LPN to RN nurses

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Specializes in Wound Care, LTC, Sub-Acute, Vents.

for those who were lpn first then became an rn, how was your transition to rn?

i became an lpn in feb. 2008 and an rn in october 2010. i am still a floor nurse at my first nursing job and on the same floor. nothing change except the pay, which i am happy about but i am feeling a little "bored" now. ltc nursing is tough work but i am talking about the routine stuff. i am not challenged any more even though my floor is one of the hardest in the building (500 beds).

i tried to apply at hospitals but i keep getting the automated rejection e-mail. it is hard for all the new grads here in my area. i am happy i have a full-time job with good pay and benefits but i want change.

have you guys felt like this when you transitioned to rn and remained in the same job or company? i've been orientating (per-diem) in another ltc facility in their sub-acute and vent unit and i feel the same.

thanks for reading my post.

angel :confused:

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Lactation, Case Management.

Absolutely! I encountered to the same problem, so I changed jobs. I do public health now. LOVE IT!!! :o) In our state, only RN's are qualified to work in public health. I am not slagging on LPN's. I was one for 10 years, but I really felt like if I worked hard to complete my RN education, then my job description should change.

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Specializes in Family Practice, Mental Health.

I got my RN so that I could work in critical care. It is all I ever wanted to do, and I am so thankful that I made the switch from LPN/LVN to RN.

I worked Med/Surg for a long time as an LPN and then an LVN. It was ever. so. frustrating. to have to stop what I was doing and get another nurse to perform a task that was outside of my scope of practice. What a breeze it was to work Med/Surg after getting my RN. It was like I had extra time to do things for my patients because I didn't have to jump through hoops to give patient care.

I definitely felt challenged in ICU, and felt like I was accomplishing what I had set out to do. I never looked back.

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Specializes in Hospital - Internal Med, Onc.

I was fortunate to be a LPN for 3 years on a hospital medical floor prior to becoming an RN. I know what you mean about not being challenged. Although my goal was to become an RN on that same floor, because I love the nurses I worked with, I also wondered if I would be missing out on more learning opportunities.

With regard to acute care, if that's what you utimately want to do then don't give up applying. I submitted over 300 apps before getting any interview offers and ultimately had 3 job offers. You're right about the automatic rejection emails. I swore my name had a preassigned "decline" button attached to it.

Have you looked into LTAC's? They are a transition between inpt acute care and a SNF or LTC; just something to consider.

There are 2 questions that were posed in each interview I had - "Why should I hire you?" and "If hired, what would you bring to our team?" Take the experience you have as an LPN, vents, trachs, etc and try to use it to your advantage. Apply for the job that you want and use those questions to write a cover letter. Tell them what job you want and why you think you'd be a good fit.

Most of all, don't give up.

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Specializes in Wound Care, LTC, Sub-Acute, Vents.

thank you guys for your advice!! i will keep trying to apply at different nursing jobs and see what happens. i am scared of the change but i want the change. lol

best,

angel

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

I completed a trade school LVN program in October 2005, attained my initial LVN licensure in January 2006, and slowly completed prerequisite classes for an RN program while I worked as an LVN at a nursing home. I attended an LPN-to-RN bridge program from January 2009 until March 2010, and passed NCLEX in May 2010.

It is harder than ever to get into a hospital these days due to the rough economic climate of this country. I still work 12-hour weekend night shifts at a nursing home as an RN floor nurse, and I also work PRN at a rehab hospital during the week.

I have interviewed at three different acute care hospitals in my area. Two decided not to hire me, and the last one offered me the job, but I declined to take the job because it involved a nightly load of 8 patients on a med/surg floor with oncology overflow. Also, they were only willing to train me on the floor for a week before cutting me loose. While I'd like hospital experience, I'm not that desperate right now.

Since so many people are unemployed in America, I consider myself doubly blessed to have two jobs. While I might not enjoy my jobs at all times, I make the best of what I've got and realize that my professional fortune has been good so far.

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Hello,

I am a LPN since 2008, and I have worked in a bigger nursing home since that. I will finish my bridge program in May of this year. I have worked on 2 different floors at my nursing home, and I just changed to the TCU.

I have worked every shift, every floor at my work. I think I have learned a lot, and I am also a little bit afraid of not being challenged once I will graduate and continue working as a RN at my work. But as said, economy is not the best right now for the job market as a new grad RN then, so that I am thinking about doing 2 different RN jobs parttime maybe, maybe in pediatric homecare to get some new experiences, since I love to learn. As much as I 'd like to work at a hospital, it might not be possible as a new grad though. Thanks for your posting

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Specializes in Wound Care, LTC, Sub-Acute, Vents.
hello,

i am a lpn since 2008, and i have worked in a bigger nursing home since that. i will finish my bridge program in may of this year. i have worked on 2 different floors at my nursing home, and i just changed to the tcu.

i have worked every shift, every floor at my work. i think i have learned a lot, and i am also a little bit afraid of not being challenged once i will graduate and continue working as a rn at my work. but as said, economy is not the best right now for the job market as a new grad rn then, so that i am thinking about doing 2 different rn jobs parttime maybe, maybe in pediatric homecare to get some new experiences, since i love to learn. as much as i 'd like to work at a hospital, it might not be possible as a new grad though. thanks for your posting

thanks. yeah the economy is not so great right now. even my per-diem gig is not secure (they cancel staff when census is low and fire people for minor mistakes). they asked me to change full-time but i said no for now as i still have a full-time job. i just finished my orientation there and i am not liking the place so much but i will continue to stay per-diem to get experience in the vent and sub-acute unit.

my full-time job is a "secure job" because we are a big company as well and county owned - 500 beds (2 buildings). i have a union too. i'll stay full-time there until the economy gets better. i'll just try different per-diem/part-time nursing gigs. i already got an application for home care. i'll see what else comes along.

good luck to you and in a few months you and i will be in the same boat. :D

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I feel your pain! I too was an LPN for 16 years, just got my RN and everywhere I apply considers me a "new grad". I worked on a med surg floor for 7 years but doesnt count for anything. I might has well have been pumping gas for the past 16 years. Now I have to start all over from scratch. SO FRUSTRATING!!!!

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