Just over 1 month into school, some observations

[Tony1790, BSN, MSN, NP]

Hello all,

Now we're past the one month point in the class, here's an observation.

1. Large class, starting to dwindle, started 85, now down to 70.

2. Diverse, ages from 17 to 62, 7 males, rest female

3. Most going to school via state program or job retraining

4. Grades vary widely, some are making 50's and 60's on their test scores, currently I'm making 98's to 100's. One gal from overseas is making all 100's, she is awesome, very hard working! I'm jealous of course, we all want to be perfect, no? But I'm glad someone has the ability to be perfect, I promise I'll try to do better

5. I'm hoping that I make it to the end (think I will), now if I can keep my grades up while working, I'd like to be on the honor graduate rolls (95% and above).

Good luck to all of the students out there, talk to ya later.

Tony (old man.....41 and holding)

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Thanks for sharing your observations.

Perhaps your your class size is dwindling rapidly due to the fact that most are enrolled via a state program or vocational retraining. I attended a private, very expensive LPN/LVN program where only 2 students were lost during the entire year. Of course, every student in attendance was funding their tuition with cash and student loans. Good luck to you!

[Tolle_lege]

I felt really competitive in theory class at the beginning of the year. My observation now is that theory is important but nursing is hands on and being a good nurse is about getting in there and communicating with your patient, not sticking your nose in a chart. This is something I learned personally over my last year of school

[Tony1790, BSN, MSN, NP]

I felt really competitive in theory class at the beginning of the year. My observation now is that theory is important but nursing is hands on and being a good nurse is about getting in there and communicating with your patient, not sticking your nose in a chart. This is something I learned personally over my last year of school

Amen,

While working as a PCT at the hospital, I'm trying to get the nurses to let me do as much as possible, so far it depends where I'm working. On my regular floor not much I can do as they mainly pass meds, etc. But down in the ICU, there are a lot more gadgets and dressings that need to be done and the nurses there are awesome about explaining things and letting you do things under their guidance, dressing changes etc. Pretty neat, but I'm a student (easily thrilled).

Right now we are building our base of knowledge and will be starting clinicals soon, trying to put classroom knowledge into practice.

Good luck to all the students, may you pass with flying colors.

Tony

p.s. Our minimum passing score is an 81 for the courses, so it doesn't matter if you make an 81 or 101 you still pass, same/same. Just don't make an 80 or below! It's just human nature to try to learn as much as possible and do your best no matter what, or at least that's the way I see it.

[mrsraisinkain]

Thanks for sharing your observations.

Perhaps your your class size is dwindling rapidly due to the fact that most are enrolled via a state program or vocational retraining. I attended a private, very expensive LPN/LVN program where only 2 students were lost during the entire year. Of course, every student in attendance was funding their tuition with cash and student loans. Good luck to you!

I attend a private school (with one big price tag) and we lost about 15 people in our first term - 9 of them being to A&P!! The people who have to retake that one class are doing so to the tune of $1000. Holy moly I'm glad I passed that course the first time!!!

[mrsraisinkain]

I felt really competitive in theory class at the beginning of the year. My observation now is that theory is important but nursing is hands on and being a good nurse is about getting in there and communicating with your patient, not sticking your nose in a chart. This is something I learned personally over my last year of school

Yup! Some of the people with the best grades in my class are afraid to touch a patient. They may be able to pass the didactic class but they can bet their sweet bums they won't pass clinicals. And if they do... (because I'm learning that such things happen) let's just say I won't want to work with these people.

Can you believe we actually have one person in our LPN class that says he can't wait to be an RN... so he can sit at the desk and do paperwork all the time?!?!?!

Tony, best of luck to you and thanks for sharing.. and watch the old man stuff. MY old man is older than you and I don't like to think of him like that