LPN or RN? Spouse in Military?

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My husband is planning on joining the Marines the beginning of 2016. I am set to start a nursing program in August of this year (2015). I would think I'd be about halfway through the program when my husband finishes all of his training and get stationed somewhere. The school has an ADN and LPN program. I was planning on doing the ADN but I've recently considered doing the LPN instead that way I can graduate sooner and move with my husband wherever he is stationed. I do realize it's very possible for him to be stationed somewhere that I cannot join him but I'm just considering all options right now. So my question is, for those who have a spouse in the military, would you recommend doing the LPN program so I can move with my spouse if the opportunity arises? Or would you stick with the ADN program even though it means being away from my spouse for 9-12 months? I worry that if I don't get my ADN now then it will be difficult to obtain it later BUT I also want to be with my husband as much as possible especially since we're so young (18 & 23) and newly married (married months ago).

Also, please keep in mind I do not come from a military family so I have no idea how long training typically takes, how long someone is typically stationed, etc. I'm totally guesstimating when it comes to when my husband would start/finish basic training.

As another milspouse who has spent her life in school (LPN to RN to BSN) PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE get your ADN. I was young and newly married got my LPN so that I could move with my DH and would just finish my RN later. Well later with the moving, life, needing a job to pay bills, and actually getting into a program happened to be 7 years later for me. Yes you can get it sooner many people do but why take the chance. I kick myself every single day for not just getting my RN first. You can always do an online bridge program and get your BSN. I feel like I wasted tons of time and money going the long route. Plus it's not easy to find an LPN job everywhere you move I have had troubles in the past. You and your spouse will spend time apart with his career anyways and you will want a job to keep you busy while he is gone. I know it's sad and it sucks but believe me it will make you a stronger person and couple. Also about working for the base yes they hire civilian nurses. I currently work for the air force as a civilian nurse and have worked at a navy facility at our last base. It's a contract job it pays more than the regular jobs out in town because the benefits are awful but guess what you won't need them :-). Good luck and please get your RN!

I second VAPrincess1036. Mil spouse for 14 years. Do it while you don't have kids yet and while and even if you have to be apart while in school temporary sacrifice long term gain. Use you MyCAA it gives you $3,000 a year if you complete your degree in two years or less.

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Wow! Thank you guys so much for all of the advice! I really appreciate y'all sharing your personal stories. After reading what you've all written I do think I will pursue my ADN. It will be hard but it sounds like it will be worth it in the long run. Life does seem notorious for getting in the way at the worst times, doesn't it. :-) Again, I really appreciate all of the advice! Thank you! And good luck to those still pursuing nursing. I think it's awesome you're still following your dreams.

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Specializes in Trauma/ER, Pysch, Pedi, Free Standing ER, L&D, ICU.
Of course I would preface this by saying only you know what is best for your relationship.

That being said, I can share my experience with you. I have been with my husband for 9 years and married for 7. He has been a Marine the entire time and I have always made plans around his career. I moved with him when he moved, and went to school for what was offered based off of where we lived. I knew in the back of my mind I wanted to be a nurse but it was never "convenient" based off of time and/or geographics, so I now have a license in skincare, and a bachelors in Psychology. But guess what! I have never worked in either of those fields, and this summer I am starting an ABSN program that I have to commute over an hour to get to, and I have 2 children under 3 years old. So, it didn't get easier to obtain my nursing degree after waiting all of that time, I just got more desperate to actually have the career that I want for my life. Now, it is going to be a special kind of hell to try and be a great nursing student and mother and wife for that 12 months, but it is such a long time coming that I am overly excited about it anyhow!

So, the reason for telling you all of that is so that I can give you my opinion on your situation (which is only an opinion!). If I could have a do-over, I would have powered through and done this 10 years ago when I was in your exact situation. If you have a place to stay behind, it would probably be a great idea to stay and do the full ADN. It will absolutely suck to miss each other longer than you have to, but think of how focused you will be on school, and when you get a chance to visit one another you can take a break and focus on only each other for that time. Even though there is no substitute for physical presence, Facetime/ video chat makes being apart a little easier than it used to. And then when you move to be with your husband, who will already be settled in his new duty station, you will be employable and ready to start working, and can do an RN-BSN online later on if you choose. If you do the LPN, and then you get there and work a while before deciding you want to finish your RN, you will have to then get accepted to a program, wait for it to start, and hope that it doesn't clash with any orders....you see where I am going with this. Settling for less that what you want to achieve will ultimately leave you feeling a sense of "what next".

All I am saying is that you put something off for a little while, and then life happens. You have to get a job to make ends meet, or you have to move before you can finish the program, or you live too far away from a college that offers a program, etc.

Good Luck in making your decision, and congratulations on your recent marriage and your husbands start in the Marine Corps. It's a fun, interesting, tedious, sometimes frustrating, but always rewarding lifestyle being a military family.

Wow! Thank you guys so much for all of the advice! I really appreciate y'all sharing your personal stories. After reading what you've all written I do think I will pursue my ADN. It will be hard but it sounds like it will be worth it in the long run. Life does seem notorious for getting in the way at the worst times, doesn't it. :-) Again, I really appreciate all of the advice! Thank you! And good luck to those still pursuing nursing. I think it's awesome you're still following your dreams.

I'm so glad we have several sage advice from more life-experienced milspouse out there =) I wasn't married yet when I finished nursing; so, take advantage of the scholarships and MyCAA, if there's still funding, for your basics. Don't use his GI Bill because you will also qualify for tuition reimbursements when you start working LPN or ADN while taking the LPN-BSN/ADN-BSN bridge. Nursing will take you places. Good luck to all.

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Specializes in ICU.

I personally would get your ADN. While I'm not exactly in your situation I can share mine. I have met my dream guy. He is absolutely the best man in the world. I'm a divorced, single mom who started my schooling career back in August of 2013. I filed for divorce and signed up for school in the same week. I live in an extremely rural area of Indiana. Very hard to meet decent guys in this area. I dated for a while and now have met the man of my dreams. What stinks is he lives over an hour away and I am in the second semester of my ADN program. I have no ties to where I live now. I'm not from here. We want to get married and buy a house together but he lives in the city and I live in the country.

We are commuting right now to see each other and our plan is to get married after I graduate. He knows how important my degree is to me and is supportive of it. So while I miss him terribly during the week we commute to each other on most weekends. Sometimes with my school work it's not completely possible, but then we may travel to each other during the week and just commute in the morning. It just stinks getting up so early!!!

My point is, your husband should support you in nursing as you are supporting him in the military adventure. So, if you have to do some little or major commuting while you get your degree, I hope your husband will support you and know in the long run it will be worth it. Being a RN is a big difference over a LPN as far as pay and where you can work. Go for your ADN!!

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Specializes in FUTURE RN.

Please, I really need help. I really want to become a nurse. But I am struggling. I am not sure what route to take. I currently have a Degree in "Healthcare Administration". I wanted to go the "accelerated nursing" route but I do not have the best GPA from my degree. I have a few prereq's to take. But I just don't know what to do. LPN, ADN, or try ABSN route? Any advice will help.

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