from animals to humans???

[PinkPyrate]

ok guys...just found this site. need lots of help.

in a nutshell i'm a cvt in florida (that's a certified veterinary technician). i'm equal (in theory) to an RN (w/ an A.S.). between the cheap "@ $$" vets and the economy, my paychecks are getting less and less. jobs are harder and harder to find. (i went from $16.75 in virginia to $15.50 in florida, now i'm at $13.50...(was even offered $11 AFTER 90-days!!!!)

dr's here want vet techs that haven't been to school because it's cheaper for them plus, there are NO laws seperating "vet-techs" off the street from CVTs.

btw...i had to sit for national and state boards too.

anywho....in order to have a future, i'm thinking about becoming an LPN. i went to kaiser career college (18k eek!) and pasco-hernando comm college (5-6k) today.

i had info overload...

do i have to take pre-reqs before i apply to aug 2010 at PHCC?

can i transfer to RN (which i dont think i want to do) if i went to kaiser? or easier at PHCC?

how hard is it to get into either?

is it hard to get grants? how much to they run?

i'm 38, unemployed as of this past sunday & i have a mortage, a child, and a hubby to support.

i really dont want to wait until aug, then another yr to get license.

then again, i dont have 18k laying around the house to start in jan.

what the heck, guys....ya got anything for me? ...i'm at a loss...

thanks a million

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

My vet pays his techs well, or so they tell me. How many college hours do you have that would transfer to a nursing program? Since you have an associate's you may have a leg up. I do respect Vet Techs greatly. Have you applied for unemployment? Best wishes to you.

[PinkPyrate]

My vet pays his techs well, or so they tell me. How many college hours do you have that would transfer to a nursing program? Since you have an associate's you may have a leg up. I do respect Vet Techs greatly. Have you applied for unemployment? Best wishes to you.

what's his defination of "well"??? next time you are in ask if they are certified/licensed/registered techs (depends what state you live in). most people don't know it but, most unlicensed techs are the ones doing the anesthesia on your pets. i wouldnt feel comfortable knowing someone was trained on-the-job for that and is responsible for my pet....but thats just me. i love my babies...maybe too much!

unfort, i think the only classes that can transfer is eng comp 1, biology, chem, speech, etc. no "nursing" classes as the foucsed was on...animals lol.

at least i'll know my terms and parts of the body. a zygomatic arch is still a zygomatic arch :)

i have filed

...and thank you.

[Jules A, MSN]

Even at high end speciality clinics such as oncology I think RVTs only get about $20 an hour and as someone who has done both I can tell you a vet tech does the tasks of about 5 nurses. Most of gen ed classes from the AA degree you have should be identical and able to transfer to nursing. I'd definitely look into a community college. Mine only cost about $3,000 for my LPN.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Moved to the General Nursing Discussion forum for more responses.

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

Just wishing you luck.

:)

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

All of their vet techs are certified. I have seen their work and they have such love for their patients. I wish some of our profession could show such love. When Dexter was dying one of the techs lay a pallet in his cubby and stayed with him as he passed. I would never ask how much someone is paid-I think that is their own business. I do know there is very, very little staff turnover. I've been going there since my first fur baby in 1966. The vets are the same, all Clemson grads with various Vet schools to follow.

[PinkPyrate]

thats awesome...just wish i could find a place like that to work. its my passion, but i need to pay my mortage. i dont know what else to do.