Here’s the scoop – school is hard.

You may have been an excellent student in high school. Things may have been easy and maybe you were used to excelling to the top of your class.

Get ready to work harder than ever before. Practical nursing school is a challenging - but amazing - experience that will stretch your patience, time management, and organizational skills. 

Nursing students tell us there is no comparison between non-nursing academics and the rigors associated with attaining the LPN. There will be times you will be completely overwhelmed with the stress – especially if you are attempting to continue working while studying in your “free time.” What free time?

In school and while practicing, you will constantly be thinking and making decisions on the fly. Nursing is a thinking profession. But don’t be ashamed if you feel like you need to use a tutor to stay on top of the curriculum. The key to the process is to stay completely on top of the assignments--do not lag behind or you will run the risk of not being able to keep up.

That's BEFORE the degree though. What about AFTER the degree?

Here’s the scoop - you’ll have to pay some dues. You’ll be helping out with bedpans, you may be working a night shift, and you’ll probably be slogging your way through intensive amounts of paperwork via an electronic medical record or practice management system.  

You’re Going to Struggle.

No matter how good your degree program and clinical training might have been, you’re going to struggle a little to adapt to the fast pace of clinical care in today’s current health care environment. Have patience with yourself and make sure you’re leaning on your personal support system as you adjust to “real world” nursing.

You’ll Have to Work Extra Hard to Take Care of Yourself.

Too, while nurses are notoriously great at taking care of patients, they are also famous for not taking care of themselves. Adopting healthy eating, exercise and stress relief in the form of relaxation activities is going to be crucially linked to your longevity in this profession.

You’re Going to Get a Workout.

Sitting in a classroom just does not compare to the amount of time you will be on your feet, doing rounds, moving patients, lifting, walking, bending and stretching. LPNs provide basic clinical care to patients in hospitals, nursing homes and physician practices. In these environments you will be physically active, constantly thinking, and often challenged -- but none of these are bad things!

You’re Going to Have to Balance the Good With the Bad.

There are going to be days when the outcomes you hoped for are not achieved or you lose a patient. Nursing is a caring profession, and you will inevitably become attached to patients. Balancing the hard days will be the winning achievements and success stories that will thrill you, warm your heart, and make you laugh. The stories you will tell your grandkids could be epic!

You’re Going to Have to Bite Your Tongue.

Here’s another tip – doctors can be difficult. In real life, that white coat signifies great responsibility. It’s possible you’ll run across a physician or two that might be just slightly dictatorial or even aggressive in their approach. Know up front that the stress level in health care can run high, and physicians (and RNs) suffer from it just like you will. Like any job, some days will be hard, but others will be lovely. It’s all part of the package.

I’m Not Scared -- How Do I Become an LPN?

Now that you know the real scoop on becoming an LPN, let’s talk about the benefits of this advanced health care degree.

First, the field is rapidly expanding, and your place in it looks brighter than ever before. The LPN degree is much less costly to pursue than the more advanced nursing degree, in part, because it takes about a year, instead of the two to four or more required to achieve your RN. This means you could get started working in the industry faster, and, if you have student loans, get to tackle that debt earlier in your professional career.

The best news of all is that an LPN degree is often the first stepping-stone down the path to an advanced degree. You have the choice of continuing down the path – or staying right where you are. Either way, the future for LPNs looks very promising.

Ready to Learn Practical Nursing? Start Here!

To get started, talk to one of our career counselors at ECPI University. Our Practical Nursing Diploma  program has prepared thousands of new nurses to jump-start their careers in health care. What are you waiting for? It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!

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For more information about ECPI University or any of our programs click here: http://www.ecpi.edu/ or http://ow.ly/Ca1ya.