Certifications

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Hello! I hope this is an ok place to put this.

I was accepted into an LPN program this year, but had to postpone (pregnancy, instructors said I might miss to many clinicals as my due date is around the most clinical heavy point in the year) until next year (June 2013).

I don't want to stand still, and would ike to continue my education in some form. I've been studying anatomy and reading any nursing/medicl related articles I can find to keep my knowledge base strong, but I would really like to do some form of formal education after the baby is born (due october) but before LPN school.

I'm thinking about trying to get some form of certiication so I could get a health care related job. But I really don't know that much about certifications, other than CNA. Where could I find information on this topic? Does anyone have suggestions as to what types of training would be useful to a nursing student?

There are just so many health care titles now a days its pretty confusing!

Any suggestions or ideas, or even just someone to point me in the right direction, would be greatly apreciated.

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

CNA is a great place to start. You would learn how to deal with patients and families, certain protocols and patient care. Phlebotomy is another area to consider as that is a great skill to master.

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CNA is a great place to start. You would learn how to deal with patients and families, certain protocols and patient care. Phlebotomy is another area to consider as that is a great skill to master.

I'm not very interested in becoming a CNA at the moment, though I might challenge the test after the required amount of time in nursing school. Not that I don't respect the position of CNA, I just don't know how much I could learn from CNA classes, because I've worked in a similar role before, plus the clinicals would be physically demanding after just giving birth.

I would love to get a phlebotomy certification. I'm trying to find info about different program options, as I don't want to spend to much time/money on it since I will be going to school in June (not that I expect to be handed a certification, just that the time and money spent would need to be reasonable and not interfee with nursing school). I found one program in my area, and it costs a little under $2,000. I'm not sure how I could afford that unless they have a financial assistance program.

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Specializes in retired LTC.

Did you look into local community colleges for phlebotomy? You could get a position after your program and then when you finish nsg school, you'd have the most TERRIFIC IV skills!!!

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Did you look into local community colleges for phlebotomy? You could get a position after your program and then when you finish nsg school, you'd have the most TERRIFIC IV skills!!!

I know I think phlebotomy training would be really useful to me in school and as a new grad.

I've found one near me! Yay! But its $2000. I sent them an email requesting more information and asking about financial aid options and payment options.

What other types of training/certifiction do you guys consider useful for future nursing students?

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You'll learn how to put needles and cannulas into blood vessels as a student in an RN program, and get more proficient as a new RN. It won't help you at all in LPN school and most LPN/LVN jobs don't let you do that anyway. Save your money.

Nursing students are not expected to walk in the door with a raft of "certifications" and many "certifications" aren't applicable anyway, or their applicability is so far down the road that any skills you might have gotten from them are lost in the mists of time by the time you have a job that allows you to use them.

What put this bug in your ear, anyway? Did someone tell you that this was a good idea for some reason? CNA will be helpful to you in LPN school, but otherwise...save your time and money and enjoy your baby. You're planning to go to school for a reason... do that.

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I'm going to do a bridge program to RN after I get my LPN.

I don't want to take a CNA class as I've already had similar training and many places around here will hire you with out being certified because they can pay you less.

This was my idea, I feel like Im going to go crazy if I don't do something productive.

The phlebotomy thing is something I find interesting and it might help me get a decent job until I get out of school.

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