Unsure why I ever became a LPN

[alitak]

I recently became a LPN. I went to the University of Alaska-Anchorage for my training (if you want to call it that). It was probably the roughest experience of my entire life, and this is coming from a good, intelligent, hard-working man who worked in the trades, and commercial fished in Alaska for many years. There was practically a mutiny the school-year before, and still the administration did nothing. I have zero respect for that school of Nursing.

The program I attended was about surviving, not learning. The instructors there were the most devious, lazy, abrasive, incompetent people that I have ever met in my life. They played favorites, preyed on the weak, and headhunted the students that they disliked. What makes me sick is that the program is now accredited.

My current situation is this: I moved to eastern WA., and there seems to be no formal orientation process in most LTC facilities. I feel woefully unprepared, and feel that I would be drowning in responsibility in a nursing position. I am seriously considering going on for my RN degree, to get a proper education. Many assisted living places now hire Med techs. I should have listened to that RN in seattle - "Why would you go for LPN? Get your RN degree." Hindsight is 20/20 - I know.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

I'm sorry to hear that. Hopefully, you'll find a place you'll be happy with. I encourage you to get that RN so you can have more options. Going LPN to RN is a great way to go.

[suebird3]

Welcome to allnurses.com. I moved your post to the LPN/LVN Forum.

Sorry to hear you had such a bad experience. I started out as an LPN YEARS ago; got alotta experience, too. Of course, depends on each person's circumstances. When you decide to go on, there is an LPN to RN Forum here at: https://allnurses.com/forums/f233/ .

I hope that things work out.

Suebird

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I had to attend LVN school as the quickest way into nursing due to time constraints. I could not devote 2 to 3 years of my life to an RN program when the bills were piling up, so I opted for the 1-year LVN program at a private college. Virtually all of the students in my class would have attended RN school directly if they had the chance, but the barriers to that happening were time and lack of prerequisite classes completed.

I agree that LTC facilities tend to not orient new hires adequately. But places with high employee turnover rates do not have the time or staff to train you for as long as you truly need because they are in dire need of someone as soon as humanly possible.