Practical Nursing Education: Why I Chose Nursing

Abstract

I do not have a magical story on why I chose nursing school. I did not have the privilege of working in the healthcare field prior to this journey nor do I have anyone in my family who is a nurse or doctor that I look up to. However, I did have a love for family who became my biggest motivation in pursuing nursing so that one day, I would have the ability to personally plan the care of my aging parents. I began looking for nursing schools close to home that would fit to my current work schedule but unfortunately not many cater to the working, already established career, adults. Through my experience, some positive and some negative, I hope to educate you on the options available for working adults wanting to transition to a different career without sacrificing their current career. The journey is not easy and at times it may feel unattainable but with faith and the right mindset, anything is possible.

The Journey Began Yesterday: The Twists and Turns of Nursing Education

Many have asked me, “what do you wish you knew before starting nursing school?”. Instantly there are a few items that come to mind. One is understanding the difference between an LPN and an RN. The second is knowing what career tracks are available to me post licensure. Third, the bridge programs available near me. Lastly, planning for the worst because everything bad happens while in nursing school. Nursing school is a once in a lifetime experience. You definitely have to enjoy the good and the bad moments. But not all things in nursing school can cause frustrations. There are friendships that you make during school and in clinicals that last a lifetime. This will be an important aspect of the program that you choose as it will help through the moments when you feel like giving up. This discussion paper will go through each topic that was of relevance to me when choosing a nursing school in the hope that it will help you decide if this is the right education path for you.

Role of an RN and an LPN

I am not a first-time student. I have been blessed with an engineering career for more than decade. When deciding to begin my nursing journey, I was afraid to begin an RN program because of my lack of patient centered care knowledge. The best approach for me was to investigate local programs that started from the bottom of the ladder. Meaning, that I would first need to get a CNA I, then CNA II, LPN, RN, RN to BSN, MSN to NP, and lastly DNP. Sure, it is a long process but, in my mind, this would help my confidence. Afterall, nurses play a vital role in the care of a patient. If I do not think that I can make it as a nurse, my clients will feel my hesitation. My goal is to be a competent nurse not one that can get her license quickly. I was not ready to start an RN program without having experience because the scope of an RN is different from an LPN. An RN is independent when accepting an assignment whereas an LPN is dependent on RN supervision (Nursing, 2018). Furthermore, as the RN accepts an assignment, he or she is responsible for the assessment, planning, implementation, evaluation, including patient teaching and collaboration (Nursing, 2018) for the care plan of the client. LPNs are limited to execute the care plan by assisting with goals and interventions, completing tasks when delegated, and participating in open dialog when collaboration and teaching is necessary (Nursing, 2018). However, both the RN and LPN accepts responsibility for self (Nursing, 2018). With this knowledge, I decided that I would pursue this new career with caution and progress slowly in the field. I believe that choosing to pursue an RN or LPN is dependent on your skill level, comfort level, and financial investment. As Marty Rubin once said “Traveling off the main road wastes a lot of time. But one discovers many wonderful things.”

Career Goal

When I saw my LPN pin for the first-time during class it solidified my drive to want this more than ever. As mentioned, my journey is scenic but that does not mean that I do not have goals that I want to accomplish. My short-term goal after graduation is to get hired part-time as an LPN. Unfortunately, I am not in a financial state to leave my current career because as an LPN I would not make anywhere near the salary I make as an engineer. Honestly, I will not make that salary as an RN either. So, I will need to practice part-time and get my skills broadened during the days that I am not at work. In between that time, my goal is to pursue the RN licensure so that my scope of practice can broaden which will then lead to my long-term goal of becoming a Nurse Practitioner (NP). I know, it is a lot and that basically puts me into working everyday but it is not the first time where I have had to sacrifice time to meet my goals. You see, before I became an engineer I was in production working seven days a week; twelve hours Monday through Saturday and eight hours on Sunday. I did this for four years with an infant and a military spouse that was away overseas, while going to school to become an engineer. I reached that goal, although fast and furious. You can do it too.

LPN to ADN Bridge Program

When planning my scenic route, I needed to ensure that I understood the requirements of admissions for the bridge programs available near me. This is so that once I became an LPN, the transition to an RN would be seamless. Finding the right bridge program for me was important since I am solely responsible for the costs of these programs. This is the draw back of already having a bachelor’s degree is that you get zero financial aid for the next one unless it is a graduate degree; there are benefits though. With my bachelor’s degree, I already have credit for all the supporting courses required by a bridge program including the BSN. Davidson County Community College (DCCC) LPN to ADN is my first choice in bridge programs because I am already a student at DCCC and will be graduating from their LPN program. Furthermore, DCCC has already reviewed my college credits and I have all the required supporting courses; BIO-168/169, PSY 150, PSY 241, ENG 111, ENG 112, and MUS (College, 2019). To add some razzle-dazzle, DCCC is the only program in North Carolina that is a hybrid (College, 2019). This is an especially important aspect for me as I mentioned previously, I am a working adult with a career in need of a bridge program that will fit my current work schedule. What I dislike of this bridge program is that it requires nine months or approximately 1200 contact hours as an LPN. As a current LPN student we were told the work requirement was not required if we transitioned to the RN program immediately after LPN graduation. Fortunately, I have a plan to get this requirement completed before transitioning to the RN program. Another bridge program that I was looking into was the Associate Degree Nursing – Advanced Placement option through Wake Technical Community College. I liked this program because they too accepted my college credits, the campus is ten minutes from my work office, and it does not have a work requirement if you have graduated from an LPN program within the past year (College W. T., 2018). When speaking to the admissions counselor, the downside of this program is that although their classes are at night, the clinicals are during the day. This is unbeneficial to me as I work a regular eight to five job. Although DCCC has placed some road blocks on my scenic route, I will make the detours necessary to accomplish my goals.

Barriers

Before starting nursing school, I wish I realized how much of a roller coaster ride it is. From clinicals, exams, classes, extra classes, scheduling conflicts, etc. there is hardly enough time to plan for incidences that are out of your hands. It is exhausting. I am not used to these many detours as engineering is straightforward and the classes are standard; I assumed it was the same for all courses of study. I was wrong. Very wrong. This is the main barrier that always keeps me at edge. Having to plan my nursing school schedule to my current home and work schedules can be conflicting but I have found ways to employ strategies for maneuvering through the winding roads. First, any additional classes added to an already robust nursing schedule, I plan to take PTO (personal time off) from work. I can request these days off with at least one week notice to my current employer. This ensures that I can be available for the extra class and do not have to worry about work responsibilities. Secondly, having all hands-on deck for home scheduling conflicts. I am lucky to have a tribe in place if I an unable to pick up my son from school, unable to clean my house, or run errands; this tribe helps fill the gaps that would otherwise deter me from finishing nursing school. Lastly, accepting the fact that not everything will run perfect and there will be times where you will fail and THAT IS OKAY. Communicate issues that are of concern to your instructors, to your family, and friends; your nursing classmates play a big part in easing your mind. Being honest when things become overwhelming will also help in not giving up. There is nothing more heartbreaking then getting so close to the finish line just to end up short. Ask for help, talk when you need to, YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

Conclusion

Know that nursing school is not impossible! I know that it sounds overwhelming as you have read how much you have to look into. But think of all the individuals who have accomplished graduating from nursing school with a lot more difficulties. Always research the school and program that you would like to attend. Ensure that it fits with your overall goals and current work/home schedules. Consider taking the scenic route then the highway so that you do not become overwhelmed by the many twists and turns nursing school has. Nursing school is an intense program, but it is worth it!

References

College, D. C. (2019, January). Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) to Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) Enrollment Packet. Retrieved from DCCC The College of Davidson and Davie Counties: https://www.davidsonccc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/2020-LPN-to-ADN-Enrollment-Packet-Accessible-052919.pdf

College, W. T. (2018, January). Wake Tech EDU. Retrieved from Credit Programs: Associate in Nursing: https://www.waketech.edu/programs-courses/credit/nursing#

Nursing, T. N. (2018, September). RN and LPN Scope of Practice: Components of Nursing Comparison Chart. Retrieved from NCBON: https://www.ncbon.com/vdownloads/position-statements-decision-trees/color-rn-lpn-scope-comparison-chart.pdf