Career Change, LPN or ADN?

[rosie20]

Hi everyone, I could really use some help. I want to change my career to a nurse. I have a bachelor's in psychology and a masters in school psychology. I am about $40,000 in debt from my grad school loan so I wasn't sure about an accelerated BSN program because I would be doubling that debt with how expensive the accelerated programs in my area are. Also, I have no sciences so it would be about a year or two of prerequisites and then two years of this program. So I was looking at getting an associates degree at a community college or getting an LPN and hopefully later on down the road get the BSN.

I live in NJ and I know that hospitals don't hire LPN's in NJ. So my questions are, what is the job outlook like in NJ for both LPN and RN? Will it be harder for me to get a job without the BSN? What is the pay like? And if anyone else has become a nurse as a second career, do you have any advice?

Any information would be much appreciated! Changing careers is pretty scary for me. Nursing was something I always thought about and wished I had pursued it back in college. Thanks :)

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I do know that the Tri-State area (NY/NJ/CT) has become a BSN-preferred area with regard to hospital hiring practices. So, yes, it will be much harder to obtain a job without the BSN.

However, if you would be open to working in non-hospital areas such as assisted living, nursing homes, home health, private duty, hospice, jails, prisons, psych, or IDD, you should be able to find a job as an LPN or associate degree RN fairly easily.

[Dafabb, LPN]

Having a masters in psycology I would go around to the schools and see what they except. Both LVN's/RN work school nurse but you have something they don't have and thats a MS....and do a CC course it's cheaper. That is one idea for you to check on...Even tho they might want an RN there is and never has been the medical need that an LVN can't take care of....It's now much more paperwork.....