be honest....

Thanks for the tips. It's all a little confusing, I'm trying to figure out how to schedule classes so that I can work also, but I'm finding that the classes are not as "available" as I thought and I'm kind of limited as to how to arrange them. It seems I may have to work the 3-11 shift as the A&P 1 with the professor I want is only from 11:00 am to 12:15 on Monday and Thursday with Lab being on a different day (around the same time).

Did you find it difficult to get a job that was willing to be so flexible? I can't imagine walking into a facility telling them I can only work Friday and Saturday. I'm scared that won't be enough money to live off of. I just have to remember that there is homework to fit in also and my hubby isn't too thrilled with the thought of not having his meals made and house spotless for another few years.

I definitely take the RN program seriously, that's probably why I'm so neurotic already when the semester doesn't start till fall. I want to have everything in place. I am only starting with RN also, I can't even begin to thing about more degrees yet! LOL

I look forward to your reply. :)

My private duty agency was EXTREMELY flexible in scheduling while I was doing my LPN to RN pre-reqs. I had to give them considerable advanced notice, but they were able to make a schedule that fit VERY nicely with my school schedule. Hopefully it'll go just as smoothly when I (please, please, please) get into the LPN to RN program for this fall.

I agree with everyone, as an LPN studying for the RN I am really now understanding everything. I know I learned that stuff before but now it is actually "clicking" and showing it's usefulness. An idea about working, I work as a private duty nurse and take care of one client who is asleep about 1/2 of my shift. That's when I study. I have a friend who is an LPN at the hospital, with 7 + patients and up to 32 hours a week of work and she only makes $1 per hour more than me. I also have some flexibility with my schedule, telling my boss when I can work according to classes, children, family, etc. I am also doing a lot of care, planning, and skills (ex. JG tubes, traches, ventilators, skin assessment, diabetic management) so it's not just babysitting but it definitely isn't as stressful as hospital work. I think it's a good fit for a RN student.

Dear Perpetual,

Thanks for the great news, some fellow students and I were just talking about this issue today. Some said to definitely go the agency/home health route and others said "Oh no", you have to get in with the hospital, do the whole med/surg thing, it will look better on your resume, the hospital will reimburse tuition, option for benefits and job placement when you are done with RN. I'm sort of confused which is the best way to go. BTW, the hospitals may offer more but they pay less, I guess you have to factor in the additional benefits that you don't get with private duty. From what I understand, the one bad thing with agency is you don't have the guaranteed hours. I also am a little nervous of being new and having no one to look to for help. How do they go about training you for this? May I ask are you in NJ?

Sorry for so many questions, I am going to ask lC1 also. Hope to hear back. Thanks again.

lC177985,

Being able to study while working sounds like a HUGE bonus. Are you able to find steady work or is it take it when you can? Are you in NJ? I was also wondering about the things I just asked Perpetual about if you don't mind reading my previous post. I would appreciate any advice on the private duty route and how it works.

Thanks for your time, looking forward to hearing from you!

When I was working on my pre-reqs I was able to find a lot of time to study/do homework if I managed my time properly. There would obviously be breaks taken to do actual work, but if I am efficient I can finish all of my required work in addition to restocking and cleaning up, yet have plenty of time to study. That probably wouldn't be quite as easy to do during the day or evening shift when you'd be dealing with little things all shift long.

I'd take a med-surg job--if I could get one nearby--for the better experience (on a resume, that is, I'm sure the conditions would be way less pleasant), but I'm quite content with my current job. I honestly have no idea how such experience will be considered when applying for an acute care job as a new grad RN, but I believe it would be looked upon at least more favorably than the totally non-nursing jobs many of the generic RN program students held previously.

I am required to call my availability into my agency in at the start of the month preceding the month to be scheduled (e.g. I would have to call early March to guarantee days off in April). That works very well for scheduled classes, and you should know when finals and such are so that you can make sure you have the day before off. In terms of getting enough hours, I've never really had a problem. That may vary from agency to agency and town to town, however. I work a fairly consistent schedule, with occasional changes to accommodate an ill/vacationing coworker, but those are totally voluntary.

One thing to keep in mind is that cases vary in terms of workload, environment, and even safety. I've been blessed to work with some wonderful patients and families, but I've heard a few horror stories. Some agencies are definitely better than others, too. Do not be afraid to ask questions, and if an agency/case feels wrong it might not be the best for you.

Wow, thanks for sharing so much information with me. I can see that I'd really have to find out all the details regarding the agency and it's policies before making a decision. I do have one in mind and spoke with them breifly and of course they promised they would train me completely and never send me on a job if I wasn't prepared and promised plenty of work. I'd like to find someone who actually worked for them, I think I'd get a little more honesty.

I really like the idea of the flexible hours, the time to study if possible and being able to take off if need be to study for a final. I don't see that happening on a med/surg floor {{grin}}

Good luck to you with your studies and thanks for taking the time to share.

I am in Montana and would be able to work 40 hours a week if I wanted to with my company. I am very fortunate to be a "transitioning working mother" I have been at home with the boys for 12 years and decided to go to school and get a certificate LPN and start working. I currently work anywhere from 8 to 15 hours a week and more on the 8 side. I have schedule 8 to 10 hours and pick up some on the side when it works for me. This is my decision to work so few hours, the company would love me to work more. The company I work for offers benefits for full-time employees only and I don't think there is tuition reimbursement. When I started nursing school I thought I would ONLY work in ICU highly technical nursing but found that I really like the one on one of private duty and am currently working on my Rn through excelsior. I plan to work in Home Health. I have talked with one of my professors who is also in home health and she said that the experience in private duty will benefit me when it comes time to look for a job in home health. I have friends who work at the hospital and while you have more benefits, and longer hours, it's stressful and hard to coordinate study time and testing time around. I think hospital experience if very valuable and if you can swing doing both, you would really benefit from it but it's also very stressful and difficult to do both. Good Luck

sorry so late to respond

anyways, i work noc shift in a ltc/rehab facility. they are very flexible with my schedule due to the fact that they really need nurses and wouldnt want to jeopardize losing any because of shift problems. i work 8 hour shifts and sometimes its slow to the point that im able to study for a good 2 hours and sometimes everyone is awake and im constantly doing something. but the best thing of all is that i am able to gain general nursing experience and make a decent living while going to school. i no longer have to work 40 hours a week making minimum wage and going to school at the same time. its a possibility that i can pick up more days at work but i make ends meet this way and i have more time to devote to my studies.

good luck

I"m in the transition program and I find it somewhat easier than the LPN program. The LPN program was a accelerated course and I feel I memorized more than I learned. Now in I feel as though I'm understanding more.

I am in the same boat as you...to a "T". But from what I understand from those who have, "gone on before me", is that, it is much easier the RN year, the schedule is lighter (only six classes for the year here), and the year is much shorter, by two months! Plus, we get vacations every four to five weeks for one or more weeks vs one, two wks off at the most (Christmas only), and that was only every 7-10 wks!!!! That helps w/ the burn out because honey, I am passed burned out right now w/ just two weeks left to graduate from the LPN program, and I KNOW you know what I'm talking about! (LOL)!!! Today was my last "official" clinical day!!!! YEAY!!!

Well, I'm going to give you both sides of the story. I had been an LPN for 6 years when I decided to go back for the transition. The pros of being an LPN: you do have a great knowledge base to build on, you are looked up to by the regular RN students, you can work during your RN schooling if need be (I don't recommend it once your in the actual mud of the nsg courses), and often employers will pay for your RN if you agree to work for them as an LPN and when you finish RN school for a certain pd of time.

Now, there are also cons... I'm still paying on my student loans from LPN school on top of what I will need to pay back when I graduate (I've wasted A LOT of money!). I am expected in clinicals to "teach" regular RN students who don't have experience and I feel I'm missing out on my own clinical experiences. My school, and many others, would not take my LPN schools credits for prereqs and everything else....so I spent 1 year in LPN school and now I'm in my 3rd year of RN school with one more to go!!!! I could have gone in 4 years and had my BSN but I will only have an associates degree. 2 years of prereqs as an RN was never explained to me when I signed up for this school.

However, it's all in personal preference really. I can say I could have, should have, would have done things differently but the fact is that it is what it is. My situation was that when I graduated LPN school I was 19 years old, I was just excited to be able to be a nurse and start life. I bought a house and ended up meeting my husband ( a funeral director who had to come for one of my patients), we had a baby together. If I would not have been an LPN, I would have none of those blessings in my life right now.

My advice, do what you feel is right in your heart. The truth is that the answer is not the same for everyone. Good luck to you.:heartbeat