LPN maybe...possibly...probably

[Tabbymouse]

(Posted this in the general pre-nursing thread, figured I;d post it here too.)

Hello,

I'm debating on going into a nursing program, and due to personal situations I don't want to play around and wait on waiting lists and appyling to programs only to compete with dozens of other students. I'm looking into a local LPN program, figuring I can always bridge later to RN. I just...I'm my own worst enemy sometimes so I'm debating with myself.

Background: I was a CNA close to ten years ago. My boyfriend got a false-positive for hep C and I made a comment to his mom that I would become a nurse (#1). I loved helping the people but HATED my co-workers on 2-11, at least the ones who were my age but seemed to have constant "baby daddy drama", or spent all Friday talking about going clubbing and drinking that weekend, then all Monday talking about the clubbing and drinking they did over the weekend.

I left and went into retail. I quickly started hating people because retail workers see the worst of the worst. I hated my job most of all and ended up going to counseling. There I was diagnosed with dysthimia and mild social anxiety, and given a job aptitude test to see what job I would be good at. That came back - Nursing (#2). I didn't want to deal with people at the time and thought going to school to be a vet tech would be a good idea...then the economy crashed.

I spent a year couch surfing because I couldn't find work. I started classes at a "career college" for medical billing, and several of my teachers told me I was wasting my time and I should go into nursing (#3 - I apparently don't listen!)...but I ended up dropping because I was couch surfing and needed to move.

Finally got some stability and went back to school, this time for veterinary technology. Busted out all my pre-reqs, got in the program and..."Your program has been canceled" a few hours before classes began. >.

One year in and I ended up dropping the program. There were issues between the schools involved and some of the instructors and I thought it would be better if I transferred to another school. Enrolled in one, and on the first day of classes I couldn't shake something felt off and I dropped...good thing I did, they never processed my financial aide.

I told this to a girl at work (Still retail, still hate it), and a customer overheard me. She said it was a good thing I dropped because her niece graduated the same program a year earlier and was currently working at WalMart because there were no LVT jobs in the area, and she felt she didn't get enough schooling for all that is required (LVTs are animal nurses, radiologists, anesthesiologists, pharmacists, dentists and only two years of school...2 semesters for regular animals, 1 for small/lab animals, and 1 for large/farm animals). "If you could do that, why don't you switch to human nursing?" (#4...bout time I listen!)

So now I've spent a month looking into local programs. I need my A&P classes no matter what program I take, but, like I said, I want to get in, and get to work. I can always bridge to RN at a later date.

Right now I'm looking at the LPN program at DBI here in southeast Michigan. I haven't found much about the school, much less the program, but what I have found is all positive. After my previous experience at a "career college" I'm not a fan of the idea of going to a for-profit place, but the closest college to me is the one I just dropped out of (The LVT program is/was headed by the same people as EMT and RN), and gets something like 100 applicants a year for a 30 seat class.

[hstutz86]

What colleges in southeast Michigan are you thinking about?

[Tabbymouse]

Right now DBI. I don't want to go to WCCCD thanks to dealing with them for the vet tech program, plus some of the students in the program have told me while the class schedule might say one thing it is really 8am-9pm m-f and right now I NEED to work so a school schedule like that is a no-go. Davenport and Schoolcraft have been sujested, but I think they might be to far for me to get to. (My car right now is not mine so there's a lingering fear I'll suddenly not have transportation)