Are you content at LVN level?

Nurses LPN/LVN

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Hello! I'm in the first couple of months of an RN program right now that allows you to stop off after a year and take the LVN test. I'm considering doing that and not continuing on for my RN. Everyone is telling me that's a bad decision because LVNs don't make much money and the work is harder and blah blah blah. And most of the LVNs I come across tell me how bad they want to go back to school! Well my question is to the LVNs. Do you like your jobs? Are you able to support yourself financially? I don't have any kids, and don't plan on having any either, it's just me. I'm not going into this field to be rich, I just want to work with patients. Isn't a normal person able to survive on an LVN paycheck?? I think it's madness that it's viewed as such a rediculous thing for me not to get additional licensure. What do ya'll think?

Specializes in Med/Surg.
This is the LPN forum, there should only be praise here for LPNs and nothing less.

LPN's are awesome! There is no dissing of LPN's going on...the discussion is are you content at the LVN level?

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Specializes in Med_Surg, Renal, intermediate care.

I'm content with being a LPN until I see a RN paystub.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
I'm an LVN in the DFW metroplex of Texas. Although there are plenty of opportunities for around here, the nursing homes, home health, and staffing agencies are the only workplaces that pay LVNs well. If I worked at a hospital, clinic, doctors' office, psychiatric facility, or other setting, I would have to accept a huge pay cut.

I am single with no children, and am able to support myself on LVN pay. In fact, I will surpass the $50,000 mark this year if I am still employed on December 31. However, I had to work overtime shifts and two jobs during the early part of this year to get there. I am pursuing my RN licensure because I want and need the extra money.

Virtually all of my LVN coworkers would salivate with pride if they had their RN. With the exception of nurses who are nearing retirement, all of my LVN coworkers and friends want their RN. In addition, it is difficult to get accepted into an RN program in this area due to the fierce competition. While I live in Fort Worth, I will be attending an RN program in Oklahoma because I wish to wait no longer.

However, remaining an LVN is a personal choice that is nobody's business but yours. If you want to remain an LVN, you owe an explanation to no one. Good luck to you.

Is Oklahoma far from you? Will you be relocating to enter the program? Best of luck...you know I am routing for ya!

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Yes, it is good enough but others will tell you differently. I hear it daily. I may or may not go back to be an RN if only for the pay. Besides that I am proud to be an LPN and feel quite content as one. This is the LPN forum, there should only be praise here for LPNs and nothing less. Also, I know many LPNs that are quite satisfied with their salaries and dont want to be an RN for whatever the reason. If you choose to do LPN (shorter time) you can always change your mind and continue on, if you choose RN (longer time) and dont pass or cant finish for whatever the reason, you are left with nothing. Ive seen this too. Good luck to you in whatever you choose.

I have seen it go the other route also, where a person doesn't pass the RN program, and wish they had taken the LPN route...I guess it is the sour grapes syndrome. In fact, in my school, some of the RN students were so despondant after failing a few exams that they ran to have private conversations with our director to see about entering our program instead. Most of them did successfully complete the RN program and NCLEX, so are practicing Registered Nurses today. But, I didn't see anyone in this forum/thread disrespecting LPNs. What was being said is that many are not content with the LPN role and are either actively seeking to make a change or are dissatisfied with their position.

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Specializes in tele, oncology.

I'm in the process of doing pre-reqs to bridge right now, so nope, I'm not content staying a LPN. Where I work I get the same patient load, same acuity, etc. but get paid about $10/hr less before diffs than RN's with the same years of experience. It's BS. But I am lucky to be working in a hospital as a LPN to begin with around here, so I'm not leaving.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
This is the LPN forum, there should only be praise here for LPNs and nothing less.

An LPN can bestow praise upon his/her own role without feeling fully content at that particular nursing designation. This is called honesty. What works for one person might not be a good fit for another.

LPNs serve a vastly important role in healthcare. However, I am being true to myself when I declare that I'd rather be earning the paychecks of my RN counterparts.

Honesty is the best policy.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
An LPN can bestow praise upon his/her own role without feeling fully content at that particular nursing designation. This is called honesty. What works for one person might not be a good fit for another.

LPNs serve a vastly important role in healthcare. However, I am being true to myself when I declare that I'd rather be earning the paychecks of my RN counterparts.

Honesty is the best policy.

I agree with you. One has to be honest with their feelings, and everyone has the right to change their future plans if they wish. No one here said anything discouraging or insulting about LPNs in general.

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Thank you all for your different views on this subject! It's hard for me to make these kinds of decisions with confidence because I'm only 20, and only a student, so the wisdom of others really goes a long way.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

Well, seeing your age, I can understand why you feel this way right now. You may feel limited later on and wish you continued for the RN. It is different for me; I am 44 years old and have seen alot in life already, where in my eye, all of the degrees in the world does not change the personalities of the people. I am sick of folks on a whole, actually. I enjoy being a nurse, but I can seperate nursing from my personal life. You have time ahead of you, no children or spouse. While you may feel right now that you don't want these things, later you may decide differently.

You may decide later that you want to do less strenous work, which is harder for LPNs to obtain. I was fortunate in that I am working in a clinic where it may be chaotic, but it is nowhere near the strain of working on the floors. Again, RN is not for me, but I can sure say for a person as young as yourself to obtain all that you can while you are young and have no responsibilities than to try and catch up with it later.

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if i had it to do over again maybe different but at this stage don't have any motivation to go the rn route. i like where i work at and like my job. i make enough to pay the bills.

jim

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Specializes in CNA/CMA in LTC.

I don't have any problem being a LPN I love what I do and where I do it! I make great money (for my area of course) and I could live just off of my income. However I do eventually want to be a RN, yes money is important since I do have a family. But I want to see more scopes of nursing that are out there, OB-ICU-ER. And as said with the economy in the way that it is go for the gold. Be better than the others so that you can secure a job..with or without a family you will need to pay the bills. Plus when I am 55 and getting older I do not want to be turning Pt's and cleaning up as my PRIMARY function. I will gladly to assist my Pt's as necessary but where I work LPN's are the bedside nurse and well at an old age it is a difficult thing to do.

Do what you think will be the best for you in the long term there is not a rush but if you are in the program now...well in my opinion just finish up and be the best nurse you can be :)

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Yes, it is good enough but others will tell you differently. I hear it daily. I may or may not go back to be an RN if only for the pay. Besides that I am proud to be an LPN and feel quite content as one. This is the LPN forum, there should only be praise here for LPNs and nothing less. Also, I know many LPNs that are quite satisfied with their salaries and dont want to be an RN for whatever the reason. If you choose to do LPN (shorter time) you can always change your mind and continue on, if you choose RN (longer time) and dont pass or cant finish for whatever the reason, you are left with nothing. Ive seen this too. Good luck to you in whatever you choose.

"This is the LPN forum...praise here for LPNs and nothing less" not a reference to this particular thread. I guess i shouldnt have added that. Sorry everyone......because it took away from my reply to the op thread.

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