l am thinking of becoming a Midwife nurse. l know l need to get my BSN first. Do l need to become a RN for that or the LPN would be enought for me to get an BSN. How long does it take to become a LPN?PS: l have problem with money so l would like to get " the short way" and the right one...thank youl

Actually, you don't need an MSN to apply for a nurse-midwifery program in North Carolina. You get the MSN as part of the program.

Paula, if you want to become a Nurse-Midwife you WILL need experience in OB/GYN nursing. Most programs are competitive, so getting accepted without experience in the field will be difficult. Most OB units won't hire an LPN. As an LPN, the best you could hope for would be to work in an OB/GYN doctor's office. You need more than that for your goals.

You could always go for the LPN first, that would allow you to earn a better income that what you probably make now. But I would skip the ADN for your RN. There are bridge programs that will let you go from LPN to BSN, and you will need a BSN to apply to any Advanced Practice program. Once you get your BSN, you will need to get some OB experience, preferably L&D. Getting a job in that field can be difficult: turnover in those units is usually low. You may have to start on a post partum unit and transfer to L&D after you gain some experience. You still can apply for the midwife program without L&D, but the experience would be a plus. You will probably need at least 2 years experience on an OB unit of SOME sort before you will be considered, though.

LPN programs typically take 12 months. Bridging to BSN can take you 2-3 years more depending on how many courses you need to get the required 120 credit hours for graduation (you will need more than just the nursing courses for a BSN). Then 2 years working as an RN before you can apply.

I know that sounds like a long time, and it is. But you will be better prepared for success. Shan is right; graduate study IS expensive. I'm still paying for mine and will be for a long time .