My PN school also has a medical assistant program. The school has the Johnson & Johnson become a nurse posters. Well on some of the posters they covered up the nurse part and put medical assistant. So the top of the poster says Become A Medical Assistant while the picture is of a nurse and the bottom of the poster still says www.discovernursing.com.
For some reason that just really rubs me the wrong way. :angryfire
I don't have a problem with MAs ... they have their place in the healthcare system, but they are not nurses and I think that the poster gives the wrong impression.
Yeah I'm wondering that too, that seems like a whole heck of a lot of prereqs for an LVN school. If you need all those prereqs, why not just go with RN school? Seems like they would have a hard time finding people to go to school there.
I thought that every community college that offers a LVN program had pre reqs. At least all of the ones in our area do. I was going to apply for the ADN program but they require even more pre reqs. on top of what is required for the LVN program. A & P II, Health Assessment, College Algebra, Micro, Patho.,. Oh I forgot we had to take Medical Term as a pre req. for the LVN program. I was lucky that I had previous college classes years earlier. It would have taken me two full semesters just to get the pre peqs done for the LVN program. And if any of the science calsses are five years or older, they have to be repeated and do not count. We were allowed to take the Pharm, Nutrition, & Law & Ethics along with the program, with approval of the Dean, but it was hard to find time. I did not want to go to college for one full year to get all the pre reqs in for the ADN program. Thus my LVN choice. I'm shocked that some community colleges do not require pre reqs. That would have been wonderful!
I know that they are changing the LPN in Alberta in the next few years to make it a Diploma instead of a certificate.
The diploma will include first year level university English, Psych., Sociology, etc. Sciences have to be fairly recent as well.
Rumour has it since Canada abolished 2 yr Diploma RN's, the LPN is becoming the 2yr diploma nurse. That way it will be easier to bridge if so desired.
Bridging in Canada isn't that straight forward. You can have a license and work for years, but you still have to have recent high school science marks to apply for the bridge. Kind of knocks out alot of the LPN's who were interested.
Let's see: apply for bridge, redo grade 12 (takes maybe 1yr), join an 18 month waitlist, do another 3 years school. Most of my co-workers couldn't be bothered for the difference in the first few years pay. One figured out that she'd graduate at 54, take another five years to repay the loans, and maybe start contributing to new pension plan at 59, it didn't seem worth it. She's eligible to retire at 60!
our LPN program has some pre-reqs. copied from my college website for the LPN program
Admissions requirements:
1.The applicant must be:
a) a rising high school senior or
b) a graduate from an accredited high school or
c) holder of a GED (battery score average equal to or greater than 45)
2.Have completed the following high school prerequisites with a grade of "C" or better: one unit of biology, one unit of Algebra I and demonstrated proficiency in basic math and reading skills.
3.Recommended high school elective courses: chemistry and Algebra II or Geometry, or equivalent.
4.A cumulative scholastic or collegiate GPA of 2.0.
5.Completion of evaluative tests administered at VWCC.
6.Attendance at a personal interview demonstrating satisfactory oral and written communication skills may be required.
and then, the actual course requirements for the program:
CURRICULUM AND OTHER REQUIREMENTSCredits
ENG 111College Composition 3
ITE 102Computers & Information Systems1
PNE 135Maternal & Child Health5
PNE 141Nursing Skills I3
PNE 142Nursing Skills II3
PNE 145Trends in Practical Nursing1
PNE 155Body Structure and Function4
PNE 1561Nursing Across the Life Span4
PNE 158Mental Health and Psychiatric Nursing2
PNE 173Pharmacology for Practical Nurses2
PNE 181Clinical Experience I5
PNE 182Clinical Experience II5
PNE 195Topics in Practical Nursing5
SPD 100Public Speaking (or SPD 105)3
STD 108College Survival Skills (or STD 100)1
Total Minimum Credits for the Certificate47
so there is no A&P required, no government, no history, just Biology and Algebra 1 to get in and co-reqs are 1 english, 1 computers, 1 public speaking, and "college survival skills" which is study skills class.
vwcc is virginia western community college and yes, im a 2nd year student in their RN program. are you in the LPN program there? i only know one of the LPN students, but we have several students in our class who are LPN transfer students
Yeah...to go from LPN to RN (ASN) is not just the one year of nursing classes, it is also about 1 1/2 years of pre-reqs (and that's if you go full-time) Just FYI.
This reminds me of a recent trip to my podiatrist. He was very interested in my school and their nursing program, and my plans for after graduation, etc. Then goes on and on about how great RNs are, etc.....then says, "my nurse will be in in a few min to help you get cleaned up (plaster molds on feet)." Sure enough it was a MA. She never called herself a nurse, but geez....this guy obviously KNEW the difference between nurses and MAs. Weird.
i think they are just being cheap, unless it was a student who did it.
that said. i was an MA for 8 years. MAs have their place. i never referred to myself as a nurse and corrected anyone, patient, staff or doctor who referred to me as one. i enjoyed my time as an MA, but my dream was always to be a nurse. i learned lots as an MA, worked in pediatrics and for general surgeons.
i made $12/hr and i last worked in 2002. i have several MA friends who make more than that now, one makes $14/hr and the other $18/hr, neither are managers. both work in specialty offices.
for some, it is the only option. there are MA schools everywhere and in less than a year you can make more money than minimum wage. i started at $7/hr in 1995. the girl who took my place started at $10/hr, not bad for no experience and that was with full benefits.
some people have no desire to work in the hospital setting and MAs are good choices for the doctor's office for many positions.
in my state, no certification was required. i was a certified MA, but it got me no more money than someone who wasn't.
harleytx
36 Posts