New nursing student from non-nursing Master's Degree

[clayishtwine]

I am in career transition. I have a Master's in liberal arts, but have recently been certified as a CNA and wish to further my education and training in the nursing field. At this time, I believe I would eventually like to be a Hospice RN (I am a current Hospice volunteer). I would like some advice on the best course of action to take to gain training and experience in the medical field with an emphasis on patient contact as my motivation in going into the nursing field is not for money but for the experience of caring for other people medically. At present, I am looking at entering a private LVN program in my area as I have a family I would like to spend time with and financially support while gaining further experience in the field.

Given the current economic situation/medical reforms taking place, is this the best course of action for me at this time, or is there something I'm missing?

[mammac5]

Depending on where you live (as this varied widely by area) an LVN/LPN degree may or may not be useful. Many places are not hiring LPNs any longer as new hires and do not replace LPNs when they lose them through attrition.

I would check you area job listings, contact some HR managers in hospitals, long-term care facilities, etc. where you think you may want to work eventually. Find out the long-term goals for nurse staffing so you'll have an idea if the degree will get you where you want to go.

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

Since the OP used the term "LVN" , I am assuming residence as either Ca or Tx. In Tx, LVNs are employed in a wide variety of settings and have a pretty broad scope of practice. A few hospitals are RN-only, but this is certainly not the norm. I would caution the OP against enrolling in a very expensive commercial school when the same education is available in community colleges for a fraction of the cost. CC credits will be transferrable if the OP wishes to become an RN in the future.

I am certainly not an expert on "Health Care Reform", but everything I have seen indicates that nurses- especially those in non-acute settings - will be in more demand as it becomes easier for everyone to obtain health care.

Best of Luck to you - keep us here at AN posted on your progress.