Is becoming a LPN worth it?

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Hi everyone!

I need some advice. I have been working hard and am halfway through a LPN program.

I hold a BS in Psychology I received 8 years ago (so nothing counts). I am currently a PCA and although it can be a wonderful job it does not bring home enough to justify putting my kids in daycare. I will be graduating and hopefully passing the state boards this Summer.

Then looking for a job... the question is... will there be a job? I have used all of my resources to do this LPN program and won't have time or money to go higher in my education again. Has it all been a waste? They are saying LPNS are being cut and all of the clinics and hospitals I am familiar with recently said they no longer hire LPNS.

I am terrified. Help! Thanks in advance.

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Absolutely not. I passed my NCLEX last February 2013, and I still haven't found work, though actively searching because even hospice requires a year experience, so I'm an undesirable.

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It's all in what you out into it. My friend has been a LPN since 1977 and she says they have been saying that about LPN'S since then

she has been working her entire life as an LPN and current is making about 70k with Private Duty and some O T.

be resourcefull. Ask your school or the places you do clinical about LPN hiring.

go online and check your state website and type in LPN see what jobs they have. Do the same for the city and county you live in. Check Craigs List and your local unemployment office.

get a lost of all the nursing homes in your county and check their websites. Lastly go to http://www.usajobs.com or .Org

that's the Federal United States of America website. They have tons of LPN jobs for various areas of the goverment like the veterans administration, federal jails, medicare, and even some military bases for the Army Marines n airforce.

I'm so tired of reading that LPN'S are not needed or face failure.

your job after you graduate is finding a job. Like anything it depends how hard you work at it. Your already a cna and a psychological degree and an Lpn, your very marketable. Check your local county welfare child services office. They would love an LPN with a psych degree!

I hope all of this helps you. Never let anyone tell you it was a waste!

Shame on them!

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I think it is. You will always hear about LPN's being cut. My mom has heard the same thing for the last 10+ years. They dwindle down and then surge up again due to the cost of LPN vs RN salary just like any other career. Being a LPN is what you make of it. I believe most people get set on working at a hospital that they lose out on some chances for a job.

The clinics around me hire LPNs still. However, LTC is the number one LPN job around here. You could also go into home health, jail nursing, VA nursing, state hospitals, and even some schools hire LPNs as a school nurse. Some insurance companies will also hire you to do some of their work. If your area is flooded with nurses, you may have to expand your search. Yeah it may be a challenge to find a job, but that's just due to the entire market at the moment.

Seriously I agree with Full Metal Jacket. Contact your local or state Department of Child Services. Your Psych + Nursing degree would be pretty appealing to them.

Best of luck!

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In my area LPNs are hired in Ltc, assisted living, clinics, home health, private duty, group homes, corrections, occupational health, insurance companies, school nursing, even hospitals. Pretty much everywhere. We've heard that LPNs are being phased out forever. The jobs at hospitals have gotten fewer over the years but, I still see hospital LPN job postings occasionally. It really just depends on where you live, some areas don't utilize LPNs as much as others.

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Just get your BSN.

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I agree with Lindsey. I live in Baton Rouge,LA which is flooded with RN's so LPN's are mainly utilized for LTC, Home Health, VA etc. It really does depend where you live. One of my classmates from my PN program moved to Houston, TX & works in an Urgent Care clinic with very decent pay versus being here where LTC is not your only option, but your best bet. I wish you luck great luck & abundant blessings on your future.

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Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.

what do you mean bs psyc, it was eight years ago "so nothing counts" college hours and degrees last a lifetime.

in 2003,!when i decided to take a vaccation from nursing, I pursued a AAS degree in respiratory therapy, college courses I took

in 67-70 counted, and I only had to take the core classes.

But to your question "will you find a job" most nursing students start marketing for their first job while in clincals.....go out of your way to be helpful, interested, in areas you would like to work. It is a little harder to land hospital jobs right now, lots of opportunity in LTC, corrections, home health, school, va hospitals, & military if there is a base near you. best of luck......:smug:

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I think the first time I heard the rumor that they were getting rid of LPN's for good was in the early 1980's. Now it seems that LTC wants LPN's more because they can pay them less money than the RN's. The ads for LPN's at some LTC's say "Must have experience" However, some LTC's do in fact hire "new grads" despite the fact that their job ads say "Must have prior LTC experience"

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Specializes in geriatrics, IV, Nurse management.

Yes, it is worth it. I've always had a fulltime job since graduating in 2010. They are not being phased out.

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Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.

i actually recruited lvn students that demonstrated good potential when i was director of nursing at several LTCs.

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Specializes in LTC/SNF.

As a currently employed LPN who just graduated from an ADN program and is looking for an RN position, I can tell you that I had a much easier time getting a job as an LPN. I was pretty much handed my current job. I have applied for dozens of RN positions in the tristate area and have gotten two phonecalls, one interview, and zero jobs thus far. As an LPN you will be limited in the settings where you can work, but I know that in some areas even large teaching hospitals still hire LPN/LVNs. Opportunities are out there.

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