I am getting ready to finish my pre-reqs to finally apply to the RN program at the city college however the closer I get to applying I'm realizing that it could be years till I become an RN. The waiting list is outrageous everywhere. I have done my homework and called about every city college in California that offers an RN program and all but one have a 3 to 4 year wait. Lately I have been thinking about just becoming an LVN while I wait to be accepted into the RN program however I am a little confused and I'm not exactly sure if that's the right thing to do.
Is there anyone out there who became an LVN first while they waited to be accepted into the RN program? I would love to hear from you. I definitely need some advice as I find myself getting discouraged at times.
If you're taking a manual blood pressure, then you should get an even number reading, since manual gauges are marked in even numbers. With automatic cuffs, it's a different story.
yeah autos show any number, but manual cuffs wherever the needle stops is the number, so if you think it stopped in between 102 and 104 you read it as 103. You dont round off on BP numbers. Or your not supposed to anyway.
The point is lpns/cnas have many bad habits that teachers need to break. Thats fine but dont insist the way you do something at YOUR hospital as a cna is the right way and, the way the teacher teaches to do it is wrong. Its rude, and frankly pretty stupid to **** off the person who will be grading you.
I agree with the first post by Malefocker - it depends on what area you are in California. Multiple community colleges in the San Diego area have made the gradual switch to the point system. Once they established that, I took the TEAS and applied with my 4.0 pre-req GPA and was accepted. But grades are only a part of it - there is your TEAS scores, past healthcare-realted experience, 2nd language (if you have it), even evidence of 'life hardships.'
Before writing it off and just going for the LVN, you should check into the schools in your area to find out if they are really going 100% off of a waitlist.
Plus, it's true - LVNs are slowly being done away with in the hospital settings and it might be hard for you to find a job.
yeah autos show any number, but manual cuffs wherever the needle stops is the number, so if you think it stopped in between 102 and 104 you read it as 103. You dont round off on BP numbers. Or your not supposed to anyway.
The point is lpns/cnas have many bad habits that teachers need to break. Thats fine but dont insist the way you do something at YOUR hospital as a cna is the right way and, the way the teacher teaches to do it is wrong. Its rude, and frankly pretty stupid to **** off the person who will be grading you.
I was always taught and have always taught that manual BPs are always even numbers. We had one Adjunct Faculty member saying "wrong", but yet another saying "right". The full-time faculty finally agreed--manual is even only. Is this such a big deal?
No, I really think that after all these years that it's just a power grab--a way to fluster students. My advice is don't sweat the small stuff. We made it through Fundamentals, which basically gets you at least to the CNA level. The LVN/LPNs are going to start getting lost with pharmacology and drug calculations.
In Paramedic school this was the big drop-off. I you can't hack the math then you just aren't going to make it through. I've taught drug math and fireground hydraulics (yes, firefighters need to know math) and I can attest to there being the hard way of doing things and the easy way. I recommend learning/finding the best method that works for you.
If RN school doesn't work for you for some reason, initially, then maybe becoming an LVN/LPN first is a good idea.
In EMS everbody becomes a Basic EMT first (same hours of training as a CNA). Then some become EMT Intermediates (same hours of training as an LVN/LPN). But, then others go straight through to Paramedic (same hours of training as RN). If the hands-on is not coming natural for you then I would recommend getting more experience. If that means getting an LVN first then go for it.
Some of us just take to patient care naturally, but others don't.
phatso
7 Posts
Why do you guys keep saying no jobs for LVNs? You mean no jobs in hospitals? This I know about. Or like no jobs even in LTC or whatever??