Did anyone try to talk you out of being a nurse?

doggiedaddy · Jul 3, 2005

you're going to trade in a professional career as a real estate agent to become an LPN??

since you're asking for advice, here's mine: that would the worst career decision you could ever make, one I'm sure that you will quickly come to regret. I think you will soon find that you have wasted your time and money on the change. Hopefully, you will keep your real estate license, because I'm certain you will go back.

as an LPN you will literally make no money, and you will be at the absolute bottom of the hierarchy. I mean, if you truly want to work your a-- off for no pay, then i guess that's the way to go. because you will have the most dirty, menial jobs, no respect, and have to take orders from everyone.

now, if you were going to go into an *RN* program, that would be totally different.

if you go into an RN program, you will at least make a reasonable amount of money (depends on your location) and while you will still have to work hard, you can at least have creative control, opportunities for advancement, and your input will be sought on many of the decision making processes. in short, you can have a rewarding career as an RN.

LPN though, is dead end. the only opportunities LPN's have is to go back to school to become an RN. many hospitals around the country will not even *hire* LPNs. little by little, the whole LPN license is on its way to being phased out.

(disclaimer: i'm an engineer, my wife is an RN on a critical care floor at a major university hospital. She started nursing school before we were married, and her becoming an RN has been the best thing for her, careerwise. She already had a BS degree, but hated the jobs she was getting. Her job as a critical care nurse is absolutely great, she totally loves it. And she makes good money. She has told me on many occasions that here is no way in hell that she would ever be an LPN, they have the worst jobs. she'd just as soon go dig ditches or something.)

TypicalFish · Jul 3, 2005

Absolutely nobody around me wants me to be a nurse. I am currently a Realtor and everyone thinks I should stick with it. I HATE REAL ESTATE! You don't know where the next check is coming from, it is SO expensive to get started and keep going, I have to work from home so I feel like I am always working, it is cut-throat, greedy and most importantly, I get no satisfaction from it.
I have wanted to be a nurse for three years now and was suppose to start LPN school last fall, but I got pregnant and the school requested me to not start b/c the baby was due in the middle of the program. That worked out b/c he ended up a preemie. But they saved my spot for this year.
I have had to do everything secretly. My financial aid, I am studying up on A&P, I even have a second job to carry me through paying off the credit I had to use for real estate so that I can use that credit for books and such.
Did anyone here ever have to go up against anyone to become a nurse? I really want this, but I don't know how to handle it. When you are doing something as tough as nursing school, you need support. No matter what I am going to school...that is one thing I am sure of.
Thanks for listening!

Yes. When I was a tech, other nurses would tell me not to become a nurse; oh, it used to make this one PA so mad! My dh (before he shaped up) would make it impossible for me to go to school-I quit THREE times! I did the same thing with financial aid at first. My MIL thought that I just wasn't good enough. You have to believe in yourself-I wouldn't hide it anymore-you have nothing to be ashamed of, and you will have to learn to advocate for yourself before you can advocate for your patients. Sometimes people just hate change. AND there is upport for you here, AND once you start school, you canl find support from your classmates-it is hard for most people to go to nursing school, but in different ways, so there is alot of "Sharing" (complaining, I guess, but it helps to vent!) You can do this! Just keep your sight on your goal-and not on what those negatives around you say.

NursePamela · Jul 3, 2005

I had two RN's try and talk me out of it and did for a while I was young and not real motivated. 7 years later I finally did it and I am glad I did. If it;s one of those things you always wanted to do you will not know if you like it until you try it. Maybe you won't like but at least you tried. Maybe you will like it and be glad you did it.

doggiedaddy · Jul 3, 2005

I had two RN's try and talk me out of it and did for a while I was young and not real motivated. 7 years later I finally did it and I am glad I did.

yes, but you are a BSN-RN. following_faith is going to drop a potentially lucrative career in real estate to become an LPN.

I dont know what her LPN school is telling her, but she's going to discover the harsh reality of cleaning feces and vomit all day long for $10.00 an hour,

look if she wants to become a nurse, that's great. I'd say "Go For It!" ... but become a *real* Nurse. that is, an RN. that is, a professional career.

leslieanne · Jul 3, 2005

Although I think the tone of doggiedaddy's posts are unnecessarily harsh, I have to agree with his view on the choice of LPN rather than RN. I am a lowly nursing student myself, so don't get me wrong. I just think that considering the investment of time, i.e. ca. 1yr for LVN vs. 2yrs for ADN, you might as well go for the ADN. I also agree with a previous post about Following faith having a heart to heart with hubby. FF, you need line up your arguments. Show him your financial records and all that, but more importantly, tell him why you are passionate about being a nurse. Hopefully he will listen and support you. But seioiusly, go for RN.

les

nursemike, ASN, RN · Jul 3, 2005

A couple of the older nurses (i.e. my age) I work with thought I should go into computers or real estate or pretty much anything but nursing, but most have been very supportive. I live with my father, who just finished e-mailing copies of my diploma to everyone he knows, and hemmed my uniforms on his sewing machine. Classmates and these boards have also been good sources of encouragement. (I heartily recommend a carpool and/or study group as soon as you get started.)

As far as the LPN deal, where I work the opportunities for LPNs are limited, and the pay is significantly less, but the actual work isn't very different. Better nurses don't, but if you choose to, you can palm a lot of the dirty work off on the aides. (Whether the nurse helps or not, aides do most of the bath and bedpan stuff, for half what an RN makes.)

I went straight from orderly to ASN, but classmate with LPN or even CNA experience had a definite leg up. At my age (48) I wanted to get through school as quickly as possible, but if I had had more time, I might have worked as an aide through LPN school, then gone for the RN. I don't think I would have been nearly so anxious in clinicals, or in orientation, now.

You might check on LPN-to-RN programs. My school just started a one-year program, so now it's possible to become an LPN in one year, then an RN in one more year--which is no longer than a two-year RN program. Of course, that still doesn't guarantee finding a job as an LPN. (My floor uses a few, but only one per shift. Other hospitals with true team nursing use more, but they still make significantly less money. Some LPNs in long-term care make close to what RNs in the hospital get, but they earn every penny!)

It sounds like the OP would do well to strongly consider going straight for the RN, although I did have to take some classes the year before I started just to get in, so the process of getting a two-year degree spanned three calender years (first year was only four classes for me, though). Whatever route you choose, RN should be your ultimate goal, though. I plan to go for an RN-BSN after I have worked a year and paid some bills, because I think that's where most of the opportunities will be in the near future.

P.s. I had been out of school for 27 years, so that first year of annoying pre-requisites was a very good way to get back into the swing of going to classes, doing homework, and such, and it did cut down the number of support classes I needed during nursing school. I wound up having my nursing class(es) + 1 fairly hard class + 1 fairly easy class, each semester, which was a pretty good workload with my part-time job.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Jul 3, 2005

Everyone was thrilled and excited for me and very supportive. I was working in a restaurant at the time.

Do what you want to do. Don't stick with real estate if you don't want to. You'll resent that your entire life.

Good luck to you.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Jul 3, 2005

yes, but you are a BSN-RN. following_faith is going to drop a potentially lucrative career in real estate to become an LPN.
I dont know what her LPN school is telling her, but she's going to discover the harsh reality of cleaning feces and vomit all day long for $10.00 an hour,
look if she wants to become a nurse, that's great. I'd say "Go For It!" ... but become a *real* Nurse. that is, an RN. that is, a professional career.

So LPNs aren't real nurses and BSNs are?? I hope you got your flame retardant suit on.

I certainly encourage people to go on to get RNs and BSNs for the higher salaries and the job opportunities. Going LPN to RN is a good option for many people.

oldiebutgoodie, RN · Jul 3, 2005

I was working for internet startups, and making great money, but after the 4th one folded, I figured it was time to "reevaluate". So, at age 50, I went to a BSN program, and just graduated.

I start work July 11,so I can't really tell you about working itself. But, I got a job in about 5 minutes! (got it last February). Job has good benefits, including health insurance. I will be able to work 3 days a week, 12 hour days.

My kids are grown, so working holidays is not an issue.

The biggest opponent to this was my brother, who told me "This is a bad idea", and "you have no bedside manner".

I would suggest you look at getting an RN, especially a BSN, if you can afford it. I know that ADN programs are much more affordable, though. If you have to sit through 2 years of BS, you might as well get the BSN to prove it! :rotfl:

Anyway, you have to do what you want to do. Your husband may changehis mind sometime if he gets laid off and you are steadily employed!

oldiebutgoodie

Dalzac, LPN, LVN, RN · Jul 3, 2005

you're going to trade in a professional career as a real estate agent to become an LPN??
since you're asking for advice, here's mine: that would the worst career decision you could ever make, one I'm sure that you will quickly come to regret. I think you will soon find that you have wasted your time and money on the change. Hopefully, you will keep your real estate license, because I'm certain you will go back.
as an LPN you will literally make no money, and you will be at the absolute bottom of the hierarchy. I mean, if you truly want to work your a-- off for no pay, then i guess that's the way to go. because you will have the most dirty, menial jobs, no respect, and have to take orders from everyone.
now, if you were going to go into an *RN* program, that would be totally different.
if you go into an RN program, you will at least make a reasonable amount of money (depends on your location) and while you will still have to work hard, you can at least have creative control, opportunities for advancement, and your input will be sought on many of the decision making processes. in short, you can have a rewarding career as an RN.
LPN though, is dead end. the only opportunities LPN's have is to go back to school to become an RN. many hospitals around the country will not even *hire* LPNs. little by little, the whole LPN license is on its way to being phased out.
(disclaimer: i'm an engineer, my wife is an RN on a critical care floor at a major university hospital. She started nursing school before we were married, and her becoming an RN has been the best thing for her, careerwise. She already had a BS degree, but hated the jobs she was getting. Her job as a critical care nurse is absolutely great, she totally loves it. And she makes good money. She has told me on many occasions that here is no way in hell that she would ever be an LPN, they have the worst jobs. she'd just as soon go dig ditches or something.)

Love the disclaimer and now I know who really hates LPN's. I have worked in Critical Care for 25 yrs as a LPN, and have just recently transferred to the Emergency Dept.

I make damn good money as a LPN. I fed my kids and paid the rent and sent 2 kids to college and all on LPN pay. I work in a very busy ER and love it and I am treated with respect by my RN peers. The ONLY thing I don't do in there is triage and charge. When I get a full arrest in my rooms I am the nurse doing the treatments. I do the same things the RN's are doing.

Now back to the topic. the only person that tried to talk me out of being a nurse was my abusive mother. She told me I was too stupid. Of course she was very mistaken. I love being a nurse and I love doing what I do now. When I retire someday. I will retire as a LPN.

following_faith · Jul 3, 2005

THis is also off topic, but I'm not to savvy with real estate so I'm wondering (and probably others are too) what expense do you have? I would think there woudn't be much overhead. Pleae don't flame me, I'm real estate illiterate!:uhoh21:

Hi! I don't mind letting you know the expenses of real estate. It cost me $250 to join the board of Realtors, another $115 a quarter to use the Multiple Listing Service (that is how we get your home on the internet), I am a member in another MLS b/c I cover areas in 2 coutnties and that was $117 for the application and is $167 a quarter...my marketing costs me easily, $300 a month for cards and postage...gas for driving buyers and going to listing homes plus in order to start keeping the pipeline full-so you always have one deal coming in when one is going out-I must work at least 60 hours a week. My GRI (Graduate Realtors Institute, which is equivilent to having an MBA) is around $2,000 and my continuing education courses (I need 22.5 hours) are $60-$70 a piece, though I can use the ones I take for the GRI.

When you do land a deal, it takes at least 6 weeks for closing, if everything goes smoothly and that whole time I still have the above expenses, so by the time I get the check it has to go back into the bank to replace what I have used and then get used again!

Now if I get lucky and sell a waterfront, I can get around $7,000 but they are expensive and sit for awhile b/f selling. I sold a residential for $90,000 and will get $2,700 or so in a couple weeks...but that is already spent!

If you have anymore questions, I am more than happy to answer them. RE is not bad, but you have to love it or you can't do well.

following_faith · Jul 3, 2005

I have worked in Critical Care for 25 yrs as a LPN, and have just recently transferred to the Emergency Dept.
I make damn good money as a LPN. I fed my kids and paid the rent and sent 2 kids to college and all on LPN pay. I work in a very busy ER and love it and I am treated with respect by my RN peers. The ONLY thing I don't do in there is triage and charge. When I get a full arrest in my rooms I am the nurse doing the treatments. I do the same things the RN's are doing.
Now back to the topic. the only person that tried to talk me out of being a nurse was my abusive mother. She told me I was too stupid. Of course she was very mistaken. I love being a nurse and I love doing what I do now. When I retire someday. I will retire as a LPN.

Thank you!