LPN or be retrained

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Hi. I currently work in a hospital as a unit secretary in PICU. My unit doesn't hire LPN's. LPN's can work in the SNF associated with the hospital. My unit does hire patient care techs. Would you be retrained as a PCT or go to the SNF and be a LPN? Just curious.:)

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Specializes in Hospice / Ambulatory Clinic.

Depends on whether you want to go to RN or not.

Maybe a good idea would be to retrain as a PCT while working towards RN status.

In the end you have to evaluate what you want in the long term.

(your post was not clear are you a lpn now or planning to be?)

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I personally would go the LPN route, there are so many doors that can open for you. I think you might be a little limited with PCT> thats just my two cents.:)

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Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.

if your hospital is willing to retrain you, then get retrained as an lpn. you don't know how your life situation is going to be in 2 years or 5 years. who knows if you will still be working at this same facility then. if you have to end up changing jobs you will be able to find a job easily at any snf or ltc as a lpn and make more money than a nursing assistant. check out the cost of lpn training programs. your facility is pretty much paying for this lpn training. there's no way i would turn it down.

opportunities are never lost; someone will take the ones you miss.

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If its anything like my area, PCTs do not get paid very well at all, so that would be just for the experience, not the pay, yk? You can take a 1 month course and have your CNA license np too so its not all that big of a value. I'd much rather work towards being a nurse in some degree, because that is something that has more value financially, as well as more mobility if you wanted to continue or move on from your current employer.

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Specializes in M/S, ER, Geriatrics, Admit & Rec.

I would do the LPN route as well. Just in case u have to change jobs/locations/etc., you'll have this. Once u get this, start right away on your RN degree. Just a thought. :twocents:

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Thanks everyone. I thought about it and I will go the LPN route. PCT on my unit just fold laundry and run errands for the nurses! What a waste of nursing school.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Hi. I currently work in a hospital as a unit secretary in PICU. My unit doesn't hire LPN's. LPN's can work in the SNF associated with the hospital. My unit does hire patient care techs. Would you be retrained as a PCT or go to the SNF and be a LPN? Just curious.:)

Need a bit of clarification here; you are working as a unit secretary, and your particular unit doesn't hire LPNs. However, you didn't say whether or not this facility is offering training as an LPN or if you are already in school, have graduated and are licensed. If they are offering you the education, I would take it and run. You'd gain nursing experience, you can possibly enter into a bridge program for the RN at a later date and you'd be gaining more opportunities.

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I am currently working as a unit secretary. My hospital doesn't train you to become a LPN but if you have your license and want to stay in the hospital you can be retrained as a tech. But they have a SNF connected to the hospital, so LPN's can work there. In my unit, they don't hire LPN's, only techs and all they do is fold laundry or run errands for the RN's and MD's.

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I start LPN school next week.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

Thanks for the clarity. Do the LPN program and move over to the area that utilizes them. To be honest, most times, it is better to have a clean slate and work elsewhere. The best of luck to you!

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