People used to ask me why I "settled" and went to a vocational school to become an LPN, instead of going to a traditional college and becoming a "real nurse." I always had a list of potential answers running through my mind when that happened:
✔️ I do the exact same thing an RN does at my job with absolutely no variation.
✔️ I train both new grad RN's and BSN's, and have discovered that in my field, experience and competence are more valuable than the initials at the end of my name.
✔️ I work with babies, which is pretty damn cool (turns out I like them better than many adults).
✔️ I have an incredibly flexible schedule that allows me to continue my education.
✔️ The pay is much, much better than when I was the drive-thru girl at Taco Bell.
✔️ I took on 11 months of school and no debt to make sure nursing was what I wanted, rather than 2-3 years and a boatload of loans.
✔️ This Microbiology test isn't hard. My six-month old vent-dependent patient went into respiratory distress last night, and I guided them through it. That was tough. I eat micro exams for breakfast!
✔️ Vocational school helped me develop study/homework skills, so that when I entered traditional college, I got easy A's.
✔️ In Honors classes revolving around theory, I could speak about practical application in real life situations.
✔️ When scholarship time rolled around, I wasn't simply a student who wished to change the world. I was already actively changing the world.
So many students apply to awards because of who they want to be, whereas I could apply because of who I already am. When I had to write numerous essays, personal statements, and narratives about myself and my future dreams, I had so many compelling stories to tell about my job as an LPN. When asked about community service, volunteer work, or past experience performing good deeds for others, I got the opportunity to explain how such things weren't simply extracurriculars to me, but rather an integral part of my day to day life as an LPN.
Those people who used to ask me why I "settled" and went to a vocational school to become an LPN, instead of going to a traditional college and becoming a "real nurse?" These days, I don't need to tell them anything. Because I was awarded $124,500 dollars to complete my bachelor's degree, and $200,000 dollars for any graduate school I choose. Not because I was a traditional student (I came from one of those schools, a vocational school for people who weren't "good enough" for regular college). Not because I did well in high school (I dropped out at 15). Not because I was cookie cutter (I've got a dirty mouth, a sarcastic streak a mile wide, and I wear jeans and red converse to business casual events). Not because I had special advantages (as an older student, I had to fight for every opportunity, knock on many doors, and annoy professors into letting me take on special projects). I received all of this because of my work as an LPN and the way it made me stand out among other students when I transitioned back into traditional college.
So don't let anyone tell you this is a road for people who "settle" or don't have what it takes to hack it at a "real" college. You have no idea where an LPN license will lead you, or the impact you will have on the world because of it.
Yikes...is it just me or does that seem horribly unethical? I'm a student barely scraping by, living off of loans and minimal assistance. To know people are being awarded almost half a million in scholarships that AREN'T needed for schooling and instead are buying Mercedes and houses with?? That just makes my skin crawl.
Not doubting your story at all, just feels unethical. Seems as though this person should have retuned the money that wasn't needed for and during school. (Because as you stated, she accepted AT LEAST $360,000 above what she needed). I could be sick.
What's unethical about it? Many scholarships are for persons in school, non financial need based and are awarded to the student to use as they deem fit. Now if there was a clause in the rules (which I've no clue of) that if the awardee gets more money than needed it should be returned, sure, she should have given it back.
Further, there are tons of scholarships out there that never even receive applicants. I got to sit on a selections committee for a scholarship for HS students were we only got 3 applications. Easy pickings. I think she was smart. Most people see the time it takes to do all that as "too much work." Keep in mind her goal was never to get that much nor get money to buy those things. She wanted school paid for. She was stunned that she was awarded as much.
By the way, I lived off loans with no assistance. I feel your pain. But if you you still have at least a year left, go find you some scholarships to apply to. Johnson and Johnson has plenty for nursing students listed on their website. Perhaps with any excess you can start paying towards those loans.
What? Where does the author live? In my region, none of the hospitals hire LPN's- AT ALL (it's all RN and CNA). Very very slim pickings in the medical offices too- it's all MA's, with a few RN's here and there. In my area the jobs for LPN's are: Home Care Nurse, and working in Assisted Living or Nursing Homes. Also, WA state Workforce no longer will even fund LPN training, because they can't get jobs. They are close to unemployable here... curious about all the scholarship funding- that sounds like more money than I EVER remember seeing in school...any tips? (Is the author a real person? it just all sounds way overly rosy... LPN's working in neonatal care, in hospital, with babies on vents? Really? Wow...)
I didn't read all the comments, but from the ones I did skim, I had on the screw face.
I really don't understand why on a board that is supposed to supportive of ALL nurses, there is always, always LPN vs. RN debates. Why? It's so stupid.
I am a new LPN (8 months experience). I knew as a LPN, my scope of practice would be limited before I even signed up for my first pre-req. Fortunately, I live in a place where LPN jobs are plentiful, even in one of the local *gasp* hospitals.
I fully intend to pursue more nursing education. In the meanwhile, though, I am soaking up every bit of knowledge I'm getting from the more experienced nurses (LPNs and RNs) at work.
But y'all carry on with this LPN vs. RN bull. I'm out.
I work with an LPN who is an outstanding nurse with over 30 years of experience. That being said, the scope of practice in MD requires that all her assessments must be done by an RN. No IV push meds, she is not allowed to precept an RN and is the lowest paid member of our team. At times this puts a burden on her already busy co-workers. One of the hospitals I work at recently let all LPNs go because of these limitations. It sounds as if nekozuki is working outside the scope of her practice. She may need to evaluate whether she is putting her license at risk by doing so.
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
I have a great deal of respect for the LPNs I have run across in my career as an RN, no doubt about that. The most respected member of our team happens to be an LPN of 32 years' experience in our unit. My first year as an RN, I learned the most from an old-school LPN nursery nurse about neonatal care. She was a no-nonsense Cajun firecracker who forgot more than I could ever learn about newborns. I will never forget her, rest her soul.
BUT that said, to achieve the goals I had in my mind for my career, I needed to be an RN, so I did not waste time becoming an LPN. It just didn't make sense.
And I have never heard of an LPN getting over a quarter of a million dollars in scholarships to go back to school. But whatever.
I made my choice for my career. Everyone has her path. That the OP is happy with his/hers is great. I don't begrudge anyone being happy.
I find it interesting that the simple fact of pointing out that the scopes of LPN and RN are different is tantamount to slapping the proverbial cheek with a leather glove. All kinds of judgments are read into that simple statement of fact, which actually contains no implications with regard to merit, intelligence, competency, or any other kind of value judgment. It is a description of a legal reality. Yet no one seems to question that the scopes of a RN and CRNA are different by virtue of education, or that the scopes of RN and MDs are different, nor do they take offense to it. It gets kind of a "yeah, and the sky is blue" reaction.
Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
The OP apparently works private duty pediatrics. Most cases are within LPN scope and therefore it would appear LPN and RN scope are the same simply by the type of skills needed for most cases. There are often only a select few skills in the home that require an RN--tpn can be managed by a trained parent with LPN doing other skills. RNs must do the monthly and bi monthly assessments, care plans, initial patient/family teaching and creation of a plan for LPN to reinforce, RNs must create goals, certain invasive procedures cannot be delegated to LPNs such as central line dressing care & flushing depending on the NPA.
If a case is only staffed by LPNs then case orientation for an RN to the case would have to be done by the LPN
RiaWndrful
9 Posts
What's unethical about it? Many scholarships are for persons in school, non financial need based and are awarded to the student to use as they deem fit. Now if there was a clause in the rules (which I've no clue of) that if the awardee gets more money than needed it should be returned, sure, she should have given it back.
Further, there are tons of scholarships out there that never even receive applicants. I got to sit on a selections committee for a scholarship for HS students were we only got 3 applications. Easy pickings. I think she was smart. Most people see the time it takes to do all that as "too much work." Keep in mind her goal was never to get that much nor get money to buy those things. She wanted school paid for. She was stunned that she was awarded as much.
By the way, I lived off loans with no assistance. I feel your pain. But if you you still have at least a year left, go find you some scholarships to apply to. Johnson and Johnson has plenty for nursing students listed on their website. Perhaps with any excess you can start paying towards those loans.