Starting lpn school advice

kim47 · Aug 4, 2023

I was a CNA before becoming an RN. I feel it helped me with being comfortable with hands on patient care, and the environment in general. That being said, I don't know if I'd recommend becoming a CNA just to feel more comfortable with nursing. I'd recommend you get as much done as you need in your life now, so you can devote as much time as needed to nursing school when you begin. How much time to study? All the time you can. And you will need to study alot. Good luck!

JBMmom, MSN, NP · Aug 6, 2023

You'll do what you have to in order to be successful. No one can really tell you how much to study, everyone learns differently and has different life experiences. If you don't have to work obviously that would be ideal, but if you do, you'll need to figure out a school/work/study schedule that works for you. Do you have a long drive? Record lessons and listen again in the car. Are you a visual learner? Make flashcards after every lecture with your notes. Many things can be done to make learning as efficient as possible.

I think the CNAs in my RN program had an advantage in the first semester. I had never touched a patient before, or taken a blood pressure, so being familiar with those things will be an advantage. But, by the second semester it wasn't as much of an issue.

Best of luck with school and your future career!

Jurse, LPN · Aug 10, 2023

Sammiegurl87 said:

Hi! I'm super excited that at the end of the month I'll be in lpn school. I'm just looking for any advice to help get through the stress. I'll take anything. I'll follow all advice given. I do work full time but I do the Baylor shift. So I work weekends 6a-6pm and I get paid for 32 hours. So I hope school will still be manageable as I will have Monday-Friday off. But I know classes and clinicals will take up my time. How many hours a day should I study?
Also, I am a CNA and a med tech at a memory care community. Is that going to help a little bit with that experience?

thank you so much for any tips, feedback, words of wisdom LOL I'm excited but that can quickly change to stressed or anxious

It depends on how much you can comprehend, apply, and retain the contents of your materials.

Being a CNA helped me comfortable with direct patient care. I learned from the nurses with nursing skills. Then again, that depends on the nurses' time and etc if they can have you shadow them. Of course, it helped me pay bills. TMI. I was quite socially inept so I needed to practice.