Leave good paying job in paradise for RN school?

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I am a new LPN, I graduated in May and moved to Honolulu to take a job in home care. I get a free apartment with utilities, free company car, free gas, free food, full benefits and free cleaning supplies and toiletries. I have been living here for 6 months and I love Hawaii and my job. There is only a few problems.I work 3 12 hour shifts in a row then I have 3 days off, so it is impossible to take any classes because I never work the same days every week. I am only 22 years old, but I don't want to be an LPN forever and I still have prereqs to take before I can even apply to RN programs. Another problem is that I have a free apartment, but it is upstairs at the house I work at, so there is not much privacy. Everyone I work with knows whenever I come and go and who I have over. I love all my 8 residents, but sometimes I feel like I can not get away from work even on my days off. Also I feel like I'm not getting a lot of skilled nursing care experience since I have been a Home Health Aide for three years and this position is similar but with a few added responsibilities. From everything I have been reading and hearing, LPN's are having a hard time finding jobs everywhere else. I am from Minnesota and I'm not really sure on how I feel about going back to sub-zero temperatures and feet of snow. I'm scared if I try to go back for school I won't find a job and will rack up more student loans. I have a year contract and it's up in June and I'm trying to decide whether to renew it or not. I have a few months to think about it but I wanted to see what others think. All opinions are appreciated :)

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

Hi,

I'd definitely start working some of your pre-reqs because you might be able to do some of them online as well as paying off any student debt or start saving for your future classes. Is there any chance if they are happy with you that you could get a set schedule so you could go back to RN school when it comes time to renew your contract? I've found that most everything is negotiatable. I don't blame you for not wanting to go back to Minn. Best of luck with whatever you decide.

P.S. My first thought when I read your title is that I managed to stay at my ho-hum job in the ghetto and go to RN school. I had to find a way to do both. :D

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Uh, I realise tha you are only 22, ahhh, so very young! Are you kidding? STAY in HI., if you need privacy go to another Island. Do you know how many people would kill for your job, even if the econ. was swinging and every nurse had his/her choice of work envir. bla, bla, bla. Learn to scuba dive it will change your perspective and THAT will be the only thing you will want to do on your days off. Sounds to me like U are in the perfet position. Life is short sweetheart live if to the fullest. The gods have given you the Golden Lamp Stand. Don't throw it to the wind, just to become an RN (more repsonsibility, snow up the wazzoo, and a chance you will never see HI. again). I realise that money is not a job satisfier (sp) but, a many an RN/LPN would want to slap some since into your brain (spoken with love). Just my $c-notes worth. One of the replies to your posts mentioned working in the Ghetto. Let that sink in REAL good.

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Specializes in Neuro, ER, Acute, Home Health.

If you do go back look for a diploma program that has a bridge program mine was only 14 months.....the require less pre reqs

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