I am a mom of a 2 year old boy and currently 6 months pregnant with my daughter. I plan to apply for nursing school this winter and hope to start in September 2017 (My son will be 3 by then, and my daughter will be 9 months old). I am having the biggest dilemma of my life. I don't know whether to take the RN route or the RPN route.
My goal has always been to become an RN. But Im not really sure if I can handle 4 years (or more, according to some friends) of Nursing school with 2 kids especially when I dont know how difficult it is yet. I always wanted to become a labour and delivery nurse and I know that is usually offered to RNs and not RPNs ( RPNs usually help with after delivery).
If I take the RPN route, it will be shorter (2 years) and I can work right away after that. The downside to this option is that I will have to take 3 exams in total if I ever want to take a bridging course to become RN. I would have to graduate from RPN school, take a bridging course, and then 2 more years of RN school. Thats going to be 5-6 years in total!!!
My husband feels that I should just go straight in RN instead of beating around the bush. His words were, "If you're going to go for it, go all in" But I really dont know if I can do 4 years of schooling with 2 young children plus housework , etc. I wont be working at all during the 4 years and I feel bad that my husband will be the only one working....
It just seems like RPN is more convenient to me right now given my situation....but RN is more efficient in the long run and I wouldn't have to do 3 exams to get where I want to be. Not to mention the pay difference as well! Not that I'm going into nursing for the pay.
sigh, im so stressed. I don't know what to choose. help!!
In some areas, PNs are preferred over RNs. However, if you reside in the GTA, be prepared that there are more applicants than jobs. This is true for all Provinces as they try to balance their budgets.
You will likely find casual work immediately, but funding and unions dictate hiring processes. The fact that you know a Director of Nursing is not a guaranteed in. Managers used to hire this way, but with tight budgets, all vacancies are accounted for.
I agree on this one. This is one of the drawbacks of the PN program. My Cumulative GPA after PN school is a 3.5, do you think I have a chance to get in for the bridging program?
joanna73, BSN, RN
4,767 Posts
In some areas, PNs are preferred over RNs. However, if you reside in the GTA, be prepared that there are more applicants than jobs. This is true for all Provinces as they try to balance their budgets.
You will likely find casual work immediately, but funding and unions dictate hiring processes. The fact that you know a Director of Nursing is not a guaranteed in. Managers used to hire this way, but with tight budgets, all vacancies are accounted for.