LVN Help Please

bklynhealer · May 22, 2013

Wow MedicalJohnny dont get frustrated with us! I can tell you that you will not go wrong prepping for pharmacololgy especially drug calculations. We lost 50% of the class because they failed this course. ALL aspects of pharmacology will be discussed. it will not be a waste of time.

pookyp, LPN · May 22, 2013

Wow MedicalJohnny dont get frustrated with us! I can tell you that you will not go wrong prepping for pharmacololgy especially drug calculations. We lost 50% of the class because they failed this course. ALL aspects of pharmacology will be discussed. it will not be a waste of time.

I agree. Pharm weeds ppl out.

medicaljohnny · May 28, 2013

Study what are ligaments, cartilage, different bone fractures, the in's and outs of the heart, like the order in which the blood flows. Study fluid and electrolyte balances. Know your anatomical positions, (anterior, posterior) for and know your medical terminology. For pharm, know your metric conversions. How to go from grams to mg using dimensional analysis. Lbs to kg, etc. hope this helps some. We use a book called body structure and function by thibedaux. (Hope I spelled that right)

Thank you Pooky! THIS is the kind of thing I need to know! If people read my last statements this is what I was kinda asking for. Because I don't want to find a small nick that I can't get by and fail, I want to know a crap load so if there is a small nick I will not have to study everything else a great amount but can focus on that small problem, you know?

pookyp, LPN · May 28, 2013

Thank you Pooky! THIS is the kind of thing I need to know! If people read my last statements this is what I was kinda asking for. Because I don't want to find a small nick that I can't get by and fail, I want to know a crap load so if there is a small nick I will not have to study everything else a great amount but can focus on that small problem, you know?

I knew what you meant. I don't see why others didn't. Lol

LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN · May 28, 2013

Alright please read this before you answer. I've read the forums here. I know people say I should wait to take the class rather than study. No, that won't fly with me.[/quote']
I understand that won't fly for you, but TRUST me...if want to look into the subjects, it's just best to skim over the material and wait until you start the course work....it is a building block process, as well as rationale driven.
1) What do I need to study for LVN? What in anatomy? How far in pharmacology? etc. I want to get such a good grasp on it in the year I still have to go rather than just get bombarded with everything in one year. I don't want to know what to study as prereqs or what I should know as pre-knowledge for LVN. I wanna know what the LVN people study.
Like others said, it depends...Anatomy and Physiology will most likely be a theory class on the make up of the human body: Neuro (brain & spinal cord,) Cardiac, tissue, skin, etc. I didn't have a lab when I went, although I completed the A&P college coursework before going to PN school, so I just audited it.
As far a LVN coursework, in my area, we did Intro to Nursing, Fundamentals, Pharmacology, Med-Surg, Peds/OB, Med Surg II (Acute) in that order. Currently in my area, they do not utilize nurses in Acute care, but they still are exposed to acutely chronic illnesses, so these theories are still taught. I work at a Pediatric facility that welcomes LPN students. I was working as a LPN there while I went back for my BSN.
For some reason my college REFUSES to tell us what books are in the program.
They are not obligated to tell you that info until you receive the syllabus. I couldn't prepare myself until I went to my first class. The books were provided as a packet, so I couldn't "preview" anything...same as BSN...no preview there either...

Please let me know guys. I'm serious about studying the heck out of this stuff, and if I can at least study half of what is taught in LVN before I can go into LVN, stuff like anatomy and psychology (Which, let's be honest, won't hurt me if I know them going into LVN), then when in the program I can excel. PLEASE help me out here. Thanks.

The only thing I can suggest is to you as a few posters suggested about nursing...nursing is rationale-based; it is NOT the type on subject you can "study up on" like math, etc. If you want to get a feel of nursing, I suggest looking up a book that my professor gave to me in PN school...Critical Thinking and clinical judgement.

GREAT book... You can google NANDA disgnoses, and there are also a few good websites dedicated to Pharmacology and A&P...search this forum for other posts and stickies.

Being a nurse is not anatomy and physiology and pharmacology...it's about knowing your scope, and the nursing process...be careful not to fall into the trap of focusing on knowledge base information-A&P, pharmacology-you still need to know which interventions are best, what to look for, etc...those issues will be covered in class.

I understand your plan, I really do...it's just it's best to know the process of how nursing education operates...and for many of the posters, that occurs that first day of class.

medicaljohnny · May 30, 2013

I knew what you meant. I don't see why others didn't. Lol

Hence my frustration! Haha.

LadyFree28: I understand all of what you say about nursing not being just a thing like math or English. I know of the critical thinking. I work as a CNA currently. But I can't do vitals or take someone to the restroom without knowing how to. See what I am saying? I want to have a great grasp on all the knowledge so when I begin I can focus on the critical thinking.

loriangel14, RN · May 30, 2013

There is no way you can grasp " all the knowledge" before you start. You have no idea you how much information you are talking about.You cannot get a great grasp until you go to school.

medicaljohnny · May 30, 2013

There is no way you can grasp " all the knowledge" before you start. You have no idea.You cannot get a great grasp until you go to school.

Lord lord lord.....I never said I wanted to grasp ALL the knowledge. I want to grasp the written knowledge. What is a Core temperature, what is a surface temperature, or facts such as 1 degree in temp can change the heart rate by up to 4 beats per minutes. etc. This I can study on my own. Obviously I'm not going into the LVN to have an easy ride. But I want to make it much easier because I have a great amount of knowledge on the subject by the time I enter it.

LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN · May 30, 2013

Hence my frustration! Haha.
LadyFree28: I understand all of what you say about nursing not being just a thing like math or English. I know of the critical thinking. I work as a CNA currently. But I can't do vitals or take someone to the restroom without knowing how to. See what I am saying? I want to have a great grasp on all the knowledge so when I begin I can focus on the critical thinking.

*Sigh*...that's just not how it works, unfortunately...You are NOT going to necessarily have a great grasp on the knowledge WITHOUT critical thinking or discussing the concept and implementing the nursing process...I even tried to read ahead and get prepared during semesters of BSN school, and STILL needed to be in the classroom, engaging with the teacher-by this time I was a LPN for 7 YEARS-well versed in nursing process and critical thinking, and STILL needed to hear the lecture to make it "click"

Well, maybe it's me, maybe you're different...however, I have encountered many that had the same idea as you...after the first class, they ended up changing their strategy. I can't ignore a trend as a nurse (you'll learn about rationale behind trends and the significance in school). :)

I go back to suggesting critical thinking and nursing judgement...search that here on AN...one poster actually THANKED me and said it improved their method in handling the first semester of nursing school...knowledge is recall; critical thinking is application...and one of the foundations of our practice. I still stand by my suggestion...that will be far more valuable in getting prepared for your program more than anything else, in my opinion...A&P in PN school is challenging, but not the end all...the application is a HUGE part, and the most important part.

loriangel14, RN · May 30, 2013

Hence my frustration! Haha.
LadyFree28: I understand all of what you say about nursing not being just a thing like math or English. I know of the critical thinking. I work as a CNA currently. But I can't do vitals or take someone to the restroom without knowing how to. See what I am saying? I want to have a great grasp on all the knowledge so when I begin I can focus on the critical thinking.

You did say ALL the knowledge.I thnik you are going to be in for a big shock when you get into nursing school.You cannot just read ahead and learn it all.You need to learn application and context for it to make sense.Learning random bits of information is not going to make any difference.It doesn't work that way.

LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN · May 30, 2013

Lord lord lord.....I never said I wanted to grasp ALL the knowledge. I want to grasp the written knowledge. What is a Core temperature, what is a surface temperature, or facts such as 1 degree in temp can change the heart rate by up to 4 beats per minutes. etc. This I can study on my own. Obviously I'm not going into the LVN to have an easy ride. But I want to make it much easier because I have a great amount of knowledge on the subject by the time I enter it.

^that IS what you said...you want a "good grasp on ALL the knowledge", and then focus on critical thinking.

I can sense your frustration...however, you are going to get the most honest answers from posters with the most knowledge, and miles...from graduates to 30+ infinite number if years, educators, on here...

You are asking for Nursing Fundamentals, and I still suggest that you can wait for that portion...you have a great deal of time to enjoy before hitting the ground running-and you will be running...I don't know how much easier it is going to be having that knowledge when you are going to set foot in a classroom until...the fall???

And that is not going to be a class you won't take until at least the spring, perhaps???

I hope you understand where posters are coming from. And understand that we understand that you want to prepare, we do, it's just...nursing is not that type of program to "prepare" for until you get those first introductory courses...after completion, then you can grasp that introductory knowledge and plan and build on that intro knowledge and prepare for the next set of classes. That's why I suggested the critical thinking book. It has a ton of information and references to prepare for nursing, and exercises that you can reflect on as a CNA now, and build from there.

TRUST me, we are really trying to steer you in the right direction in approaching nursing school. Good Luck.

medicaljohnny · May 31, 2013

LadyFree28 and loriangel14, I 100% understand there is critical thinking. There's allergies, weaknesses, problems, etc. Everyone is different. This doesnt escape me. But reading that the temperature may cause something to happen to the heart in a degree of change, or knowing the calculation of how to get from C to F...it really escapes me why everyone is protecting me from prestudying this so I can help myself during LPN school. I'm not a rude personally naturally but really, this is extremely frustrating. WHY is it so dangerous NOW for me to know what an apical pulse is? I'm not asking for the critical thinking park, but goodness me I want to study terms, anatomy, physiology, how to calculate, etc. I really really really don't understand why someone can't just pop up and be like 'okay as far as the hard facts such as a heart beat can be measured this way and here is where the brachial artery is..."..... I understand 100% WHY I am going to school for being an LPN in the critical thinking. But as far as the unchangable knowledge goes such as what is cancer, why do cells regenerate, etc....what...do....i...need...for..L...P..N...SCHOOL?!