Orange County CA LVN schools- which is best?

confused0101 · Nov 25, 2009

WHat school are you attending lillor?

JudeElf · Nov 25, 2009

Dear Confused, Per your question, I am not a student. I am a Nursing Instructor at an Orange County School. I have 21 years experience, but I specialize in Hospice and am a Certified Hospice & Palliative Licensed Nurse, a credential for which I took a National exam. Good luck to your career. If you have any concerns or questions, feel free to contact me. I love to mentor students and new Nurses. JudeElf:yeah:

lillor · Nov 25, 2009

WHat school are you attending lillor?

I am attending the LVN program at American Career College in Anaheim.

JudeElf · Nov 26, 2009

Just as a generic response to those of you who are concerned, (and rightly so) about your education. It is not just the Orange county LVN schools that frankly, some of which, may be suspect. It IS true. People lie. But they are from all walks of life. Education, Art, Science, Government, International Relations, Business, the list could go on ad in finitum. Those of us who choose to teach at some point in our careers do so for a myriad of reasons. I chose it because I wanted to impart to my students my experience, and perhaps become a mentor. I am a Navy Veteran, have a Bachelor's Degree, am Certified to teach in a Vocational setting by the Board, am an award winner in Cancer Pain Management from the Southern California Cancer Pain Initiative, a member of the Hospice & Palliative Nurse's Association, have 21 years of Nursing experience in a variety of areas, but I specialize in Hospice and Palliative Care. I am a Nationally Certified Hospice & Palliative Licensed Nurse, which was a National Certification test taken at UCLA. I have 9 years of Hospice experience, and without going on much longer have experience in Management in a Senior Living Community overseeing 7 staff and responsible for 110 residents, ranging from those who are independent in their ADL's to those with Dementia, Alzheimer's, and also those who require middle of the road care. I was ultimately responsible for ALL of their medications, among their overall general health and well-being, so they may enjoy their optimal level of health. This diatribe is not meant to impress you with my credentials. But I did want to address Delta 18's thoughts that not all instructors are qualified. In order to teach even on tn the vocational level, you do have standards to meet. Some of us are more experienced than others, Some have Advanced Degrees, others do not. I personally am a very strong Clinical Instructor, and have been told so by my students and Supervisors. No matter where you go to school, no matter where you work, no matter where you go in life you ARE going to run into people who are only interested in Money and not much else. You are going to run into Nurses who, as we say, "Eat their young." That has not been my experience overall. I have had an EXTREMELY satisfying Nursing & Teaching career so far. I have enjoyed my tenure at the school where I am teaching. I Love my students. There is NOTHING more satisfying than a Nursing student who "gets it." In other words, Delta 18, I'm sorry for your negative experiences. I hope if & when you pass your NCLEX that you can let go of all of this negativity, at least learn from it, turn it into Compassion and Love and seek the underlying lessons which may be the real reasons for these experiences. Learn Tolerance, patience, and the knowledge, and not only when to speak your piece, but how. This is a good forum for venting. But if you were to express yourself in this manner in the workplace, I guarentee you your DON would call you on the carpet to try and teach you not only the proper way to express yourself PROFESSIONALLY, but the difference between slander, Defamation, Ethics, and Truth in Reporting. (Remember your chapter on legal?) I will leave it at that that. I wish you, Delta 18, all of the best in your career. May you have a long and satisfying one as I have. Find a Mentor. (I have several) Listen to them. Listen before you speak. Listen, Listen, Listen. THAT is the key to good Nursing. I harbor no ill will towards you. You are obviously a passionate individual. Just find the right avenue in which to channel it. I wish you all the best.

Delta18 · Nov 29, 2009

In a re-response to JudeElf - "Please READ the whole thread if you are going to comment." Furthermore, do not try to impugn me, by first building yourself up to be this 21 year veteran of whatever nursing experience(s) you may have; and then somehow discounting that I have passed the NCLEX, gotten a job, and am now on a "witch" hunt against the LVN schools in Orange County, CA. For a "certified instructor", you aren't very observant or detailed oriented in your reading on this post. If that's any indication of the type of critique you are capable of - well, you students are in a boat load of trouble. More importantly, your "yogi" attitude of how I need to be schooled in the way in which I've presented FACT is completely in line with how all of these schools recruit, teach, and run their programs as a whole. That being with the utmost dishonesty and so little integrity, that you are left with nothing but ****! I am not apologetic by telling it like it is. There is no embellishment or talks of "fluff" and "good feelings" that you get with any recruitment videos on TV or the web. Quite honestly, it is through the misrepresentation of ACTUAL FACT that schools, like the one that JudeElf works for, that maintains the line of "suckers" coming and going from these places. All of which ensures that those who are pulled in are fed the same ******** with no beneficial return. You end up doing things completely on your own, because much of your "qualified instructors" cannot provide quaility education. Which leads to the following outcome - after the completion of the course work and in-house review(s), why is it that the vast majority of students still require programs like "Life Savers" or other review courses to pass their NCLEX? As a student, shouldn't you be getting all that prep for $30K. I don't think that the vast majority of students who graduate from IVY-league (top $$$) undergrad pre-med programs go to 8-36 hour review courses for the MCAT. They may purchase books to study on the side - things like MCAT Prep. But they don't need someone to RE-TEACH them everything that they have learned in 4 years. That is the summation of what you get at a program like the one that JudeElf is defending. I should have focused on what a previous student had warned me against in me going into CNI - and despite their attempts at getting me into an ADN program, I made the mistake of not taking their advice. For JudeELF - I did graduate, did finish, passed the NCLEX in 1 shot, and got a job. Is it where I want to be? For the crap that RN's seem to dole out to LVN staff? No. But aren't nurses "cut from the same cloth" - NURSE Family, right? Wrong. So JudeElf or whatever you name is, don't start feeding the unknowing reader this ******** that it's about bad attitudes - and that my "DON" needs to re-school me in the art of manners. Manners don't mean **** if there's no honesty in what a person says. Here's a question- How "respectful" is it when you. JudeELf, LIE to your patient? And don't think the "Well it depends on the circumstance" is going to buy you any reprieve. Plus, how is "misleading" or "embellishing" the truth any more honest? Like I mentioned previously, to the new students or the readers that are considering going down this path - facts are what you need, and you don't get that from the people trying to reel you in. For $30K you would think that these places would be better adept in being factual, but just as the mortgage industry thrived on "ignorance" (for JudeElf - Webster defines ignorance as a "lack of knowledge").

For the newly added "credentializing" that JudeElf has thrown up on the thread. I, just like he/she, can't prove **** - we can post all of our supposed degrees, certifications, credentials, etc. until the cows come home. It don't mean ****, what doesn't change is fact. An Assistant D.O.N. who claims that she has had 15 years in Oncology Nursing - and yet she can't name a part of the kidney as basic as the "nephron"? Come on! That is the type of education you are paying for, from people who openly state that they "aren't strong clinically" - but have 21 years of nursing experience in a 110 bed facility, hospice nursing, passed meds here and there, etc. etc. **** a nurse like that better be the strongest clinical nurse around, because of all that DIRECT PATIENT CONTACT! What the hell were you doing at all the work places you were in? They were "Clinically" intensive weren't they? Or did you work in a morgue? Or was it employment at facility after facility, jumping out when you were found to be incompetent or derelict in skills that you were hired for?!

Now, you are teaching. and God only knows how your students are faring. JudeElf also mentioned that he/she is "certified"...by whom? What actual EDUCATION credentials do you carry? A Bachelors in what? If it's education - that alone doesn't qualify you to teach "Vocational Education" classes. There are very specific education courses that are warranted by WASC and accrediting agencies like them that actual CERTIFY instructors to teach vocational courses. In review of ALL the schools that I listed - NOT 1 has a complete load of instructors who are ALL qualified in that regard. They may be "nurses"....but certified NURSE EDUCATORS only come from 2 places - Nurse's who have Bachelors degrees in education with specific class that are geared toward Vocational Education, Curriculum & Course development. Or they are instructors who have completed an MSN as nurse educators, their completion is marked by a passing grade in an actual course geared specifically to "Nursing Education Course Curriculum and Design". With JudeElf's explanation of what "qualifies" him/her - says volumes about Yes, he/she has worked extensively at heavy clinical facilities for the past 21 years, BUUUUUT - "he/she isn't strong clinically". Yet, he/she is teaching in a program that is HEAVY in BOTH clinic and theory. Why? Because YOU the student pay $30K to "Drink from the fire hose". You are expected to learn in mind and hands-on; and yet you have instructors like JudeElf that would simply tell you the student - "Well, I'm not too strong in clinical. But don't worry there are OTHER instructors here who can pick up my slack." NICE! The student pays top dollar to be "passed around" between people who CLAIM so much, yet can deliver so little. I'm not ashamed for bringing the TRUTH to light. Because it's not fair. It's more than dishonest...it's like someone robbing you of $30K and then making you feel guilty for them having to rob you. Rest assured, this is not the last that you will hear from JudeElf proclaiming every excuse in the world about why he/she is the "righteous" nurse and the embodiment of Florence Nightingale herself. Yet, again, JudeElf has done nothing to disprove what is FACT, and that is - the schools in the Orange County, CA area all share in a communal **** pot of employees/employment. They do not employ the best, because the best are the actually "qualified" nurses who are teaching at programs in either the community colleges or 4 year colleges. Mind you, I will concede that there are "bad" instructors at those places of higher learning, yet the programs are scrutinized more heavily and professionally, that to allow the crap that goes on at any of the 1 year private OC Schools would result in a revocation of accreditation or complete shutdown of the program. The level of accountability in these 1 year programs is horrendous, it is superficial at best - and there is no recourse in you filing a grievance with anyone other than the State Board. And the State Board of Vocational Nurses and Psych Techs is so inundated with work, while be hamstrung by the state budget, that a "complaint" would take years to follow-up on. Plus, the schools all force you to sign an arbitration agreement. So suing them in open court is out....you don't get **** back for what you put in.

So, for those that think that this is a "grudge" thing...that would be simply petty. That is what these schools want you to think. What they don't want you to see is that the core value of honesty is being openly neglected through their recruitment and lack of competent instruction. There is a level of accountability that WE as nurses must all be held to. It's not just the oath that we take, it's not just the ability to hold that person's life in our hands - it's more important than that. Why do you think the State Board runs a background check on you before you get your license. It's HONESTY, complete openness - an unobstructed or unbiased look into what you are! So here's the deal, I could care less about an individual who prides themselves in being something that they think that they are - a nurse that is willing to keep the truth buried. Screw that noise! It's all about bringing the **** to the top for everyone to see. JudeElf and the detractors...you still have yet to answer how these "bad" instructors keep getting recycled at all of these schools. More importantly, why is it so necessary for people like me to be labeled as students with a grudged? What's there to hide? Is it incompetence? Is it unprofessional conduct by educators? Why all the "abstract" thought on what goes on in your programs - why isn't there anything concrete to show? I'll tell you why - it's gross dishonesty at its best. Just as I compared the Mortgage Lending Industry to these types of Schools in the previous posts on this thread. the fact remains that people don't get to see the goings-on that occur in these schools. Despite what the recruiters, administrators, and even "qualified" instructors my say. $30K is A LOT of money. Yes, there will always be the dissenter in the ranks. But institutions like the one's being spoken of, will forever use that excuse to blind-side and openly LIE to those people that don't know any better. As a 21 year veteran nurse, COMPLETE honesty should be a wholly ingrained paradigm in more than just your vocabulary - it should be CORE SKILL that is followed to the "T". But "bravo" on your being a veteran of this and that, with experiences here and there in whatever (super-medical hospice family-care, blanket providing, crying with you patient. holding hand singing "kumbaya" while administering medication) facility(ies) you may have worked in. Still, that does not mean diddly squat if you forget the basis of what a NURSE is - a nurse is above all HONEST in every endeavor and all aspects of their life. I've got no skeletons to hide in what I am - a hard working honesty nurse, who is looking out for those that don't know any better. I'm a nurse that believes that NURSES are not bound by a institution(s) or by their co-workers to LIE, CHEAT, or STEAL - and that includes the "taking advantage" of those less knowledgeable.

Back to JudeElf, take the "kumbaya" attitude and keep it for the students you've suckered - I'm pretty sure they are going to be asking, "Why the **** am I having to pay additional $$$ to take a 'review course' when I should have learned the core essentials to pass the NCLEX in Mr./Ms. JudeElf's class?!" :jester:

One thing that remains constant is the way that these business/schools swap employees - it can be compared to HIV positive drug addicts swapping needles. The attitude that most of these places want you to have is, "once they've been infected....Oooh well!"

JudeElf · Nov 29, 2009

Frankly I am tired of your tired diatribes. You have no idea of my qualifications. I was honest. I have not "jumped around," You write manifestos not unlike the Unibomber. I will no longer respond to your idiocy. You seem to have a vendetta. So be it. I am proud of my career and am highly regarded by both my Peers and Employers. I owe you no explanation or "proof" of my credentials. My credentials are accurate & real. I worked hard for them. You will not be satisfied with anything but slamming organizations which may or might not be on the up & up. Not all of them are, true. I am not here to defend them. I am certainly not here to defend myself. Especially to the likes of petty minds like you. You will no longer receive a response from me. Don't respond to this, or I will deem it as a form of harrasment. Enough. Move on with your life & career, and good luck to you.

Silverdragon102, BSN · Nov 29, 2009

closed for staff review