Is it a waste of money to become an LPN,only to work as one for a few years?

[cisa04]

hi, i am having a hard time deciding what i should do. i have been working as a cna for the past year. i am almost finished with all of the pre-reqs required for the 2 year nursing degree. i go to school in ak. here to be accepted and actually start the 2 yr rn program, you are academically competing for a spot each semester. they only allow 32 students a year. they estimate around 130-150 people apply to get in each year. i'm in ok academic standings and i have great references and experiences (all the things they look at in determining your rank) but i don't think that i am in the top 30's. then again i don't know what all the other 149 people have compared to me. i am considering taking an lpn training course, that starts in january 2007 and cost 5000 dollars, but you get college credit towards your first year of rn training and this company has a contract with my school to guarantee any graduated lpn a spot in the second year of rn training. i want to become an rn, but i am debating if i should take the lpn class because the rn application is due feb 1 2007,( you don't find out until months later if you have been accepted) and if i decide to go through with the lpn course and then i receive a letter saying that i am admitted to the rn program in fall, i would have to drop the lpn training half way through, wasting all that money that i don't have. if i decide not to take the lpn class and i don't get accepted then i will just be waiting around to get accepted into the rn, and that could be 2-3 years easily. would it be a huge waste of money to become an lpn to only be working as one for a few years?? thank you for your help.

[firstyearstudent]

Wow, that's a really tough call. I can see why you don't quite know what to do. Are there yet other options that you haven't looked at, other schools?

I notice that you are only 20, so you have the time to wait. On the other hand, if you get your LVN you could work for more money than CNA while you were in school if you needed to and you wouldn't have to worry about not getting accepted.

You didn't mention the cost of the RN program. You might want to factor that in. (If it's really cheap and you have financial constraints, I might take my chances and wait.)

[Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN]

I don't feel that it was a waste of money for myself. I'm gaining nursing experience while i'm going back to school. However, what works for some people it's always best for others.

[michar]

I was going to say no, but midway through my BSN program we are allowed to sit for our LPN license. In your situation it's a tough call.

Have you looked at various ways to pay for school? If the LPN lets you start the RN program in the second year, how much would you 'save' off of the RN program?

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

No. Often you can move into an RN position from the LPN position you're already in and get a heads up and the employers are very supportive of this.

Good luck.