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.
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.
Hmmm, at my hospital CNA's make $10 (more acutally) and do all that stuff. LPNs do the exact same as RNs but push and give narcs. I'd say LPNs make around $16.
Isn't it funny how the OP started out by asking if anyone else had been discouraged about going into nursing and now people are discouraging her from the path that she has chosen?
"Did anyone try to talk you out of being a nurse?" - not yet, lol.
I'm betting circumstance dictates a lot of that sort of suggestion though. For example, for me this will be a 2nd career. Up until now, all my work and dedication to my 1st career was based on the desire to be a good provider for my family. In short, it was my duty to stick to that career.
Now, God has opened a door and provided me a chance for a career "do over." Instead of doing what I had to do, I'm getting the chance to do what I want to do - what I believe I have a gift to do. The people that know me even a little can see this and have been supportive across the board.
But even if that wasn't the case and folks were saying, "don't do it!" I'd say, bugger em! It's not all about the money. If you've got the opportunity to do something that will bring you even an ounce of satisfaction over what you are currently doing, you owe it to yourself to pour yourself into the effort. Not only will you be happier, but those that are around you and depend on you will be too - even if they can't see it right now.
I am starting school this fall and I have had a few people tell me that I'm making a mistake.....to your not smart enough and you'll never stick with it and finish school.
I am still in highschool but want to be a nurse and I get this from my mother.
I SAY GO FOR IT. ALL of you!
I see what you are saying...but my mom used to be a nurse.
My mom is completely for me attending nursing school. In fact, she encouraged it! My fiance thinks that it is awesome and is very excited for me. Most other family members and friends were for it as well. Two people tried to talk me out of it though. My cousin who has her BSN and BSW told me not to go into nursing, but she always wanted to be a social worker and her mom pushed her into NS after she graduated w/ her BSW. The other was a friend's mother who was an LPN in the Navy. SHe tried w/ all her might to talk me out of it, but I did not budge!!
Good luck all!
FF congrats on deciding to be a nurse!! Please keep me posted on your situation!!
My mom, being a RN herself, tried to talk me out of going to nursing school. Now, I'll be taking the NCLEX-RN exam next week. She worked Med-Surg for 17 years, loved taking care of people but it was just so hard on her physically and emotionally. Maybe if she wouldn't have stayed on the same floor for all those years she could have found something that didn't wear her down so much, but that was her comfort zone she said. I'm so glad I didn't listen to her this one time, although I do understand where she is coming from. I just had an interview yesterday for float team RN position. I wanted to start out this way so I can go to different areas in the hospital-find my nitch.
I say do it for yourself because your the only one who can say for sure if it's for you.
I dont know if anyone has asked this yet, but do you have a degree in any other field right now?
If you do, you might consider an accelerated program to get your RN license if one is available near you. When I was deciding what license to get I realized that in the same amount of time it would take for me to get the LPN, I could get the RN license instead.
Sorry you aren't getting enough support, but I do not think that secretly pursuing and funding your classes is the right way to go. I think that you need to be open an honest with your decision to eveyone (spouse, family, etc.) I am worried that if you try to do all of this on your own, you will drive yourself crazy. No matter which path you follow to getting your licence or whatever license you choose, the training you need is going to be tough. You deserve support no matter what career you want to pursue and if you are open about it and take a stand then you might be surprised at how many people may come around to support you.
Don't forget, federal student loans are always an option. If you dont already hold an undergraduate degree, there is a lot of money out there if you can go full time. If you meet the income qualifications, you can even get subsidized loans where the gov't pays the interest for you while you are in school. If you dont get subsidized loans then you are only responsible for the interest on the loans while you are in school, and the rates right now are super low! Plus, you don't have to start paying on the principal of the loan until after you graduate, six months, I think.
Just some ideas. If you need support, you can always drop a message onto the forums. There is always plenty of support and encouragement to be found here :yelclap:
I dont know if anyone has asked this yet, but do you have a degree in any other field right now?
If you do, you might consider an accelerated program to get your RN license if one is available near you. When I was deciding what license to get I realized that in the same amount of time it would take for me to get the LPN, I could get the RN license instead.
Sorry you aren't getting enough support, but I do not think that secretly pursuing and funding your classes is the right way to go. I think that you need to be open an honest with your decision to eveyone (spouse, family, etc.) I am worried that if you try to do all of this on your own, you will drive yourself crazy. No matter which path you follow to getting your licence or whatever license you choose, the training you need is going to be tough. You deserve support no matter what career you want to pursue and if you are open about it and take a stand then you might be surprised at how many people may come around to support you.
Don't forget, federal student loans are always an option. If you dont already hold an undergraduate degree, there is a lot of money out there if you can go full time. If you meet the income qualifications, you can even get subsidized loans where the gov't pays the interest for you while you are in school. If you dont get subsidized loans then you are only responsible for the interest on the loans while you are in school, and the rates right now are super low! Plus, you don't have to start paying on the principal of the loan until after you graduate, six months, I think.
Just some ideas. If you need support, you can always drop a message onto the forums. There is always plenty of support and encouragement to be found here :yelclap:
And if the interest payments are a stretch while you're in, you can capitalize it while you're in school. It does make your payment a bit higher, but the rate is so low to start with it's not horribly significant in the long-term.
For me, this was the best option because when I got my bachelor's money was TIGHT TIGHT TIGHT so every little bit helped.
I've also heard (and I need to check this myself) that if you're going into a health care field and you already have a bachelor's, there may still be federal funding available to you, as long as your original loans are paid off from the first degree. Don't quote me - regard that as merely heresay that I need to check out, too!
I see what you are saying...but my mom used to be a nurse.
Here's what my daddy, God rest his soul, used to tell me:
At the end of the day, at the end of your life, you're the one that truly has to live with the decisions you've made for yourself.
We all know our decisions affect others. And we know that we can't always do what we want because others depend on us.
But what your mother may perceive as "the way it is" probably has nothing to do with the experiences you will end up having.
It's like rollercoasters: I can't get enough of the things. Higher, faster, bigger - bring them on. My mother has never been on one in her life because she's petrified of them. She believes them to be dangerous and downright frightening.
Had I ever let her talk me out of getting on one (she never did, but just suppose she had), I would never have found my love of all things fast, preferably steel, and inverted at the age of seven, with my daddy in tow in line for Busch Garden's Loch Ness Monster 24 summers ago. (Keep in mind that I am TERRIFIED of heights and have been from BIRTH, and you'd wonder how I allowed myself to get on something that drops at a twenty-some-odd degree angle from 120 feet at fifty-something miles an hour. Back then that was HIGH TECH.)
You're only capable enough to do things YOU believe you're capable of. If you think you can't, you probably can't.
Do you think you're smart enough?
Do you believe this is the career move for you?
Do you believe you can do it?
Then whip out the financial aid applications and start working, kiddo. Some decisions have to be yours, and this could be where you start.
I'm not a nurse myself (as my name implies), I just volunteer on a hospital's pt. floors. My only suggestion for someone who thinks "maybe nursing" but isn't quite sure is to volunteer at a local hospital. It can be as little as 3-4 hours per week. The nurses generally appreciate the help & this may give a person an idea of hospital life.
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.)
I just have to say that even though what you say is harsh, I totally agree with you. My friend's sister became an LPN and it took her 15 mos. of school. However, a family member is going through an associate degree program and will finish in two years. I would totally go for the AD-RN before going through LPN school. I don't think LPN's get the respect they deserve and they are paid total crap. (By the way, off topic, I am a BS RN and my fiance is a engineer. It seems there are alot of engineer/nurse husbands and wives.)
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.
I commend you on your pride as a nurse (all of us, after all, are NURSES). However, as an RN, I have seen LPN's get very little respect and their pay is usually 7 or so more dollars less an hour (at best). You are lucky to work in critical care/ED. Most hospitals would not hire an LPN.
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Some decisions have to be yours, and this could be where you start.
LiliRN
20 Posts
Hmmm, at my hospital CNA's make $10 (more acutally) and do all that stuff. LPNs do the exact same as RNs but push and give narcs. I'd say LPNs make around $16.