Is becoming an LPN worth it in my case?

[moneyline702]

I am a hospital sitter. I make $12/hr there and no benefits. Since they won't hire me as a CNA I have to cultivate more options. A CNA here (Nevada) makes $16/hr. I know that LPN's are primarily in skilled nursing here in town and I'm ok with that. Also, I with my completed courses can finish the LPN program in one year. In LTC they make $21/hr. I don't mind a $9/hr bump PLUS benefits.

Will becoming an LPN be worth it in the long run? I need to make more money ASAFP. From there I could do the CSN bridge to RN. My pending divorce is really screwing up my prior plans an as such I can't wait to get into the RN program. A year for prerequisites alone?? I can be making the money I need with benefits in this time.

There's so many programs here at CSN. Health IT, Respiratory Therapy, Rad Therapy, etc. By far this is gonna help me out the soonest. I really could use some insight. Also, this is all coming out-of-pocket. I can't get financial aid. I'm maxed out.

[CT Pixie, BSN, RN]

Yes I want to be a nurse. I am, it appears, will go through all the stops. Sitter, CNA, LPN (soon) & RN (eventually BSN as well). I may even move into NP realm but I'm just going one step at a time.

Given that I would have to do a year of prereq's before I get into RN school the LPN route seems better economically.

You seem to be focused on that year of pre-reqs thing. By going the LPN to RN route you are just delaying the years worth of pre-reqs, you aren't bypassing them completly. No matter what route you take those pre-reqs will have to be done in order to start your RN program. Maybe I'm not understanding you correctly. Are you saying that you want to become a nurse ASAP so that you can make more money and get benefits or are you saying you want to do the LPN because its a quicker way to get more money/benefits while you go on to RN?

Many people mistakenly believe that you can bypass pre-reqs if you do the LPN to RN bridge. The only pre-reqs and classes you can bypass is by having prior college classes. LPN's are (around here) only granted the first years worth of nursing class credits for an ADN program. But you are still required to take all the gen ed classes that the program requires (A&P, Chem, Math, English, Sociology etc) And in my state of Connecticut in order to start the RN nursing classes you need to complete a 3 credit on line class that is an LPN to RN transitional class, then you do a 1 credit class at the college you are attending for your RN, but before you can even do those 2 classes you have to (per the State LPN to RN program rules) complete all the first year non-nursing classes. So its really not that much quicker. Yes, you have LESS classes to take but you are still doing it in the same amount of time someone who started right in the RN program does. The LPN is afforded the luxery of having less classes to do in the 1st 2 semesters but you still have to do those semesters. And as time passes many colleges ADD classes you need to take prior to starting an RN program, so now you'd have more than that 1 year of pre-reqs your worried about. Does that make sense?

You might be working quicker if you get your LPN first but you are now incurring more debt which will take you longer to pay off. If I could go back and do it all again, I'd have rather just go head first and do RN. LPN to RN, making more money quicker but then having much more money to pay back. Going right for RN, a little bit longer in school but coming out with less debt :)

[moneyline702]

I never said I could bypass anything. I know the classes needed. Aside from the general eds that I have done, I have BIOL 189 done and look forward to 223, 224 & 251. That will take a year. The only debt is out-of-pocket. I have general eds, up to organic chemistry, BIOL 196 & 197 done (which is why I have 189 complete). Yeah, it does make sense.

I need B-E-N-E-F-I-T-S! I am facing a divorce as well. I can try to manage one year without them but two is a bit much. Aside from that, there's no way I can pay for school for the year I need for prerequisites (which I know I need) plus the two years for an ADN, assuming I get in on the first try!

My divorce has me frazzled. In actuality, undertaking an LPN program invariably is LONGER a route to RN. I need a better salary and such to sustain ME. I know you have excellent intentions with the advice. Thank you. I just need to get on track with a lot more than just nursing goals.

[Keithnurse89]

Medication Aides and assistants will never take LPN jobs. LPNs are nurses and will always be needed. Don't listen to that non sense. Med assistants and med aides wont be allowed to do a lot medications such as insulins, Blood pressure meds, heparin, Narcotics, i think you get my point, you will always need LPN nurses because if AIDES were to pass meds THEY COULDN'T EVEN PASS HAVE OF UM BY LAW!!!!. Thats why LPN's are required to take pharm for a semester and have med pass evaluations, not a 2 week class. Come on ppl use your heads!!!!