Questions about RN vs LPN for my situation.

[willvz]

So I've read several articles on the site about LPN vs RN and my ultimate is to get my BSN and beyond. My questions are regarding my personal situation and what advice you can give me.

A couple things about me:

- Male

- 27 yo

- Currently employed in restaurant making about $13/hr.

- Soon to be CNA. My test is tomorrow.

- I am expecting my first child in July and the mother and I are not together. We are however good friends and plan on sharing custody.

- I currently am living under a shared roof with parents to save up money for the baby.

- My goal is to get back to having my own place while maintaining a comfortable income.

- I have 30 college credits but no degree.

- I will be taking my pre-reqs for the Nursing program locally here this summer.

- Ultimately out of nursing I want a career that I can affect and help others while still making decent income for my family.

My questions:

Would I be better off financially applying for my college's LPN program that takes about 11 months and then going on from there to a BSN degree. Or, is the LPN pay increase from a CNA not substantial enough to take the sidestep from an ASN RN program?

How much do LPNs in Florida, specifically Indian River County make?

Would my experience as an LPN benefit as I take further steps up the Nursing ladder?

Any other guys in the same or similar situation that can give me some insight?

I ultimately want to do what is best for my child. I've taken long enough to discover what I want to do with my life and now that I've figured it out I want to make sure I do it in the most efficient way possible.

Thank You!

[willvz]

Bumping

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

Kudos for your commitment to parenting - not very common for young men these days.

I know that there is always the temptation to choose something 'fast', but keep in mind that hospitals are rapidly moving toward BSN-only staff. If you have an ADN, you may find yourself locked out of those higher-paying acute care jobs. LPN jobs are mostly in LTC or clinics. In the long run, it may actually be faster to go directly for your BSN than to take a step-wise approach getting an LPN &/or ADN first.