LPN or RN

[Ab05]

Hey everyone I am new to the forum. I've been looking into the nursing program, and I really want to start, but I am just not quite sure what the job market is looking like out there. I've heard that it's hard for nurses to get a job when they are done with college because nobody wants to hire inexperience nurses , is this true?

should I just work as a cna for a while to see if I like working in the health industry?

should I get the lpn degree and try that out because it's cheaper and I can afford it?

Or should I get the rn degree and put myself in debt ?

would it be a waste of time and money to get all these degrees and certifications ?

What does an Lpn exactly do?? Would if be easy to find a Job as lpn so I can save up money for rn license? I really like to be an rn but the schools are so expensive and I'm a single mom , any advice would be appreciated.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Where are you located? What type of nursing do you want to do? The answers to these questions will determine the educational path you need to take.

I worked as an LVN for 4 years before earning my RN license. In the area where I live, LVNs are hired at nursing homes, home health, private duty, hospice, clinics, psychiatric facilities, and physical rehab.

In major metro areas across the US, hospitals are trending toward hiring RNs with BSN degrees only. At the very minimum, the BSN degree is preferred if you want to work in the acute care hospital setting.

[Ab05]

I live in Florida, Tampa area :)

I would be starting nursing from scratch. I graduated high school in 2005 and I only have a few prerequisites . I know it's going to be a long road, but I am a single parent to a newborn baby and I just want the best for my child, and I feel like if I get into nursing I will be able to always find work. But I've also read it's difficult for people to get a job as a nurse because there are so many other applicants trying for the same position.

I am willing to try anything, I just need some solid advice, I really need to know if I should work as a CNA first to kind of get a feel for the industry, meet new people to network with, get some experience, save money, and then start school once my child is older.

I was thinking of doing my prerequisites online while I'm still breast feeding and taking care of the newborn. But I just am not sure if I should go the LPN route or the RN route. I don't have cash to pay for school. So sometimes I think I should do the lpn so the financial aid can cover most of the cost. But I hear that it's way hard to get a job with that degree.

I really need advice, I don't want to get stuck working in retail, I'm a single parent and I would never be able to get ahead in life with a minimum wage job. Thanks for reading.