What Now???

Hey all!!! I will be graduating in about 4 weeks (YAY!!!!!) and I need some advice. First I wondered when should I start looking for jobs? Is it too early? Do I need to wait till I pass my boards? There is a rumor in my class that some places will hire you to work up to 60 days prior to taking boards. Is this true? Also, I'm wondering about LPN to RN transition programs. I am currently in a program at a community college, I also work at the college part-time and they pay 6 credits a semester. They have also just started a part-time program which would allow me to work while getting my RN. I am just so stressed and over school right now I just don't know if I have it in me!!! Maybe in a few weeks I'll change my mind but right now I have three 10 hour clinical days in a row ahead of me and 2 of those are med surg :/ Anyway, any advice would be greatly appreciated. I feel like my brain is fried (last semester-itis) so wanted to get some feedback before making any decisions.

Calm down! Deep breath! I found my job a few weeks ago and I don't graduate until August! As far as working as a GPN, I can't answer 100% because it depends on your state's legislature, but in Missouri, graduate nurses (Whether LPN/RN) can work up to 60 days without a license, however, if you take your NCLEX in those 60 days and fail you can no longer work until you pass your boards.

My honest opinion is take some time off! Take a semester off, get a job relax a little and get right back into the game! As for school, just look at it this way, you are 4 weeks away from earning something that you've been chasing for this past year, LPN school isn't a joke, by far the hardest thing I've done, and I know for a fact other people feel the same way! You can do it!

Best of luck!

I was hired before I took my NCLEX. I was hired after I finished school but prior to taking my NCLEX. I'm not sure if all states allow grads to work under GPN status (my state does). Some places will hire you as a GPN (you have to have already passed and graduated the schooling) prior to taking your boards. However, once you take your NCLEX you lose your GPN status. If you pass your NCLEX obviously you are now an LPN. If you fail you lose the graduate status and can no longer be employed under that title.

Also, I wanted to take some 'time' off between LPN school and doing my LPN to RN bridge. Figured I'd give myself a semester off and go back. Well one semester turned into close 3 years. (kick myself!) My problem was I got too used to having so much free time. I wish I had started taken even just a class or two per semester toward my bridge program.