So I am 2 weeks away from graduating my LPN program. I have worked as a CNA for the past year to make sure I have patient experience as well as I always heard it was easier to gain employment at a facility you already work. So I have have bust my tail for the past year with working and going to school. I have been counting down the days till I will no longer have to work as a CNA and can start working as a nurse.
Then today my DON calls me to tell me they don't have any LPN position available and asked me to continue working as a CNA for another 3 MONTHS!!!!
She told me they just hired in a bunch of new nurses and they need to get them trained and settled in first before they can offer me a position, but that I am first in line for the next opening! WTH!!
I have lived and breathed nursing for the past year and her telling me this is like a punch in the stomach! I told her that I will be fully licensed in about a month and would rather work as an LPN. She then told me that if I decide to leave to at least put in my 2 weeks. I didn't even know what to say to that! I've never had any performace, attendance, or peer issues so I am really confused about where this is coming from. I guess I will just have to start looking for employment somewhere else, but finding new grad LPN positions around here is really difficult.
Specializes in 12 years exp in corporate healthcare.
Well you are still ahead of the game to only wait 3 months. Not to sell your situation short but some people wait 3 years to get into your shoes. Just try to have patience, it will definately come sooner than what you think and if after 3 months turns into a year or 2, then you would know its time to look for something else.
Then today my DON calls me to tell me they don't have any LPN position available and asked me to continue working as a CNA for another 3 MONTHS!!!!
She told me they just hired in a bunch of new nurses and they need to get them trained and settled in first before they can offer me a position, but that I am first in line for the next opening! WTH!!
I have lived and breathed nursing for the past year and her telling me this is like a punch in the stomach! I told her that I will be fully licensed in about a month and would rather work as an LPN. She then told me that if I decide to leave to at least put in my 2 weeks.
i know how excited you must have been to become an lpn.
it's too bad that you and your DON didn't discuss your future and the role you'd play s/p graduation.
it may have prevented much heartache and frustration...
which goes to demonstrate a couple of important lessons in nursing:
1. do not assume anything...about yourself, about your future, about how your DON is feeling, about...(you get my drift)
2. each and every one of us is expendable.
it doesn't matter how experienced we are...if we cannot meet their needs and expectations, we're out. period.
You haven't graduated, and you haven't passed your NCLEX yet. Might be jumping the gun a bit by harassing your boss about a job that you currently are not even qualified to take. Now if 3 months from now they're still blowing smoke up your butt, then that's a good time to get peeved and look elsewhere. In the mean time, you're talking maybe a month and a half delay on getting a job you want. Most grads would be quite jealous of that.
sunflower777
154 Posts
Well you are still ahead of the game to only wait 3 months. Not to sell your situation short but some people wait 3 years to get into your shoes. Just try to have patience, it will definately come sooner than what you think and if after 3 months turns into a year or 2, then you would know its time to look for something else.