LPN - good idea?

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:sniff: Hello,

I was wondering if someone out there can provide some insight to my issue. I am currently working in a investment bank and make a decent salary. I recently became a mom to a baby boy in June. When I graduated high school I went to school for nursing and I dropped out in my 2nd yr because I wanted to go out w/ my friends and not be bothered with school. Now 10 yrs later I have an Associates degree in business and always regreted not sticking with the nursing. I applied to 5 schools and did not get accepted to any of them due my GPA not being high enough (which is a 3.5) or the do not have enough seats available. I decided in March next yr I will begin taking a 18 month program to become a LPN to get my foot in the door. Is this a good idea??? This is my dream and I want to make it come true. Please help.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

Hello!

I completed an LPN program last year and have absolutely no regrets. I like my job very much. However, you would be wise to research the employment opportunities and average wages for LPNs in your local geographic area. Last year I relocated to the Dallas-Fort Worth area and, luckily, there are many good opportunities for LVNs around here.

Please visit this site's LPN Forum for more focused information. Good luck! :)

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Specializes in Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Nursing.

Yes, it's a fantastic idea. I did the same thing. I just became an LPN as I neared age 30 wishing I had enough sense to do it when I was younger.

I'm now pursuing my RN via Excelsior college, which is a distance learning school.

I chose LPN over RN school since the LPN school offered an affordable part time program and no waiting list or onerous pre-requisites. Now, I'm studying at my own pace at home working toward my RN via Excelsior and am kicking butt because I'm choosing to work faster than recommended 'cause I'm mature enough to know that I 'wanna get this done lickity split. :-)

Remember, the bigger the fire, the more heat it gives off...the bigger the goal/dream, the harder/longer you'll work to attain it. Good luck!

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I don't understand the waiting lists to these RN schools. Several years ago I applied to and was accepted to an RN program (granted, it was at a community college, but an RN is an RN). Since the college was 2 hrs. away my husband decided I should go to the local vo-tech LPN program, which was 45 minutes away. So I went there.

Careerwise it was an excellent decision. I got a job in a nursing home and later as a private duty nurse, which allowed me almost unlimited study time at work while I got paid a fair salary for it. I finished my degree with Excelsior College earlier this year.

I would always advise one to become an LPN before an RN now. To appreciate one level of nursing I think it is best to see it from that level.

The only regret I have is that it took precious time away from my children, who were one and two years old when I started shuffling them to daycare while I pursued my diploma. Then I started working and I missed out on a lot of their baby years. If I could change things, I would have finished school before I had any children, then I would have only worked part-time/prn while I spent most of my time with my babies.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

I want to provide another opinion on this subject. Let me first say that I too was a career changer: from public affairs to nursing. I did the LPN first and found the jobs lacking as well as few advancement possibilities.

I personally would advise since you are going to go back to school to go straight for your BSN. This accomplishes several goals: first, you can start pre-reqs now and get into it gradually, you can go part-time or full-time in many programs, you will have many more opportunities for jobs as well as advancement.

I did the LPN, then the ADN then the BSN then the MSN and finally a post-MSN certificate. It was really the only way that I could do it since my husband was in the military. However, I wasted a lot of time, money and effort when I should have just pursued the BSN first.

Just another perspective. Good luck with your decision.

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