I'm going to try to make this as short and clear as possible. I have a complex situation and can't decide what to do I have talked to so many and everyone gives me wonderful advice (even my boss!) but I figured I could get the best advice from people who have been to nursing school.
Here's my situation in a nutshell:
I work full time in a very well-known medical facility where it's practically IMPOSSIBLE to get hired at (lots of competition) and I have great benefits, pretty much any benefit you can think of! Tuition reimbursement, medical insurance, great hours, great pay, lots of connections, paid leaves. As an administrative assistant.
My goal has been R.N. school for the past 2 years. I already have a B.A., and completed ALL nursing pre-reqs other than physio.
Now my dilemma is that I am so close to being able to apply to nursing school, but I have serious credit card debt (approx $20K). And a huge car payment, so this pretty much means I cannot afford to quit my job just yet. I am estimating if I work full time for another 2 years, I can pay off everything (I JUST started working full time, I got promoted from part time last month), then afford to quit working and my parents and/or bf (possibly husband by then) will help me with living expenses.
Working in a clinic I have seen up front the huge demand for nurses at any level, be it R.N. or L.V.N. I work with many L.V.N.'s and where I work their pay is fairly good ($28/hr +), hours are AMAZING and they can definitely work OT/weekends if they want. So that has started to make me think... what if I try an LVN program first?
That's my dilemma. I'm so close to R.N... But the money issue really sets me back I wish I had been smarter in my first adult years! I'm hesitant to spend $20K on LVN if I'm going to do R.N. in the long run, but really that's not the biggest issue. I am very attracted to doing LVN first because my company will help pay part of the cost, ($2K a year), I can continue working here if I do an 18-mo part time program, and pretty much have a guaranteed job when I finish the program. What I don't like about this route is that I probably won't do RN school for maybe another 5 years I am 25 right now.
I dream about being a nurse. I want it more than anything. I work closely with doctors and nurses and I go to work everyday wishing I was in their place.
My two options are to start LVN, keep my job, get an LVN job when done, then keep saving for when I quit my job for RN school. When I get an LVN job I'll be part of the union and I'll have even more security of a guaranteed job when done. Second option is to just keep saving now until I can go straight into R.N. school. The difference will be I guess time, and less money spent if I don't go the LVN route.
I know this is soooo so complex and probably a pain to read this all... but I would really appreciate your help!!! I have no idea what to do. I wish someone could just decide for me!!! Thank you so much to those who took the time to read this!
Specializes in ED, Long-term care, MDS, doctor's office.
Even though my hourly rate is slightly higher as RN, I had way more opportunity for income as an LPN (working 2 jobs if I wanted and all the OT that I needed..In my area, there is an over saturation of RNs, so LPNs are in greater demand..I would also consider bankruptcy if you qualify, if this is part of the reason you are not going to school now...Even at nurse wages, the amount of credit card debt you have is alot...Wipe it clean while you can, cause once you start making nurse wages, you probably will not be able to file on it..Good luck:)
You said you want someone else to decide and tell you what you should do...so here goes
You are 25 years old, presumably healthy. Jobs in healthcare are not easy to get right out of school, but they are there. I say, since you already have a BA, you have a lot of the nursing pre-req's out of the way. Keep your fulltime job, go to community college and get the rest of your pre-reqs, all of them, even the ones you will need for your BSN. When you have done that and have established a 4.0 GPA, start applying to RN schools. If the LPN program is 18 months, you can almost have your RN and if you go to a state school, you won't be drowning in debt.
I know a lot of hospitals are requiring BSN's now, but if you can get your Associates quickly, then do it. You can plan to bridge immediately to a BSN program but can work as a nurse (hopefully) while you are completing your degree.
You may have to compromise and be flexible in your job if that is an option while you are in school, but you can work fulltime if you have to, many of us did. I got my BSN as a single mother of 2 while working fulltime as a nurse.
DO NOT go into debt for nursing school. The payoff is not worth it in this economy. Do it now before you get married and have obligations and children! It can be done but it makes it harder.
OK, I have decided for you, now the ball is in your court!
Specializes in Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Nursing.
My answer is best summed up by a few do's and don'ts:
DO consider LPN school first if you need to. The reason being is that RN school is getting more and more competitive. Each class being accepted for admission is being accepted with higher and higher standards (I know, I just got accepted couple of weeks ago into an RN program). For example, if you're graded as an applicant on a point system, the Fall of 2010 class got in with minimum of a 20, the Fall of 2011 got in with a minimum of 22, who knows how much more the admission bar will be raised for the class of 2012? The nursing schools are being hit with a tidal wave of more and more outstanding applicants (applicants with bachelor's and some with master's degrees already!) that they can afford to raise their admission standards. If you have the chance to go to LPN school, do it, because it's better to get something under your belt than nothing. I don't care if LPN school costs $20,000.00...I am an LPN and I made $81,000.00 last year working part-time (32hrs/week regular + overtime).
DON'T EVEN DARE CONSIDER FILING FOR BANKRUPTCY!!! You would be better off just treading water and maintain the minimum payments on that debt you have as opposed to declaring bankruptcy and absolutely drudging your credit history FOR LIFE. People may tell you "oh, your credit score will come back after 7 years" but what they don't tell you is that some financing sources (I should know being that I'm a real estate broker, used to be a loan officer, and have secured several of my own mortgages on my apartment buildings) and/or employers will ask a question on their application "Have you *ever* had to declare for bankruptcy?" and you'll forever have to answer "yes" if you do declare. $20,000.00 may seem like a lot now, but if you can just make it through and get a nursing license, you can make and repay that just in overtime alone once in the field. And with nursing, if you really want to kncok out that debt fast, you have the option of working any of the three shifts (days, eves, or nights) allowing you tremendous versitility.
DO try to get someone (parent, friend, credit union etc.) to lend you a lower interest loan than you have on your credit cards. Sometimes credit unions run specials and offer debt consolidation loans that have interest rates under 10%, which might be better than the perhaps 24% you might be paying now. A word of caution, although. Only go with the debt consolidation loans from reputable sources like local banks or credit unions..the offers for those advertising on the radio or television often have terms that won't be as advantagous to you in comparison to those offered by local banks and credit unions. If you have a family member that is willing to lend you the money to pay off the credit card in a lump sum you can offer to set up a joint checking account with them to which you have a set monthly amount directly deducted and deposited out of your paycheck that goes to repayment of the loan plus some interest that would probably more than they can get at a bank these days for them but much, much less than the often extremely high credit card rates. Could be a win-win situation.
Even though my hourly rate is slightly higher as RN, I had way more opportunity for income as an LPN (working 2 jobs if I wanted and all the OT that I needed..In my area, there is an over saturation of RNs, so LPNs are in greater demand..I would also consider bankruptcy if you qualify, if this is part of the reason you are not going to school now...Even at nurse wages, the amount of credit card debt you have is alot...Wipe it clean while you can, cause once you start making nurse wages, you probably will not be able to file on it..Good luck:)
Why ould you EVER recommend bankruptcy to ANYONE? WOW!! Terrible advice.
I will probably get flamed for this...but if the job you have is so great, why become a nurse? Nursing school is never easy...whether it is LPN or RN. I think I would think long and hard about this. And it will be a long time before you have enough experience as a nurse to work the clinic you are now working in. And starting out a marriage witrh such serious debt? A good idea? I'll let others speak to that. I guess times are much different now. Most college grads have student loan debt. The grass is always greener...just sayin'.
In your area, the likelyhood of you getting into RN school for next semester is slim to none no matter what your GPA.. If you can get into LVN school this year at a NON profit school for wayy less than $20K do that. if not, continue working, paying off the debt and wait to see which school you get into first. I heard people in SO cal are on 2-3 year waitlists for RN school...
I have talked to so many and everyone gives me wonderful advice (even my boss!) but I figured I could get the best advice from people who have been to nursing school. 
ok, ok. :)
emmanewgrad
214 Posts
Get ur RN degree and knock this nonsense down.