Torn between job I love and going back to school

[allisonr12]

So I have been accepted into the lpn to RN bridge program that I applied for back in November. since November however I have gotten a new job as an lpn at an ALF at their memory care unit. I absolutely love this job! It is rewarding working with these people and I don't dread going to work everyday in fact it's the opposite. I get excited to go to work. My problem is however that with one of the owners being an RN and with the alf regs there is no need for them to have RNs working there. I am really sad at the idea of possibly not being able to work there anymore eventually. Even during school I will have to cut back on hours there. So the question is do I continue my education now and hope to come across another job Ill love just as much or stay where i know I am happy. Yes RNs make more money but money isn't everything right? I'm also worried about what some friends and others may think about me not taking the opportunity to become an RN. This doesn't mean I couldn't eventually go back to school again one day though right? Ugh I could type a lot more about this, I don't want to type a book, but I just don't know what to do. Lol. How many others have had a similar situation like this? What did you do and are you happy with your decision? Trying to weigh out all the pros and cons of each. I only have a month now to decide.

[littlepeopleRNICU]

I agree with the majority, go back to school. There are so many reasons for it. Like previous posters have said, you don't know what your current facility will be like even a year from now, or even what your own wants and career needs will be at that time. There's also the possibility that you could be surprised and be able to stay there as an RN after you graduate. If they love you as an employee, they may decide to open another RN position for you, even though the owner is an RN already. Hazel also had a good point...what if they completely surprise everyone and decide they no longer want LPN employees? I can't find even one negative in going back to school. If you can financially and socially afford to go now, and have an acceptance letter...don't give it up!

I do understand where you are coming from. I LOVE working in the NICU...as a bedside nurse. I have always planned on going back to school to become an NP, but I don't want to do neonatal NP for various reasons. Right now, I am at a good place in my life to go back to school. So even though I am changing my specialty completely and saying now, "I know I will be leaving the NICU in about 3 years at the latest", I am taking the plunge and doing it because it's important to me to advance my career and meet my goals. It's a hard decision, but I don't think it's one that you will ultimately regret. Or that I will 😊