Great opportunity but confused????

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Okay this one's a confusing one so here goes. I have been accepted to LPN school that starts in August. It's a 9 month program. I currently work in an assisted living facility in the kitchen. My supervisor knows about school and I will be working 1 day a week while in school. I also had an interview at a childrens hospital and was offered a position in the PICU working 12hr day shifts 3 days a week...a PRN position. I told them I had to think about it. The question is this....should I turn down the PICU job to go to LPN school or should I take the PICU job and go to school part time at the local community college and get my RN. I've been wrestling with this for a long time. Any suggestions would be welcomed! :eek:

I guess it depends on what you want to do. Do you want to work in PICU? Do you want to go on to become an RN?

If it were me, and the answer to both was yes, I'd consider the LPN route a delay; the CC/Picu combo to be a win-win.

Get your LPN out of the way. Then you can work even less because you will be making more money while you are going to school full time to get your RN.

Good luck.

PS Ask about grants, and if you have to don't be afraid to get a loan.

Id say do the PICU as it will give you more specific experience and gets your foot in the door for when you go for a job once qualified x

Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

Nursing school can be very hard to get into so I would suggest getting your LPN now. If you are comfortable with your current job and they are willing to work around school I would definitely do that. There are always tech jobs available, imo and a majority of my LPN class didn't work in the medical field prior to graduating yet most all had jobs lined up well in advance. Good luck with whatever you decide.

any chance you could continue to search for a job in the hospital that was more in line with your educational goals? I would never put a job before education, especially in this case, because in a year, where will you be? Either further along in your nursing career as an LPN (w/ a higher chance to get in to RN progs immediately and cut the first year off as well as higher pay even if you didn't chose to go RN)

I would have a lot of trouble turning down a PICU job as well, because thats one area that I really feel might be a perfect place for me (as an RN in peds). If it was me, I would talk to them, perferrably in person, and ask if they'd be willing to work your shifts around school. Worst case you can always back off later. One of the guys I work with is going to be doing 3 12 hr shifts a week while in Resp Ther school, Sat, Sun and his 3rd will be whatever day he doesn't have clinicals. Granted he's in the last couple months of school, but I think its doable if you can handle the work load. I would do it, if it was me. The hospital is going to really want to know about your LPN schooling, because in many places, it means you're no longer eligible for the position of a NA, or else you get an auto raise. I know that my hospital tends to really be helpful if they think you're going to be around for the long haul, particularly in a field they are short on (RNs)

RN school is very tough and you will need a very understanding job. Many are unable to work during RN school and it is highly discouraged. LPN school is no walk in the park either. I do think it would be possible to work during LPN school but only part time, and your employer would have to be willing to let you off during certain times.

Specializes in Ortho, Neuro, Detox, Tele.

Well...it depends. Do you feel like you would be wanting to get your RN anyways? If that's the case, why not just go through the RN program and get through that all at once, instead of waiting to go the bridge route? Also, although you hear people say that working while in school is a no-no, it depends on YOU. I personally worked 36 hrs a week while in school, and while I felt it kept me from getting straight A's, I feel MUCH more prepared to go into the hospital setting as a RN.....

In the end, it depends on what you want to see....also, a PRN position is usually as needed, so it may not be a regular job anyways. Good luck to you no matter what you decide.

Just a word of advice-

I am in a part-time BSN program. Many people think part-time nursing school is a few hours in the evening. However, our classes change from semester to semester and clinicals are on different days each semester. During the summer, we have class on 2 days and clinical on one day. If you choose to go the PICU route, you need to make sure your work schedule is flexible enough to change work days every few months. For summer, my schedule is class on Tue and Thur, clinical on Wed. Some people have clinical on Monday, some have it on Friday, it just depends, and we do not get to choose what day it is. We are told what day it is, and we have to make plans accordingly. Also, just because it is a part-time course does not mean you do not have to study as much. In all actuallity, the part time course is pretty equal to a full time course, after you take into consideration clinicals, classes and studying. It is not as easy as one would think.

Thanks everyone for all of your suggestions. I am going to continue my plan and go to LPN school. My current job is very flexible and I'm going to talk to the PICU and see if they can work around my schedule. Either way I'll only be working 1 day a week....Sundays.

I agree with simple, also they need you as much as you need them. THey need to staff, think about what you want or need, and then consider if you want to be RN

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