Why did you choose LPN over RN..need help making a decision

Jules A, MSN · Jun 28, 2008

Hi and welcome,

I did my LPN first and then my RN. Mostly because I wasn't totally sure I would like nursing so I figured I could get through a year of anything and at least have something to show for it, lol. Very soon I realized that I did want to be a nurse and started making plans to bridge to RN. Truth is however I'm not sure if I would have been as motivated and goal oriented if I had two full years looming before me because nursing school is stressful and I kind of like instant gratification. For me the pros are also that as a LPN you can make a decent wage while you finish up with your RN. All in all it took me an extra semester with the LPN program and a short summer bridge class to finish with my ADN. I'm very happy with the path I took. Good luck with whatever you decide.

pagandeva2000, LPN · Jun 28, 2008

I chose LPN over RN because I was more interested in the more fundamental care for stable patients with more or less predictable outcomes. I love working in the medical field, wanted to comprehend what is happening, teaching/empowering patients and working as a team player. I will not go on to become an RN, because after reviewing my personality and how I handle things, the RN role is too much responsibility and accountability for me. I admire those that decide to continue; they have my undivided support/loyality, but from what I see, they are dumping more and more responsibilities on RNs without giving them the support that they need to bring about positive patient outcomes. And with the change in Medicaid (not paying for hospital acquired illnesses/complications), even MORE weight will be placed on RNs to do proper assessments and delegation. I am not interested in this in the least...all of that pressure would literally drive me insane, because again, I do not see support for the good, dedicated RNs that are really trying to balance both, patient care and document care. At this time, I am responsible for myself, more accountable to what I did or didn't do, and can chart so.

There are, however, more opportunities for RNs and more room to grow. If I were more limited in opportunities that I am personally interested in, maybe my decision would be a bit different, but you have to think it all through for yourself. Since 2006, I have had the chance to do many things that I enjoyed...working in a hospital clinic (my main job), vaccination nurse, home care, and now, med-surg per diem. I plan to become certified in wound care, work in telemetry and get ER experience as well. I have enough to keep me busy and I enjoy being an LPN.

tothepointeLVN, LVN · Jun 28, 2008

Well I've only just started school and my decision was based on the fact I could start now as opposed to an indeterminate time in the future. Three years is a long time to wait just to start an educational plan.

OgopogoLPN, LPN, RN · Jun 28, 2008

I will be finished my 12 month LPN course in 8 weeks :). I chose this route because:

1) I am 32 and have 2 kids to support

2) 1 pre req to complete as opposed to 4? or 5? I don't remember

3) 1 year of school, not 4

4) 1 year of me not working has been very tough financially, there's no way we could swing 4!!

5) I wanted to make sure that I would enjoy nursing before dedicating 4 years to nursing education

6) The LPN's scope in my provice is very wide and there is a lot that I can do including work in many areas of the hospital, IV therapy (non-medicated IV's).

Good luck with your decision!! :)

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Jun 28, 2008

:welcome: Welcome to our online community!

I selected the LPN/LVN pathway because, at the time, I was a young adult with no college credits to my name. Although I had a decently-paying job as a factory worker that afforded me some middle-class comforts (house, car, savings, etc.), I came to the realization that factory work is unstable in the American economy. Once this job disappeared, it would probably never return, only to be replaced by a low-wage retail job.

Since I had no college credits or prerequisites, I needed to quickly enter a nursing program that would enable me to finish in 12 months. The LPN/LVN program was the solution. I selected a private, costly program that allowed pupils to be admitted with no prerequisites. The only requirement was that you passed an entrance exam with high scores.

Jules A, MSN · Jun 28, 2008

:welcome: Welcome to our online community!
I selected the LPN/LVN pathway because, at the time, I was a young adult with no college credits to my name. Although I had a decently-paying job as a factory worker that afforded me some middle-class comforts (house, car, savings, etc.), I came to the realization that factory work is unstable in the American economy. Once this job disappeared, it would probably never return, only to be replaced by a low-wage retail job.
Since I had no college credits or prerequisites, I needed to quickly enter a nursing program that would enable me to finish in 12 months. The LPN/LVN program was the solution. I selected a private, costly program that allowed pupils to be admitted with no prerequisites. The only requirement was that you passed an entrance exam with high scores.

I have to hijack here for moment, sorry OP.

Commuter, everytime I read your story I am nodding my head and saying "you go, Girl!". It is so refreshing to hear about someone seeing the writing on the wall and actually responding to it in such a positive way. It may have seemed like a no-brainer to you but I am always shocked at how many people see their livelyhood unraveling and don't do anything until it is too late. Kudos!

:yeah:

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Jun 28, 2008

It may have seemed like a no-brainer to you but I am always shocked at how many people see their livelyhood unraveling and don't do anything until it is too late.

Well, I come from a very working-class family who have been affected by structural changes in the workforce, so I was able to 'live and learn.'

My mother and father, who are still relatively young at ages 50 and 52, once had factory jobs that paid a decent wage. In very recent years, they have fallen into the vortex of lower-wage retail jobs. However, they still think that the lucrative job in the factory, plant, distribution center, or electronics firm is just around the corner. It has not dawned on my mother and father that these types of opportunities are rapidly vanishing from American society, never to return.

tothepointeLVN, LVN · Jun 28, 2008

I have to agree with you their commuter. After having my parents go bankrupt from running their own business as a teen you never look at money the same way again. My husband used to work as a manager in manufacturing and he always said the actual assembly workers were considered replaceable by upper management. Ask for a raise your show the door.

pagandeva2000, LPN · Jun 28, 2008

I have to hijack here for moment, sorry OP.
Commuter, everytime I read your story I am nodding my head and saying "you go, Girl!". It is so refreshing to hear about someone seeing the writing on the wall and actually responding to it in such a positive way. It may have seemed like a no-brainer to you but I am always shocked at how many people see their livelyhood unraveling and don't do anything until it is too late. Kudos!

I agree. There is a positive energy that comes through the computer about TheCommuter that I highly admire each time I read some of her posts (as well as yours, JulesA). I applaud the both of you! :yeah: :yeah:

lpnornot · Jun 29, 2008

Wow. that makes a lot of sense to me. i was in the RN program. It was too intense in terms of time required to learn the material. I was so sleep deprived trying to learn the material. I failed my 2nd semester clinicals because i didn;t remember the skills I had supposedly learned. If I chose a nursing career i would do LPN first too. I'm not looking forward to the amount of responsibility and stress you describe Pagendiva. I learn slower than others or don't have time to learn properly (single Mom) not the most confident person and don't need added stress. I think it's a good route to take.

Make sure you know what LPN's do in your area though. It seems to vary a lot per state, geographic area. where I live its dr offices, clinics, nursing homes and homehealth, hospital work for LPN is 1hr away

Wow, I hope I could do what you do as an LPN, Pagendiva. I didn't know LPNs could specialize in wound care.

pagandeva2000, LPN · Jun 29, 2008

Wow. that makes a lot of sense to me. i was in the RN program. It was too intense in terms of time required to learn the material. I was so sleep deprived trying to learn the material. I failed my 2nd semester clinicals because i didn;t remember the skills I had supposedly learned. If I chose a nursing career i would do LPN first too. I'm not looking forward to the amount of responsibility and stress you describe Pagendiva. I learn slower than others or don't have time to learn properly (single Mom) not the most confident person and don't need added stress. I think it's a good route to take.
Make sure you know what LPN's do in your area though. It seems to vary a lot per state, geographic area. where I live its dr offices, clinics, nursing homes and homehealth, hospital work for LPN is 1hr away
Wow, I hope I could do what you do as an LPN, Pagendiva. I didn't know LPNs could specialize in wound care.

One thing to keep in mind is that you have the right to change course. You don't have to remain an LPN if you discover after awhile that you feel stifled in career and personal growth. Many choose to go on because of money, perceived respect and more opportunities. We change all the time, and it is fine if you choose to go back.

What I have noticed, is that many of the LPNs I know decide to move on out of what they perceive to believe that RNs do nothing but order us around. It is true that there are a segment of them that lord over people "I AM the RN", but are lazy, manipulative and are idiots, but this is not true for all RNs. And, once some of my friends have earned that title (I am thinking about one in particular as I type this), that says, even after two years "Wow...it is so much!". She is nervous a great deal of the time, was not oriented or precepted correctly, so, there is a great deal she still doesn't know because she did not have the proper mentorship. But, she is a good hearted nurse that tries the best she can even with those challenges.

I just took a great deal of time to study myself, imagine myself encountering the same issues, and it didn't set well with me. I shocked a great deal of people because they automatically assumed that I planned to do on, and I say empathically "No". They don't really understand, but I can't live for them. In my area at this time, LPNs have not been in any particular danger of losing their hospital positions. However, I can see the possibility of that changing with more hospitals applying for Magnet and the new Medicaid laws. If it does, and I have to go into another service, such as LTC, or wherever, I'll just have to do it and get used to it, because I am not going to go for something out of peer pressure or duress because of what people perceive. I am taking advantage of everything I can with the opportunities I have been gaining at my hospital to be able to present myself elsewhere should this occur.