Introductions:"New" and "Old" Students.

Fern22 · Jan 9, 2005

Hi, I just found this website and it seems really helpful already! I'm in year 3/4 of a BSN program. I'm taking it 1 week at a time

reipie · Jan 10, 2005

Hello. I'm 27 yrs old, married with 2 kids (10 yrs and 16 months old). I am starting pre-nursing school this Thursday Jan. 13, 2005. I may take me a while to get to the actual 2 yr RN program but I am working on it I have alot of pre-req's and going part-time.

HUgs!

onmywaytolpn · Jan 11, 2005

Hello,

My name is Angie, I am 38, have 4 children and started a diploma LPN program in August. My goal is to work as a LPN for a few years and bridge to RN then get a specialty in LandD/Newborn care.

:nurse: :nurse:

I love school and feel this is the best thing I could have done in my life. I have thought about it for years. My husband supported the idea and so here I am. Not the oldest but I sure feel like it sometimes...

:balloons:

Starting my second semester and think it is still great.

betsy2006 · Jan 15, 2005

Hi Everyone! My name is Betsy, I'm 21 years old, no kids, not married, and in semester 3 of a 6 semester BSN program. I love it, occasionally have my doubts (I worry about everything!), but can't wait to graduate (December 2006)! Good luck to everyone this semester!

Betsy

Regina66 · Jan 16, 2005

Hi. I am Regina. I am 38, married, no children. One very happy poodle... :) I am trying to get into nursing school. My husband was taken out of work in June 2004 due to a back injury and he is trying to get Disability started. I am trying to support us until that happens on very little money. I just found out yesterday that I cant get a Pell Grant. :crying2: I am very upset. I have all of my basic classes except 2. I really need to go back to school to help support us. I am not going to give up, but I am a little disgusted. Just needed to vent...thanks

Aquamarine · Jan 16, 2005

Hi Regina, I am almost 58, so you are certainly not too old in my book to do this! First of all, I also counted on a pell grant also but there is only so much Pell you can get in your lifetime, I do not know if it is for a Assoc, degree, or in your lifetime in general. I think maybe if it was a degree of higher education like a BA maybe but not sure...anyhow, I was really really counting on it and I do not qualify anymore. I went to school 20 yrs. ago and I guess I used it up! Well, you know now there is always plan #2 when #1 fails.I borrowed everything and anything I could.

I also had a few snags to get through with that, they said I did not pay back an old school loan which was not the case. My daughter passed away in '92 and they wrote off a school loan I had for her but in my name, their idea...not mine and I guess it is a rule or something. In anycase, these are just little snags in your plan, not roadblocks.... Just to keep your a little stressed (when you really do not need it) but it won't kill you.

Can you borrow school loans? Then you really have to be successful. You are going for RN right? There is no federal subsidy for LPN schools here. It costs double to go through the LPN program here then it does for RN school, and LPN school is 18 months, RN school is 2 yrs. with summers off. RN money is almost double LPN pay.... so go for the gold.

Do you know why you cannot get a Pell grant? Is it because your husband worked last year? If it is you can fill out a form in financial aid office appealing their decision, attach some paperwork if you can, make a copy of anything you send...describing the "change of circumstances"....make it good and dramatic! Otherwise, just borrow school loans to cover you and make sure you make it so you can pay it back within a few years. With the overtime that is available now You should be able to do it in a few yrs. after graduation... if you work just one extra day a week. No one said it would be easy.

I had it all planned, my money saved and I decided to leave my lazy husband and move back into my house in another city. I had tenants that were angry that they had to move and destroyed my place and all the money I saved have to go for repairs and I did a lot of the work myself. I had to find weekend jobs so I could travel everyday to school...it is a real pain but now only 5 months to go. I could not let anything stand in my way if it kills me.

Then the lazy guy said he would carry my health insurance and decided he changed his mind, cut me off without telling me. Maybe he is a little jealous that I have the energy and brains to do something other than lay on the couch, eat and watch TV. He did me a favor because I happen to find out how to get my medications for free for up to a year and my old hospital gave me a discount of 90% for any hospitalizations or treatment of any kind I may need for Jan. to March, I will have to have another plan for after that but only have to worry about Apr. May and June because by then I should be working somewhere, and something will work out in the end. I will have the boards in Aug or Sept and then I am on my way.

Do not let anything stand in your way because you can figure out a way. In the end you will have practice at not only being a nurse but working it all out under stress...so then stress will be something familiar that you can deal with, not a wall that stops you from doing what you want to do.

I always say turn those lemons into lemonade while you can, don't let any grass grow under your feet either...get going and make calls, aske questions and the answer will come.

Good luck...let me know if you need to know anything that I might be able to help you with. Nancy

NoWayNovember · Jan 17, 2005

What a great thread!

My name is Linzi and I recently married my high school sweetheart! We're both 23 and reside in Kansas City, MO. I am currently seeking my ADN (I start on Thursday), and once I get my RN license, I'll pursue my BSN. :)

Ginyer · Jan 19, 2005

Hi, Im Ginyer. Im 22, not married, no children. Im working about 26 hours a week. I just started my first semester of nursing school. I graduate in Dec 06 with my associates and my BSN will be completed May of 07. Just taking things a day at a time over here.

Ginyer

CNM-to-be · Jan 21, 2005

I'm Ashley, 26, mom to 3 boys and wife to their dad, Jack. I started nursing school in August of '02. I completed the first semester and then had to drop out a few weeks into the spring semester d/t severe hyperemesis I had w/ my suprise 3rd pregnancy. I was readmitted to the program this semester...we started 2 weeks ago. This is my 2nd semester of a 5 semester ADN program.

I am currently a La Leche League Leader, a certified childbirth educator, and a labor doula. My goal is to complete my RN, pursue an RN-BSN bridge degree, and then enroll in the CNM program at Frontier Nursing School for my MSN. One day. Baby steps, right?

I'm glad to have found this place!

~Ashley

hopefulhannah · Jan 22, 2005

I am in my 2nd semester of an ADN program and to be honest, I don't really know what to say about it!! I mean, it is all so overwhelming. I have to laugh because I can't believe that I had myself convinced that the 2nd semester would be "easier" than the 1st! :rotfl: It is a good kind of hard and I really shouldn't complain. I have a wonderful family and I know they all feel as though we are going through this program together. I have learned to "prioritize" my stressors..imagine that. I think other than basic training, this is the most "focused" I have been in my life. I love this website..incredibly enlightening and entertaining and helpfull all in one!

chell2005 · Jan 23, 2005

Hi Love-A-Nurse!

Nice to meet you! I am 32 and currently work as a medical asst. I am looking forward to hopefully starting a nursing program next fall and I was wondering what like and dislike about being a LPN and why you've chosen to become a RN?

Aquamarine · Jan 23, 2005

Ashley...

You are right about the baby steps, as long as you keep yourself pointed in the same direction. I think the idea that the detour did not stop you is an indication of how far you will go.I think you will make an awesome nurse.My best experience as a student was in Labor and delivery and it was because of a great L&D nurse. I will be done in May'05. All of our clinicals are in a hospital where everyone is basically in their 80's, I did good and I loved the patient's, you wish you could take some of them home. But when I got to L&D it was all about "life" and I found that facinating. I loved the newborn nursery although not all of the stories are "happily ever after" stories. Whenever I got a break a ran to the nursery and when the end of the day was over I wanted to stay longer. The nurse I had in L&D was the perfect model of a nurse.

Good luck to you and your family too, they will all love seeing you walk across that stage. Nancy

I'm Ashley, 26, mom to 3 boys and wife to their dad, Jack. I started nursing school in August of '02. I completed the first semester and then had to drop out a few weeks into the spring semester d/t severe hyperemesis I had w/ my suprise 3rd pregnancy. I was readmitted to the program this semester...we started 2 weeks ago. This is my 2nd semester of a 5 semester ADN program.
I am currently a La Leche League Leader, a certified childbirth educator, and a labor doula. My goal is to complete my RN, pursue an RN-BSN bridge degree, and then enroll in the CNM program at Frontier Nursing School for my MSN. One day. Baby steps, right?
I'm glad to have found this place!
~Ashley