LVN Students Starting Summer 2011?

[Miss_Taylor]

Hi Everyone! I'm starting LVN school June 2011 at Kaplan in Vista, CA. I am hoping to connect with some other LVN/LPN students starting this summer! I started nursing school a few years back, but became very ill and had to postpone it. Now I am finally able to return to school and fulfill my dream in nursing. My mother was a nurse, and worked In-Home Hospice for the majority of her career. I grew up around it, and it is what I see myself doing. I would love feedback from anyone who works hospice as well! Thanks guys! I'm looking forward to a challenging year!

[Miss_Taylor]

Yes I second that please!!! PS. Congrats...you're just about done aren't you? That's awesome.

[Nurse-in-the-making2]

Sure!!! I believe the Vista campus has a lot more organization than us!! BUT A & P was my rough patch so study study study.. I am in the nights program so things are a bit more spread out!! I am in Term 3, finish this Dec/ Jan time.. graduation Feb 16th 2012..

Get a good group together that you can study with (reliable people), because if you didn't grasp something from lecture hopefully someone else in your group did and vice versa.. Term 1 was rough only because i was new to the lecture 1 day, test within the next 1 or 2 days. The techers are great, so you should have no problems.. once term 2 comes around, say goodbye to any social life.. some people have great time management skilss but since I am no one, I was always overwhelmed.. but I made it through, so you can most definetly make it!!

oh and they have started a new process where NCLEX studying is implemented througout the program, which is fantastic!! I LOVE IT!!

I am always here for any more pointers I can hand out..

[LFClay10]

You are AWESOME, thanks! I don't have prior medical experience so I decided to read some subjects that other students have reported to be the hardest. I read a Medical Terminology book and am reading an A&P book now. Just to warm me up for what's ahead. I also heard Pharmacology is a bit difficult so I got Mosby's Nursing flash cards from Barnes.

I'm glad to hear that they've incorporated some NCLEX material into the program. I heard Saunder's book and Kaplan's are good study books for the NCLEX exam.

Keep us all posted with anything else and again, congrats on making it thus far! :)

[Nurse-in-the-making2]

LFClay10, I forgot to mention the pharmacology part. Yes, it is pretty difficult.. we had a med lab at the end of that class where we had senarios on the meds they felt were important (ie SubQ insulins, and some olol's (heart meds)). The Medical math portion is not as hard as it is often made out to be, this is where paying attention to the lecture comes in handy!

Kaplan also offers a sort of testing, you will get the link and username and password sometime during Term 1.. we do those on some days where we have lab time but no labs.. They have started opening something they call QBank for Term 3 students.. that will also be extremely useful for NCLEX, so I hear.

[LFClay10]

Got it, thanks again so much! You've been extremely helpful! Who knows, we all maybe working together as LVN's soon!

-Lyn

[Nurse-in-the-making2]

no problem!! see ya in the Nursing world!!

-Ja'net

[Miss_Taylor]

Thanks so much for the info!!! I appreciate it..and LFClay10 thanks for the info on the flash cards..I appreciate that as well! I'm getting more excited the closer it gets!! Nurseinthemaking2...Did you get your CNA license? Did you start working? My friend said it's good to do if you can and work a few days per diem here and there to get some experience and your foot in the door...what is your opinion? Thank you

[Miss_Taylor]

Okay I'm silly I forgot about the prior post..you have been a CNA for quite a while LOL

[LFClay10]

Anytime Miss Taylor! See you soon! :)

-Lyn

[Nurse-in-the-making2]

that's okay.. Yes i was a CNA prior to the start of the program.. Working a bit may help, but if you don't have to; don't. You get the same experience in your clincals, and plenty of it.. I work as an MA right now.. I don't have to work, but I just really wouldn't know what to do with myself if I weren't working. No one in my class took the CNA test, I never asked why, but we are a night class so i just assumed it was because we all already have jobs or other daytime duties that otherwise, keep us occupied.

[Miss_Taylor]

Thanks again for the info. I would like to work at least a few days a month...perhaps during the weekends to earn a few bucks...haha! I have a two year old and one of my loans I am starting to pay back immediately so... I will take the CNA test...seems a waste not to...My buddy works in assisted living and said she could definitely give me a few per diem shifts a month...so I'm gonna take it!

[Nurse-in-the-making2]

sounds like a good a good deal Miss_Taylor, go for it.. you do get a lot of pt. contact as a CNA and I do believe being in the field prior to becoming a Nurse gives a better outlook on what to expect.. I was wondering are you doing days or nights at kaplan?