Well, I made a promise to myself that I would post my experiences once I start LPN school so any potential student would know exactly "what it is like". Before I give you the run down of day 1 of my program, let me give you a little background on me and my program.
First, I'm 31, married, and the mother to four children ages 12, 8, 4, and 1. I'm taking a part time LPN program that alternates between 2-3 days a week for 22 months.
Well, I had class today from 8 to 2:30. The first hour or so we just went over the school handbook. We talked about absences, that you had to maintain an 80% to pass the course, uniforms, clinical experiences, etc. After that, we hit the books.
We are using the Foundations of Nursing book by Christensen. We covered chapter 1 today in class. Our teacher elaborated on the stuff she thought was really important about the history of nursing and just skimmed the stuff that wasn't that important. We started to work on chapter two (Legal Aspects in Nursing) and we watched a short video about patient rights. That took us until shortly after our lunch break.
From 1 to 2:30 we worked on medical terminology and important abbreviations we needed to know for nursing. At the end of class, we were told we would have a quiz just about every day. The quizes can be (on average), from 1 to 5 questions. So, I really have to study tonight.
Well, I have class both Tuesday and Wednesday as well this week. If I get a chance, I'll give all of you aspiring LPN students a run down as to what we did.
I hope this helps someone out there considering going to an LPN program. I know I always wanted to know "exactly what they did all day during an LPN program"!
Well, we had our test today on Communications and I got 100% Wahoo!!!! The test was 40 questions. I thought I did ok, but there were two questions that stumped me.
We finished going over the chapter on documentation today. We also watched a video on the importance of good documentation and how it deals with malpractice suits.
We also had a speaker from an agency that deals with the elderly.
That was about it for the day. I have to study for an anatomy quiz tonight and finish a math conversion sheet.
Today was my 3rd day in class. We had a 4 day weekend. Our first test was today on Ch. 1 about the nursing process, standards of care, and nurse practice act. Also stuff about Florence Nightengale. I was so nervous!! I got an 88%---2pts from an A! I really wanted that A! Still ok for the first test. We have a quiz tomorrow on medical terminology prefixes and then on Thursday we have our next exam on Ch. 3 which is HIPPA and Legal stuff. So far so good! I really love class! We have 2 pregnant girls in our class. One is due Next month and the other is due in July. They both have to come back to class as soon as they are released from the hospital....the day after.
Any new info here? Please don't give up on us! I love reading your posts.
Thanks...
Suzi-Q,
Thanks for keeping up on my posts. I'm glad they are helping everyone.
I'm not sure if you read another recent post of mine or not, but my nursing school classmate I sit with and do labs with, etc was killed on her way home from nursing school on Tuesday in a car accident. I wasn't aware of any of it until Wednesday morning when I got to school and overheard other classmates talking. Needless to say, I fell apart that day.
Class started at 8. We had a moment of silence for our lost classmate. We also decided as a class that we were going to take up a collection to help her family (she had a husband and three young kids at home).
From what I can remember of Wednesday (it is somewhat of a blur to me), we started working in our anatomy books that morning on basic microbiology. We also watched movies on aseptic technique. We also did a little work on math conversions. However, our morning was cut short when the grief counselors arrived to talk to us as a whole class and then anyone who wanted to talk to them personally (I did). After talking to the grief counselors, we felt it was better for me to go home since I needed some time to deal with what had happened. I left shortly after lunch. I was too upset to drive so my husband was called to come and get me and he brought my brother in law with him to drive my car home.
I don't have class again until Monday (I'm in a part time program). To tell all of you the truth, I'm considering not going back. Everyone tells me I need to go back and get back to some degree of normalcy, but I'm not sure I can. I keep feeling like maybe God is trying to tell me something. I have to travel a busy highway to school everyday and I'm afraid to now.
I'll keep you all posted as to my situation. I greatly appreciate all of the support all of you have provided. My friend's funeral is Saturday, so I'm hoping that will help me with closure.
If you want to read about my friend, you can read about her accident at this link. PLEASE, keep her family in your prayers.
Specializes in Addiction & Recovery, Community Health.
Marci,
Oh my god! I am so very, very sorry. My heart goes out to you, your class mates, and the girls family. I will be thinking of you, I promise.
Dear, sweet Marci, you must continue. Your friend would have wanted that, I have NO DOUBT. Try, as hard as it is, to look at the situation from the outside in, and you will see what I mean. You would be a loss to the nursing community and your friend would say that too. Do it in her honor and pay homage to her by finishing and being the nurse you were both meant to be! When you graduate you can dedicate it to her, her family would appreciate that.
I live in Corning NY, not far from PA, so I am familiar with your area. I know PA has some roads that I struggle with too. Please be carefull!
Oh my god! I am so very, very sorry. My heart goes out to you, your class mates, and the girls family. I will be thinking of you, I promise.
Dear, sweet Marci, you must continue. Your friend would have wanted that, I have NO DOUBT. Try, as hard as it is, to look at the situation from the outside in, and you will see what I mean. You would be a loss to the nursing community and your friend would say that too. Do it in her honor and pay homage to her by finishing and being the nurse you were both meant to be! When you graduate you can dedicate it to her, her family would appreciate that.
I live in Corning NY, not far from PA, so I am familiar with your area. I know PA has some roads that I struggle with too. Please be carefull!
Peace & Love,
Suzi
Suzi,
One of the saddest parts of this whole story is that three of my classmates were behind her that day. One witnessed the entire accident. He said they were about to go up a hill. She moved over to the left lane to pass the cars ahead of her. Just as she did, she hit some slush on the road (it had been snowing on and off all day) and her car slid sideways when she was hit by the Amerigas truck. My classmate said he doesn't think she ever saw the truck before she was hit. He thinks she was too busy trying to get her car back in her lane. He said he went to help but she was already gone.
Our other two classmates came upon the accident a minute or two later. Needless to say, I feel so bad for all of them.
They only reason my friend was rushing to get home was because we get out of school at 2:30 and she was trying to get home to take care of her kids since her husband was watching them and he needed to get to work as an LPN during the afternoon shift at a nursing home. She was only trying to get home.
Deep down inside, I know she would want me to go on. I'm just so afraid to drive. It takes me 35 minutes to get to school on a busy highway. I had to drive to Walmart today and I was so scared everytime I got anywhere near a semi-truck. My husband keeps telling me you can get into an accident 1 mile or 100 miles from home. It really doesn't matter. Accidents happen. I know he is right, but I'm still scared.
Thanks for all of your support. I really appreciate it.
Specializes in Addiction & Recovery, Community Health.
Holy cow, that is just tragic. Ugh! I am really feeling for you. Tears and all, and I did not even know this girl. But God, how awefull.
You will drive carefully now and that's part of the life lesson to be learned. You all will. Don't let this tragedy be in vain. (Don't pass on hills either.)
Right now I am planning on entering a community college, and doing pre req, a must before clinicals. Im in PA also and SUPER scared to drive on a main 4 lane highway by MYSELF. Really terrifying let alone what just happened to you! Hope you continue thru. Hoping I start LPN classes soon!
My thoughts and prayers are with you, your classmates, and the poor girls' family. How horrible a loss for everyone.
On school: It is hard, but CAN be done. We started with a class of 40 and graduated 27. The 13 we lost were mostly due to illness, (one was diagnosed with MS, another with lupus, and one had to have a hysterectomy), and various other reasons. I think we only lost 2 or 3 to grades. Tips for success: NEVER miss a class/clinical, ALWAYS ask a question if you don't understand, (no matter how "stupid" or "trivial" you may think it is), take notes until your hand cramps, rub out the cramp, and take more notes, and no matter how a unit nurse on a clinical acts, ASK THEM QUESTIONS ANYWAY. NEVER be shy about finding out something you don't know, or need clarification on. If they won't give you a good answer, ask someone else. My favorite question was "why?". Knowing the "why" goes a long way toward helping you understand something. On classmates: We started out as individuals in the same class, but soon began to "group" up and became each other's cheerleaders, coaches, shoulder to cry on, and study buddy. It helps them and you out at the same time. My little group (of 5) pulled, tugged, and pushed each other to finish school and graduate. I passed the NCLEX on the 1st try, and received my license on November 27, 2007. There will come a time, (or two, or three...) where you may feel like giving up because it's too much. DON'T!!!!! It's perfectly O.K. to have a good cry, (or two, or three...) but the key is to pull yourself up, wipe away the tears, and dive right back in. I've rambled enough. You all can and WILL do it!!! I look forward to your posts where you triumphantly declare...I PASSED THE NCLEX!!!!!!:balloons::yeah::balloons:
My thoughts and prayers are with you, your classmates, and the poor girls' family. How horrible a loss for everyone.
On school: It is hard, but CAN be done. We started with a class of 40 and graduated 27. The 13 we lost were mostly due to illness, (one was diagnosed with MS, another with lupus, and one had to have a hysterectomy), and various other reasons. I think we only lost 2 or 3 to grades. Tips for success: NEVER miss a class/clinical, ALWAYS ask a question if you don't understand, (no matter how "stupid" or "trivial" you may think it is), take notes until your hand cramps, rub out the cramp, and take more notes, and no matter how a unit nurse on a clinical acts, ASK THEM QUESTIONS ANYWAY. NEVER be shy about finding out something you don't know, or need clarification on. If they won't give you a good answer, ask someone else. My favorite question was "why?". Knowing the "why" goes a long way toward helping you understand something. On classmates: We started out as individuals in the same class, but soon began to "group" up and became each other's cheerleaders, coaches, shoulder to cry on, and study buddy. It helps them and you out at the same time. My little group (of 5) pulled, tugged, and pushed each other to finish school and graduate. I passed the NCLEX on the 1st try, and received my license on November 27, 2007. There will come a time, (or two, or three...) where you may feel like giving up because it's too much. DON'T!!!!! It's perfectly O.K. to have a good cry, (or two, or three...) but the key is to pull yourself up, wipe away the tears, and dive right back in. I've rambled enough. You all can and WILL do it!!! I look forward to your posts where you triumphantly declare...I PASSED THE NCLEX!!!!!!:balloons::yeah::balloons:
Thanks so much for this post, it really will help a lot! (I know it was directed at Marci but we all can learn a lesson)
MARCI!!
I know you will be scared driving and that (I think) is completely normal but you have got to go on!!
L&D_2b
506 Posts
Well, we had our test today on Communications and I got 100% Wahoo!!!! The test was 40 questions. I thought I did ok, but there were two questions that stumped me.
We finished going over the chapter on documentation today. We also watched a video on the importance of good documentation and how it deals with malpractice suits.
We also had a speaker from an agency that deals with the elderly.
That was about it for the day. I have to study for an anatomy quiz tonight and finish a math conversion sheet.
Take Care,
Marci