introduction/questions

Tweety, BSN, RN · Jul 1, 2007

You probably want to ask this question in the Canadian Nurses forum, so I'll move it for you.

Good luck. (what does being straight have to do with anything?)

interestedinnursing1 · Jul 1, 2007

I didn't know what I had to put, kind of just wrote it at a late hour, and wasn't sure. Thanks

You probably want to ask this question in the Canadian Nurses forum, so I'll move it for you.
Good luck. (what does being straight have to do with anything?)

Fiona59 · Jul 1, 2007

I would say yes. But then I'm an LPN. It is getting harder and harder to get into RN programmes, the entry grade requirements are being raised each year and there are waitlists. And as a result we are getting smarter but often not more "people-type" nurses.

I work in acute care. So, I do admissions and discharges, wound care, teaching, medication administration, loads of charting, and deal with families to a certain extent.

There is always longterm/continuing care, dialysis, orthopedic tech, and OR Tech jobs to consider.

The military medics obtain their LPN in order to qualify to obtain the ortho and OR tags. But they have an entirely differenct scope of practice.

I'm not going for my BScN. Too old and it's just not worth it for the time I plan on continue working.

The way I see it, invest two years of your life in getting your PN. If you find out that nursing isn't for you, you have a skill that is marketable and student loans that won't cripple you financially. I work with "new" RNs who are up to their armpits in debt and wish they had a degree in another field once reality sets in.

interestedinnursing1 · Jul 2, 2007

thanks very much for the response! I was thinking of doing the malispena route for the LPN(BC College on the island and doing the bridging program from selkirk where you obtain a degree from UVIC and they said it's do-able with the pre-reqs I am getting.(But not sure as you have pointed out) What is the PN program?

I would say yes. But then I'm an LPN. It is getting harder and harder to get into RN programmes, the entry grade requirements are being raised each year and there are waitlists. And as a result we are getting smarter but often not more "people-type" nurses.
I work in acute care. So, I do admissions and discharges, wound care, teaching, medication administration, loads of charting, and deal with families to a certain extent.
There is always longterm/continuing care, dialysis, orthopedic tech, and OR Tech jobs to consider.
The military medics obtain their LPN in order to qualify to obtain the ortho and OR tags. But they have an entirely differenct scope of practice.
I'm not going for my BScN. Too old and it's just not worth it for the time I plan on continue working.
The way I see it, invest two years of your life in getting your PN. If you find out that nursing isn't for you, you have a skill that is marketable and student loans that won't cripple you financially. I work with "new" RNs who are up to their armpits in debt and wish they had a degree in another field once reality sets in.

Soon2BPaeds · Jul 2, 2007

Im not sure what the job opportunities are like for LPNs in BC/AB but in Ontario they are almost limited to mental health, LTC and home care. We do not have a lot of bridging programs and I have met a number of LPNs who wish they had done their RN in the beginning becasue there are few jobs and its difficult to upgrade to the RN. Do you have any univeristy courses yet? If you do, you can apply to the accelerated programs which are usually 2 years long.

Fiona59 · Jul 2, 2007

Im not sure what the job opportunities are like for LPNs in BC/AB but in Ontario they are almost limited to mental health, LTC and home care. We do not have a lot of bridging programs and I have met a number of LPNs who wish they had done their RN in the beginning becasue there are few jobs and its difficult to upgrade to the RN. Do you have any univeristy courses yet? If you do, you can apply to the accelerated programs which are usually 2 years long.

I've worked in BC and my scope was severly limited by the hospital that employed me. It really depends on which health authority you are working for.

In Alberta, our practice is unlimited. We work in active treatment, the OR, ortho clinics, dialysis, LTC, mental health, and school programmes. If anything we are severly undercompensated for what we do. In many areas we operate at 80 - 90% of an RN skill set for about 60% of the pay.

Out here your comment on applying to the accelerated programmes is incorrect. Many PN's here have two years of Arts backgrounds but are only admitted to the second year of the BScN programme.

As for BC, it ultimately depends on the number of seats available in the university's nursing programme. You get admitted into second year IF there are spaces available. GMCC in Edmonton does a full time bridge class for PNs only but there a required number of employed hours as well as educational requirements. I personally find it offensive that a working LPN has to get a letter from her/his employer to bridge into an RN when someone in the BScN can just apply for a nurses education.

There is an interesting concept being floated by the CNA to revamp nursing education by the year 2020. It involves making the LPN designation the ENTRY point for all nurses with further education only being available afterwards. Called something like the 2-4-6-8-10 plan.

In Alberta, the PN now attends school for two years and acquires the English, Pscyh, Sociology, and Arts credits required for the bridge.

Hope this hasn't muddied the waters too much.

Soon2BPaeds · Jul 2, 2007

To apply to the accelerated programs out here it doesn't matter if you are an LPN or not, anyone with 2 years of university level credits is welcome to apply to the program which is 2 years long (everyone starts at the same point)

loriangel14, RN · Jul 2, 2007

I am a soon to be grad of a registered practical nursing program in Ontario and I find there are many opportunities for rpns, not just mental health, LTC or home care. The hosptial in my area hires many rpns in all areas of the hospital, even OR and ER and they are used to their full scope of practice.Ther are bridging programs available if you want to go for your RN.

interestedinnursing1 · Jul 3, 2007

What is the PN program? I have taken about 8 courses of general studies at GMCC. I don't currently have the pre-reqs for their RN,(in the process of going back to BC to obtain them) and plus I really want to make sure that nursing is for me, so I chose the LPN route. As long as I can get my foot in the door, I'll take any job. I am thinking of taking the one-yr program at Malaspina on Van Island. Have people heard good things about the instruction and placing of students? Thanks to everyone who responsed.

I've worked in BC and my scope was severly limited by the hospital that employed me. It really depends on which health authority you are working for.
In Alberta, our practice is unlimited. We work in active treatment, the OR, ortho clinics, dialysis, LTC, mental health, and school programmes. If anything we are severly undercompensated for what we do. In many areas we operate at 80 - 90% of an RN skill set for about 60% of the pay.
Out here your comment on applying to the accelerated programmes is incorrect. Many PN's here have two years of Arts backgrounds but are only admitted to the second year of the BScN programme.
As for BC, it ultimately depends on the number of seats available in the university's nursing programme. You get admitted into second year IF there are spaces available. GMCC in Edmonton does a full time bridge class for PNs only but there a required number of employed hours as well as educational requirements. I personally find it offensive that a working LPN has to get a letter from her/his employer to bridge into an RN when someone in the BScN can just apply for a nurses education.
There is an interesting concept being floated by the CNA to revamp nursing education by the year 2020. It involves making the LPN designation the ENTRY point for all nurses with further education only being available afterwards. Called something like the 2-4-6-8-10 plan.
In Alberta, the PN now attends school for two years and acquires the English, Pscyh, Sociology, and Arts credits required for the bridge.
Hope this hasn't muddied the waters too much.

Fiona59 · Jul 3, 2007

Give Norquest a call if you are in Edmonton.

The programme is two years now. It covers all the PN education and clinicals and also gives you the English, etc. prereqs.

Have only worked with people who were educated on VI. The training there was different if I recall, it was a shorter course and at one point the anatomy portion was considered indepth enough for BC trained LPNs to work in Alberta without taking an add on course to be granted a full license. Something to do with vision testing and Snellen charts.

interestedinnursing1 · Jul 25, 2007

I am really wanting to make this work out,but now I don't have the support(money wise also) of my parents or my aunt.(she is a RCA/LPN) My aunt takes care of a patient, who has VD, and a bad diaarea(SP) problem, and she filled my parents in on how much she hates her job. She has been doing the job for about 5 yrs. My parents don't seem to understand that it's not all about cleaning poop. I was on the phone with my mom, and she gave me a 20 min discussion on how this isn't the right field, and that we would not be supporting you. I am starting starting to get a little discouraged, and still trying to figure out if I should take this path or not. I feel weird being just about 22, and all I've done is work temp jobs, and haven't found my career yet. Anyway, thanks to anyone who has read this thread.

interestedinnursing1