Does this sound like i would be wasting my time . . .

BigB · Jun 20, 2007

I've met an PN who has the Health Sciences degree. She manages a community health centre on a reserve. Since it is a public health type environment involving mainly diabetes eduation/management; immunization programmes; and other clinic type nursing she said she has never felt limited by her scope of practice.
Explore your options. Not everyone wants to be an RN despite what some posters on here will say..
Good Luck and enjoy YOUR education.

I just finished up my Bachelor's degree as an LVN and I hear a lot of "Why didn't you just get your RN, instead?" It was a goal I have always had. I may get the RN later, I may not.

HeartJulz · Jun 20, 2007

Def. LPN isnt a waste... I think there are a lot of reasons why nurses choose the LPN route. Some want to make sure that they really want to do nursing, some dont want to sit around for 5 yrs on a wait list to get into the RN, blah blah .... many many reasons, so I dont think LPN/LVN should get knocked.

Im done in Nov w my LVN, and def. want my RN though! My study level is already ready for the RN! But anyway... I def. dont think youd be wasting your time... in fact, youd just have more knowledge which of course is a great thing!

BabyEnjoli · Jun 20, 2007

Well to be honest with all of you . . . . . . . . im not trying to be a nurse in management or what have you . . . . . . . i just want to be an LPN . . . . . . . . . . for others its good to be a nurse w/ their bsn but for me . . . . like another poster said . . . . "im a practical person". All i want to do is help people, and do what i have to do. . . . .

i dont know some posters on here seem like there are "no" jobs for LPN's . .no futures . . . . . . . no nothing . . . . but there are you just have to look . . . . . . and if people dont like me just cause im an LPN . . . . then so be it . . . . . . . i dont care!!!!!

BigB · Jun 20, 2007

Well to be honest with all of you . . . . . . . . im not trying to be a nurse in management or what have you . . . . . . . i just want to be an LPN . . . . . . . . . . for others its good to be a nurse w/ their bsn but for me . . . . like another poster said . . . . "im a practical person". All i want to do is help people, and do what i have to do. . . . .
i dont know some posters on here seem like there are "no" jobs for LPN's . .no futures . . . . . . . no nothing . . . . but there are you just have to look . . . . . . and if people dont like me just cause im an LPN . . . . then so be it . . . . . . . i dont care!!!!!

Thats the attitude!!! hehe It's not that there are no jobs for LVN's, it's just that in certain states you will be very limited in where you can work. If you like LTC then this is not a problem. If you don't like LTC, ***raises hand***, then it can make for a frustrating career as an LVN. California is one such state.

BabyEnjoli · Jun 20, 2007

Fiona59 . . thats exactly what i want to do . . . . . . . . thank you for telling me . . that there is hope . . . and all i need is determination . . . and the drive to succeed . . and thats all i need . . and thank you to all the other nurses . . who believe no matter what you are whether you are a cna, lpn, rn . . . . . that you are still a nurse and thats all that matters to the patient!!!!!

pagandeva2000, LPN · Jun 21, 2007

well to be honest with all of you . . . . . . . . im not trying to be a nurse in management or what have you . . . . . . . i just want to be an lpn . . . . . . . . . . for others its good to be a nurse w/ their bsn but for me . . . . like another poster said . . . . "im a practical person". all i want to do is help people, and do what i have to do. . . . .
i dont know some posters on here seem like there are "no" jobs for lpn's . .no futures . . . . . . . no nothing . . . . but there are you just have to look . . . . . . and if people dont like me just cause im an lpn . . . . then so be it . . . . . . . i dont care!!!!!

that was my motto "i am a practical person, so, i wanted to be a practical nurse". i was not interested in learning deep, complex procedures, a great deal of theory, or dealing with unstable patients (although, that can still happen). i wanted to perform basic nursing skills, sustain the patient if necessary, until help arrives, and to be as knowledgable in practical nursing as i can be. i have gotten many opportunities presented to me as an lpn, and i am good at what i do.

there is nothing wrong with deciding for yourself what is good for you. there will always be nay-sayers that feel that we are not enough, but remember, no matter what degree you have, it will not make you a better person...that happens from the spirit. i did quite well in school, but i really didn't like it, in fact, i hated school. the learning was phenomenal, but the college scene with the competitiveness, pettiness and stress was not for me. basically, i vowed that if i got out of there alive, i would never do it again. i am happy that i obtained the license, and, now, i take continuing education courses and continue to study the material i got, because now, i don't have the pressure of making the grade.

i just think that you should consider speaking to an advisor in order to share your plans with a person that can guide you towards your goal. some direction will give you a different outlook, and you can see if you may have to obtain the rn in order to acheive your personal goals or not. good luck to you!

kadee7 · Jun 21, 2007

You know the other day I was conducting an informational interview of a friend of mine, who works for a health clinic. I asked her if she was to go for her RN would she continue to go on for her BSN and she said that the BSN is really only needed in the big citie hospitals, in small towns like mine it really isn't worth it because they cannot afford paying you for the BSN. So I to ask the same question should I go for my BSN?

:uhoh21:

pagandeva2000, LPN · Jun 21, 2007

you know the other day i was conducting an informational interview of a friend of mine, who works for a health clinic. i asked her if she was to go for her rn would she continue to go on for her bsn and she said that the bsn is really only needed in the big citie hospitals, in small towns like mine it really isn't worth it because they cannot afford paying you for the bsn. so i to ask the same question should i go for my bsn?
:uhoh21:

follow your heart. if your deepest desire is to achieve the bsn, then, go for it. i don't think any of us are bashing those that wish to become rns. i know for myself, i am just fighting to inform people that their path is not mine. think of it this way, you will have more options with the bsn. are they the options you are interested in pursuing? if so, then, it is worth the sacrifice to you. is your friend that works for a health clinic an lpn? what exactly is she doing at this moment at the clinic? is it something you are interested in doing yourself?

LydiaNN · Jun 21, 2007

I don't know that I would use the term wasting your time. In my opinion, only you can determine if the time and effort that goes into the BS in Health Science would be worth the outcome when paired with the LPN as opposed to the RN.

Since you asked, though, I would say you would definitely be limiting yourself as pertains to career options. That's not to say that being an LPN wouldn't give you an edge over other job applicants with a BS in Health Science. It might. However, as someone else mentioned, many jobs in that field require at least a master's anyway. I could see an employer opting for the combination of RN + BS in Health Science over someone with a freshly minted MPH and little else. Not so with the LPN + BS in Health Science combo. Just my opinion ''for what it's worth''.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Jun 21, 2007

My friend earned a B.S. degree in public health in 2001, and she encountered difficulty finding a decently-paying job. She did not find employment until 6 months after earning this degree, and the job she received only paid $24,000 per year as a case manager. Since the job market is flooded with people who have B.S. degrees in health sciences, your degree might not command a high salary. It's a simple matter of supply and demand...

This same person returned to school and earned her LPN license in 2005, and now earns in the range of $40,000 per year. Actually, her LPN license had more earning power than the B.S. in public health. She has not used her B.S. degree in over 3 years, and could do without it.

tmmcbrady, ASN, RN · Jun 21, 2007

I have been an LPN for close to 30 years. I have also returned to school a variety of times to enhance my knowledge and skills. No education is a waste of time. I am very proud to be an LPN and I think of all the crendentials I've earned, it's been the foundation of all my knowledge. If some one wants to advance in nursing, great! If their interests are in a differnet direction, also great!

GOOD LUCK!!!

BigB · Jun 22, 2007

This same person returned to school and earned her LPN license in 2005, and now earns in the range of $40,000 per year. Actually, her LPN license had more earning power than the B.S. in public health. She has not used her B.S. degree in over 3 years, and could do without it.

Yes, but if this person wants to get into a nursing managment position, earn a B.S.N or master's degree, having a 4 year degree helps bigtime. Finsishing a degree, especially a BS/BA or higher is never a negative thing. An LVN career in nursing is not for everyone and education is power.