LPN or RN

Published

I have joined this forum specifically to ask your help.

I am trying to decide LPN or RN. I am 44 years old. I do not have time to further myself in nursing to a BA degree. I have been a practice manager for a urology practice for 20 years. Now I am in a position to change my focus. My desire is to:

Work in hospice doing the hands on care of patients. Meds, vitals, care, cleaning, talking, changing, helping the family to understand what is happening to them. I have cared for 3 people in this way with my family. I feel this is significant work.

I do not want to be a manager anymore. I have no problem taking orders and criticizm from others. I would like to make $40,000 a year.

What do I do? RN or LPN What do all you nurses think?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg.

Depending on what part of the country you are in, I think the LPN route would fit your needs. The only thing I am questioning is pay......I live in RI and LPN's do make 40K per year, but as for other states I am unsure.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I am in Northern NY along the canadian border. I believe the pay scale here is 30,000-50,000

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg, ICU, ER, Peds ER-CPEN.

Make an apointment with a Hospice organization in your area to find out if they have a need for LPN or RN, depending on state nursing laws (in FL it's hard for an LPN to secure a Hospice position) LPN's can not administer medications via IV push and most Hospice patients near the end of life are on several if not all meds by IVPush, and you may have to put in some hospital Med/Surg time as well, in our area they also require at least a year of Med/Surg experience, it would be sad to see you put all the time and heart into becomming an LPN only to find you need the RN to be where you really want to be, don't let age worry you either, there are several graduating with me on Monday that beyond 44, several into the 50's, one of my friends in particular went the ADN route for Hospice work specifically once she gets that 1yr experience, Good Luck!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Government.

I saw your post and I called a friend who teaches nursing students in my state. I don't know much about hospice here. Her opinion was that if you really wanted to work in hospice you'd have many more opportunities as an RN. She indicated that our region doesn't use many LPNs for hospice work...there is the IV push issue, the need to fucntion a lot in an independent setting, working with narcotics, etc.

No need for a BA/BSN, though. Have you looked at ADN programs? Many many of us here on this board became nurses later in life so you won't be alone.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ED, MICU/TICU, NICU, PICU, LTAC.

I just started nursing school; I was just going to go the "quick route" and slam through 3 semesters for an LPN (ha!) but after talking to the nursing faculty at my college, I'm going to put in the extra year for RN...and I'm now planning to go further to become an Advanced Practice Nurse! Once I started my supports (microbiology, A&P) I discovered a serious affinity for the coursework and now, nursing isn't just going to be a decently-paying way for me to support my son...it's something that I think I'm "meant" to do (corny,I know...but I worked as a CNA while I was pregnant and couldn't believe how much I loved the work, and wanted to learn even more :heartbeat). I think once you actually begin school you'll want to go that extra mile and get your ADN, but even if you don't, you'll have a great career as an LPN :D. Good luck!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC, cardiac, ortho rehab.

lvns in cali make atleast 40k a year and we are used in hospice a lot. we cant administer ivp meds, but the majority of meds in our hospices are SL/PO/or PR(morphine, ativan, and compro). so no problems there. check with your bon and confer with hospice agencies in your area.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

In my area, the metropolitan portion of NYC, the average LPN is making about $40-$50k yearly (strongly depending on where you work). Hospice picks up LPNs often, moreso for home cases from what I see.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER, OB/GYN, Womens Health.

I've been an LPN for 26 years...here is my advice to you...if you have the time and the means...just do the RN and be done...that way say 5-10 years down the road...you burn out on hospice...there will be many more doors of opportunity open to you, and the salary for RN is a little more secure than for LPN. Us LPN's? we're good peeps, but I encourage you to just dig in and go for the RN. I'm 47 and trying my best to work through all the prereqs needed for the ASN program, b/c all my LPN courses are "older". Best of luck to you! :paw:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med-Surg.

I agree with the above, for job opportunities go for the RN. Although Hospice RNs might not do the direct hands-on patient care you desire in Hospice, you'll find great flexibility in being an RN. Also you might look into what Hospice LPNs actually do and how that role difference with the patient care tech and the RNs. Seems like you're kind of wanting to combine both a technical and a professional role - to teach, treat, medicate, and hands on total care. There probably isn't enough time for all of that.

New grad LPNs do not make $40 here in FL, but I can't speak for Hospice LPNs, which it's doubtful they would hire an inexperienced new grad anyway.

Anyway, good luck in all that you do!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Or possibly even LPN to see how you like it and then maybe bridge over to RN...Just an idea. I live in MS and there are a lot more opportunities for an RN in Hospice as well as other fields and RN's here make lots more than LPNs. I'm an LPN myself who just finished an RN program. So, just a thought.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion