Should I stay an LVN in acute care while looking for an acute care RN position?

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Specializes in Anesthesia.

Hello!

I will try to be concise.

I'm set to finish my RN(ADN) in a few days. I currently have work in med/surg as an LVN and have great pay and benefits considering the state of our economy (I work for the VA-can't beat federal benefits). I was offered a SNF position by a facility I used to work for, which I've ruled out because it wasn't for me-I'd be doing the same exact job under a different title. Anyways, I've been offered a full-time Home Health position through a family friend. It would be a 9-5 type job, but it isn't my ultimate goal. I'm hoping to stay at the hospital I currently work at, but they're currently in a hiring freeze.

Should I continue on with the LVN job, and work home health part time while finishing my BSN if my plan is to work acute care as a RN? I'd be looking for work at other hospitals in the meantime while hoping the hiring freeze ends soon. Or.. should I go full-time at the home health job in order to get a full year of RN experience in order to transfer back into acute care?

Any advice is appreciated

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Specializes in Anesthesia.

Anyone?

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Specializes in school nurse.

"Should I continue on with the LVN job, and work home health part time while finishing my BSN if my plan is to work acute care as a RN?"

Good plan. Stick with your fairly secure job which still allows you good clinical exposure. Having stability will help you with school. Also, it buys some time to see if the nursing market improves overall in the next few years.

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Specializes in Anesthesia.

Thanks. Hoping I find acute care RN employment sooner rather than later. I figure between my LVN job and the HH job doing admission evaluations @ $100/pt Ill be making RN pay, but I know i'll be working a lot. I'm the type of person who works to live, not lives to work.

Part of the reason I went into nursing was for the 3-day work week. Oh well, guess I just have to be happy with the fact that I have work for now.

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Specializes in Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Nursing.

Be sure to factor in any employer tuition reimbursement benefits. I also work for a government agency and being reimbursed for most of my schooling is a huge plus!

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Specializes in Anesthesia.

Thanks. Yeah, I'm really hoping to take advantage of that. Gotta love working for the government. You can always make more in the private sector, but public sector benefits are untouchable.

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Specializes in ED/ICU/TELEMETRY/LTC.

I would stay right where I am. The RN job will come and the VA is great. You can do the admissions and get a feel for the HH job at the same time.

Remember when times get tough the HH agency, friend or not, will put you on case load.

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