new LPN in school for RN - is the extra stress worth it in the end?

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  1. should I continue school

    • 11
      yes, get the ADN!
    • 0
      no, it's time to call it good and be done c/ it

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so, first off, i apologize because i am sure you all havebeen asked this many, many times. however, i'm new and even though i'm only in my 20s, i am kind oftechnology handicapped - it'll take me awhile.

here's the deal

i have worked as cna since i was 16. ienjoyed it greatly from the start, liked the 'job market' (i'm putting thatbecause i was told there was a good one, around here, not so much at the time),didn't know what else i would do, and needed a major that could keep me aroundhome (i'm married to a farmer, there's no moving!). now, as of december, i'm an lpn. as of january, i continued on through myschools pathway program to achieve my adn while working as an lpn 4days q2weeks. problem is, i'm tired. honestly, exhausted. this is my fourth year of college, and inever took a break after high school. iworry my brain is starting to shut down, wanting to take a break from learning. problem is, if i am going to finish school, ineed to do it now. not a two years fromnow, not even a year from now. once i amdone with school, i know myself enough to know i will not go back. i need tofinish, if i am going to ever get my rn. i really have no interest in hospital work, i do not enjoy our ahc clinical. however, i do like ob/peds, and know i wouldneed to work as an ah nurse first to even come close to getting one of thosecoveted positions. in all honesty, if i dofinish i would be 100% smitten with a desk job, although these are rare too. additionally, i know that i would need tocontinue to do even more schooling to get my bsn if i wanted either of thesejobs. honestly, at this point (because i'mjust tired of being stressed) a clinic job sounds just about perfect. the problem with that is, once we have kids ireally would prefer to be part time at least until they are in school (we wantlots of kids, so it'd be awhile!). ifeel like i'm stuck. i honestly don'tknow what to do. i need some help(=. is it worth completing my schooling(be done next year c/ adn), or should i call it quits and stick with the lpnthe rest of my life. any lpns wish theywould have finished school? any rns feelthat the extra responsibility just isn't worth it? i'll take all the help and encouragement i canget.

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Specializes in Long term care.

With all the children you plan to have and a farmers pay you better finish what ya started because you are gonna need the higher RN pay to pay for all those kids.

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Finish now, don't put it off. You are in a school mode. Believe me, its very hard to start back once you have stopped for a while. I had all intentions of starting right back the next semester after I became an LPN. Well, my plan didn't pan out d/t circumstances beyond my control. And the next thing I knew it was 3 years later! I'm back in school now wishing I had just been able to go straight through and I would have been done by now. It may seem you are burned out from constant school but I can't tell you how hard it is to switch back to school mode once you stop. I had the worst time trying to get back into it.

And my plan is (hopefully THIS time it will pan out) is to continue on and go from RN to BSN. I'm turning 43 in April. Don't be me and look back and think I should have done this sooner.

You have more options and opportunities as an RN so you will have a greater chance of finding a position that will fit into your plan. I won't say LPN's are being phased out in my State but I am noticing there are far less job postings and many more RN postings. I'm also noticing a trend where places that were hiring ADN's are now posting "ADN required, BSN preferred". Just some food for thought.

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If being an RN is what you really want, then keep going for it. But please also know that there is nothing wrong with being an LPN and not becoming an RN. So many LPNs feel the need to explain why they chose not to become RNs, but some people just don't want that extra responsibility. I haven't really experienced what many have said to be "less opportunity" for LPNs. I guess it's true if you want to work in a hospital, but since you have made it clear that you don't, I think you could have a very successful career if you did stay an LPN.

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Specializes in Long term care.

She can be an RN in nursing home too...or superviser

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Specializes in ICU.

FINISH!!! I was in your shoes at age 20. Had five kids. A husband who kept telling me to go back " I do the same as a RN with few differences for a lot less pay" so it took me 13 years to hear that and believe it.wish I had done it sooner ! Ive got the Asn, Bsn and now working on FNP. Just finish then it will help you be part time and more comfortable financially when the kiddies come. You can be the room parent and drive the tractor when needed:)

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Thanks for all your advice! as of now, I'm just going to keep trucking along taking it literally one day at a time. I guess if one more year of feeling like I'm in a slump = a better rest ot my life, I'd be crazy not to. Sometimes, I just need positive encouragement, and I thank you all for this! BTW sorry for all the missing spaces on my OP, I don't know what happened there?!

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