LPN nursing and men

[mpvxx]

Hi!

My name is Michael, and I wanted to get opinions from others on male LPN nurses.

I have completed my liberal arts core at a University, but lately I've begun to feel attached to pursuing a career in nursing. I am debating finishing my degree as an Associates in Nursing (LPN) rather than finishing my bachelor degree.

What do you think?


I'm also wondering if it's better to finish my bachelor degree (it's in business - not healthcare) so I have a B.S. and THEN go to nursing school, or if I know that this is a career I want to be in, just going with the Associates.

Also, I am thinking of starting as an LPN and then working into RN in the future. There are no evening RN programs in my area, only LPN courses, and I can always bridge if need be.

Do you have many male LPNs where you work? What would be the pro/con that you would see of a male starting as an LPN vs. RN? I know I would be happy with starting out in this course but I guess I'm wondering how viable it is in the 'real world' of hiring.

Thanks!

[Ricu]

Hi!

My name is Michael, and I wanted to get opinions from others on male LPN nurses.

I have completed my liberal arts core at a University, but lately I've begun to feel attached to pursuing a career in nursing. I am debating finishing my degree as an Associates in Nursing (LPN) rather than finishing my bachelor degree.

What do you think?


I'm also wondering if it's better to finish my bachelor degree (it's in business - not healthcare) so I have a B.S. and THEN go to nursing school, or if I know that this is a career I want to be in, just going with the Associates.

Also, I am thinking of starting as an LPN and then working into RN in the future. There are no evening RN programs in my area, only LPN courses, and I can always bridge if need be.

Do you have many male LPNs where you work? What would be the pro/con that you would see of a male starting as an LPN vs. RN? I know I would be happy with starting out in this course but I guess I'm wondering how viable it is in the 'real world' of hiring.

Thanks!

Hi Michael,

Welcome to the site. There are no LPNs where I work and other than in a doctor's office, haven't seen one in practice for at least twenty years.

I'm a male RN and never worked as an LPN so can't speak from firsthand experience, but I can share a viewpoint. Before I do that, let me advise you to look up healthcare facilities nearby and job shadow nurses. If possible, locate both LPNs and RNs. Doing so will give you a direct window into what could be your new profession.

Now for my thoughts on nursing education. LPN training is a solid clinical base but the LPN scope of practice while comprehensive is limited. This doesn't mean you couldn't find working in this field rewarding, it does mean that you will have by comparison, a narrower range of work opportunities than an RN will. What this means is that you likely will not practice in acute care.

You mentioned getting LPN training then RN training which is one way to become an RN but it isn't a necessary step. Evening classes are preferable to you which makes the LPN program appealing I'm guessing because you may be working during day. While it may require you to change more than your major, you could become an RN directly. If this is your eventual goal, you will at some point need to relocate or change your source of income to accommodate daytime classes or clinical training- which you will eventually have to do for any nursing education. You may have been thinking you will work as an LPN while attending RN classes and this may be reasonable but first look into the LPN job market and pay scale in your area or anywhere, for that matter.

At this point, I'll make a recommendation. You have completed your liberal arts core and are poised to start business electives but are considering the nursing profession. Having gone that far into baccelaureate preparation and with the addition of a few science corequisite courses, I think your effort would be best put to completing a BSN. The nursing core will essentially take the same amount of time to complete as for an ASN degree and the BSN will offer extended job security at least in the acute and critical care arena. My crystal ball tells me that in the next decade or so, a BSN will be the minimal requirement to work in these areas. Let us know what you decide.

Good luck,

R

[askmeh]

Best regards on your journey - My honest suggestion would be to prepare for multiple disciplines (business and nursing).

In my experience, it is best to be prepared for better or worse as a nurse. Nursing has become more difficult over the last several years. I am thankful that I had a degree prior to entering nursing because it has allowed me to be versatile in my nursing career.

I would suggest pursing a BSN degree versus a LPN. A BSN will prepare you to have the ability to work your way up faster through the rank and file. Is it absolutely necessary to earn a BSN, generally not, however it should make nursing life a little easier if you are interested in progressing through the ranks versus remaining a staff nurse for your career.

I would also suggest that you take regular sciences and biology opposed to pre-rn sciences. If you take pre-rn chemistry and biology and you find that nursing isn't for you, then you will be forced to retake those courses if you want to earn another degree in another discipline.

Health Care in general is a tough business that has been made more difficult by the economy and recent health care laws. It is a challenging but rewarding career.