PCT/LPN/RN??

[bltd]

Hello,

I am a mother with 3 kids under 3 who is determined to go to school in the medical field. What I really want is to become an RN. unfortunately, I need to complete some prerequisites before I can even apply to become an RN. I was thinking about LPN and when I went to talk to the advisor, she had tried getting me to go into the PCT program. I've actually never heard of it before today and now I'm just completely confused. I have done some research and it seems as though the LPN program is extremely difficult and time consuming. Still, I'm up for that challenge and it's what I want to do. Before today, my plan was to enroll at Salter to become an LPN, find a job, and then take my prerequisites for my RN at NHTI. I would have to take my prerequisites online to be an RN through NHTI so I wasn't sure if I should start that now?

I guess, my questions are:

1) Should I go for LPN or PCT?

2) Should I take the general classes online to eventually become an RN while I take one of the LPN/PCT classes?

Thank you for your help in advance :)

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

How much is the PCT program going to cost? It is offered for free at some nursing homes. I wouldn't pay more than $1,000 for a PCT course because they are not paid very much money in the workforce.

If this is a trade school/vocational school, the 'advisors' have the tendency to stir candidates into certain courses and, when the graduate cannot find a job, the advisor will re-enroll the person into another course.

The LPN program is not that difficult. You don't need to be academically gifted to become an LPN or an RN for that matter. I would skip the PCT course and become an LPN.

[bltd]

oh, wow! she said it was 9,000 including books, scrubs, and I think the fee for the boards but I'm not sure. It is a vocational school. I really thought she was looking out for me! I'm going to call today and ask how much the LPN program is! Would you know how much it would cost? Now, I'm worried they are overpriced!

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Is there a community college within a 50 mile radius that offers the LPN program? Most community colleges offer it for less than $10,000 and sometimes less than $5,000. Transferability of credits is sometimes an issue when you attend some vocational schools.

[itsmejuli]

If it's a private vocational school they will probably tell you anything to get your money.

[bltd]

Yes, I could attend a community college but I would have to enroll before speaking to an advisor and I know I would have to do some prerequisites before getting accepted into next falls program. I just wanted to get the LPN class done as soon as possible but its looking like its not a possibility.

[itsmejuli]

If you want to be an RN later then plan your education so most if not all of your classes count towards your RN degree.

This way you won't waste money or have to repeat.

[nolanurse88]

Skip the PCT it's definitely not worth $9,000. I became a PCT first before the LPN program and it was nice to have a slight edge in the beginning of the program but nothing you won't learn in nursing school

[vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN]

I assume PCT is similar to a Nursing assistant or perhaps a medical assistant?

A lot of for profit schools steer prospective students toward these programs just because it's easier to financially qualify them for these programs.

You should research the pay rates for new grads and the availability of new grad job opportunities before rn rolling in any program.

Commuter was spot on with her advice, as usual, except.....(-;

The cost of Lvn school can be quite expensive. In my area of CA it has gotten ridiculously expensive. All private schools cost over $20K and the public schools have waiting lists that are longer than the program itself.

Commuter is correct though, credits from private school will likely not transfer.

Medical assistant school is less expensive but offers fewer job opportunities.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Commuter was spot on with her advice, as usual, except.....(-;

The cost of Lvn school can be quite expensive. In my area of CA it has gotten ridiculously expensive. All private schools cost over $20K and the public schools have waiting lists that are longer than the program itself.

The OP is located in New Hampshire. She has multiple affordable LPN programs available to her within a short commute in NH, VT, ME and MA.

I was born and raised in southern CA and lived there until 2005. I completed an LVN program at a private nonprofit school with expensive tuition, and I know all about the impacted waiting lists at public schools. However, people in other states tend to have cheaper options than Californians as far as higher education is concerned.