Desperate Daddy Needs Advice

MsBruiser · Nov 13, 2008

I am considering going into nursing - have been for some time, but especially now since my wife lost her job last December. I began working as a CNA before my wife lost her job to get my foot in the door. Obviously this is not sufficient money for us (wife still looking for employment) as we have 6 kiddos .
Here are the scenarios I am considering:
I am thinking of an LPN program that would allow me to start making better pay half way through while finishing my RN. I know that LPN jobs are few, but I'm willing to work at a nursing home, etc. if necessary.
Other than that, do some of the more pricey schools allow you to get in quicker? I have a small reserve that I could use for this option, if necessary. After all, isn't everyone on a horrid waiting list for nursing:banghead:?
I appreciate any positive experiences/pitfalls you can share to help me on this venture, including any suggestions for schooling. Gateway keeps coming to mind. I really need to act on this NOW!
Thanks in advance !

Sorry about your situation. Some things to consider:

1. Any nursing program allows you to take LPN NCLEX halfway through. So I would not limit myself to LPN programs per se.

2. The fastest way into nursing school if you have the pre-reqs completed is the Banner Program. They enroll three times per year with no waiting list - you are either in the program or not. Interview well (plenty of advice on this board with that regard) and you can very well be in school 6-8 months from now. If you are CNA - try and get a job at Banner - doesn't hurt during the interview process to be a Banner employee.

3. I would personally stay away from the "private" schools. They are very expensive - around $30,000 or so. You can get into terrible debt between tuition and living expenses. But if cost isn't an option - you can probably start school very quickly.

Cursed Irishman · Nov 13, 2008

They revamped the curriculum; testing for your LPN after block 2 isn't allowed anymore.

Don't limit yourself to nursing initially. There are plenty of tech programs out there that can get your foot into the door whether it be EEG, EKG, surgical or respiratory.

HJS27 · Nov 13, 2008

http://www.centralaz.edu/x694.xml :up:

RNfaster · Nov 13, 2008

I would pursue nursing school through the Maricopa system and work on pre-reqs and co-reqs while waiting to get in. I would also get with a hospital system like John C. Lincoln, Banner, Catholic Healthcare West (CHW), Scottsdale Healthcare, or the Veteran's Administration so that you can have benefits (health insurance and education).

You could then pursue rapid entry into a school through certain hospital programs. SHC, JCL, and I believe, the VA, have preferential programs (slots dedicated for their employees in the Maricopa system) where you can get into the Maricopa system once you are with them about six months. Banner has another option, Banner Nurse Fellows, that is competitive and carries a three-year work obligation. Oh, almost forgot about the Abrazo facilities... They have a diploma RN program that you may enroll in provided you work for them.

The debt you will have to acquire in a private LPN school is not worth the extra earnings power in my opinion. It is just not high enough. Additionally, you likely have pre-reqs and co-reqs to handle relative to an LPN or RN program (so the LPN program may really not be as fast as you might think).

You might try working as a hospital CNA on nights while your wife works days so that you can better manage the kids.

Some hospitals offer childcare assistance benefits. I think CHW is one of them. You might also look into that when targeting a new employer.

You might make a spreadsheet describing the costs of the various programs over the years. Be careful of impatience relative to finances.

shannahan · Nov 13, 2008

I'm in a similar situation - my husband lost his construction business due to the economy so he had to take a job in a different field and it will take time and experience to get to an acceptable salary level. I decided to bite the bullet and go to a private school (Apollo). Yes, it's expensive but even with no prereq's you can get in fairly quickly (within a few months if you test high enough on the NET) and are done in 2 years. We are planning to live as frugally as possible and make sacrifices in order for me to make it through school.

If your wife could get a job, you worked part-time, and maybe got some state assistance, could you make it for 2 years so that you could get through school? If so, that is the route I would take.

I'm going to Apollo and I asked - there is a point where you can test for LPN.

mama_d, BSN, RN · Nov 13, 2008

I'm sorry to hear about your situation. Unfortunately, I'm in a similar one here...hubby about to lose his job due to the downturn in the housing market, and here I am with OT hours cut and back in school to bridge to my RN.

I initially went the LPN route b/c there was no way I could take the amount of time needed financially to get my RN. Do I wish I could have gotten my RN off the bat? Heck yes. But it just wasn't an option at the time, so I've been dealing with doing the same job for about $10/hr less (including diffs) as the RNs make.

I went the private school route, already had about $12000 in student loans from a failed attempt at a four-year degree that in retrospect just was not the right fit for me. Here I am now paying over $500/month in student loans; at the highest point, I owed over $32000 to Sallie Mae. I'd recommend, if you are able to, to avoid the pricey private school route. However, sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

Look into finding a job at a place that has tuition assisstance and loan repayment. My current employer is paying for me to go back to school, otherwise there's no way I could do it now.

I don't know where you're at or what options you are willing to entertain, but if things get tough enough, you can contact local churches for assisstance. I just had to have surgery a couple of months ago, which ended up cutting my paychecks in half. The local Catholic church paid our water bill for us so that it wouldn't get cut off. My hubby was upset that we had to take that step, but I've got four kids to worry about, and figure that when we're able to financially we can donate to the program that saved our butt. We also went to a local "clothes pantry" to get a winter coat for two of the boys; I just donated a ton of outgrown clothes to make up for it.

Best of luck in your situation and making this tough decision. Sometimes it sucks to be a grown up!

sassiebaz · Nov 13, 2008

I totally understand your dilema. My husband was laid off in June and it's been a real struggle. I have been a stay at home mom, working on pre-req's (slowly) and trying to figure out a way to become a nurse. Let me just clarify.....there is no "private lpn" school here like in other states where the tuition is $20K something. The LPN programs are through vocational schools, 2 that are affiliated with the community colleges. The tuition is around $8K and they are federally funded Student loans, pell grants, and you may be able to get a state grant as well. You can send me a private message if you want to know more. I've decided to get my LPN through one of these schools. I have a friend that came out of one of these programs and started in LTC at about $19 an hour. Now, she is making $30 an hour and has only been an LPN for about 2 years. That would give you a decent income and then you could continue pursuing your ADN or BSN while you work. UOP has a LPN-BSN program. Or, you can finish pre-req's and see if your employer would pay for your ADN. You can get right into block 3 of the nursing program once you have your LPN and your pre-req's are completed. So, we all obviously have different advice, but you need to ultimately do what works best for your family! Good luck!

RNfaster · Nov 14, 2008

Reading posts from other folks suggesting LPN at other schools. Regarding attending private schools, which I was bearish on, they may be an okay option if you don't already have a degree as you are usually eligible for more financial aid. (I already have a degree, but even if I didn't, I still don't like the steep tuition.)

If you are going to go through school slowly to better manage family obligations, LPN might be a good idea. I was posting my opinion based on thinking that you go to school full-time and finish LPN and then immediately finish RN.

It's great that so many folks offered so much advice from different points of view. I sure hope it helps you make a decision that is best for you.

island40 · Nov 23, 2008

The armed forces still trains their nursing staff. If you are willing to do a couple of years in uniform in exchange for school. Nurses don't carry a weapon, don't do strip searches of native females and don't usually get shot at or blown up. It's an option you might consider.

vashtee, RN · Nov 23, 2008

Many hospitals help pay for furthering your education (CNA-> LVN -> RN), and it is often faster to get into an LPN program and then bridge to RN than it is to go straight for the RN. I'd check with the hospital you are working for and also your local CCs.