LVN Experience to get RN job

[BeJuled]

Hello everyone!!

So I'm just wondering if any of you have worked as an LVN while getting your RN and if that has helped you get an RN job???

Since it was almost impossible to get a LVN job in a hospital in my area, I just started working at a drug and alcohol detox facility and am planning on working there part time on the weekends while I get my RN. I'm doing this mainly for the experience (while the money is a plus) and am wondering if it is worth it to go through school with a job like this in order to have some real "nursing" experience when I apply for RN jobs...

Do you think this will give me a better opportunity to get a RN job even though I'm not associated with a hospital???

Thanks in advance for any advice!! :)

[BeJuled]

Bumping this to hopefully get some feedback! :)

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

The LVNs that were in my RN program found their LVN experience to be helpful during the job search, and it gave some of them an edge over other new grads who didn't have that nursing experience behind them.

But was being a LVN enough to meet the "RN experience required" requirement? No. In fact one of my friends, a LVN with 19 years' experience, had to take a part-time RN job in LTC for a year to get her year's RN experience, all because the facility she worked for would not put her in a RN position (same specialty!) without it. So for one year she basically worked as a RN and a LVN at the same time.

[BeJuled]

Thank you for the response Meriwhen. I'm definately hoping my LVN experience will give me an edge over people who don't have anything. Anyone else have any experience where this was helpful??

I'm just thinking that actual work experience will look better than getting straight A's in RN school...I just don't want to put myself through the stress of working while I'm in RN school if it will make no difference in the long run..

[xoemmylouox, ASN, RN]

Well if you went through the trouble of getting your LPN I would use it. Only work part time or PRN somewhere. Shoot when I was in LPN school I worked full time and went to school full time. It was busy, but I did just fine. I would think that have some nursing experience will help you when you are an RN. Will it help you land a job ASAP maybe not, but you will have a better idea of what to expect. What nursing life is like in school is not at all the same as what it is like out.

[OnlybyHisgraceRN, ASN, RN]

I worked as a LPN for 2 years before landing my RN job. My LPN experience has helped me get into ICU. In reality, you can have experience as a dog keeper, it depends on how you present yourself at the interview, whether you will get a job or not.