Im full time as a tech at a local hospital working days and night and love everything about it. Recently i've started looking at LPN programs bc i can get through them in 12-15mo for $3000-$10000 with the eventual goal to be an RN. With a full time work schedule and 2 young kids (toddler and infant) I don't think i could honestly give enough time to RN studies, and don't want to set myself up for failure.
I got the opinions from some nurses at work about becoming an LPN to eventual RN and 99% percent of them said dont do it bc i'll get stuck as an LPN, just do an RN program.
My question to you all is, was becoming an LPN worth it? are you looking into RN programs? And are you having a hard time finding programs that will accept you? Do you wish you'd done an RN program to begin with?
My mind is racing with what decision to make and if its best or the right one (I'm really not usually this indecisive)
the reasons i didn't was because i wasn't sure i was going to like nursing to begin with and i wanted a short program. both good reasons to go through lpn program.
but...
once i got a decent paying lpn gig, i thought i was a big shot and bought a house, nice car, made lots more bills for myself.
now that i want to go back to school for rn, i can't afford to work part time and go to school at the same time. it sucks, but going back to school is just not doable for me now. that is why i wish i would have went straight through to rn the first time.
there is absolutely nothing wrong with just being an lpn though. don't let anyone ever tell you that. everyone has their own life and situations.
wow you are only 22 and have a house, nice car and all this stuff already? kudos to you.
and yes i know what you mean by feeling or thinking i was a big shot when i became an lpn. haha. i immediately bought myself a brand new luxury car as soon as i found my first lpn job. still paying for it now and regretted it a little bit because i could have saved more money if i just stick with my old car. oh well!
anyway, have you heard of excelsior college distance lpn-rn program? i just finished it and am now waiting to take the nclex-rn. i worked full-time and did this program in one year. you can go to the distance learning forum to learn more about excelsior college.
this time i won't buy anything extra expensive but i had some thoughts already of buying myself a new car again. haha. i hear people say that the more money you make, the more bills you seem to have because you spend more and i totally agree with this.
Thanks, Angel. Yes, I am very thankful for what I have already, but you are right about the more money...more bills.
I am a little weary of online programs. I don't know if I would do as well as if I was sitting in a class. Kind of like working out...if I had a trainer telling me what to do, I know I would do it.
well, I dont know if my comment will help either but here goes....as far as the LPN or RN dilemmas...I live in a small town that has always been a manufacturing town. Right now, all that has been ripped away from this area so thousands of laid off workers who only know mill work are being basically forced into more "secure" fields like nursing and anything health related.
Ive seen so many nurses and aides come through who only had mill work who just couldnt do nursing work...any of it...it wasnt what they wanted or enjoyed but it was all they were offered.
It sounds like you're already in the field somewhat and enjoy it, thus either choice you make whether it be LPN or RN will work out for you. You have the DESIRE for it, and you are choosing to move forward.
And just because some LPNS dont want to become RNs doesnt mean anything other than they are satisfied with what they are. They are proud of the title they have earned so dont let anybody ever tell you any different.
No nurse is perfect and it takes lots and lots of work and practice to learn all the things you will learn. Times change hour by hour, something new comes out or policies change etc etc.
I became an LPN with the goal to become just that. I had no actual desire to go on. I will admit, there have been times when I wished I was an RN just to be in management to fix things that are so wrong where I work. IF I was in that particular position, my goal would immediately be to clean house and hire new, improved staff & strictly enforce policies and rules. Other than that, I still dont desire the RN title.
I think the reason that many people that started working as an LPN and stay do so because they find the paycheck great, get used to it and find the RN role not for them, or dread the fact of starting over as a student nurse for that year of RN school because you are already a Nurse a bit unappealing.
Humm or maybe that's just me. I waiver on going back for RN at this point because... even though I am in LTC, my license and job skills are portable, in demand and well the money right now is better than the new grad RN's that are still trying to find that first job. I am nearly finished with my first year of Nursing experience and have learned so much and realized that "experience" has its rewards.
I became and LPN with the intention of becoming an RN.
In my city RN schools are hard to get into because of all of the prereqs and waiting lists. I was able to get into a PN program immediately. I graduated last February, I began working in June and I immediately applied to an RN program. I begin this January.
For me, becoming an LPN was the best decision I have ever made, it got me to work sooner which relieved a lot of financial stress from my life. I will be entering the RN program without worrying about a car breaking down, losing my home, not being able to feed my kids etc..
I found it to be much easier to get into an LPN-RN bridge program than getting into an RN program without the LPN.
by the way, I am doing an online program so I will be able to continue to work.
agldragonRN
1,547 Posts
wow you are only 22 and have a house, nice car and all this stuff already? kudos to you.
and yes i know what you mean by feeling or thinking i was a big shot when i became an lpn. haha. i immediately bought myself a brand new luxury car as soon as i found my first lpn job.
still paying for it now and regretted it a little bit because i could have saved more money if i just stick with my old car. oh well!
anyway, have you heard of excelsior college distance lpn-rn program? i just finished it and am now waiting to take the nclex-rn. i worked full-time and did this program in one year. you can go to the distance learning forum to learn more about excelsior college.
this time i won't buy anything extra expensive but i had some thoughts already of buying myself a new car again. haha. i hear people say that the more money you make, the more bills you seem to have because you spend more and i totally agree with this.
angel