Moving Up In Same Hospital

pagandeva2000, LPN · Dec 28, 2007

Hard to say. I was an aide, and became an LPN at the same hospital, and am working in the exact same area as I did before. The benefits of it is that I know the people, the politics, and personalities. I know where to go to for my needs, it is close to where I live, and I have already invested in my pension, credit union and did not have to change medical benefits.

The disadvantage is that the nurses I used to look up to (not all of them, but enough), are not as ethical or as fair as I thought they were. The aides that were my friends now try to get over, and ask me to do their jobs. They also think that I should 'understand because I was in their shoes'. I had to find another way to assert myself, because now, my license (which is my bread and butter) is on the line. Being a nurse, I have to think differently than before, and the transition can be difficult, especially working in the same place with the same people (at first), because for a moment, you may fall into the same habits as before. Now, there will be more expectations of you and it can add pressure. Some of the same aides that were my friends also try to challenge and see just how much I know. It's amazing, sometimes.

Bottom line, is if you wish to move up, do what you have to do. This place may be the first facility to offer you a job when you graduate. But, by the time you complete your clinicals, you may have circulated to other places that are of more interest to you. You have time to make choices, just jump in there and do your thing. Good luck!

mom2michael, MSN, RN, NP · Dec 28, 2007

There are pros and cons at staying at the hospital you worked as during NS as a tech. I struggled a lot with respect from staff, doctors and my manager when I went from tech to RN. I found myself doing both jobs and running myself ragged and I found myself uterly disturbed at the lack of teamwork amongst the RN's and techs most days. It was an eye opening experience to have been on both sides. I worked in a very small rural ER all during NS and then worked there almost 1 full year now as an RN. I have since left this job and went to another ER but it was for many different reasons, mainly pay and a set schedule. I will say though, it taught me a lot having done both jobs there.

Will you get a job offer....I'll say your odds are about 99.9% that you will be offered a job when you graduate. Whether or not that will be a good fit for you when you graduate, you'll have to cross that bridge then. Hopefully your experiences during NS will give you insight to other areas and specialities that you never even knew existed and you might find you enjoy those areas as well.

Or you might be like me and decide it's easier to just stay put for awhile, get some experience and not have the headache of learning a new job on top of learning new people, doctors, staff, managers, etc.....

Good luck!!!

jackson145 · Dec 28, 2007

Almost every LPN and RN at my hospital's Med/Surg started there as techs. As soon as they graduated their job changed to nurse. However, one of them didn't pass NCLEX and was bumped back to tech until they passed.