Your A LPN, Sooo.....

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I just wanted to take the time to sigh, and vent all in one. I just passed my NCLEX-PN last week and already I am getting the "so when are you going back to school questions". It makes me very angry:angryfire , and somewhat rushed when people who are close to me approach me and ask me that. My answer is maybe next year, and then of course I get a lecture about why I should just do it now. I don't have 1) the money to pay to go back to school right now, heck I don't even have my own place, and there is alot that needs to be done before I can even think that far ahead. and 2) I want to at least get some experience as a PN first before taking on another difficult task like school. I feel a bit bad, and almost as if they are saying your still not good enough. I went into nursing because I like the medical field, and when I use to stay in the hospital as a child, it was always the nurse who made sure everything was going okay. I remember their names, but can't recall any of the doctors. When I was pregnant with my son, I had a nurse midwife. One day she was out ill and I had a PA and I wanted to say some few choice words to him about his bedside manner, and just plain out right rudeness. I worked really hard to get my PN license. It took me 6 yrs. of trying, but I got it. All I want to do is bask in the glory of having not given up when it seemed like the odds where against me. I am being pressured into starting another program, when I am not even sure yet if I WANT to go on. Any words of wisdom are greatly appreciated.

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.

hello, darciamoonz,

first of all, i want to congratulate on finishing your nursing program and passing the nclex!!!

fireworks6.gif kudos to you!!!! fireworks6.gif

second, it really really upsets me to read these posts when family members or friends put down your (our) accomplishments.

you worked hard and are a nurse. that is something that you will cherish the rest of your life. you accomplished something that did not come easily.

unfortunately, you will hear this type of "put down" throughout your career. even if you further your education.

i can relate to this. i am an np and have heard, "why don't you go to medical school?" or, "you're an np? why did you do that when you could be a doctor?"

it gets old. very old.

try to not let this get to you. you know you did something that is great. you are proud of this and you should be. and, we are proud of you!!;)

again, congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Specializes in Knuckle Dragging Nurse aka MTA.

Yeah, it does get old when asked constantly "when will you get your RN?." I decided to go a different route. I got my LVN license and then immedialty started on a bachlor's degree (3 more units til i graduate..yay me !). I plan on going to graduate school this fall and earning a masters degree in Business or Managment. Will I stay in nursing..who knows. But don't ever limit you education to the Almighty two year RN degree. Approach your career advancment on your own terms and don't worry about what other people think too muich.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

I am fortunate to have never had this problem with my family. I suppose that social class greatly factors into the reasons why I am not questioned by family members on my educational choices.

I come from a very working-class family, and am the only child of 2 parents who did not attend college. My parents occasionally had financial struggles because they were not all that appealing to the job market. Many people in my extended family network have dropped out of high school. In fact, the only college-educated people in my family are two cousins (one's an RN, the other has a BA in early child development). Keep in mind that I have about 50 or so cousins!

To my parents and other relatives, the completion of an LVN/LPN program is similar to completing medical school. However, my family is so far removed from the academic environment that they wouldn't even know what medical school entailed. I think my family's working-class status contributes greatly to their pride in my LVN license, because they view it as a 'step up the ladder.' They don't bother me about becoming an RN.

If a person has several doctors, lawyers, engineers, and other educated professionals in their family network, I am sure they would be questioned about becoming an LPN. Moreover, I am sure that an LPN who hails from a very educated, middle-class family would feel more pressure to aspire 'higher' and become an RN than someone like me, who has a less-educated family from the working class.

I sincerely apologize if I strayed off the subject too much. However, America does not have a classless society. This is reflected in countless ways.

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just want to share these quotations...

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.

Eleanor Roosevelt, 'This Is My Story,' 1937

US diplomat & reformer (1884 - 1962)

One thing life has taught me: if you are interested, you never have to look for new interests. They come to you. When you are genuinely interested in one thing, it will always lead to something else.

Eleanor Roosevelt

US diplomat & reformer (1884 - 1962)

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Med-Surg..

I have made a few decisions based on what others thought and have regrets about it. Always go with your gut feeling. You know deep down what is right for you and you have to live with your decisions.Just tune out the negative people in your life.

Congratulations to you, it is no small feat to get through nursing school with children.;)

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I can't tell you how many times I've heard "Why didn't you just become a RN!?" And what's really bad is when nurses at your clinical site say "Why did you become a LVN? You're going to work just as hard a RN but not make as much money.." It's really a ego killer....I chose to become a LVN because that's what I wanted to do. There is no need to explain yourself or feel bad about yourself. We are all nurses and need to support one another....Just this morning I found out I passed my NCLEX (LVN!!) and I couldn't feel prouder! No one is going to take that feeling away from me, not when I've worked so hard!

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I can't tell you how many times I've heard "Why didn't you just become a RN!?" And what's really bad is when nurses at your clinical site say "Why did you become a LVN? You're going to work just as hard a RN but not make as much money.." It's really a ego killer....I chose to become a LVN because that's what I wanted to do. There is no need to explain yourself or feel bad about yourself. We are all nurses and need to support one another....Just this morning I found out I passed my NCLEX (LVN!!) and I couldn't feel prouder! No one is going to take that feeling away from me, not when I've worked so hard!

Congratulations on getting your LVN license!

Now the degrading comments are one thing but the comment about working just as hard as an RN only making less money is true and it's a fact whether it kills one's ego or not.

I was an LPN/LVN for 7 years so I know first hand about the unsolicited and unwelcome advice I'd received from RN's. "If you ask me......if you want my advice....LPN programs are a waste of time......they are going to phase LPN's out very soon....." I always wanted to say "I never asked you!"

I've heard it all and most of it came from RN's who were not great examples of quality nurses whom I'd be seeking advice from in the first place about much of anything let alone my career path.

But the fact remains, you will work just as hard as an RN and will do it for significantly less money in the vast majority of job settings anywhere. I got my RN basically because I felt that I was getting ripped off and giving the hospitals an excuse to pay me less even though I provided just as good if not better nursing care than many of my RN co-workers.

The pay difference should not kill your ego because it has nothing to do with the quality of care you provide or your competency as a nurse. You alone control that and have recently demonstrated your knowledge and ability by passing the NCLEX.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

I think that we have all received unsolicited advice and have felt put down because we really worked very hard at becoming an LPN and it does make you feel that what was worked on was considered to be insignificant. I had a conversation today with two agency orientees, one LPN and one RN, and they both felt that I oriented them better than the RNs. The LPN is going through Excelsior to become an RN and she mentioned to me several times that I should do the same. If I were to decide to become an RN, I would do it that route because I really hated school, but bottom line is that I didn't want to become an RN. I have no problem moving to the side and letting them have the bucks and bumps. For me, I hated school so much, even after graduating top of the class, that I don't think I would enter into a competitive scholastic environment ever again...but that is an individual choice. You are not asking for handouts or money because you work for less than they do, and are not a bum on the street. In fact, one day, you may be taking care of one of them.

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first i would like to say congrats to txgirl!!!!! for passing her boards. and to all that have posted a reply, i thank you very much. i besides my aunt, who is almost 60 now, i am the only one who has gone on to do anything. i am not saying that chosing to stay put where you are is a bad thing, but the bulk of my family has accomplished nothing, and because they always use me as the "voice of reason" everytime something falls apart, they pressure me into things that i don't want to do. i am trying to make them make decision for themselves, and let me "do me", but it seems the more i try the more of a conflict it makes. i am to the point to where i want to just pick up and move to a secret location and not tell them. most of the pressure comes from my aunt (who i know is unfortunately someone envious of me and it breaks my heart) who i live with currently. i invited them all to my graduation and the only person who showed up was my step dad, and my son. i felt so horrible because all of my classmates had groups of people there for them and eveyone i invited didn't come. that played a big part in my decision to just cut them loose:angryfire . i want to say, "i can't help you guys, if you can't help yourselves". "no" is becoming my favorite word lately, and of course i am deemed as having an attitude, and "oh you think your better than me". that is not the case. i have spent so much time trying to solve their problems that i forgot about me. and i think i deserve some me time once in a while. on a lighter note, i do really appreciate all of the support i get from here, and tips for dealing with this.

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Congratulations! I, too, just became a PN in January. I am trying now to get my RN and I'll tell you what...I'm in my first class, a psychology course, and I'm going to finish this up and then wait! What on earth I was thinking, I don't know! LOL! I should have taken some time off but I figured since I was still in the whole school mode, I'd keep on going! What a joke! You're doing the right thing! Truly you are. I'm going to finish up this class - if I can - and then forget about school for awhile. I am totally burned out! LOL! And yes...right now I should be studying for my first psych exam, which is on Saturday, and what am I doing? Playing around on the computer! LOL!

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Thanx Miss Ivy. Sorry I got to your reply so late. You remind me of myself, I too have come online so many times to do research and end up on another site I have no business being on LOL. I have a few credits that I think are still good, but I would just rather retake the course if/when I am ready. I am still "shellshocked":bugeyes: from the first round of school LOL. Good luck to you on your psych exam. And once again, I would like to thank you all for your continued support here on allnurses:thankya:

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