So what would you guys do?

Im so glad to be here and really respect all of you nurses. I am over age 40 and am finally realizing my dream of being able to go back to school. I have the opportunity to attend either a LPN certificate program or enter the RAD tech program at our local community college that will result in a associates degree when completed.

Im just not sure what to do? If you had the choice to make today, which would it be and why? If it matters, just fyi, I will probably never go on to get my RN or other specialty certificates in the Rad tech field, like ultrasound, mri ect. for reasons too boring to go into here.

I have worked in health care in the past, I was a cna at a nursing home part time years ago and nursing home work doesnt really bother me. Also, Im kinda shy, so being in a little xray room all day would be just fine with me too. I know with the economy, the job prospects are lousy in any industry right now but Ive spent my whole life raising kids and this is my one chance to get an education past high school.

What do you guys think?

Thanks so much for any opinion or advice you can share :)

Stacey

If I had to choose between LPN/LVN or rad tech and I knew I wasn't going any further educationally, or going for my RN...I would choose the rad tech. There is a 5 yr waiting list here in my area for the rad tech program!

Sounds exciting, Stacey. Good luck!

Same thing here. If you have no plans of going further than LPN/LVN or rad tech, I'd say go for the rad tech if you have the chance.

being an lpn will beat your beautiful soul into an exhausted bloody pile of pulp.. limited job prospects (nursing home or the lower paid clinics, possibly an even lower paying doctors office).. as far as the shyness.. i used to be shy as well.. nursing developed my personality into a more social person.. because you are forced to deal with a ton of people.. patients, coworkers, and lots of family coming at you from all angles.. you will learn how to talk the talk.. and you will be doing ALOT of talking.. much of the time defending yourself.. when i was in nursing school, i had a friend in school for rad tech.. we graduated at the same time.. there is a world of difference between our experiences... while he talks about his cool job.. im just tired, stressed out, and frustrated.. nursing def has its positive sides.. but if i could turn back time, i wouldve done something within the healthcare field that demands much less stress and working in a hospital setting... dont mean to be a debbie downer.. but thats just my opinion...

Another vote for radiology!

Yep radiology. Other poster is correct. Being an LPN/LVN will eat your soul. Go for it!

Maybe you should see if you can shadow each before you make the decision. The LPNs I have worked with did the same work pretty much as the RNs (with a few exceptions like IV care) just for a lot less pay. This is in a large teaching hospital setting. They are trying to "phase out" LPNs here but the other day I noticed posting to hire LPNs on some floors. But I digress, I just mean to say you should shadow each to make an informed decision. Radiology especially because you have some experience where you have seen LPNs.

There has been a little paradigm shift of late in home health. I am an RN and I work with recovering preemies right now in home health. This isn't because I do not want a higher paying job in the hospital. It's because I cannot get my foot in the door at any hospital without a year's experience in a hospital setting. That's what they said in times gone by. Now they are saying that this year's experience has to be in ICU. Since I can't get hired, I can't get that experience. So unless I wanted to sit at home and do nothing, I had to work home health. Thankfully, I happen to like home health. When I started in May, the protocols said that these children could have an RN for 6 months. Now the government insurances are saying that they will only pay LPN wages unless the client meets a certain criteria, which is IVs, Trach etc but not a GT. A client with a GT is only allowed an LPN. For that reason, home health is wide open, imvho, for LPNs or it is just a fancy way of utilizing a skilled RN at a lower wage. My guess is that more RNs will jump ship before they will take an LPN wage and if they can, return to hospital work. Just an FYI post.