In NJ and want to become a nurse...but totally confused!!

pagandeva2000, LPN · Jul 30, 2008

It depends on where you live regarding the hiring of LPNs in hospitals. My area still utilizes LPNs in hospitals. I am curious to know if this will continue as more hospitals apply for Magnet Status, but for now, we are still working. Some may limit where they can actually work, or have stipulations on what skills they can perform. For example, my hospitals does use LPNs in labor and delivery, but (don't know for sure) they may be limited regarding what skills they do. They also work in places like ICU, Stepdown, but it is primarily to administer medications and do things under our scope of practice.

Most people apply for LPN programs rather than traditional RN programs because of the highly competitive scenerio and limited available seats, long waiting lists, etc. They get their foot in the door and from there, may apply for bridge programs or on line programs to complete their RN degrees.

In regards to the tolerance of body fluids, well, it depends on how interested you are in nursing. For most, after initial exposure, they learn to tolerate it very well. It never bothered me, but I would see new nursing students faint or get a bit hairy until they become more accustomed to it.

agldragonRN · Jul 30, 2008

welcome!

it is going to take 5+ years in new jersey to become an rn if you are starting from scratch.

1.5-2 years - prerequisites

+

1-2 years - waiting list

+

2 years nursing classes.

my first plan was to be an rn that is why i did my prerequisites in a comunity college but they kept putting me on a "waiting" lists. so i got discouraged and left the college. i took a semester off, then i realized i must do something with my life, i cannot be a tech forever, nothing wrong with being a tech but that is not me.

so i found the 15-month lpn program and told myself i would give it a shot. i took the entrance test and said to myself if i don't get in, i would join the army. haha. i was serious though.

good thing i was accepted and i was surprised to find out that 400 people took the entrance test and they only accepted 30 of us who got the highest scores. this is a public school and cheap that is why many people applied. it is is easier to get in if you go private.

anyway, here i am, a nurse, and making good money. and yes expect not to get hired in hospitals anymore because hospitals don't want us anymore, at least here in central nj. that is okay though because there a lot of places to work for outside of hospitals.

don't worry about the bodily fluids, feces, and all those "good" stuff. you don't have to be comfortable with them because all you need is to learn how to tolerate it. i am still uncomfortable with them but i just do it because it comes with the job.

lastly, there are several lpn-rn bridge programs here in central nj. if you have all your prerequisites, you just need one summer plus 2 semesters then you'll be eligible for the rn exam.

good luck, future nurse!

angel

pixieshmoo · Jul 30, 2008

My goodness, I'm even more confused!!! A waiting list that is 2 years long? Are you kidding me?! Yet everywhere you look, there aren't enough RNs anymore, it's one of the biggest shortages in healthcare!!! So why the long wait then?!?!?!

One thing confused me about what you said though. You said you took all of your pre-requisites at community college and then were put on a waiting list. But can't you complete your entire nursing degree in a community college? I know that Passaic/Sussex counties, Morris and Essex all offer Associates degree programs in nursing (RN). Maybe I misunderstood, but I was under the assumption, you enroll and if you're lucky enough to get accepted, you just go there and that's it. Yes, you might have to take extra courses if you're starting from scratch but it's all in the same school. Maybe I'm wrong though, like I said, the more I research the more confused I become.

Thank you for your help though!!

pagandeva2000, LPN · Jul 30, 2008

Sometimes, what happens is if there is a limited amount of seats and too many applicants, they either have a waiting list or the school will only allow you to apply for candidacy a certain amount of times. I live in New York, and the community colleges are highly competitive. They may have 60 seats available and the students that earn the highest GPAs are the ones that get in. Therefore, it is not enough, in many cases to just pass the classes. You may have to pass HIGH. No C+, it must be B+ or A (and not too many Bs, either). The school I attended allowed people to apply for candidacy twice. If not accepted after those two times, you can never apply again, but can transfer your credits elsewhere to try there. Some people transfer around and repeat the courses they earned lower grades in to boost the GPA. It is a mess, really. But, if you want it, you do what you have to do, and this is one of the reasons why many begin with the LPN programs.

pixieshmoo · Jul 30, 2008

Pagandeva,

You are a big help, thank you. Considering we're both in the same metro area I figure a lot of what you tell me probably applies to NJ as well. I'm quite shocked to read what you've typed however. I cannot believe that there is such a huge demand for nurses because of such a shortage, yet no one can get into school!! The projected job outcome for the future (I think 2016) is astronomical for nursing...which is a good thing; however, how do they propose that when they're barely letting anyone in?! I completely understand that you'd like to take the higher grades over the lower, obviously that's rather appealing to the eye. However, with that said, being 34 years old, I'm well aware that just because someone tests well, doesn't mean they can apply that knowledge to life just as well. And vice versa. People don't always know their best way of studying, everyone has different study habits, so just because someone doesn't test well on paper, does not mean they will fail at applying their knowledge in real life!! Crazy. And what really gets me is what you said about certain colleges only allowing one or two enrollment tries. If you're willing to pay the application fee and keep trying, then why do they have the right to turn you away, especially if they have openings?

agldragonRN · Jul 30, 2008

my goodness, i'm even more confused!!! a waiting list that is 2 years long? are you kidding me?! yet everywhere you look, there aren't enough rns anymore, it's one of the biggest shortages in healthcare!!! so why the long wait then?!?!?!
one thing confused me about what you said though. you said you took all of your pre-requisites at community college and then were put on a waiting list. but can't you complete your entire nursing degree in a community college? i know that passaic/sussex counties, morris and essex all offer associates degree programs in nursing (rn). maybe i misunderstood, but i was under the assumption, you enroll and if you're lucky enough to get accepted, you just go there and that's it. yes, you might have to take extra courses if you're starting from scratch but it's all in the same school. maybe i'm wrong though, like i said, the more i research the more confused i become.
thank you for your help though!!

yes it is all in the same school. you are better off getting a bsn because it would take you 4 years to complete without wait of course. of course, you can get your lpn first then work on your rn later. that way you will be earning a pretty decent amount of money while you're pursuing your rn.

the reason why they only accept few people in the program is simply because there are not enough nursing instructors around. they would take a pay cut as an instructor.

shannon_LPN · Jul 30, 2008

OMG I can so relate to you! I became a LPN in Oct. 07. I'll be 38 on Sunday. I primarily became a nurse after watching my Dad slowly die from liver disease (He passed 2/23/08) I went through the same things you are contemplating now. I even turned down LPN school the year before when I applied for RN and all the openings were taken. I thought, if I cant be a RN, Im not doing it! I finally decided at my age, and with two younger kids and a difficult husband, I should start whereever the good Lord leads me, hence LPN school. My class worked mostly in a nursing home for clinicals, and I told myself, "I'll never work in a nursing home! Its too depressing, not enough experience, etc, etc, etc" Well, when I got my license, it just so happens our local hospital was not hiring LPN's at the time, so I had no choice but to work at a nursing home. Believe it or not, it has been a tremendous blessing to me! I get paid $4 more than the hospital, and lately our nursing home is being blessed with alot of acute care patients. Most of the 'old-time' nurses (those who have been nurses a long time) c/o all the IV's, g-tubes, irrigations, mental health, dressing changes, etc. that we have all the sudden, but for me it's a dream. My biggest fear of working in a nursing home was losing what I learned in school d/t lack of everyday experience. I learn something new everyday. Aside from that, Im also learning how to deal with death (in a nursing home you tend to get attached to people more) and because the staff is mostly made up of LPN's, you are the CHARGE NURSE:yeah: I know I dont have any other job to compare my experience to, but Im so thankful I became a LPN first. I might not have the title or experience (not to downgrade my RN's sisters :yeah: ), but I have confidence and faith that I'm serving a purpose to those whose look forward to seeing me and trust in my care every day. I hope to go on as an RN someday as well. Good luck to you and your decision:bow:

Dixiee

shannon_LPN · Jul 30, 2008

OOPS! forgot to add something....................

Doctors offices dont pay as much, and there's not as much experience. I too had a "weak" stomach before I became a nurse. Blood made me want to faint. My nursing instructor told me after first semester evals that between my being too scared to do anything and my tender heart, she did not think I'd make it through school. But I had the desire to help others.......it took awhile, but now that kind of stuff doesnt bother me. The first time experience of anything will make you nervous (hell, shake you to the core), but the more you do it, the better you get. I could hardly give an IM shot when I first started working, and even though I still feel a twinge of fear whenever Im fixing to dart a 1 1/2' needle in a muscle, I do it now with more confidence than I did in school. Sorry for rambling, but when I read your post, I felt like I was listening to my own doubts just 2 years ago!

Dix

firecoins · Jul 30, 2008

nursing school has a long waiting list due to a shortage od nursing educators.

Nursing is not the only healthcare career. There are others you can train in and work as while getting your RN. Careers such paramedic, respitory therapist and surgical tech.

pagandeva2000, LPN · Jul 31, 2008

Pagandeva,
You are a big help, thank you. Considering we're both in the same metro area I figure a lot of what you tell me probably applies to NJ as well. I'm quite shocked to read what you've typed however. I cannot believe that there is such a huge demand for nurses because of such a shortage, yet no one can get into school!! The projected job outcome for the future (I think 2016) is astronomical for nursing...which is a good thing; however, how do they propose that when they're barely letting anyone in?! I completely understand that you'd like to take the higher grades over the lower, obviously that's rather appealing to the eye. However, with that said, being 34 years old, I'm well aware that just because someone tests well, doesn't mean they can apply that knowledge to life just as well. And vice versa. People don't always know their best way of studying, everyone has different study habits, so just because someone doesn't test well on paper, does not mean they will fail at applying their knowledge in real life!! Crazy. And what really gets me is what you said about certain colleges only allowing one or two enrollment tries. If you're willing to pay the application fee and keep trying, then why do they have the right to turn you away, especially if they have openings?

There will not be openings, because, for example, if they have 30 seats, they will take the 30 highest GPAs and they will be filled quickly. What can happen is this; say for example that the highest scores for a semester average a B+...they will start with the highest score application and go from there until they fill the 30 seats. If someone chooses to drop out, then, they will call from the list of who was highest after that. Those that were rejected will have a letter that will say that they would be #25 on the list, which means that there were 24 others that didn't get accepted that they would have to go through before getting to your name, provided that some of the ones that were accepted dropped out. It usually doesn't happen, but occasionally, about 5 seats open up this way. It does depend on the school requirements, for the most part, but RN programs are very hard to get into for community colleges; which is why many apply for private colleges (much more expensive, though).

Since it was never an interest of mine to become an RN, I don't get emotional about it, but I see the torture of some of my friends that are trying to apply.

Swunderers · Aug 20, 2008

New Jersey has 33 public and 24 private schools, colleges and universities. Among them is Princeton University, which, established in 1746, remains one of the oldest universities in the United States. The job outlook for nursing professionals is good. In fact, nursing is the largest, and most in demand sector of the health care industry, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov. More new jobs are expected to be created for registered nurses than for any other occupation in the coming decade.

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Swunderers

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