Career Changer with LOTS Of Questions

I have taught in the Practical Nurse program and I have found the mature students often to be the best students and do very well in school. Best of luck.

When I trained, my programme was 53 weeks (worked out to four semesters) We had roughly a week off between semesters.

Now they've gone to a two year, four semester programme with longer breaks.

I was 40 when I went. I waited until my kids were all in school. Made day care less of a hassle (only needed before and after school care)

Some courses you need to spend more time on than others. First semester was more study time. After that it was care plans and writing the b*ggers that took the time. Plan on needing two hours to yourself a night.

I became an LPN when I was 44. The program I went to was a solid year with approximately 2 weeks off total throughout the year.

The program I went through was hard and most of the class failed. We started with 26 and ended with 9. I was lucky in that I didn't have to work and my kids were older, so I never missed a class or clinical, and was never late. Other students failed because of things related to everyday life, like working, etc.

I'm glad I did it but being an LPN is frustrating also. At my age, most people think I have years of experience. I guess I carry it off well because unless someone asks me outright, which is rare, I don't tell them I am a new nurse.

I've been at my first LPN job, the first job I applied for and was hired on the spot - for 16 months now. I just put in my notice this week, however, as I met my goal at the particular facility and really need a change.

Good luck!

I had many college grads who failed PN school. It is very intense. I taught the evening program. The students attended class 3-9 pm one day and clinical 3-10 two evenings. It was a 2 year program.

The exams are every three to four weeks and you must have an 75 to pass, I believe they are increasing this to 80.
Most schools will give you a test that will assess your aptitude for nursing.

I would suggest you volunteer in a nursing home or hospital to see if you would enjoy being in that setting for work.

I have found the older students do better since they are not out partying.

I completed the LVN program at Casa Loma College in Van Nuys in 2005. If you're planning to attend the Concorde campus in North Hollywood, the two schools are in the same general part of town.

The southern California job market has been very brutal to new LVNs lately. Please click on the blue link below to read the responses. Good luck to you!

http://allnurses.com/lpn-lvn-corner/...ad-389524.html

i suggest you take your money somewhere else. I heard that concorde's LVN program was recently shut down b/c it wasn't a good program. Students were cheating and teachers were passing anybody. I personally know someone who went there, graduated but still can't pass their boards!!! You'd want to do more reasearch on schools. Invest your money in a school that would actually teach you and help you prepare become a great nurse!

All the ideals I had in life about studying hard for tests and being rewarded with a good grade, were shot down completely in LPN school. In the program I attended, we had a minimum of 2 tests every 4 days and had to have an 80 to pass. No second chances, no makeup tests. Same with clinicals - you miss one, you'll likely fail the entire program. One students cell phone rang in a clinical setting - she answered it - and failed for the day - was sent home, and ultimately could not bring up her clinical grade and failed the course.

Being an LPN for 1.5 years now, working full-time in a SNF/LTC, I find the LPN course to be laughable. Why did we struggle through 3 months of maternal child when we will never get to work in OB/GYN? And what's worse? The schools here cut out their pharmacology classes from the LPN programs! Does that even make sense?

Pharmacology is the biggest part of the beginning LPN job in a nursing home, in my experience.

And the RN program continues with this questionable educational strife. Ridiculous rules for pass/fail. (one student forgot to circle the correct answer on two questions on a dosage calculations test, and missed the two questions, even though the answers were right).

Why are some nursing programs so bootcamp-like? I find it to be ridiculous. I still feel that students should be able to study for tests and pass the tests, and put sincere effort into programs and be able to pass them. But that's not always the case, from my experience.