[Apothecary1973]

Good morning all,

Thank you for allowing me access to these boards. I am a Navy hospital corpsman 3rd class serving currently in Iraq. For those who aren't familiar with what that is, I am a medic for the Marines, basically. I am a good corpsman, but I would like to be a good nurse. And that is where I turn to you...

You see, my enlistment is coming to an end. They are moving me to an administrative position upon my return, and that is something I just can't stand. I want to go to nursing school, but have no real promising part-time jobs available to someone with my training. I am a resident of California, and that leads into my question. California has a stipulation on the NCLEX-PN exam that allows me to directly take the test, provided I can furnish two letters from different physicians stating that I have performed ward work for at least two years. To give you an idea of my experience, I have two years, ten months of experience in a Navy hospital ER (both as a worker for that ward and as an EMT). I am EMT-Basic certified, ACLS and PALS certified, IV and suture certified (via the Navy), as well as other military certifications pertaining to trauma medicine.

My question is this: is it safe to challenge this test directly, or would things be better served if I were simply go through the program? I do not want to, and will not, endanger anyone merely to earn a few dollars while going to ADN school. Please, any input you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Oh... and hello everyone! I just realized I had rambled for a bit ... I'm sorry.

[Spidey's mom]

Welcome! Just wanted to say hi as I'm headed to bed - I work tomorrow and get up at 1:45 a.m. and so have an early bedtime.

But I'm sure you'll get some good advice here.

steph (from California)

[Rep]

Hello and welcome to allnurses!

[TypicalFish]

Originally Posted by Apothecary1973

Good morning all,

Thank you for allowing me access to these boards. I am a Navy hospital corpsman 3rd class serving currently in Iraq. For those who aren't familiar with what that is, I am a medic for the Marines, basically. I am a good corpsman, but I would like to be a good nurse. And that is where I turn to you...

You see, my enlistment is coming to an end. They are moving me to an administrative position upon my return, and that is something I just can't stand. I want to go to nursing school, but have no real promising part-time jobs available to someone with my training. I am a resident of California, and that leads into my question. California has a stipulation on the NCLEX-PN exam that allows me to directly take the test, provided I can furnish two letters from different physicians stating that I have performed ward work for at least two years. To give you an idea of my experience, I have two years, ten months of experience in a Navy hospital ER (both as a worker for that ward and as an EMT). I am EMT-Basic certified, ACLS and PALS certified, IV and suture certified (via the Navy), as well as other military certifications pertaining to trauma medicine.

My question is this: is it safe to challenge this test directly, or would things be better served if I were simply go through the program? I do not want to, and will not, endanger anyone merely to earn a few dollars while going to ADN school. Please, any input you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Oh... and hello everyone! I just realized I had rambled for a bit ... I'm sorry.

One thing you could consider looking into job-wise, while you are deciding about school, it to be an ED tech; the hospitals here use them extensively(I'm in Maryland); and many of them are ex-corpsmen, and most hospital would help you financially with your nursing degree. I am just a new grad RN, so I don't have advice about the challenge part, but it sounds like you do as much as an LPN; maybe you could talk to a counselor or a teacher at your nearest nursing school, or ask some of the nurses that you work with-they know your skill and knowledge level vs. nursing requirements. Good Luck, Thank you, and stay safe!

[volney]

how many times can you take the nclex? you sound like you have lots of experience, have you checked into buying a book that covers the nclex?, you will learn when you work in hospital as most lpn and rn"s do, it is called on the job training. if you work on med-surg, you will not do anything without a drs. order, and that pretty much covers most nurses, icu requires quick skills but even then you are constantly (my experience) communicating with a md......you can study nursing over internet, there are so many ways a person can get a nursing degree........good luck...thanks for your service in military..........................

[txspadequeen921]

Welcome and thank you for all you do!!!!

[Tweety]

If the state feels you are safe to pracitce and you pass the exam, then I would go for it. You will recieve on-the-job training and orientation when you start work. Maybe you'll find a job that is similar to your experience so you're more comfortable.

Good luck to you!

[PeachyOrthoRN]

Hello and welcome and thank you sooooo much for all that you do!!!!!!!

[cheerfuldoer]

Hello Corpsman! Welcome to Allnurses!

You have a wealth of nursing/medical knowledge already. If I were in your shoes, I would choose to challenge the nursing courses in an ADN program through the college itself. Then, take those second year clinicals and psych. This is what many LPNs do for the "LPN to RN" course.

Corpsmen, EMT Medics, 91Charleys, 91Whiskeys...all of you have just about as much knowledge as civilian RNs and LPNs anyway -- in some cases more experience due to the way you all are trained in the military.

One of my daughters served four years as a Navy Corpsman at Camp Pendleton Naval Hospital in Oceanside, CA. When she exited the Navy, she joined the reserves and went through a civilian LPN program (lasted one year). She graduated with honors, and passed boards in California with a really great score first time around. She now lives in Texas working as a LPN doing pediatric homecare & working for a homehealth department connected to a local hospital there. Before she moved to TX, she worked as a LPN in CA still doing homehealth. She loves homehealth. She also worked for a doctor's group at one time in CA. She has plans to return to college for either her RN or PA. She says she doesn't feel challenged enough at her currnet status of being a LPN, and that tends to be the case for many former military medics, corpsmen, etc. because you guys get the best of the best in medical training.

Do not under estimate what you can do as a corpsman in the civilian world. Should be a piece of cake for you once you get out and start in the field as a civilian nurse.

You'll miss more than you think if you bypass the actual college level program to become a RN. I've worked with former military medics who have done that and felt at a disadvantage for simply "testing out" to get that piece of paper so much faster. I think your chances for employment and entering college to obtain perhaps a masters or bachelors in nursing will be effected by not getting that piece of paper from a community college first. Just simply test out of the areas you already know, and take those you wouldn't be allowed to test out of anyway.

Good luck to you, and thanks for all you are doing in Iraq.

[z's playa]

Welcome to allnurse ! Glad to hear you're leaving and going home. I hope you manage to get all sorted out upon arrival.


Z :hatparty: