The Low Down On LPNs?

[Jenlaana]

I'm taking my entrance exam for my LPN class tomorrow, and have been turning over the ideas and implications of heading towards the maternity field or running the other direction.

So really, whats the scoop? Is it hard/easy to focus on a specific area as just an LPN? (hoping to continue to RN and beyond but I'll need to find financing and all that fun stuff first - my pockets are going to be inside out and dusty after this year)

How frustrating is it really to be a part of the medical birth community with a natural birth mindset? Is it rewarding enough to see the good that you do that you can still wake up happy to go to work every day even with the negatives? My birth experiences were both at home unassisted as a direct result of sucky scare tactic filled heavy handed doctors/CNMs but while a part of me wants to avoid them like the plague, another part of me thinks that maybe I can make things just a little bit better for those that attend

I know I have time to make up my mind, but I needed a break from studying my butt off and wanted to see what you all had to say.

I'm really excited about nursing school, and I want to make a difference in people's lives (and not work in a retirement/hospice environment) but thats as far as I have decided. I would have loved to be a DE midwife and a doula, but after a lot of careful consideration, I don't think I have the right personality for it, and I am not comfortable with the job outlook in that area here, and I really need something with more financial stability.

Anyways, thoughts/suggestions/feedback?

[Sarahfina]

Where are you located? Have you thuroughly looked into what job opportunities exist for you? I'm under the impression that where I'm at (BC, Canada) there are no positions for LPN's in maternity/Labor and Delivery. Those are all RN positions...I also thought of doing the LPN training, but wasn't sure it would be enough to get me where I wanted to go....

As to how it might be to be inside a medical model, well I think you could bring a lot of good. You'll need to keep your focus, and maybe writing out your intentions, passions and motivations BEFORE you begin your training could be useful to reflect on later....

Good luck!

[Jenlaana]

I'm in rural South Carolina (between Florence/Myrtle Beach/Georgetown) and as a whole, there is a nursing shortage here, which is one part of why I chose to go LPN. There are a decent amt of LPN jobs available, although the last time I looked, there were positions for psychiatric/pediatric/geriatric/general MD type work as well as some in the surgical and ERs in hospitals in the area (I figured if the ER could use LPNs maybe maternity could as well?), but that was just looking once through the want ads to get an idea. I am not sure about the hospital, but I am pretty sure the last 2 OB offices I used had LPNs (the second had a midwife and a birthing center but unfortunately a horrible OB).

My background is in computers, but the area that we moved to for DH's job 3 yrs ago is pretty much without jobs so I needed to find a new field to go into. I have tossed around the idea of psychiatric nursing, which is along the realm of what I wanted to do when I was young and wanted to save the world , but knowing what I know now about the birth environment, its definitely something I'd be interested in. We have a fast track LPN-to-RN option at the local college that I could use to step from LPN to RN without having to redo any of the coursework etc, and thats my goal really, but it will be a few years before i can do that, I'm sure.