Just to clear things up...

I appreciate all the nice comments from my most recent post.

I blogged about this long ago (but briefly) on my career path. So, I just want to clear things up.

I will be an LVN when I am finished with my current program. For some folks they are thinking what's the difference? Other are thinking why would you do that?-- RN's make more $.

So, first I'll explain the difference to non-medical folks. RN is Registered Nurse and LVN or LPN in some states is Licensed Vocational or Licensed Practical Nurse. I can only speak for the difference in California. An LVN can do all the same stuff an RN can do when licensed except for anything IV related. We can however take an IV certification course and do some of the IV stuff. To keep it simple. An LVN can NOT inject anything directly into an IV catheter (even if certified). After certification we can hang IV fluids and blood. Again this is the simplistic version. Procedurally there are some very technical and specialized things also but as far as routine tasks that is the difference.

Now the better question is why did Student Nurse, prn choose LVN and not RN? A number of reasons. First, I am changing my career mid-life. This is primarily because I am a single parent.

I had a career before my divorce that I LOVED. It was the best job I ever had. I was a Corporate Concierge at HP in Silicon Valley. Catering to the elite HP executive guests in a high tech customer briefing center. I have always been in the travel/hospitality field and loved it. I am a people person and calm problem solver. My career path however did not pay well. Perks were off the charts--dining out comp, theatre in San Fran, wineries, you name it but I was never going to be able to raise two girls on that salary in the Bay Area.

I also knew I never be able to handle the stress of school, working and my girls at the same time. So, logically the job went bye-bye. I moved to an more affordable area of California bought a house and started my pre-requisite classes at a local community college. I had budgeted that funds would be able to last the length of the program if I got in quickly but only for the LVN program because the classes required for the RN program are more of the harder sciences and etc. I didn't have time to wait to complete them while not working.

I finished my pre-req's, worked for a while as a nursing assistant, and applied for the LVN program. I got in on the FIRST try (it's lottery based so luck is the only factor).

So, here I am ALMOST broke (haven't touched my IRA yet) and applying for a student loan to get me through the last few months but the sanity base is the equity in my house is AWESOME, gotta love CA.

Once I finish this and I am licensed I will go back and take the remaining pre-req's for the RN program --one night class at a time. And then apply for the step-up program geared for LVN who want to be RN's so I will get there someday. For now I will earn a decent salary in the field I want to be in while I get to my ultimate goal, RN.