CPNRE Boards next week

[canadianangel]

I am due to write my RPN boards next week here in Ontario and I am so frustrated with the whole becoming a nurse process! We graduated last night but I was unable to go as apparently a Wednesday night a 5 is a great time to have a ceremony. But besides that I write the board next week and I am having a hard time studying as I am worried about money.

It cost me a small fortune just to go to school, which now I have student loans that repayment is 500$ a month starting in February and have given the CNO almost 500$ to register for the exam and then another 120$ to book the exam 40$ to write the Ethics exam then once that is all done and if I pass the CPNRE then I have to give them more money. Another 280$ for the CNO and another 115$ to the RPNAO. I have been looking for work like mad and was lied to by the college when they stated that we could apply for our temporary licensees (which is almost 400$) to work but our community hospital and nursing homes refuse to hire RPNs on a temp. It seem like a ton of money and I may not even have a job once this is all done! ( our community is very against RPN our hospital is just bringing them in to it and it' not pretty)

I am a 37 year old mum of three small children and thought taking the RPN over the BScN was a better choice because the BScN was a longer course and I felt like that would be to hard on my children at the time. Now I am feeling like that was a mistake. We have no bridging program here and to do on line you must work at a partnership hospital with the University.

As you can see I am all over the place I am scared confused and frustrated. I am wondering if this was all worth it at my age? I am wondering if I should return to school for the full time BScN program (mind you it will cost me!) ? Am I just freaking out cause the boards are next week? ugh I really don't know

[NotReady4PrimeTime, RN]

I think you're totally overwhelmed and confused. That's pretty common at this stage of the game. I don't think the College lied to you though. I believe what they told you is that you could apply for a temporary license so you could work while you were waiting to write the exam, not that you'd BE ABLE to work - as in find a job. Schools are very unrealistic when it comes to employment opportunities and the Colleges of nursing aren't any more up-to-date on what's really going on. I can totally empathize with you about having kids, bills and lots of stress on top of being the only breadwinner right out of the gate because I was in the same place when I graduated as an RN 23 years ago. It took me 5 months after I graduated to even find a casual position and 3 more years to get into a permanent. I worked short-term temporary for those years. But I DID get a job, I DID make it work and you can too. Your focus right now needs to be on the exam. Only worry about one thing at a time - things you can control, and try not to panic. Don't make any significant decisions while you're so stressed. We don't make good choices when we're too busy worrying about everything to think things through.

The situation in your local hospital is a turf war that will sort itself out over time. The staff mix scenario has been played out multiple times in every province. Change is difficult and uncomfortable if it's YOUR status quo that's being shaken up. If you look at it from the perspective of someone whose work place is changing without any consultation, with the fear of the unknown that accompanies that, it's easier to relate to where they're coming from. The nursing world is totally cyclical and eventually things settle down again. Write and PASS your exam. Then pound the pavement until you find a job. Don't plan to get into your perfect position right away, just concentrate on getting a pay cheque. Try not to add to your debt load until you've started whittling away at what you already owe. It will get better, but it's going to take time.

[canadianangel]

Thanks I think I really just needed to vent I am frustrated but know in the end it will all work out its just a matter of time. I am not afraid of not finding work its just finding work here in my community. Moving isn't a option for our family at this time. Thank you for taking the time to post here and hearing me out

[amymaebeth]

I totally hear you about the money! My school told us nothing about how much we would have to pay when we graduated, and to me a lot of those fees feel more like money grabs then anything else, and I was shocked to find out that I would have to pay another almost $1000 to become a nurse on top of all of my student debt. Was not impressed at all. But in my head I just keep repeating "you'll pass the exam, get a job and it will be great and you'll finally be a nurse" over and over lol.