LPN schools...just a business

[Danish]

Does anyone else have this feeling?

I have been going to college for 6 years now (off & on b/c of 2 pregnancies). I completed all of my BSN prereqs and had a looooong wait list. I decided instead of waiting, to attend a Tech school for LPN so that I could work in the meantime and gain some experience.

I started out loving the school, the program, the instructors, even most of my classmates...HOWEVER, things have changed for the worse. Half of the class has NO business being in the medical field (not to be rude, but some of them are just plain dumb) We had a student in class say that as a home health aid she gave drugs to "retarted kids" she said she gave "Ridle" (I know its ritalin, Im just repeating what she said :)) Then, someone today said that you put sardine juice on measles! I mean come on....The instructors do everything they can to hold their hands and walk them through just to pass the semester by the skin of their teeth! We spend half the class amusing ourselves with stupid comments and jokes throughout the semester. I have never been in a college course like this.

We are interrupted during lecture to be told that we can be put in a drawing for sending our friends to sign up for the program and to be told that we cannot wear our jackets over our uniforms in class. The lady who teaches the Pharm tech class in the next room will just bang on the wall very loudly if we are not quiet (the walls are thin). And we have a window to the hallway so that the salesmen, I mean admissions counselors can give tours of the class and it is distracting. Then, today, we had to watch about 2 hours of videos sitting on the floor b/c there are no chairs in the video room. My butt was numb!

In their defense, the do have a 100% pass rate for the 2 classes that have taken the NCLEX from my campus.

Should I just keep my mouth shut and go with the flow or do you think this is a rediculous as I do?

[Danish, MSN, APRN, NP]

I'm glad someone had the same feeling as I did going through private school. There were only about 5 of us out of 28 that were sane and had a brain!

There was major cheating each test until finally I went off and talked to the director about it. Our instructor was blind to it all. She finally rearranged seating, but come on-this is nursing school for adults, not grade school!

There was one student that refused to follow the dress code and wore black shoes to clinical. After having the nurses there question it, somehow the director found out about it and wrote her up. Then the next week she cheated by going into the bathroom to look up some answer's in the middle of the exam and was caught. She was kicked out of school - FINALLY! But now she's sueing the school! And this woman was 45 at least! She was constantly testing every rule!

I was in shock everyday what these students would try to get away with.

I got so tired of the lack of respect and the rudeness at clinical's and the cussing, dirty uniforms etc. But I graduated the end of Dec. and it was hard but I had to look beyond the immaturity and know probably 1/3 will not pass the NCLEX. Good thing because I wouldn't trust them as my nurse!

By the way, I had completed all but physiology for RN pre-req. at the local Jr. College but the wait list was 2 yrs! So I put out $18,000 to go here. The year was long but worth it in the long run. Took NCLEX 2/26 and just waiting for results.

Hang in there!

Thanks! Good luck!

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

I suspect that there is cheating in all programs, no matter public or private schools. I have also seen the rude behaviour and inconsiderate students, also. I stayed to myself the whole time I was in school because I hated the competitive situations between the students and even the professors. I am glad that the nightmare is over and was able to move on in life. I only keep in contact with two classmates, and never wish to see most of my classmates again. It was rough, but, now, with the opportunities that became available to me, I can say that I am glad I did it, but would never go back to school to pursue a degree. I would take classes for my own development and interests. The stress was too much and I am still smarting from it.

[dschueler]

Ridiculous :)

[caliotter3]

Too bad there are not more private RN programs out there. At least it would provide a better option for some.

[dschueler]

Agreed!!!

Ditto!!!

[Danish, MSN, APRN, NP]

Sad, but true. Im still maintaining close to 100% with 5 months left. I love love love clinicals though. 5 more weeks and we step up to 3 clinical days a week. Then it will get a lot easier to handle. We are down from 25 to 18 students though. Weeding out some that cant cut it. There are still some people in the class that are trying really hard, but I am afraid wont make it.

We just had a new group of first semester students come in and it looks like the same kind of split of students. About 20% of them (from just hearing them talk in the breakroom and appearance) are way out of their league. Then again, you cant judge a book by its cover. It just seems like maybe the school intentionally allows people in the program that they know wont make it, because they are still getting paid for the time they are in the classroom...know what I mean?

[BigB]

Half of the class has NO business being in the medical field (not to be rude, but some of them are just plain dumb)

it is scary that these people are being passed through as nurses. Although they still have to pass the nclex, a test anyone could pass with a few months of studying the study guides imo. I knew a couple of lvn's that graduated from a big private for profit lvn school here. They said the school passes everyone!!! Even people caught cheating were allowed to say and finish the program and "graduate." Why... the longer the students say, the more money you get from them. And money they sure do get ...over $30,000 for every student they "graduate". I am glad i went to a program that was strict and failed students that couldn't cut it. This produces quality.

[gt4everpn, BSN, RN]

all schools are business, believe me they all could care less what grades you get as long as they get their tuition. i mean i'm paying $730 a credit and tuition is going up when it went up a yr ago. my friend attends a 2 yr school and they pulled her scholarship which leaves her with a hefty bill and if she stays she might be there for 3 yrs. the goal for all college students is to get in and out in the shortest and cheapest amount of money and time.

[Elektra6, ASN, BSN, RN]

I'm glad I waited a year to go to my local vocational for my LPN. It was only $4400 for everything. We started the class with 21 and graduated 14. If you flunked, you were offered the chance to particate in the following year. You didn't have to repeat your passing sections, only passed the point you left. I think that's fair. Several people came back, some made it, some didn't. The honor code was strictly enforced with our two instructors, no cheating!

[niteshiftlvn07]

:monkeydance: ive never heard of a private lvn program in this area (central tx). there are technical colleges?(virginia college, itt, nit, etc...) but they dont have lvn programs they train pharm. techs med asst. and xray techs. I went to check out one of there programs before I went to lvn school at the local c.c. and i was shocked how I was treated. The admissions staff acted like a bunch of used car salesmen and they wanted way too much money just for the med asst. program. I pray they never get approved for an lvn program because there wont be any standards and THE STUDENTS wont get the education they paid for!!!

[Hospice Nurse LPN, BSN, RN]

I went to a community college and feel I got an excellent education.

[sassiebaz]

The same is true for MOST of these tech schools. I worked for a "big name" school here is AZ where they teach medical assisting and vet tech among several other health occupations. They would try and push these programs along with an assoc. certificate for like $14K and I would cringe everytime a student sat at my desk opting for that. It was SO NOT NECCESARY!! You come out of school making the same money as everyone else....$12 an hour. Even then, half of these students were from the poorest areas of our town, single mother's, people who barely passed high school. But hey, atleast they were trying to make something of themselves. I really liked working with the students. But, yes this is a business. I was asked to go to a different dept. because one of the instructor's son's needed a job and wanted mine so I was let go in a sense. So political!!! It was all about MONEY! Hang in there and just get to next level so you can be out making a decent living...that's what I have to do. Im still waiting to see if I get into the October or Nov. class.