Want to work in L&D, NICU or Nursery but can't be in school for too too long. Not sur

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Hi all :) I am a young mother who works part time and just got my own place. Granted I have my fiancé to help, he can't pay the bills himself. So quitting is not an option for me. However, I would really love to get my career started but one of my worst fears is investing my time and money into something that I wind up hating. So I would really LOVE for someone to help me out on this one pleeease.

My dream has always been to work with either pregnant women or newborn babies. I'm aiming for L&D, NICU or even in the Nursery, but I know going to school for four years+ definitely isn't going to happen for me :/ I have read many topics on here and I know I'll probably wind up doing LPN but want to be sure that'll get me to where I need to be.

Any advice?

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Where do you live and where are you planning on looking for work? Look at your local hospitals and clinic and then make your decision.

In the province where I work, LPNs are employed in NICU and post partum units. We also work in public health units in the school immunization programmes and the well baby clinics.

You have to understand that postings for jobs on these units are few and far between. Nurse that work there tend to stay until they retire. My hospital does services a huge geographic area and has one of the highest delivery rates in Canada. They post maybe six vacancies every two years.

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Specializes in Home Health (PDN), Camp Nursing.

If your in the US, and you don't want to do anything besides those specialities, then LPN is not the education level you need to be at. There are a lot of opportunities for LPNs. Remarkably few of them are in the areas you mention.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Where do you live? In the US there are very few facilities that employ LPN's in acute care and even fewer that allow LPN's in the NICU/L&D. Even if you become a RN many facilities are now only hiring BSN new grads and the hiring into a specialty area as a new grad is rare.

The market is over run with nurses right now.

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I live in Jersey. I called a couple hospitals and spoke to some nurses in the L&D. They basically told me I'd have to get my BSN. That means I'll have to do 4 years, right?

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Yes....most acute are facilities only are hiring BSN new grads.

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Ok thank you so much!

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I could be way off, please someone correct me if I'm wrong. But I believe that they're slowly trying to weed out LPNs as higher education is becoming more preferred. Right now it might be okay but eventually you might need to continue onto get your BSN. I could be way off base but even so, I don't believe a lot of places like to hire LPNs for the areas you want. Don't give up! If this is your dream then don't let anything get in the way! You can do an accelerated program!

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I could be way off, please someone correct me if I'm wrong. But I believe that they're slowly trying to weed out LPNs as higher education is becoming more preferred. Right now it might be okay but eventually you might need to continue onto get your BSN. I could be way off base but even so, I don't believe a lot of places like to hire LPNs for the areas you want. Don't give up! If this is your dream then don't let anything get in the way! You can do an accelerated program!

As many posters have said you have to research your job market and hiring practices for the areas you want to work in.

How can she do an accelerated programme if she is 19 years old? Highly unlikely that she has a university degree.

My health authority has opened up the NICU and ICU to LPNs in the last five years. It's to do with cost effectiveness and the fact that the scope of practice in my province (and across many parts of Canada) is so close that it's laughable. But then up here the LPN programme is the old diploma RN course.

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

LPNs in NJ cannot do IV push or administer blood products which is one reason these floors don't hire LPNs. Most NICU & maternity units are RN only (BSN preferred) VERY FEW NJ hospitals hire LPNs if any. And the few that do have LPNs work on floors within the scope of an LPN (med-surg, subacute care, etc)

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So should I just go for my RN degree cause I don't have 4 years to get my BSN. I highly doubt that's gonna happen and I don't want to waste anyone's time. Also, if I did become an RN how long would I be in school for then?

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Getting a 4 year degree won't happen for you? You're so young. If you want it, yes, it will happen. I'm 32 and I'm just starting my nursing education. Getting my LVN, and planning on working my way up to a BSN.

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