Soon to be nursing student seeking advice.

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Sorry, if this is the wrong forum to post in.

In January of 2009 I will start College after being out of High School for 14+ years. Decide after 10+ years working as a Stocker/forklift driver its time for a change. With alot of thought, & talking to a few friends it sounded that being a LPN is what I want to do.

The plan is to go for my LPN. Then do a LPN to RN bridge. & then later RN to BSN. As I can afford it. Is this a sound strategy?

I may have to crack open my 401k >

1)PCTor PCA-Patient Care Tech or Patient Care Associate- I`ve been told its hard to get one of these positions at the local Hospitals. One Hospital claims to get 500 applications a month for this position. & they generally only have one or two positions open a month.

2)Psychiatric Attendant-this one is working for the state, & close to the same pay rate I now have.

3)CNA-in the state I`m located in are in LTC only. & in order to become one you have cough up $620 for the course at local Community College. They have only one class left this year. & I don`t think I have enough time to get the money. Have a little one, & wife that comes first. Called & checked all the local nursing homes. Only one doese classess, & have already missed it.

Despite what I have said about the above 3 jobs. Which would give me the best trainning leading up to being a LPN?

Is there anything I can start studying now to help with Nursing classess later on? Have to get my pre-nursing classess out the way first semistar.

Also, have to admitt my studying skills are not the best. Are there any good studying programs, techs, courses, or books out there you could recomend? I really need to sharpen my study skills before school starts.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

Hi and welcome,

I also did my LPN to RN and now am working toward my BSN. It has been great because I could work through each phase. I stayed at my regular job while in LPN school however because it paid well and was flexible. Imvho working in the field as a CNA, tech etc. is overrated. The pay is low and the work is really hard unless you are going to do overnight sitting. Personally I didn't think that the techs in my class really had an advantage once we got passed our first LPN semester and we lost as many with health care experience as not. Best of luck!

Jules

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PCA/PCT is the name hospitals use for an untrained, unlicensed person that does CNA work.

Working in a hospital/NH will give you more experience as far as the technical skills of caring for people's ADLs (activities of daily living - feeding, bathing, changing linens, peri-care, etc) as well as prioritizing. Psych attendants do not generally do all that a CNA would do. They are often left in even more dangerous staffing situations than a CNA would be - particularly at state facilities.

You should be looking at speaking with financial aid counselors. There may scholarships you don't know about aimed at more mature college students.

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Congrats on your decision. There is no absolute answer IMO. Some nursing classes prefer/demand CNA but that is not universal. A good CNA course would be a great help, but they only need to meet some minimum standards. Not every course will have anything beyond that.

The Psych. job might provide some great experience with regard to good communication skills. Psych is really not part of the LPN program. Some psych units might have night shifts where you possibly could do some reading for classes.

If you have no experience as PCT/PCA I doubt that it would be viable if there are lines to get the job. I don't see that this position will assist you as much as the other possibilities.

Take the job that will provide for your family. You may find that your education requires more money than it looks up front. Also, hug your family now because your plans, while looking good on paper will take a great deal of your time and energy once you start on that path.

Best of luck.:up:

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I`ve worked 3rds for 10 yrs, wife works days, & son goese to preschool. Don`t see my family much as it is now >

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All kinds of people go into nursing and we all benefit from that diversity. So don't go thinking you need to start with a CNA job. If you want to be an RN--GO FOR IT! The time and money you will spend "working your way up" can be better spent attaining your ultimate goal. If you have a local community college you can have your RN in just a couple of years--with an AA degree which will help work toward your BSN. Just a note: attrition from the LPN program to RN may still require additional college credits! In California RNs must graduate from at least a community college, which means taking the grad reqs like English, History, Humanities, etc. LPNs aren't required to have these additional courses.

Hope this helps. Just my :twocents:

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Specializes in ED.

I would check to see if local hospitals hire LPN's (I'm assuming you want to work in the hospital?) because where I am, they are not hiring many. Some have been working there a while and they still are. IT kind of depends on what type of nursing you want to go into. If you like psych nursing, I would do the psych job and get your RN right away rather than LPN. If you want to do med/surg, then the PCT would be the best. Just know that the pay for these jobs is minimal and the work is hard. It does get your foot in the door to a hospital job but if you need to support a family you need to put that before the experience.

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Specializes in Pediatrics.
All kinds of people go into nursing and we all benefit from that diversity. So don't go thinking you need to start with a CNA job. If you want to be an RN--GO FOR IT! The time and money you will spend "working your way up" can be better spent attaining your ultimate goal. If you have a local community college you can have your RN in just a couple of years--with an AA degree which will help work toward your BSN. Just a note: attrition from the LPN program to RN may still require additional college credits! In California RNs must graduate from at least a community college, which means taking the grad reqs like English, History, Humanities, etc. LPNs aren't required to have these additional courses.

Hope this helps. Just my :twocents:

If your ultamate goal is to be a RN, why not just got for the RN? Looking at a cost and time stand point. My program cost about 8-10 thousand for the two year program at a CC with a bridge program to a University to get the BSN, compare that to an LPN program. There are LPNs transfering into my program next term, so they only missed 1 term of the RN program by being a LPN.

For the jobs that you are looking at, have you applied to the PCT?

Does the psyc interest you?

I was/am a CNA before I got in to a nursing program, it gave me a good introduction to the healthcare field I have worked in a LTC and now a ER. I feel that it is beneifical because it does get your foot in the door. However there are many people in my nursing program that have had no healthcare experience at all.

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There a waiting list for the RN program, & there is not a waiting list atm for LPN program. I know I have enough money to do the LPN program after cracking open the 401k. & was going to use the money I make as a LPN to further my education. To me Student Loans would be a no-no. Not falling back into debt again.

Thought LPN route would be good for testing the waters. To make sure its right thing for me.

I have applied for the PCT, & Psychic Attendant job. My plan is to stick to whatever company hires me now.

There are also, some good options for LPN`s in this part of the country.

Two regular Hospitals-one has atleast 3 physicains networks. The other has LTC unit that they hire LPN`s for, & alot of Urgent Care Centers. As far as I can tell they don`t use LPN`s in main hospitals locally.

State Hospital- still hires LPNS. I get the impression I should be wary of this.

1 Rehab hospital- see LPN adds from time to time in newspaper.

20 Nursing Homes within 2 counties.

VA hospital will be opening within the next year or two.

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I would check to see if local hospitals hire LPN's (I'm assuming you want to work in the hospital?) because where I am, they are not hiring many. Some have been working there a while and they still are. IT kind of depends on what type of nursing you want to go into. If you like psych nursing, I would do the psych job and get your RN right away rather than LPN. If you want to do med/surg, then the PCT would be the best. Just know that the pay for these jobs is minimal and the work is hard. It does get your foot in the door to a hospital job but if you need to support a family you need to put that before the experience.

Not sure what the pay for PCT is. The Psychic Attendant pays close to what I make now. & thats after working the same place for 10 yrs.

As for what kinda of nursing career. You gave me something else to think about.

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