Need Some Help

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I'm 24 y/o Male and I recently just moved from IL to the Charleston, SC area. I received my a bachelor of kinesiology (major Athletic Training) last May at SIU-Carbondale and wanting to pursue nursing. Nursing was initionally my first instinct to pursue but backed out after being made fun by friends/family constantly of because I would be a male nurse, to them it was jokingly nature but I just got tired of it, etc ( I regret it now obviously ). My ultimate goal now is to become an RN either in an OR or ER setting.

Currently, I'm an Assistant Manager working 40 (usually 50) hours a week making a little over $13/hr and can't afford to make less w/bills, etc. I know my first step toward becoming an RN would be to become a CNA then LPN...and so on ( I think?) but with working so many hours I don't see how I can go back to school and be successful. If I became a CNA I wouldn't be making as much pay as I am now, right, being able to gain experience and getting paid at the same time? Can you do a financial contract (forget the exact name) with a company when you are a CNA to pay for your schooling, etc.

I'm really confused and sorry if some of this doesn't make sense but I'm burnt out trying to figure out what to do....:banghead:

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I'm not sure if I can be of too much help but I'll try....because of the high demand for nurses today CNA's come in BIG handy! So, many facilities are competing with others for as much help as they can get from as many CNA's as possible paying their CNA's as good as $14/hr (that's the highest I've found), I'm not a CNA, I'm a nursing student right now...but when I was looking that's what it was....I hope this helps a little!:)

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ive been a nurse for nine years .i started out as an lpn and then went back to a lpn to rn fast track program for 18 months. the hospital i worked for at that time paid 100% of my tuition, uniforms, and books in return i signed a contract to work for the hospital for two years. i would suggest that you take this route. i don't know what lpn's make there but here lpn's can make up to $25 an hour or even more. so you could work as an lpn while pursuing your rn degree and there are some fast track lpn to rn programs that can be done on line.

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I'm not sure if I can be of too much help but I'll try....because of the high demand for nurses today CNA's come in BIG handy! So, many facilities are competing with others for as much help as they can get from as many CNA's as possible paying their CNA's as good as $14/hr (that's the highest I've found), I'm not a CNA, I'm a nursing student right now...but when I was looking that's what it was....I hope this helps a little!:)

Thanks! Yeah, I never even thought about that actually but I'll definently have to keep that in mind and not be so narrow minded thinking RN, RN, RN, RN....and look outside the bubble.

ive been a nurse for nine years .i started out as an lpn and then went back to a lpn to rn fast track program for 18 months. the hospital i worked for at that time paid 100% of my tuition, uniforms, and books in return i signed a contract to work for the hospital for two years. i would suggest that you take this route. i don't know what lpn's make there but here lpn's can make up to $25 an hour or even more. so you could work as an lpn while pursuing your rn degree and there are some fast track lpn to rn programs that can be done on line.

Do I have to become a CNA before I can do LPN? or will me having a bach help out quite a bit? I was thinking of becoming an LPN and doing what you did because to me that's just awesome imo. Also, I don't know about online classes. I feel like I won't be taking as much away from the class as far as interaction and more hands on kinda things...but I might have to settle.

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Hi and welcome! You do not need to have CNA to become LPN or LPN to become RN. You would benefit from taking the CNA class which I believe is 6 weeks and you will probably make more than you are now. This will help you through nursing school. If you really want to be an RN skip the LPN there are really good 2 year RN programs out there at the tech schools.

Good luck and follow your dreams - do not let others shoot them down!

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Specializes in Family Practice.

Alot of nursing schools have an acclerated program if you already have a bachelors degree. I think school is only about a year long, but it is very fast paced. That might be an option if you can afford not to work for just one year. Good luck!:p

Just reread your post, I see you can't afford not to work, but maybe you could get a student loan for living expenses? It would be really hard, but the money you could make as a RN would be worth it.

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Hi and welcome! You do not need to have CNA to become LPN or LPN to become RN. You would benefit from taking the CNA class which I believe is 6 weeks and you will probably make more than you are now. This will help you through nursing school. If you really want to be an RN skip the LPN there are really good 2 year RN programs out there at the tech schools.

Good luck and follow your dreams - do not let others shoot them down!

Hmm, didn't know you could so called "skip" one to the other like that. I also didn't realize that the CNA courses were so short. I'm actually going to apply to the tech school here as I/we speak so I can be allowed to talk to an advisor. This is starting to make things look up for me :D

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Alot of nursing schools have an acclerated program if you already have a bachelors degree. I think school is only about a year long, but it is very fast paced. That might be an option if you can afford not to work for just one year. Good luck!:p

Just reread your post, I see you can't afford not to work, but maybe you could get a student loan for living expenses? It would be really hard, but the money you could make as a RN would be worth it.

I wish it was an option but it isn't :( That's why I was wanting to become an CNA or LPN to see if they would pay for tution and everything sometime in the future to become an RN.

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You could start by taking one pre-req at a time. That's what I'm doing. :)

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I'm living proof - I went directly to nursing school. However, I do believe working as a CNA would have been very beneficial for me.

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I'm living proof - I went directly to nursing school. However, I do believe working as a CNA would have been very beneficial for me.

That's what I've been hearing and another reason I'd like to do CNA/LPN to get experience and everything to help me in the process of becoming an RN.

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Yes some hospitals will pay for your college, but usually you have to work there for a year first, and then like someone else said, you have to commit to two years. I personally did the lpn first, got a job as an lpn and went back to RN school part time. I have to pay a mortgage, take care of my two boys, car payment ect....... I am envious of young people who live at home and just have to go to school. They are very lucky. Good Luck

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