Any nurses here?

RNs are the best!

Its very interesting, because where I live, the strongest program is the ADN program at my community college. The university's program does not hold a candle, even though its BSN.

Every hospital in the area hires graduates of my CC's ADN program because we are MORE prepared than the uni students. I think it is strange, but then again, we have amazing professors, our program is very strict and disciplined, and the students were very competitive getting into the program. As such, our CC has a 100% NCLEX pass rate. The recruiters hear where we graduated from and they are on us like white on rice.

I am glad I picked my CC for my ADN program, because there is ALWAYS an ADN to BSN bridge program I can do later!

RNs are the best!

Its very interesting, because where I live, the strongest program is the ADN program at my community college. The university's program does not hold a candle, even though its BSN.

Every hospital in the area hires graduates of my CC's ADN program because we are MORE prepared than the uni students. I think it is strange, but then again, we have amazing professors, our program is very strict and disciplined, and the students were very competitive getting into the program. As such, our CC has a 100% NCLEX pass rate. The recruiters hear where we graduated from and they are on us like white on rice.

I am glad I picked my CC for my ADN program, because there is ALWAYS an ADN to BSN bridge program I can do later!

lpns are still sexier..

I can tell! heehee I should have said "NURSES" are the best! My faux pas. I'm just excited because I start my last year at the end of this month. I'm still just a lowly student nurse!

Nursing was a career switch for me. I was an occupational therapist and had set up an OT program in a residential psychiatric setting right out of school. When I burned out on psych and wanted to get back into the physical medicine side of things, I started thinking about being a RN (with plans to become a nurse practitioner once I had some bedside experience under my belt), or a physician assistant. NP's generally have more autonomy and I knew bedside experience would help me develop the bedside manner that some physicians are lacking, so I chose to get my RN. I went to a post-baccalaureate nursing program so I was a RN 16 months after program completion. I started out as a new grad in ICU (the odds of that happening nowadays, though, is pretty rare).

I am a critical care nurse by training, but have now stepped away from direct bedside care and am a palliative care RN. I assist pt and families with diagnoses that are life-shortening with end of life issues and medical decision-making. Basically, my job is heavy on pt advocacy and pt education, with connection to outside resources for differing levels of care once pts discharge to the community. I would advise you if you want to go into nursing, go for the RN. With a LPN, you'll find yourself limited in both where you work and pay. Most hospitals are steering away from hiring LPN's (esp if they are going for Magnet status), so your job market gets limited to long term care or MD offices. Also, with a RN, it's easier to advance yourself, should you choose. LPN's don't make it to upper management or speciality areas without returning for a BSN or MSN. Also with a RN, you can more easily make the transition to a nurse practitioner program/ nurse anesthetist program, should you find you want that challenge (I have my MSN- now just finishing up a MSN to nurse practitioner program).

One thing I will say is make sure you're going into it because you love nursing/ medicine, NOT just for the cash. The cash is incentive for the really tough days, sure, but nursing is a full-contact sport (hard on the body), can be mentally draining (some studies have found nurses have PTSD rates comparable to combat veterans), and can be thankless-- doctors, patients, fellow nurses, etc. They say veteran nurses "eat their young", and several nurses seem to want to take that literally. My first year was one of the toughest in my life. But, looking back, that constant testing really made me a better nurse. Make sure you have a thick skin and a strong stomach (I've seen things that would curl most people's toes). The nurses I've met who got into it just for the cash ended up quitting as soon as they could financially swing it.

That said, being a nurse means you are constantly learning (I could be a full-time student! I love learning), you can make a difference in a person's life when they're at their lowest, and it gives you tons of opportunities for branching out after you have a few years of experience under your belt. Nursing as a profession is very diverse-- there's a niche for everyone. You can go into management (corporate), medical sales, case management.... even in bedside nursing, there are so many specialties that you can't help but find something you'd enjoy. I'm an adrenaline junkie, work well under stress, and am very detail-oriented-- all traits necessary in critical care. Put me in a room full of ill pregnant women, and I start to freak out (OB was my most disliked clinical experience EVER). ;-) My body just couldn't take the bedside any more (I have defective knees LOL), so I switched to the role I'm in now. I still get to spend a lot of time in the ICU, and my background helps me explain the doctor's diagnoses in layman's terms to families so they actually "get" what's going on.

If you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them.

Anyways...I shall leave this forum because I have a feeling this is going to be turning into a lpn hate thread.

@apriltrainer: I LOVE YOUR HONESTY. I've had the luxury to precept many new grads who I feel should have choose another field( but that's just my opinion). Some have other people in their family in the medical field,, but most I've come across stated their 1st choice was based ont he money aspect of it. I've witnessed many of them get fired during and/or after internships and many who have lost thier license years later.... I see where your coming from, but not everyone bashes LPNs. Trust me just because one has RN initials behind thier name on a badge, mean thier better and definitely NOT smarter. My godmother is an LPN and she's one the smartiest and most advanced nurses I know.

I am proud to say that I am an LPN. My only reason for going for my RN is money. I work in an ICU. I am ACLS and PALS. I am the BLS Instructor for the RN's. So many places are phasing out LPN's. I think that all LPN's or LVN's should be proud of the amazing job they do and the care they give. OK, now here's my answer. RN gives you more choices and better money, but LPN/LVN is a fantastic job. Sorry for the soap box.

I'm a nurse i would say go right to RN


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I am taking a couple classes this semester to try and get my foot in the door to get into our nursing program here. It is TOUGH.

No matter what nurse you are..be ready to spend holidays apart from your family! The first 3 Christmases, Thanksgivings, etc. I celebrated after becoming a nurse...were with my patients.