MA vs. LVN/LPN vs. RN

CURRENTLY A CNA (14YRS, AND TIME TO GET OUT!!) I AM A 32 Y/O COMPLETLY BROKE MOM AND CANT MAKE UP MY MIND WHICH DIRECTION I WANT TO GO IN. MA IS THE FASTEST BUT PAYS LESS AND I HEAR JOBS ARE HARD TO FIND, LVN PAYS MUCH BETTER BUT I DO NOT WANT TO WORK IN A NURSING HOME ANYMORE (IVE DONE MY TIME AND WILL BE LIVING IN ONE BEFORE I KNOW IT, LOL) AND IT SEEMS ALL THE JOB ADS OUT THERE ARE FOR RN'S, I WOULD LOVE TO BE AN RN FOR THE WIDE RANGE OF JOBS OUT THERE AND THE MONEY OF COURSE (WHO ARE WE KIDDING) AND THE KNOWLEGE THAT COMES WITH THE RN EDUCATION BUT I CANT DO 4 YRS OF FULL TIME SCHOOL. I ABSOLUTLY MUST WORK A 40 HOUR WEEK SO IM NEEDING A WEEKEND PROGRAM MAYBE A FEW NIGHTS. IM WILLING TO WORK HARD BUT I KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE THAT MY BODY/BRAIN DOSE NOT FUNCTION ON LACK OF SLEEP (OVERLY EMOTIONAL,I CRY OVER SPILLED MILK, NOT GOOD WHEN TRYING TO WORK, GO TO SCHOOL AND TAKE CARE OF A FAMILY, JUST THE WAY IM WIRED.) I GUESS IM ON HERE LOOKING FOR OTHER PPL WHO ARE OR HAVE GONE THREW THIS AND WHAT DECISION THEY MADE OR JUST MORE INFO ON SCHOOLS AND THE DIFFERENT EXPERINCENES WITHIN THE DIFFERENT FIELDS. JUST LOST AND NEED SOME PERSPECTIVE!!

THX!!!

I was a medical assistant and then became an LPN. The best choice I have made! Here in Florida an LPN starts at about $18 when an MA the most they make is $10. The transition from LPN to RN is 12 months and can be done online. If you only want your RN you can do it for 2 years, usually if the program is 4 years it is for a BSN which is not a bad idea but you can do the transition from RN-BSN later if you just need something fast to start making money. I would recommend LPN/LVN as a starting point, later if you sign a contract with a hospital the hospital will pay for the RN.

Also LPN is not only for nursing homes, in Florida you can work in Home Health, hospitals, doctors office, outpatient surgery, correctional among many others.

It looks like you see more and more ma's than lpn's. They may make more money (for now) but I think it's just a matter of time before lpn's are weeded out.