

good afternoon...

i am brand new to this forum, but have been looking around at different questions/responses for the past few weeks. after researching and researching - i think that i have managed to get into a place where i am not making any new progress... so here i am... needing advice/recommendations.

i am very interested in obtaining an r.n. i currently have an associates degree in human services management, and for the past 6 years, have been working for one of the nation's largest non-profit mental health organizations. i worked as a substance abuse counselor for dually diagnosed individuals (mental illness and substance abuse) - and also opened all of the treatment teams we have across the state. i want to focus on psych-nursing... as i love their mental health field!!

so i have expierenced working in the field of study, but i want a r.n so badly that it's not even funny! i have spent hours researching every single night, and now have the following issues...

1.) so far, the shortest waiting list that i have managed to find is 3 years...

2.) even after accepted, many of the schools that i have been looking at (in nc) require full-time (which i am fine with), day classes and clinicals (which i'd be hard pressed for, as i have tons of bills, a mortgage, and so on).

i have looked into every r.n certified program under the nclex within a 3 hour radius... and still end up with the same type of situation. now while i am willing to be patient (somewhat) - i don't want to wait another decade to be a part of the field that i have always yearned to be in.

i also need to expand on my education - and was just accepted into florida tech. today in their information systems technology program (they're in the top 7% of us colleges and universities... and most of my background is now in it). but - while i do enjoy it related fields... i desire and want to be in human services and working with the public in a setting that would allow me to use my skills to help people.

i have found that the local ecpi campus does offer an lpn degree - but originally wanted to go directly for an rn. but with an lpn, i can also take lpn-rn degree programs through online schools, and while i know that may not be beneficial, i think that i could do that much faster then having to wait on an enormous waiting list.

so my questions are:

1.) does anyone know of any specific schools in nc that i could take evening classes or be more flexible with in terms of keeping my full-time job as well?

2.) does anyone know of any programs that don't have such incredible long waiting lists?

3.) should i just go for an lpn to start with then turn around and do a lpn to rn program? are there any good ones out there?

i'd also appreciate any and all recommendations - especially stories on how you entered the field, and suggestions regarding how to balance everything, getting admitted into nursing schools and so on...

i know that this has been an extremely long post (sorry!!!) i'm just a little lost now and looking for advice and suggestions regarding what i should be looking at now.

thanks in advance for your responses!

~kevin

[Spiderella]

I had a friend in Portland that wanted to join nursing. The wait list was 3 years, so he decided to go to a coastal college...in a less populated area, about 3 hours from Portland or any major city. He got in, and got his license in 2 years...and was out before he colleagues had even gotten in. If you can relocate to a different area, somewhere that isn't a huge city, or try a private school, you might have more luck.

as for your other ??? regarding LPN versus RN...I will always advocate getting an RN degree. Although many plan to use the LPN as a stepping stone the truth is that once they graduate, few people ever finish up. They start working, love making the money and stay in that niche. Becoming an RN gives you a wider platform of impact, especially in the mental health field.

Good luck!

[vanillavirtue]

Well, at most schools the LPN programs are from 7 a.m to 3p.m. I would suggest for you to go on and do the RN program, because at least you could possibly work a job part-time with the RN program (since you said you had bills to pay). The LPN program's day schedule is too long. Also, I have heard many nurses say that the LPN program is harder than the RN, and they wished they just did the RN program first instead of doing the LPN to ADN bridge program. Are you married? If you are, at least you have someone able to foot most of the bills while you are in school and any part-time income you bring in would be supplemental income. Also, you mentioned that you were thinking about the IT field. There are a lot of job openings in IT. I just got accepted into the RN program for the Fall and still trying to decide if I want to do it. I have a week to decide to take the program slot. I have bills as well, and I"m in the process of trying to think of a job that would be able to cover all my expenses and still leave time for studying. Anyway, good luck with your decision.