HELP PLEASE

Originally posted by becky167:

i AM CURRENTLY GOING TO SCHOOL GETTING MY BASICS SO I CAN GET INTO NURSING SCHOOL. I WOULD LIKE TO WORK IN PEDIATRICS OR BE A LABOR AND DELIVERY NURSE OR EVEN WORK IN THE NURSERY! MY QUESTION IS DO I HAVE TO BE A RN TO DO THAT OR CAN I JUST BE AN LVN? THANKS ALOT

It depends on the area you are in. I am an RN on pediatrics, but we have several LPN's also.

You can work in peds, postpartum or the nursery. Look for a mid sized hospital where they have "maternal child" depts for all three potentials or a hospital with the departments separated but with a "float" policy that staff serves all three areas.

This is in the midwest and parts of the south. Good luck.

Becky, your post does not show where you are from. I'm from Connecticut, and many of the hospitals in the Northeast have reorganized LPNs out of acute care. In my facility, you need a BSN to work in pediatrics, L&D, or the nursery.

I'm advising you to get as much education as possible. It's great you want be a nurse, and are thinking of becoming an LPN. You might want to look into ADN programs and become an RN. Being an RN will give you more choices and opportunities. Although there are prerequisites to take with community college ADN programs, the actual program is usually 5 semesters.

I wish you well with your studies and nursing career. Hope whatever route to go brings you much happiness inyour career. Best wishes.

[This message has been edited by susanmary (edited February 18, 2001).]

I have worked in a pediatric hospital and now on a pedi floor of a general hosp. RN's make up the bulk of staff as LVN's can't start IV's or hang blood, etc and it creates more work for RN staff if they have to do part of someone else's job. Plus, the education on growth/development, pharmacology, etc. is important.We have LVN's in the nursery tending well newborns, but they do not go to delivery. LVN's work post-partum, but not only RN's in L&D. And when the LVN works, he/she earns half the RN pay (usually) to do the same work (with exceptions as noted above). So why not go to school a little longer and get the RN?? You will be glad later!

I would suggest talking to nurses in hospitals in your area, who work in the specialties which you mentioned.

I am an OB nurse with 20 years experience; I've been an RN for 23 years. I have never worked pediatrics, and never want to! I know that everyone has their preference, and a great many ped's nurses do not want to work with adults.

At this time, I work in one of those hospitals with a womens & childrens service department. I am currently being told that "everyone" (all the RN's & LPN's in our unit) "will have to become comfortable with pediatric patients." However, there is no pediatric orientation program in place, and we don't see all that many ped's patients to begin with.

INVESTIGATE the possibilities, and be sure to find out what any hospital unit's new employee orientation policies & programs are like!

Good luck!

Katie C. in Pensacola, FL

:)