Current student contemplating future career options

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi!!

I am just getting started in my nursing education and am currently taking all Gen Ed course to apply to an RN program.

I am debating doing the LPN program first as a way to get started in the field more quickly, gain some experience, and then bridge to RN.

I was just wondering how this has worked out for others that have done so? Now that I know I want to do nursing I'm so excited I don't want to wait a year to apply and get accepted and then another two years in school before I can start working. Although, some people have advised me to wait and just go straight to RN. Thoughts?

I also would love to consider school nursing. Any other school nurses with advice or that would like to share about there jobs would be great. is there special training required for school nursing or training that would help to get a job after school?

Also, how is the pay? I know this differs from area but again I've heard it's very low and I've also seen some that are getting a pay very comparable with an RN in a hospital.

Sorry, that's a lot of questions. Thanks in advance for any info!! 😀😀

Specializes in Emergency Department.

Well, I went straight for the BSN but can share some of my experiences with you.

I live in a region where hospitals only want RNs and prefer those RNs to have their BSN. LPNs are only able to get jobs at nursing homes or in medical offices, but those jobs are few and far between. So, I would advise you to go straight for the RN licensure, either through an associates or bachelors program. Usually school nurses have to be RNs too, preferably BSN prepared.

School nurses would do better to address this, I'm only offering what I know from a couple of friends who are school nurses: generally speaking the pay is noticeably lower than what they could get in a hospital; they give up the higher pay in order to have a much easier work schedule (no holidays, weekends, nights, they get snow days...etc etc.).

I've seen here people saying they got school nurse jobs right after graduation; in my area not only does an actual job opening have to be practically WILLED to someone (after the previous nurse died) but only someone with acute care experience, and recent acute care experience, will be considered. In other regions, maybe this isn't as much of an issue.

Job opportunities in my area are very limited for LPNs: nursing homes and medical offices, but med offices are now using MAs more frequently so less opportunity for actual nurses there. Long term care, definitely. Here, hospitals aren't hiring LPNs; the ones they have are being lost through natural attrition (retirement, etc) and are being replaced with RNs only.

Others will undoubtedly offer you more insight. Good luck!

Start with at least an associate's degree to work as an RN. LPN bridge to RN is a long slow road.

Good luck, let us know how it's going.

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