Am I Too Old To Go Back To School?

elaine6399 · Mar 10, 2014

I have been taken off the floor at the hospital I worked at as an LPN for twenty years. The "acute care" settings have slowly dwindled their use of the LPN down. Drastic? Yes. Do RNs like that? Yes & No. Yes because the RN doesn't have to deal with large teams, and no because as they have 5-6 patients on their own with one tech for the floor wishing for the LPN to be resurrected again since we do know what were doing and can help. (Long sentence, right?) I went back to school at this "older" age because of wanting to become an RN and stay in acute care. At 50, and 30 years as an LPN, I feel so let down. I'm a unit clerk now, trying to go to school but really angry about it. Does that make sense? :mad:

pookyp, LPN · Mar 11, 2014

I have been taken off the floor at the hospital I worked at as an LPN for twenty years. The "acute care" settings have slowly dwindled their use of the LPN down. Drastic? Yes. Do RNs like that? Yes & No. Yes because the RN doesn't have to deal with large teams and no because as they have 5-6 patients on their own with one tech for the floor wishing for the LPN to be resurrected again since we do know what were doing and can help. (Long sentence, right?) I went back to school at this "older" age because of wanting to become an RN and stay in acute care. At 50, and 30 years as an LPN, I feel so let down. I'm a unit clerk now, trying to go to school but really angry about it. Does that make sense?[/quote']
This is sad. I was a unit clerk at a hospital in 2008 when my hospital started getting rid of LPN's for magnet status. I used to be kind of upset because the LPN's started taking my hours! But I felt so bad for them. To go from a nurse one day and answering phones another.
A lot of LPN's didn't leave. Less work and still got paid their lpn wage. From what I hear, they're still there today either as a unit clerk or a tech.

elaine6399 · Mar 11, 2014

@ pookyp, The hospital cut my pay by $5.00/hr, and all the LPNs that became techs took major paycuts as well. Some of them older than me went back to school with a lot of ill feelings toward the hospital. They were promised their position back as a nurse on the floor, replacing themselves as the RN, but that was revoked as well. I went back to school to obtain my RN, but I am 50 years old with 30 years experience ass an LPN. I am so sad, aggrevated and felt lied to as new management took over. I don't know that I would be an RN here, but would look forward to another position somewhere else.

DLS62 · Mar 15, 2014

Believe in yourself. I am 63 and attend online and on campus classes. You can do it,

You will have obstacles but stay focused over come any obstacles. NEVER GIVE UP.

Good Luck.

elaine6399 · Mar 15, 2014

@DLS62 Thank you very much. Sometimes it is discouraging when I study and can't remember what I learned a month back. I keep telling myself that I'm not the only one. I sure want to do this. and I am hoping that I succeed. :cheeky: