Working as an LVN in RN school

[Sony1214]

Hello everyone. I am new to the site so I hope I get a response. I graduate from the LVN program last year and I am currently working for a home health agency. I am enrolled in the RN program and so far it has been okay because home health is very easy for me and does not take to much energy out of me. I have been offered a position at a skilled nursing facility and I have heard that these jobs can be extremely tiring and time consuming and stressful. I am interested in doing it because I would start to get some experience with doctors, computer documentation, and interaction in a real facility and with different patients and families. I don't get that at my current job. I currently chart on a binder and I only have one patient all day. I just want some advice as to whether or not its worth leaving my current job which is such easy money. I will only be working at the SNF 2 days a week, AM SHIFT. Will it be too much stress to handle in nursing school?

[vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN]

I'm in a similar situation, I'm going to graduate from LVN school soon and need to work 2-3 shifts each week while I finish prereq and continue working when I go through Rn school.

I'm very interested in home health. However, until my state LVN license arrives (6 month back log on my state) I will only be a CNA.

Do you think I'll be able to find work in home health as a CNA waiting for my LVN license, will I be better off getting a HHA cert? Or will that not be necessary because I'm an LVN program Graduate?

Any advice is appreciated !

[Sony1214]

what scares me is the exhaustion! I am very good with turning down shifts and saying no when I need to! yikes.... makes HHC sound really appealing right about now!

[Sony1214]

When you take your NCLEX your license # should pop up on the boards website and you can apply for jobs with just your license #! Usually they do not require the hard license. Yes you can work home health as a CNA, in my state CNAs who work HHC are referred to as care givers! I did notice HHC is often willing to work with school schedules, especially if the pt you are working with really likes you! I don't believe you need a HH certification since you are already a CNA and since you are in the LVN program that will help a lot too! I wouldn't! It just depends what your state requires! I am in California and most places do not require HH certification if you are a CNA. :)

[futurenurseOB]

Yea that's what's scaring me too, the extreme fatigue. But you won't know unless you try and form your own opinion to fond out which is best

Finally a nurse...All for my three♡♡♡

[vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN]

Thanks Sony and others for replying. I'm in California, too. it's my understanding that the state of CA was taking 5-6 months to give an authorization to test! This is why I'll have a gap from the time I graduate until I become an LVN. But I still need to get to work.

Thanks so much for the info on home health. I had the chance to do clinicals in a home health setting during LVN school and really think I would love to work in that area. I'm so happy to hear that its working out for you to work weekends in home health while finishing school.

That would be an ideal plan for me!

Do you have any pointers for me for securing a job before I'm an LVN? (I'm just a CNA with BLS) (Resume tips, where to look for positions, etc) I'm in Nor Cal and graduate in about 2 months. I kind of feel like I should try to start working now if I can, and would love to break into the area of home health.

[blogera]

Honestly, I am an LPN now working at LTC and it is very hard/stressful for reasons already mentioned above.. I wish I have homehealth job instead (no labor and u manage ur sched)! I am in lpn to rn school. Working in LTC is very stressful, as if u need additional stress more than you already get from nursing school. So I say stay at your HH job. Finish ur RN working HH lpn now. When u finish RN school and get that RN license, u will get paid more than additional $2. Better to guarantee to pass RN school than get paid couple dollars more but u cant study and pass coz ur stressed from work.