BAtoLPN

I am not really responding to any comment, just to the "general" title of this thread. I admit I WAS guilty of thinking that LPN's were not "real" nurses. I was on a waiting list for an ADN program, but discovered that if I entered the LPN program, I could get in earlier and thus finish my ADN earlier by doing the LPN to RN route. (The ADN program here is 5 semesters - the LPN program is the same as the ADN program, the LPN's just graduate after 3 semesters instead of 5.) I work full time and have a 7-year old daughter. I also have my BA, so I already had a lot of the "pre-nursing" classes. ANYWAY! I was taking 3 classes (pharmacology, nutrition, and anatomy and physiology) AND starting my clinicals. Well, I had to drop the clinicals - it was too much to work, take 3 classes, be a decent mom, AND do well in clinicals! The thing that REALLY grated my nerves was that just prior to dropping clinicals (I am re-entering in the fall),my mom asked me if my clinicals were "boring" because I was just doing "LPN stuff." AHHHHH!!!! I wanted to choke her! Yeah, mom, "REAL" nurses (aka, RN's) don't wipe butts, and FAKE nurses (aka, LPN's) don't have to know SQUAT about medications, doing assessments, taking vitals, etc. GRRRR!!!! Anyway, just wanted to apologize to all of you LPN's out there and let you know that I respect you and CAN'T WAIT to be one of you. I plan to work as an LPN while I pursue my RN, and you know what? I will be getting NURSING experience! I think that will look just lovely on my resume.

I'm just a "glorified receptionist" and nursing student in the ER here, but I can tell you this already: NO ONE calls in sick here. If nursing staff or techs call in, they are made to feel VERY guilty about it. Folks here usually show up near death, and MAYBE they will get to go home after a bit, IF the charge RN agrees... I am not sure how it affects the workload for the other folks inthe back, but I imagine it creates similar problems to the ones described here. The thing that _I_ don't get is why, even if you are short-staffed, you would want some sick person around ER patients? I can say that if I brought my daughter in there for something, I wouldn't want some sick-as-a-dog person hovering around her and providing care - they might make her worse! I think the administration needs to take that into consideration. I know there are "slackers" out there who will call in at the drop of a hat, but most folks are NOT like that. If they say they are sick, they are sick! What I have seen here so far makes me really nervous - I am not sure I would want to work here once I get out of school with the attitude the way it is currently.

Interesting point. There are a LOT of OB docs out there that are men.... why are these folks not telling THEM that THEY can't possibly know what they are doing because they have never given birth? LOL! Heck, they don't even have the same "equipment," so what they hell do THEY know? :wink2: I also wonder do the male nurses and docs get these same questions? I'll bet they don't.... :angryfire BTW, I DO have a child, and I am VERY glad, but in my pre-nursing profession (Special Ed) I definitely saw plenty of unwanted children. Also, I was VERY good with those kids even BEFORE I had my own child. :thankya:

You are a school nurse with an LPN? How did you manage that? Where do you live? I would LOOOOVE to do that, but I thought it was almost impossible unless you were an RN, and in some cases a BSN.

I totally agree! I am in a similar situation, and BSN is my goal - eventually. I am getting my LPN first - not my "dream," but frankly I think it will be helpful in the long run (experience as a "nurse," if not an RN, still as a nurse). My plan is to take and pass the NCLEX and AS SOON AS my LPN license comes in I will apply IMMEDIATELY to the LPN to RN program (that is kind of my only option here). That way I will be less likely to "put it off." Also, if you can get your foot in the door somewhere as an LPN, a lot of places will pay for you to get your LPN to RN as long as you agree to work for them for a certain time period after you graduate. They are also more likely to work around your school schedule if yyou do this, as they know the sooner you graduate, the sooner they have another RN, and one they KNOW at that. Good luck!

Not sure where you are from, but here in Lexington, South Carolina (yes, in po-dunk SC) they have Doulas on staff. WONDERFUL! :)

See above....

WOW. Let me make a suggestion: since this is your first child, hold off on making the school decision for as long as you can, or at least until your child is a month or two old (whichever is the longest time period). And don't be against changing your plans. I am divorced with a 7-year-old. My plan was to work 3 twelve-hour night shifts in a row, and take 4 classes (including my Fundamentals clinical class). Well, I had to drop the fundamentals class, and that will put my graduation back about 8 months. But, even though I want to finish school ASAP (like YESTERDAY), I DO need to make sure that I don't "burn out" before I even get started and that I have enough of "me" left for my daughter. You need to do the same, and I am not sure you will fully realize what your child will require of you (and what you really want to give) until that child has been in the world for just a little bit. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF! And PACE YOURSELF! You will finish school, AND you will have your beautiful family as well. :)

Um, I thought that was the point I was trying to make... Ouch! Talk about nurses "eating their young" - I haven't even "hatched" yet and I am getting this kind of response.....

:chuckle Um, okay, YOU were obviously not a big ole COW like myself. I don't think my arms would have reached... yes, I know, sad, but I HAVE lost the weight! :) And yes, after 16 hours, I was a LEEEETLE tired....

:smackingf OKay, as I said, student here.... I just googled "fundal pressure" - let some jerk push all on MY big old belly? I don't think so! He'd have gotten his *** a trip straight down to the ER after doing that to ME! Who IS this dinosaur, and why has someone not set him freakin' STRAIGHT? Sheesh!!!

DITTO! DITTO! DITTO! DITTO! DITTO! DITTO!

:angryfire OOOHHH!!! I am "just a mommy" (not a nurse... YET), but I tell you what - if any doc had put one of those damned vacuum pumps on MY Little One's head unless it was ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY, I'd have gone POSTAL on his ***!!! Good for you! Why don't you go for Midwifery? You sound like you would be good, and I was SOOOO glad that we had a practice here so that I could avoid docs just like the one you described! :uhoh21:

:chuckle Honey, that is no higher than the national average for "regular" folks! (Sad, but true, and I am one of those statistics). I'm sure it is hard, but it can be done. (I think - don't ask ME for advice regarding how, though! ) I think the quality of your relationship, and your willingness (both of you) to continue to nurture the relationship matter more than geography ever could.

I'm interested to see more feedback specific to this comment (of course, I haven't read the rest of the posts yet). I have a Bachelor's degree, and it was useful to me for a little over 10 years. Now it is time for a career change, and I am pursuing my LPN first, then I plan to work as an LPN for a semester or so and pursue my ADN. Once I become an RN, I am thus far undecided about pursuing a BSN. I would have done the "Accelerated BSN" program had there been one nearby (I live in hickville). Is my BA (not a BS, mind you) in Psychology and Elementary Education (two "easy" majors - double major, and Phi Beta Kappa, but I suppose that doesn't matter because what I was studying was an "easy" bunch of crap! :angryfire ) good enough, or should I pursue the BSN? I'm inclined to think I should pursue the BSN at some point in time simply because it will probably be required. Having a Bachelor's already may make it a little easier for me because I might (crossed fingers) be able to get credit for some classes. :uhoh21: