desperately need advice

[STA29]

Hello all. This might be kind of long so please bear with me. I was recently laid off from my position as an HR recruiter. I would like to go back to school to pursue a nursing degree. Most of the schools in my area that offer an ADN program are full until fall of 08. (I currently have as BS in management). I think it would be a waste of time for me to sit around and do nothing for a year, and still not be guarenteed a spot in the nursing programs in the fall. Does anyone think it would be beneficial for me to attend an 18 month part time LPN program? I really want to be an RN and eventually become a Nurse Practitioner. I am also confused about the differences in duties between an RN and an LPN. The other complication is that I am currently on unemployment and they will only pay as long as I am in a program that will lead to a career specific degree which is another reason why I am considering LPN program. Would getting an LPN make getting an RN faster?

[caliotter3]

Getting your LPN license will give you a job skill, a start in the medical field, possibly help in the RN school admissions process, and be a constructive use of your time while you are waiting to see if you can be admitted to an RN program. Many people are using the LPN license as a stepping stone to get into RN school. No reason why you shouldn't also. It's a good idea in general.

You should seek information about as many programs as possible. Do not put off BSN programs or accelerated or second degree programs. Often, these are easier to get admitted to than ASN programs. Good luck in your schooling and career change.

[Wren]

Sanderson,

The fastest track for you right now is probably an accelerated BSN program which is basically an RN program for folks who have a non-nursing bachelors degree (any field). It allows you to skip the basic college courses that you have already taken and go straight in the nursing curriculum. You may still have to take some prereq courses if you didn't get them during your original bachelor's degree program though. They would be things like microbiology, anatomy and physiology, chemistry, nutrition etc. But the requirements vary from program to program so check first. If you take this route then you will be very employable as an RN with a BSN and have a wide range of options. This is how I got my RN degree because I have a bachelors in psychology too.

That said, many nurses get to their RN degrees through an LPN career path. It would take a lot longer of course but it offers it's own rewards. Different states have different nurse practice acts so check out your local board of nursing to see the restrictions on LPN practice. Depending again on your state, local practice and RN shortages, LPN can work in a lot of settings. In Texas (where I live) they tend to work almost anywhere you will see an RN but when I lived in several different states on the East coast, LPN/LVN's tended to work more in nursing homes and physician offices. That's been a few years ago though, :) so things may have changed.

However you choose to get there, nursing is a terrific field and I wish you the best of luck.

[SJW]

Does the school that offers the ADN program in your area allow you to enter the second year as an advance placement student? That is, if you have an LPN license, can you step in to the second year of the 2 year ADN program? Also, could you get right in to the LPN program at your school? Our school has the advance placement option, but it no longer offers the LPN program. Suppose you'd have to check to make sure all your credits transfer from LPN to RN if you have to go to 2 different schools.

Sounds like you have lots of good options. If you can get in to an advance placement situation, I don't know why it should take any more than 2 years to complete (if you have lots of credits that transfer from your other degree and if you can get all your pre-reqs in a timely manner). It could be a pretty full load though because you're getting lots of education in a condensed time frame.

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

I too would opt for the accelerated BSN program which would lead to the RN. No offense to LPNs (I was one once), but if the RN is your ultimate goal, then that is where you should start! Good luck.

[STA29]

The problem with the BS to BSN is that its super expensive in my area. The only university around here costs 30K for the year. I do not qualify for any sort of financial aid or student loans because I already have a BS. My Plan was to go for the LPN, get a job at a local hospital part time and then go for the BSN on the accelerated track. I am not sure if this is the best thing to do or not. I was actually also playing around with getting the LPN and going right into an ADN program then work as an RN at a hospital, then go back for the BSN. This is the cheapest path for me I think. Anyone have any opinions about what I should do considering the financial aspect of it.

[areeve01]

Check into some of your local hospitals in your area, especially the larger ones. Many of them in our area are so short staffed, they sign a contract with students to pay for all their college costs including classes and books in return of a 4yr work commitment. Other then that it's no strings attached. It's a win-win situation when you have no way to pay for college.

Also, when I started nursing school, I didn't have a penny to pay for college, I paid for my entire RN degree with student loans. Yeah, I have one hefty of a student loan payment, but when you compare what I was making prior to being a RN to now, it was well worth it! I was also a non-traditional student with a family, who had to work while going thru nursing school. It was really tough, a couple years of 2-4 hrs sleep minimum, but if you have the will, you can do it!

Look into the accelerated RN program and my advice is to go straight into the RN program if that's your goal. Once your out, it's hard to go back and the LPN to RN program is just as hard, so you might as well do the RN the first time. Good luck!!