LJB1015

@Amonroe457- My youngest daughter wants to do the OCVTS program in September 2012, against my advice. Do you have any info on the program? Since we're out of county it would be running us close to $16,000... I'm strongly against this and am desperate to obtain info...

I'm new to this site and must've seen this topic a billion times so here’s my advice/truth about LPN nursing: For decades there has been talk of phasing out LPN’s, but given the current economy and the number of new grads in nursing I believe it is now a reality. Given the current economic status of the country everyone is looking to cut corners in any way that they can, including health care facilities. LPN’s in hospitals have almost been completely phased out and replaced with Patient Care Techs. Why? Because why would they pay an LPN $25+ dollars an hour in NJ, when they can pay a PCT $10 an hour? They can do pretty much everything an LPN can do except dispense medication. What do they have for that? Certified Medication Aids/Techs, who also make about $10 an hour. So there they can pay two people to do the work of an LPN, but cut payroll at the same time. It’s only a matter of time before LTC follows suit. I've worked at a nursing home for years, within the last couple of years they’ve been laying off LPN’s. They’ve kept a few, like 5 or 6, and they do nothing, but pass meds for 12 hours straight. In the last couple of years I’ve seen an increase in CNA's at our facility as well as Med Techs. Another reason not to go LPN, there are tons of new grads with higher degrees. For that reason I believe many hospitals are going “magnet status”, wanting only nurses with a BSN. Why? Because now they have that option. A few years back there was tons of talk of a nursing shortage, when there really wasn’t. So that lead to everyone and their mother flocking to nursing programs. My daughter graduated high school in 2007 and half the girls in her class were going to school for nursing. Problem now is all these people who bought into the nursing shortage gimmick are just now graduating and flooding the market looking for jobs. Hospitals only employ RN’s and they prefer BSN’s. Now that the job market is flooded with BSN graduates, there is less reason to hire a ADN and no reason to hire an LPN. Truth is, no matter what, businesses prefer those with college degrees. LPN’s mainly work home health care in NJ, is that what you want? My sister works as a CHHA and makes $18 an hour. You can take a CHHA class for $500, make decent money, and save yourself $12,500. Or you can spent the $13,000 and pray you get a LTC or rehab job. My advice don’t go into nursing unless you plan on obtaining your BSN, especially if you plan on staying in NJ. People who are LPN’s now probably graduated before 2008, before the market crash, they had a good market for job searching. Paying $13,000 for a LPN program in 2012 = stupidity. Go get your RN and hope the economy turns around before you finish.

I start the OCVTS program in September as well. I don’t have any experience in healthcare, at all. I was very concerned because when I went to the entrance exam, they asked who had experience in the field, and it seemed like I was the only one in the room without my hand raised. Did you go to your interview already? When I went to the interview in January the instructor who interviewed me said not to worry about not having experience. She said they assume you don’t have any skills and that’s how they teach you, and that no one gets special treatment. So don’t worry about the experience thing. My sister in law graduated from the program a few years ago and she told me if I have the time now to start memorizing some A&P like the bones, muscles, organs, ect. She said if you can memorize the major things now, it’s easier to focus on the details in class. She said also get a Math for Meds/Pharmacology book and start practicing now. I’m actually going to Barnes & Nobles today to see what I can find. Best of luck to you! =]