Never thought going to school for LPN could cause so much pain!

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So, I am starting school on Monday for the LPN program and I have been getting everything in order. Honestly, I didn't think it would be this painful! Literally!

Tuesday, I went to get my physical and drug test done for school, that was no problem. Had my TB test done, no problem. Had my Tetorifice shot, kinda hurt. Then my titers done, no problem. Wednesday, my arm becomes sore as I am not sure what! I haven't had an injection since I was a child, so of course I forgot how it feels. Anyway, moving on to today... I went to have my TB test read, my titers filled out on the physical form, and... low and behold, I was pulled away into a room where two more needles were sitting there waiting for my arms... Apparently on my titers my MMR was really low, so I needed a booster... :eek:!!!! BURN! Then my second arm, my poor hurting arm that had the tetorifice shot from 2 days prior... It received a Hep B booster... I had my series when I was 14, but mind you it showed up saying I was not immune! How the?? :confused: The Heb B booster hurt more than anything I have ever felt besides child birth. :eek: The MA was telling me it could of been an error, so next Friday, I have to go back and have my titers redone.

I think I have surprised a lot of people that know me. Usually they never see me so determined to get something done, mostly if it involves a lot of pain on my behalf.

Has anyone else had to go through this for school?

If I have to be poked with another needle within the next few days, I think I am going to have to go head first into one of my pillows and scream. I am so sore on my arms, that it really hurts to move them! Oh man.

Oh well, it will all be worth it in the end.

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Specializes in LTC.

I didn't have many issues with my shots, but I had issues with the tb test. My doctor's office didn't realize there was suppose to be 2 tests done (I didn't either, so no blame put on them), and I was lucky enough to get in the 2nd test on time. I had the 2nd one done on a Friday morning, to have it read on Monday morning. The nurse who did it didn't end up doing it right, putting the needle too far in. By the next day the area where I was injected was turning red and starting to get inflamed. I, naturally, googled tb tests to see what this meant. From what I was understanding on the internet, this meant I had previously been exposed to tb; so I was in a panic! I couldn't figure out how did I not know I had tb in the past! :rotfl:

Fast forward to Monday morning, my tb test came back negative. I didn't realize until then that the whole reason it was a big red bump was because the needle went in too deep.

Moral of the story: The internet is a great tool for information, but don't always believe what you read!

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Yep, I had a headache with my physical. I handed them the paper and told them that I needed it completed. I should have looked over it a little better because there was a part that asked for CBC and urinalysis. They didn't do it so I had to go back and pay another $135 to have it done...$90 just for the dr visit.

I won't say that the complications are part of nursing school but it does weed out the ones that don't want to go the extra mile.

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SNbecca; I got lucky with my TB test. The MA was explaining what she was doing, how she was doing it, and why. It was quite interesting and didn't hurt at all. I went and googled it too when I got home and watched my arm the last two days to see if it did anything. Got to love curiosity! Sorry yours was so cruddy though!

dee78; I luckily only had to pay $45 for the drug screening.

I do agree with you though, I have a month to have everything done, but did it all within the first week. I am really determined to make a good life for my son and I, as I am a single mother. My cousin, who is an RN, told me that just because it might be hard at first, doesn't mean to give up. Everything will get easier and be so much more worth it in the end when you've done the right thing and have gotten to where you need to be. I can't wait for next year when I can say that I am an LPN and this is what I WANTED to do.

I've been trying for the last year to get certain people in my family to realize this is where I want to go in my life and their support and blessing mean so much and make me more determined to prove to them that this is the best thing for me. I have goals and the passion to make this who I want to be. :]

Oh and I wanted to add; I can't wait for Monday when class starts! I am ready to get this show on the road. :D

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Specializes in LTC.

The 1st tb test nurse I had did the same, explained everything to me. She's an older nurse at my doctor's office and was so excited to find out I was going in for nursing. She told me tb tests aren't something you learn in nursing school... haha! We actually did learn that though, but I haven't had the heart to correct her since then :)

With 1 semester under my belt, I have learned that nursing school does have it's own way of weeding out the people. We've learned to expect the unexpected in our school. There's always surprise assignments, or surprise tests/vaccines/etc you have to take to get into clinicals. Or, just recently, surprise lab coats you have to buy in order to go to our new clinical site. I honestly think it's a preparation for the job; nothing in nursing is definite. So, I have to say, thanks to my school for preparing all of us for what lies ahead!

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Specializes in telemetry/med surg.

I passed completely out on my third hep b shot. they combined it with the flu shot (not combined, but gave them both to me at the same time) and I dont know if I was nervous or what, but I literally passed out! I have never done that before, and I will tell you it sucked!

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Has anyone else had to go through this for school?

I'm not aware of any school that doesn't require vaccinations.

and if you think the shots hurt, just wait till school starts! now that is painful......:o

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avidhunter3; Wow!

plaza; I know they all require vaccinations, but I guess more or less what I meant was, it it ever turn out you had everything done as a child/teen, then all of a sudden you weren't immune to some so you had to have it all taken all over again?

I think I honestly feel for my son now, who is 4 years old. No wonder he goes off on me when it comes to getting them done.

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