Nurses STOP telling me to be a RN ! PLEASE

Nurses General Nursing

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so yesterday i was at clinicals and i was sent to nicu to observe. so one of the nurses comes over and was suppose to tell me things about nicu, whats going on with her babies and so on and so fourth. instead, she lectured me for 20 minutes on while i should become a rn first instead of being a lpn first.:banghead::banghead::banghead:

when i initially told her i was a lpn student she looked at me as if i had comitted a major crime !:crying2:

after she finished lecturing me about how silly it was for me to get my lpn first rather than rn, i let her have it ! and after i was don,she had the dummest look on her face and couldn't say anything.:rolleyes:

i was thinking first of all this lady doesn't know me or know my circumstances so what gives her the right to lecture me on my decision. don't get me wrong i don't have nurses giving me their two cents on why going straight for the rn is best. thats their opinion and i respect that. but this nurse was down right nasty !

she then tells me " i have a 20 year old daughter who is in nursing school and i told her don't even bother with being a lpn." after that i had to let her have just a little peice of my mind !

i told her the following: " i really appreciate your advice and all but until you can find me someone to pay my bills for the next couple of years while i'm in rn school then i just may consider it, until then i need to get my lpn to help me remain financially secure !

i then told her: " unlike your 20 year old daugter, i must work in order to make ends meat and everyday is like a struggle. you or your daughter will never know whats is like to work full time while in nursing school and not because its a choice but its not even an option. her or her daughter will never know what its like to be homeless and not even having a decent place to study at night but still standing and going to work and school just to have a chance in life. her daughter who is 20 years old just like me will never know what its like to pay her own rent, phone, bills, insurance, while in nursing school. i've been on my own since 18 years old and i'm so damn sorry that i didn't have a fairytale life where i can go straight for my rn, while my parents paid my way through school and paid for all my bills and allowed me to just eat, sleep, and study.

i have responsiblilities and instead of complaining about them i've decided to work and take each step at a time until i reach my utimate goal which is to become a rn. right now i'm tired of struggling and working most days of the week while in school. getting my lpn soon will mean that i'll have more money in my pocket and i'll be able to find a job where i don't have to go to work 5 days a week just to get by.

i have set myself on a career ladder that will take me from a cna to a lpn to a rn to a rn with a bsn. no i may not of taken the way you rns have tooken to become a rn but i'm going to become a rn someday, and just because i choose to work as a lpn while doing so certainly does not make me a bad person ! :zzzzz

please trust and believe that i will get my rn i'm just taking another route.

whew. it felt so good to get that off my chest.

i love you nurses that don't judge me for the path that i'm taking and still recognize that even if i work as a lpn while finishing up school that i'm still going to be a nurse and provide the best nursing care i can with in my scope. :nurse::nurse::nurse:

Specializes in Critical Care.

Well, you have to do what's best for you. Others have posted about limited job availability for LPN's in some areas, so I'll hope for you that won't be an issue. I too had to put myself thru nursing school, find money to pay for rent, insurance, etc ( I remember all too often having to roll pennies to come up with money to get gas to be able to go to clinicals. It's a hard road for sure.) I don't know your age or situation (other than what you posted) but have you looked into any financial aid for returning women to school and state nursing scholarships? They may be able to help you...my sister who just started nursing school for her RN just got some unexpected finanacial aid after she did some online research. And these aren't loans, she won't have to pay them back. So, I just wanted to mention it. I couldn't get much of anything when I was going to school cause there were so many competing. But anyway, good luck to you on your journey

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Specializes in EMS, ER, GI, PCU/Telemetry.

keep on, keepin' on, girl.

i too took the LPN route first, and am hoping to now start an ADN program in spring 2010. although becoming an RN is my ultimate goal, i too had to work full time during school and did not have many other options.

unfortunately, even after you graduate, this is something you will encounter. there are many other nurses who do look down on LPN's, and there are many family members and patients who will not understand the concept of the difference between LPN/RN. somedays i feel like i'm always explaining myself.

i wish you all the very, very best in your new career as a nurse. keep learning, keep confident, and be proud of being a nurse.

people will make their comments... you just do what you're doing.

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I had to do the same from the LPN starting point. I had to work to pay bills and the wait list was too long for the RN program. I became a LPN a few years back and I just graduated my RN program (while working and with a kid) and I'm starting my Bachelors in May. In a way, I'm happy I was an LPN first because now I understand their skills, responsibilities and frustrations. It also gave me nursing knowledge and practice and helped narrow down a few fields that I don't ever want to work in again. I've learned a lot over the past few years that will helped me as a RN so I don't see why everyone always puts LPN's down. I've started so many IV's and hung fluids, did some interesting wounds and have plenty of situations where I learned something new. When I step foot on the floor as a RN, I'll feel a little more confident than I would have being fresh out of school. Keep your head up and don't let anyone bring you down (there are plenty of those kinds of people in every field)- good luck in school.

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Specializes in Tele.

you go girl!!

everyone has different life experiences & so forth.

I had to work as well & pay bills---lukily I lived with my family so I was able to wait & go straight for the RN.

Personally the LPN program hours I did not like 7-3pm m-F was not for me.

I wish you the best in your career!!

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i know exactly how you feel! im also an lvn student, (a proud one at that!) and people constantly question my decision to become an lvn instead of an rn.

i say, do what is best for you! do what makes you happy, no one else's opinion matters.

lpn/lvns work just as hard:nurse:

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You know exactly what it will take to get you there to your RN. So what if you are taking the roundabout way. You are learning more and you will be a better nurse for it. I congratulate you on your guts and determination. Way to go!!!

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Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.

Although I am happy that you are secure in your deciusion in doing LVN first for financial purposes and am glad that you know what you need to do to make it and get by,

I was thinking first of all this lady doesn't know me or know my circumstances so what gives her the right to lecture me on my decision. " I really appreciate your advice and all but until you can find me someone to pay my bills for the next couple of years while I'm in RN school then I just may consider it, until then I need to get my LPN to help me remain financially secure !

you are just as guilty as the nurse you chewed out:

I then told her: " Unlike your 20 year old daugter, I MUST work in order to make ends meat and everyday is like a struggle. You or your daughter will never know whats is like to work FUll time while in nursing school and not because its a choice but its not even an option. Her or her daughter will never know what its like to be homeless and not even having a decent place to study at night but still standing and going to work and school just to have a chance in life. Her daughter who is 20 years old just like Me will never know what its like to pay her own rent, phone, bills, insurance, while in nursing school. I've been on my own since 18 years old and I'm so DAMN sorry that I didn't have a fairytale life where I can go straight for my RN, while my parents paid my way through school and paid for all my bills and allowed me to just eat, sleep, and study.

or did she tell you that she and her daughter never had to work while in school?

Also, there are plenty of people in my BSN program that work full time to support themselves just like you and did not have to get their LVN first, they work in care homes and hospitals as aids, or just regular jobs. If you do not want people to make assumptions about you, don't make assumptions about other people.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Geriatrics.

How thoughtless. LPN is in and of itself a perfectly valid career choice, not just a rung on the ladder to RN nor is it just something to do until you get your degree. Personally I couldn't wait to finish my degree so the piecemeal approach to getting my education was not an option for me but I respect that people make different choices for different reasons.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

Good luck to you. Try not to let such talk get to you and go your own way.

However, you need to expect it. LPNs around here are not used in hospitals and on average start at $8.00 less per hour than an RN with nine more months of school, so it's natural that people would question the LPN route and encourage you to get your RN. Don't be offended.

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Specializes in ICU, Telemetry.

To the OP, I'm doing the same thing you are -- but instead of children, I'm home looking after two aging parents and trying to keep their mortgage paid. I get the "why didn't you go straight for the BSN?" question, too, and I finally just narrowed it down to a simple answer: "Because I had to have a job while I went for the BSN." Period.

States are different, and some use LPNs like glorified maids, but I'm glad I had the hands on of the LPN experience; the difference is when we graduate, you and I will be able to put years of experience down on our resumes, as opposed to just clinicals and a 3 month externship. That "useless" LPN behind our names may be the deciding factor in us getting jobs....or advancing where we are.

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Specializes in LTC.
Although I am happy that you are secure in your deciusion in doing LVN first for financial purposes and am glad that you know what you need to do to make it and get by,

you are just as guilty as the nurse you chewed out:

or did she tell you that she and her daughter never had to work while in school?

Also, there are plenty of people in my BSN program that work full time to support themselves just like you and did not have to get their LVN first, they work in care homes and hospitals as aids, or just regular jobs. If you do not want people to make assumptions about you, don't make assumptions about other people.

Actually, yes she did tell me neither her or her daughter needed to work while in nursing school so I was no assuming ! She told me that her daughter works as a shampoo girl every other weekend, just to have " extra spending money".

She then told me that her daughter is going to murtle beach this spring break and she's spending 500 dollars.

I was thinking why do I even care about your daughter. I told her while her daughter is having a blast on spring break, I'll be working on my medsurg careplan and studying for my first exam for after break.She even looked at me in amazement and said" how did you make it this far" ? I told her its only been the grace of God, because I don't even know how I made it this far.

I know there are others who had to support themselves and did not have to go the LVN route and thats them and I applaud them. However, I'm not them and each person has there own student.

When I was homeless at 19 years old that was the most scariest event of my life. Staying in motels and different crazy people out there. As a young girl I was petrified and I knew deep down in my heart that I needed to get a good paying job fast because I NEVER want to go through that again. :crying2::crying2::crying2:

We are all different with all different stories. I told that RN to tell her 20 year child that she should be grateful to having such great parents that could afford to support her through school, and that there are some 20 year olds and people older that don't have that luxury.

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Specializes in LTC.
Good luck to you. Try not to let such talk get to you and go your own way.

However, you need to expect it. LPNs around here are not used in hospitals and on average start at $8.00 less per hour than an RN with nine more months of school, so it's natural that people would question the LPN route and encourage you to get your RN. Don't be offended.

Well where I live and where I plan to work a new LPN will start off with 22-24 an hour and its more than what I make now so I'll be grateful:yeah:

My mother has been a LPN for four years and made from 19-30/hr in LTC. Now she's a RN making 35/hr in LTC.

In my area people don't like to work in LTC, thus LTC have very competitive pay. So I may have to work LTC for a year or so but at least I'll be secure.:zzzzz

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