Any Regrets?

Nurses LPN/LVN

Published

Hi...Im wondering if any of the LPNs that are going for their RN regret that they didnt just do the RN right off the bat....I would really appreciate some feedback because im thinking on going to LPN school in February (no waiting list...lol yessss).

i worked as a lpn for 3 years before going back to rn school. i am glad that i went to lpn school first. i learned alot and came into rn school alot more confident. i have absolutley no regrets going to lpn first.

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Down the road, I don't think quitting an ADN program for a LPN program will serve you well. It can be difficult to interrupt your life to go back to school later.

If you like you can work now as a tech on weekends or during summer break. You will be doing plenty of patient care as a tech without all the paperwork nurses have to deal with.

I love this quote. I am currently in the ADN program but am thinking of going into the LPN program instead. I've been a SAHM for the past 7 years, so work of any kind would be a welcome break from being stuck at home. Everyone talks about how LPN's get the dirty work and much less pay. Right now, I'm not getting ANY pay. My hubby is the breadmaker. So even $5/hr would be more than what I'm making. My DREAM is to become a nurse. I want to help others. I want to be that nurse that a patient will remember. I want to touch lives.

I just don't know what to do, but you saying how you do what you love was an inspiration to me. I just wish I wasn't still so confused. I've been a SAHM for this long, so if I just go for LPN and decide to go back to school at a latter time won't be a big deal.

What to do.....what to do......what to do.....

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:chuckle

Hi, I just graduated LPN school on December 9th anyd I am currently working at a small hospital in Florida on the Med/Surg floor. I love it. I have no regrets about becomming a LPN first because I am just as much a nurse as any RN, BSN etc. I have wanted to be a nurse since I was very little and circumstance prevented that until now. LPN takes one year and your a Nurse! You might not make the salary that a RN does, but if your going into nursing for the money then perhaps it isnt the right job for you. Dont get me wrong, I do plan to go on for my RN, but at a slow pace..if it takes me 4 years at 1 class a semester then so be it, Im already a nurse doing what I love, having more money to do that job will be a added bonus , but my heart is in the care of the patients, a RN can do some things we cant , but taking the joy I feel as a LPN away is never going to be one of them. Good Luck to you, no matter what you decide! :nurse:
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Good Job.hang In There.

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Pre-Student here! I am hoping to start school this fall. The boat I am in at the moment is trying to decide which route to take I have 3 options before me.

1. BSN at the University

Upside being I want BSN, I want the opportunities of advancement that come with BSN.

Downfall is all the prereqs required before I can even apply to the nursing program. I have been out of school since 92 and past SAT/ACTs are no longer available nor accepted. I would basically have to start from scratch with the pre-reqs and I know I need a major refresher with math which is not a strong point for me. So in my mind I would have to add 1 or 2 extra years to my studies before I could even apply to the program which in itself is extremly hard to get into due to ammount of people applying.

2. ADN through the community college.

Upside, this is a very good program and locally the pay rate and work is virtually the same for RN as it is for BSN. Only limitations are those positions you are not allowed by law unless you have the BSN.

Downfall..this program is also very highly sought and hard to get into to. I am hearing from some that this program is even harder to be accepted and extremely demanding more so that the university. Normally they only accept 60 students per year and on average over 150+ apply.

3. LPN to ADN to BSN

Upside, the LPN school is 24 months. There are several schools I could choose from one being the technical college and another being the accelerated program through one of the hospitals here (both very good programs) After getting LPN I can immediatly apply to the ADN at the community college. LPN have priority admissions to the program over new students and can test out the first year. Though I still have the same pre-reqs as university this school has more options for refresher courses in less time it would take at the university. From ADN testing for the RN and with RN I can (if i choose) pursue the BSN through Unniversity of Phoenix which has an actual campus here in my city and offers the RN to BSN and BSN to Masters and so on. Or test for advanced placement in the university in the BSN program. OR...do the online thing.

Downside, is i hear mixed reviews from people who were LPN's first. But in the same page I just spoke with a family friend that just so happens is starting school this fall going this route. This same route was suggested to her by several nurses that wished they would have done the same. And she is actually the one who suggested I rethink the university route for the LPN to ADN.

Another upside the LPN or ADN routes are in the event I can not get into the nursing programs due to high demand I can always use the pre-reqs i will have to take to apply to the respiritory therapy program or another 2 year medical program. I also like the idea of being able to start working faster as an LPN. More experience in my opinion can only help me in the long run.

So, anyway I am more confused and scared now than I was when I first decided I wanted to pursue nursing. And, my biggest reason for wanting the BSN is I want the opportunity to move further up and possibly pursing nurse practitioner if I choose to do so in the future. The most logical route is the straight forward route but may not be the best route for me to take considering family life, time ive been out of school, ammount of pre-reqs, pre-testings, etc i will have to go through before even being able to apply and not guarenteed that my time preparing will result in me getting accepted just due to the ammount of people they can accept compared to the ammounts who apply each year.

So as you can see I have some pretty major decisions to make and not much time to make them if I plan to make the fall entrance.

Steph

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I love this quote. I am currently in the ADN program but am thinking of going into the LPN program instead. I've been a SAHM for the past 7 years, so work of any kind would be a welcome break from being stuck at home. Everyone talks about how LPN's get the dirty work and much less pay. Right now, I'm not getting ANY pay. My hubby is the breadmaker. So even $5/hr would be more than what I'm making. My DREAM is to become a nurse. I want to help others. I want to be that nurse that a patient will remember. I want to touch lives.

I just don't know what to do, but you saying how you do what you love was an inspiration to me. I just wish I wasn't still so confused. I've been a SAHM for this long, so if I just go for LPN and decide to go back to school at a latter time won't be a big deal.

What to do.....what to do......what to do.....

Here are a few facts that may or may not help.

1) LPN school is shorter , and dont let that make you think ( or anyone else I might add ) it isnt tough and challenging, but in a year , you are a NURSE.

2.) There are options for earning your degree for RN at home once you are a LPN, which means no more time away from family. This route isnt for everyone, but still an option.

3.) Traditional bridge over programs are shorter and require less pre reqs, another option.

4.) RN degree typically takes 3 years full time, at the end you are a NURSE.

if you need or just want to get into nursing because it is what you truely want and the money would help a great deal, then LPN takes far less time.

You have to make your decision based on your wants, needs and those of your family. As you have seen, I am very honored and feel very blessed to be a LPN. Each day I work , I am thankfull. Thankfull for finally having the courage to do it, a supportive family, and a good LOrd that saw me through each step and continues to guide me through my love of nursing and new found respect I have for myself. Good Luck to you. No matter what you decide, stay with it. Nursing is so rewarding. NOt always pleasant, but worth it.

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Pre-Student here! I am hoping to start school this fall. The boat I am in at the moment is trying to decide which route to take I have 3 options before me.

1. BSN at the University

Upside being I want BSN, I want the opportunities of advancement that come with BSN.

Downfall is all the prereqs required before I can even apply to the nursing program. I have been out of school since 92 and past SAT/ACTs are no longer available nor accepted. I would basically have to start from scratch with the pre-reqs and I know I need a major refresher with math which is not a strong point for me. So in my mind I would have to add 1 or 2 extra years to my studies before I could even apply to the program which in itself is extremly hard to get into due to ammount of people applying.

2. ADN through the community college.

Upside, this is a very good program and locally the pay rate and work is virtually the same for RN as it is for BSN. Only limitations are those positions you are not allowed by law unless you have the BSN.

Downfall..this program is also very highly sought and hard to get into to. I am hearing from some that this program is even harder to be accepted and extremely demanding more so that the university. Normally they only accept 60 students per year and on average over 150+ apply.

3. LPN to ADN to BSN

Upside, the LPN school is 24 months. There are several schools I could choose from one being the technical college and another being the accelerated program through one of the hospitals here (both very good programs) After getting LPN I can immediatly apply to the ADN at the community college. LPN have priority admissions to the program over new students and can test out the first year. Though I still have the same pre-reqs as university this school has more options for refresher courses in less time it would take at the university. From ADN testing for the RN and with RN I can (if i choose) pursue the BSN through Unniversity of Phoenix which has an actual campus here in my city and offers the RN to BSN and BSN to Masters and so on. Or test for advanced placement in the university in the BSN program. OR...do the online thing.

Downside, is i hear mixed reviews from people who were LPN's first. But in the same page I just spoke with a family friend that just so happens is starting school this fall going this route. This same route was suggested to her by several nurses that wished they would have done the same. And she is actually the one who suggested I rethink the university route for the LPN to ADN.

Another upside the LPN or ADN routes are in the event I can not get into the nursing programs due to high demand I can always use the pre-reqs i will have to take to apply to the respiritory therapy program or another 2 year medical program. I also like the idea of being able to start working faster as an LPN. More experience in my opinion can only help me in the long run.

So, anyway I am more confused and scared now than I was when I first decided I wanted to pursue nursing. And, my biggest reason for wanting the BSN is I want the opportunity to move further up and possibly pursing nurse practitioner if I choose to do so in the future. The most logical route is the straight forward route but may not be the best route for me to take considering family life, time ive been out of school, ammount of pre-reqs, pre-testings, etc i will have to go through before even being able to apply and not guarenteed that my time preparing will result in me getting accepted just due to the ammount of people they can accept compared to the ammounts who apply each year.

So as you can see I have some pretty major decisions to make and not much time to make them if I plan to make the fall entrance.

Steph

WOW! 24 months to be a LPN? that is twice as long as it took me . What state are you in?

Here in FL, it takes one year and there is NO difference IF

Those degrees are great to have if they are for you, but if your goal is to be a nurse, go for your LPN and work up or straight for RN and then go on if you need to.

So may options huh?? Good LUck,

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I have to admit sometimes I do regret becoming an LVN. This year will be my 10 year anniversay in nursing and I am now finishing up a couple of classes to become an RN. IF I would have known that nursing for LVN's would have changed so drastically, I would have went straight to RN school. The road has been bumpy but I have great experience under my belt. When I become an RN, the experience that I have will make me more marketable. Everything has its ups and downs. You just have to continue to stay focused and complete your goals.

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Hi. I have been an LPN for 15 years and I will graduate from RN school in April of this year. I have NO regrets!!!!!!! Every procedure that I learned, I learned in LPN school. When I started the RN program (and it is not a bridge program), I was surprised that they do not push learning procedures. They just push the book knowledge and careplans. I thought that maybe it was my school that I was enrolled in but I have talked to a lot of nurses and they say the same thing. RN's are expected to learn procedures in the field. So, I am so thankful, I know sterile technique, I know how to start IV's, I can put a catheter in no problem. They NEW RN's that I have worked with have NOT done half of these things in RN school. They know why the patient may need them but not how to do them. Everyone is different but I feel that being an LPN first has made me a better nurse. Good Luck!!!!!!!

My grandmother counselled me about trying LVN first because nursing can be such a hard job and it's not for everyone (even though I love it!). It's something you can use to help you work through any further education, whether it be to get your RN or to do something different. I haven't been able to go on yet, but became and LVN when I was 18 and was making pretty good money for my age! I don't regret it, I do everything the RN's do, including IV's, just not blood and, in the hospital, not charge.

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