New about to be Student with Questions

myonlyboyluke · May 18, 2006

Thank you all SO, SO much for your input. We're calling today to see what classes I need to sign up for before anything else first. I know I took Alegbra in high school and biology but never took chemistry or Alegbra II. I sure hope to sign up and get the ball rolling. I am awful in math so needless to say I am scared silly but I WILL do all of this. I will probably be on these boards more than doing my work for support!!!!

Dana-Are you in NS now? I've been doing medical transcription for 6 years. I voluteer at my children's school with an RN at a trauma center and she told me that if I can do the medical transcription.....I can certainly do nursing(the know how anyway). I sure hope she's right.

I just freeze when it comes to test time. I draw complete blanks. I can't worry about that now. I have to focus on my first step which is to find out what courses I need to take just to be accepted into the nursing program. I'll let you all know what I find out today.

Thanks again so much to you all!

Lee Ann

dvas00 · May 18, 2006

Hi Lee Ann,

Don't worry about tests -- I think if your desire is strong to be a nurse, you'll overcome those fears in order to reach your goal.

I'm not in NS yet. I have to take Microbiology and Physiology before I can apply.

I'd love to talk to someone who's been a transcriptionist and became a nurse! I've been doing transcription in hospitals for ages, so I know a lot of the "lingo" :) I just haven't seen anything, LOL! I hope that exposure to all that medical language helps at least to some degree.

Good luck and let us know what you find out! And remember -- step by step! Don't get overwhelmed.

Dana

sourkuss · May 19, 2006

I am 37 and about to graduate from my comm. college's LPN program. My goal is RN (starting in the fall).

What helped me get through school with a family of 4 was going part time. Full time is intense,:uhoh21: at least here it is. Also, right off the bat I got myself a tutor for my hard gen-ed classes such as chemistry. The school here had science "learning labs" with free tutors available. Take advantage of it! It helps! Also, I was PRO active by doing the stuff first then playing. :lol2: I would carve out the time when my family was gone to work, school or whatever and use that time to write flashcards (they work to a certain pt), read, etc. What also seemed silly but has worked wonders for me (b/c I am a visual learner) was to buy "memory notebook of nursing" and color the pages, yes...color!:chuckle When a test would come up I would visually remember my "picture" of my cardiac patient and that would help me. Get yourself a saunders nclex question book as well. Use it the whole way through, it will help. And finally, hook up with some people in your class. A study group was essential for me..at first it was me and this 22 yr.old and it blossomed to 2 other women who were late thirties like me. We gave Panera Bread a lot of money over these last 18 months...Hope this helps. Oh and by the way. GO FOR IT, YOUR NEEDED!!!:welcome:

eyshonda · May 19, 2006

Make Sure That You Apply For All Financial Aid, It Helps A Great Deal. Depending Where You Go To School ,finacial Aid Will Pay For You Entire Education, Try To Get Medicare For Your Parents Maybe You Will Be Able To Cut Back On Some Of Your Work Hours.

THIS IS FOR THE YOUNG LADY TAKING CARE OF HER PARENTS AND WORKING FULL TIME

myonlyboyluke · May 19, 2006

Good morning, everyone!

I went to my old high school and signed the release for them to send my transcripts to the college. I filled out the admissions application and mailed that to the college today as well. Then I guess they will contact me for a "Placement Test????". Then, we'll see what classes I have to take before I can begin the nursing program. I THINK that's where I'm at today. So much is going on....I'm trying to keep a hold of it all!! It feels great to have the ball at least rolling here!!

I'm really doing this!!

Take care,

Lee Ann

Nony · May 20, 2006

Make Sure That You Apply For All Financial Aid, It Helps A Great Deal. Depending Where You Go To School ,finacial Aid Will Pay For You Entire Education, Try To Get Medicare For Your Parents Maybe You Will Be Able To Cut Back On Some Of Your Work Hours.
THIS IS FOR THE YOUNG LADY TAKING CARE OF HER PARENTS AND WORKING FULL TIME

Thank you very much for the suggestion. I wish I could get medicare for my parents but they donot live in this country. I will surely be applying for financial aid and scholarships, maybe that will enable me to work partime,and give school more attention.

RNSuzq1, RN · May 20, 2006

Hi Lee Ann,

Welcome to AllNurses, it's a great place for help with Nursing School. If you have 6 kids - guess what, you'll already know a lot more than others in your class about pregnancy, child growth and development, etc. I have 3 boys and maternity/child development came a lot easier to those of us who had kids than the younger students who didn't (because we had lived through many of the material we were learning about).

Also, with your 6 years transcribing, you should be pretty familiar with a lot of medical lingo - that should help you out a lot. As far as juggling family and work - if you're not doing it now, maybe you can transcribe at home, I hear a lot of people do that now...

It is very intense, you will have days that you're stressed out, etc., but you can do it. I just graduated tonight (too keyed up to go to sleep).. :uhoh3:

I always got good grades and did well in clinicals - but I've always had this fear of failure and after every test I'd tell one of my Instructors that I was positive I'd failed and would never make it to graduation. I'm pretty sure they all wanted to strangle me at some point during the 2 years for my "doomsday attitude".... When I was hugging each one of the Instructors goodbye tonight, they all reminded me that I'd wanted to drop out a few times and despite my doubts, I made it... So, I plan on adjusting my pessimistic attitude as I start my Nursing Career and finally enjoying what life has to offer instead of always being afraid that someones going to pull the rug out from under me.

So, if you really want to do this, keep a very positive attitude throughout and keep reminding yourself why you chose Nursing. I hope this helps. Sue

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myonlyboyluke · May 20, 2006

Sue-Thank you so, so much for all of that. I too am one of those people always waiting for the rug to get pulled out from underneath me. I feel deep down that I can do this....but you know how it is.....I feel like I'm going to make a jerk of myself and fail first. I am determined however.

I do want to be a labor and delivery nurse. Having had six children...and two miscarriages....I am QUITE familiar with all that pertains to that. Not only familiar but totally and completely interested. Do you know if I have to do anything any differently because I want to be a labor and delivery nurse?

I do do medical transcription at home right now. I pretty much always have. We own a heating and cooling business so that is our main income. Our children go to catholic school so my medical transcription at home pays their tuition to school.

Like I've said....I am determined and more excited about all of this than ever before. But I will also do it with the help from people like you.....thanks so much.

Take care,

Lee Ann

LadyStar42, LPN · May 20, 2006

Whenever you get the blues....and you will....there is a thread here called "can I hear some positive things about nursing" check it out. It will make you feel much better.

MrsMommaRN · May 21, 2006

my best advice take it one day at a time. do what you can take a few classes see what your pre reqs are. do everything you need to do to get into your nursing program. see what kind of waiting list they have what is the typical wait time, etc then base your classes on that. yeah for you for going back to school. god bless! you will be great!!

myonlyboyluke · May 28, 2006

Good morning everyone and Happy Memorial Day Weekend to you all!!

Okay.....this is where I am at now. I just received my Placement Test postcard in the mail. I have to call for an appointment to take my test to see where I fall. Okay...this is where I need help now!!!!!!!!!!!

I am totally freaked out. They list a website for practice tests of alegbra. Ummmm.....it's like reading a foreign language that I've never heard of. It was really, really scary. I could not figure out these problems on a bet. All I can do at this point is just guess what the correct answer might be.

Is this going to really hurt me? Am I going to have to take years of math and alebra before I can even begin my nursing program? How much of these alebra equations do we really use out in the field here?

Oh my gosh...I am sooooooooo upset and nervous right now. Help??!!

Take care,

Lee Ann

atrice, BSN, RN · May 28, 2006

Lee Ann-

When i took my placement test i placed in remedial math (which means i did not score well enough to place into college math). I have always struggled w/ math...i think math is just one of those things that either comes easily or doesn't. I was placed into the second to the lowest math class.....math 306, which is basic math. I then took math 308 and then while taking math 310 (which was my last math remedial) i went and tested out of the class and my score placed me into college level algebra.

Having to take these classes did take up time that could of been spent taking prereq's for nursing but it had to be done. I have been accepted into the Fall 2006 RN program at my school because i would not let my fear of math overcome me!!!! I have already taken pharmacology (which is the only nursing class that can be taken outside of the nursing program) and got an A. Pharmacology has dosage calculations which is basic algebra.

You WILL do fine on the placement test.....and even if you don't place college level on the math portion DO NOT allow that to discourage you.

You would not believe the young (19-23) people that just graduated high school that are placed into these math remedials right along side us older students :wink2: