lives in Dallas,depends on bus equals I'll never be a lvn :( what can I do?

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I ride the bus and train every where Meaning lots of limitations. People share their story how they had to drive hours to school. ..,as if I'm suppose to be moved when I wish I could afford a car on my low cna wage. I would drive anywhere if I could.

For months I tried to figure things out. El centro requies you to pass their entrance test which includes a&p and math! Usually schools have you learn a&p once in not before :/

And you have till the 15th to apply and have all thats needed. So thats out since its around the corner and sounds hard just to go into the program.

Dni or dallas nursing insitute is very expensive! 27,300 just for the lvn program sounds like a scam. Many of these schools use to be affordable,but decide to increase over time.

Other affordable schools are far away where buses don't run and no train in sight.

IM trapped and I can't be a lvn due to these reasons. I know two people who have cars and willing to go to lvn school,but refuse to drive far for it. Even when I offered to help with gas,so once I find a school by miracle im not telling either because if I had a car I would drive 5 hours if needed for example, but 2 hours are just too much for them :sour:

I live near north park mall. I offer maybe 30$ month in gas since it would benefit them since there headed that way away (I dont make much,but they both make nearly 14 at their jobs vs my 8.

Uber and taxi would land me in the homeless shelter.

Any ideas?

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Specializes in Neuro, Telemetry.

Honestly, I don't think you truly have the heart for it yet. I don't mean this to offend, but are you seriously upset by an entrance exam requiring A&P? Take an A&P class at a community college and then take the entrance exam. The reason the other schools are expensive and don't require an entrance exam like that is probably because they will take anyone with the money whether they will pass or not. If you think an entrance exam is too hard and not worth studying far, it doesn't bode well for you actually passing a nursing course.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
I dont make much,but they both make nearly 14 at their jobs vs my 8.

You need a new job that pays more. I live in the same metro area as you and haven't heard of any CNAs earning $8/hr in many years. $8 is minimum wage.

The CNAs at my workplace start at $12. They all rent their own apartments and drive used cars that were either purchased with cash or are being financed with low payments. To make ends meet, some work a second gig as a home health aide or hospice CNA for the flexible hours.

I've been in this area for the past 10 years. If you are not earning at least $11/hourly, you are selling yourself short. My advice is to find another job that will pay you what you are worth. Then, if possible, get a second job and save your money.

Good luck to you!

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Honestly, I don't think you truly have the heart for it yet. I don't mean this to offend, but are you seriously upset by an entrance exam requiring A&P? Take an A&P class at a community college and then take the entrance exam. The reason the other schools are expensive and don't require an entrance exam like that is probably because they will take anyone with the money whether they will pass or not. If you think an entrance exam is too hard and not worth studying far, it doesn't bode well for you actually passing a nursing course.

I agree with you I don't have the heart for it,but I do have the soul for it. Many nurses I met are heartless but because they passed paper and books I guess they have the heart. My mom was a lvn before falling ill and if it wasnt for the nursing instructor back in the day giving her 4 chances to pass pharmacology she would have never been a nurse. She was so loved by residents she always got offers for private duty, and was the only lvn making 50 a hour when other nurses complained about the work load. I also studied nursing and before colleges and trade schools became all about draining you dry of funds people learned on the job! Even long ago many tech jobs didnt require a license. Residents know im job hunting for a few dollars more,but I stayed there with them. I didn't think it was professional,but they begged and now some call me for comfort. So yes I don't have the heart aka a organ,but I do have the soul for it. Rn wise I have a year worth of pre reqs and since I almost became homeless meaning not focusing on my studies I failed a&p,so for now temp looking into lvn. Also those trade schools take your money and loans,but its not easy people tell me they pray ect

A nurse from another country, from another state,college or trade school are all nurses equally. My mom went to a trade school and they liked her so much she was making RN income.

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You need a new job that pays more. I live in the same metro area as you and haven't heard of any CNAs earning $8/hr in many years. $8 is minimum wage.

The CNAs at my workplace start at $12. They all rent their own apartments and drive used cars that were either purchased with cash or are being financed with low payments. To make ends meet, some work a second gig as a home health aide or hospice CNA for the flexible hours.

I've been in this area for the past 10 years. If you are not earning at least $11/hourly, you are selling yourself short. My advice is to find another job that will pay you what you are worth. Then, if possible, get a second job and save your money.

Good luck to you!

Whoo never heard of a aide making 12! Im going to a job fair in a few hours. Silverado is having one today. Some aides make 9 and it sucks because we still have bills. I wish I could get a second job,but after leaving by bus I risk being late. Thank you I hope I get hired somewhere today at this job fair.

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.

Thread moved to Pre-Nursing for best reply.

Good luck with the Job Fair.

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Specializes in Neuro, Telemetry.
I agree with you I don't have the heart for it,but I do have the soul for it. Many nurses I met are heartless but because they passed paper and books I guess they have the heart. My mom was a lvn before falling ill and if it wasnt for the nursing instructor back in the day giving her 4 chances to pass pharmacology she would have never been a nurse. She was so loved by residents she always got offers for private duty, and was the only lvn making 50 a hour when other nurses complained about the work load. I also studied nursing and before colleges and trade schools became all about draining you dry of funds people learned on the job! Even long ago many tech jobs didnt require a license. Residents know im job hunting for a few dollars more,but I stayed there with them. I didn't think it was professional,but they begged and now some call me for comfort. So yes I don't have the heart aka a organ,but I do have the soul for it. Rn wise I have a year worth of pre reqs and since I almost became homeless meaning not focusing on my studies I failed a&p,so for now temp looking into lvn. Also those trade schools take your money and loans,but its not easy people tell me they pray ect

A nurse from another country, from another state,college or trade school are all nurses equally. My mom went to a trade school and they liked her so much she was making RN income.

So you completely missed my point and then rambled on about things that have nothing to do with this conversation. Nursing is school is hard. Nursing is harder. Nurses now a days have so much more required of them then they did even 10 years ago. Credible nursing schools have an entrance exam requirement of some kind. I would be weary of the ones that don't because it usually means they don't have strict requirements for entry. If they don't care who enters the school, how do you know they will care about your education? How does your mom getting 4 chances to pass a course have anything to do with your current lack of effort? What does her income matter to me? I am not talking about any of that. I am talking about your lack of heart (no not the organ). If nursing is truly your passion and you have the soul for it as you say, then you would study for the entrance exam at the school you have access to. You have given up without actually even trying. You are blaming others unwillingness to travel for not going to school. You are blaming a "hard" entrance exam for not being able to get accepted. None of this shows that you have the necessary will power to pass a nursing course because you will face situations much harder then transportation or an easy (compared to nursing exams) entrance exam in school and as a nurse. If nursing is truly your passion you would be finding a way to make it happen. Not coming here and griping.

Your only option, as you said, is to go to the nursing school in town that has a more difficult entry requirement. So instead of complaining, study for the entrance exam. Pass it. And go to nursing school. You quite literally asked what to do. That is what to do. If you just wanted to be coddled, then this was the wrong place to look.

And side note, yes $8 is terrible for a CNA. For a caregiver maybe. But CNA no. $8/hr is lower then the bottom 10% range for CNA pay in your area. If you absolutely must take the easy way into nursing school, get a job that pays more and make the drive.

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Second the suggestion that you keep up your effort to find better jobs. In my general area, I have seen, or known, CNA pay anywhere from $14 to $18 an hour, even $20 an hour or more, for that infrequent private duty job. There are CNAs who earn more than LVNs. Home health aides/CNAs who work in the home setting start at a minimum of $10/hour and average $12 an hour. You need to look for the better employers. Don't be afraid to look for private duty listings placed by private clients, as they usually pay the best. Good luck.

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I believe El Centro will pay for your bus pass as long as you take 6 credit hours. Have you looked into that. If cna isn't paying enough try finding a job doing something else that pays a bit more. I too live in the Dallas area and know most places only pay 9.50-10.00 starting off. You could also study at home for your med aide, they make a little more.

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