Should I try LPN school?

[chelseyelise7]

I graduated with a Bachelors in Psychology and realized that it was a mistake. I can't find a job and I really don't want to go to graduate school. I've been volunteering at a local hospital in the ER and I absolutely love it and would LOVE to be a nurse. I want to eventually be an RN but right now I was thinking about just getting an LPN cert... My friends who are in RN school say that there aren't many jobs for LPNs so I am a little hesitant. I do see many LPN jobs though at the hospital I volunteer for. I just can't afford to go to school for 2 more years right now. Maybe if I did LPN they would pay for me to go back and get my RN later on.. Any suggestions would be appreciated! Thanks :)

[lindseylpn]

You could get your LPN first and then do a 2nd degree LPN to BSN program while working as an LPN. Where I live in Tennessee LPNs work in ltc, group homes, home health/private duty, clinics, flu clinics, jails, hospitals (although they are hiring less LPNs than they used to), insurance companies and even some factories as their employees personal nurse.

[DrkCocoMurse215]

If you know for sure you want to be a RN go enter an accelerated 2nd degree bsn program which are deigned for people who already have bachelor degrees no matter what it is in. They are generally 12-15 months long. You just have to have the prerequisites and the right GPA. If you wanna see if nursing is for you, wanna get your feet wet, and money is tight, go for your LPN first, they're 12-15months long, and after thay work as a nurse and maybe take your prereqs if you need to or work and gain experience as you're in the RN program.

[Helano]

ABSN is great if you have have a competitive GPA. In my area, competitive means at least a 3.75 overall GPA and an 85% on the TEAS. ASN programs are almost as competitive and/or there is a 2 year wait list. The LPN program entry is based on your TEAS and is first come, first serve. It articulates directly to the bridge program at the same college where there is a 2 year wait. The RN program then articulates directly into the RN to BSN that has the extremely competitive ABSN. It's also insanely cheap. LPN-RN-BSN is a good choice depending on your situation.

[EsthyLady]

If you love the ER, chances are you won't like being an LPN half as much because chances are very good you will never work in the ER as most LPNs work in some type of long term care setting (translate: nursing home). If you have a BA in psychology, why not concentrate on pre-reqs for an ASN or BSN? In my state, there is a bridge program to become a nurse practitioner and all you have to have is BA level education+ the same pre-reqs required for most ASN programs. So I would just slowly take pre-reqs at a community college and work at something. The reason I say this is because an LPN program is no walk in the park (currently in one myself after humanities education). It is really hard actually, much more time and energy consuming than any of my BA classes were. I have a whole new respect for LPNs though:) I wish I had known how stressful an LPN program was (at least the one I am in) or I would have taken my own advice!