Nurses, come one come all!

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Ok, first of all I guess I should start by saying hey! I am new to this community obviously, but I have been a close follower whenever nursing doubts (well not doubts, but more so questions) pop into my head. My name is Chris, I am an EMT graduate, and certified. I am currently 18 years old, turning 19 in December and I am definitely going into the nursing career. But because of my financial situation being a tad limited at the time, the route I have chosen to follow is going to my LPN first then after tackling the transitional program. I am hoping to start at Atlantic Tech Center in Jan. Or maybe one of its sister schools (McFatter, Sheridan). The Nursing career has been in my family for some time now, and I am fully convinced it is the route I am taking.

I am focused, I study my hardest and work my hardest at everything I do and I believe I can handle the beast that is RN school. But the reason I made this thread more importantly. Is to humbly ask for any tips, points of view or perspectives I should know or have before I start school. No matter how small, big, wacky the tip might be I would love to hear it. Because the more I know before going in, the less I think I will be surprised about. After all knowledge is power?

My family has told me some things but it seems rather one sided to their point of view. So I would simply like others now. Thanks again, ill be sure to read and reply to all to have a say.

(Sorry for double posting this, i realized this was a better section for it.)

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Specializes in Tele.

Welcome to the board, Chris :) This is an awesome board for students so you've come to right place! I'm an ASN student at Mount Aloysius in Pennsylvania. Do feel free to ask anything here. There are a lot of great people with loads of answer and insight :D

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Welcome to the board, Chris :) This is an awesome board for students so you've come to right place! I'm an ASN student at Mount Aloysius in Pennsylvania. Do feel free to ask anything here. There are a lot of great people with loads of answer and insight :D

Thanks! I already feel welcomed ha! Yeah, like I said before I have been following this site like a guide. Learning from others experience seems to be a vital part of growing yourself ya know? So, I am glad to be here to xD!

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:twocents:my opinion, based on years and years of observing and teaching students and new nurses is this: don't waste your time with lpn school. you are young. if you add up the time it will take you to do lpn-as-bs, you save time (and money) by doing bsn from the git-go.

i can't tell you how often i heard (and hear), "but i can work and earn money and then go to school while i do it/get into a bridge program/etc." these people mean well and it sounds like a great idea, but a substantial percentage of them find that it is really damn hard to work as a nurse and be in nursing school. all of them tell me they wish they'd done it in a more direct path in the first place.

take the time now, when you have fewer life complications (family, kids, mortgage, car loans, and who knows what else will come up), to get in an rn-preparation program. bsn is the way to go, and if you get it out of the way now, you'll always have it.

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:twocents:my opinion, based on years and years of observing and teaching students and new nurses is this: don't waste your time with lpn school. you are young. if you add up the time it will take you to do lpn-as-bs, you save time (and money) by doing bsn from the git-go.

i can't tell you how often i heard (and hear), "but i can work and earn money and then go to school while i do it/get into a bridge program/etc." these people mean well and it sounds like a great idea, but a substantial percentage of them find that it is really damn hard to work as a nurse and be in nursing school. all of them tell me they wish they'd done it in a more direct path in the first place.

take the time now, when you have fewer life complications (family, kids, mortgage, car loans, and who knows what else will come up), to get in an rn-preparation program. bsn is the way to go, and if you get it out of the way now, you'll always have it.

thanks for replying. you know i have been told that before, and i have to remember my age. sometimes i feel like my moms age (just due to how living is for us now) growing up fast and all. but thanks, i seriously am weighing my options. i know having my bsn would open up many more possibilities also. it might also be the drive i have to just hurry up and start, i never did like sitting around waiting heh. i am not sure exactly where i would go for a bsn but i do know it would end up costing me an arm and a leg. which was one of the more pressing reasons i didnt immediately jump into it. though i am sure given the right job i would be happy with what i make but it still sorta scares me. especially being that every penny that i have to use for scool is coming out of my pocket. i guess its one of those decisions ill have to make in life and handle what comes next or not make the decision at all. but thanks again, i appreciate that insight.

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Specializes in Labor and Delivery.

Hi! I'm not sure if I am at a point of giving points yet or not but I've had a very successful semester so here goes.. I'm a junior btw.. Nursing school for me seems to get easier as it goes. The course work is harder I think but you learn how to put things together more as you go and how to study and take the tests and I study less but do better. Clinicals are great. I'm a hands on learner so it really has connected the dots so to say. My best advice for clinicals is to be very proactive. A lot of my classmates use some of their clinical time to complete all paper work so they don't have to do it at home, which is allowed but I never do it. I try to use every minute I have there to learn and gain experience. Doing this for me has really helped me learn and kind of put theory together and made everything easier. Try to stay as organized as possible, not my strongest point, but I try and have gotten better. So far I love it and I love it much more then I did the first semester.

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Hi! I'm not sure if I am at a point of giving points yet or not but I've had a very successful semester so here goes.. I'm a junior btw.. Nursing school for me seems to get easier as it goes. The course work is harder I think but you learn how to put things together more as you go and how to study and take the tests and I study less but do better. Clinicals are great. I'm a hands on learner so it really has connected the dots so to say. My best advice for clinicals is to be very proactive. A lot of my classmates use some of their clinical time to complete all paper work so they don't have to do it at home, which is allowed but I never do it. I try to use every minute I have there to learn and gain experience. Doing this for me has really helped me learn and kind of put theory together and made everything easier. Try to stay as organized as possible, not my strongest point, but I try and have gotten better. So far I love it and I love it much more then I did the first semester.

Heya! Yeah thats exactly how it was on my EMT rotations at the hospital. People would do work or even roam and be non-productive. I couldnt do that, i was so geared and pumped to try and help someone ha. But thanks i def will be proactive, its part of my drive :D

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Specializes in Public Health.

I wholeheartedly agree that you should definitely just go for a BSN or even ADN program...who said it would cost an arm and a leg? My ADN program is about $1000/semester for tuition. so in total about $5000 for the whole thing. Classes are like twice a week and it works out with work and everything. Actually this program is one of the top NS in Nevada.

My advice for school is not to rush it because you have time..no matter how rushed you feel. Also do not underestimate how much studying is required for NS.

Good luck.

ps. Please look into a bunch of schools to scope out your options before committing to one school.

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I wholeheartedly agree that you should definitely just go for a BSN or even ADN program...who said it would cost an arm and a leg? My ADN program is about $1000/semester for tuition. so in total about $5000 for the whole thing. Classes are like twice a week and it works out with work and everything. Actually this program is one of the top NS in Nevada.

My advice for school is not to rush it because you have time..no matter how rushed you feel. Also do not underestimate how much studying is required for NS.

Good luck.

ps. Please look into a bunch of schools to scope out your options before committing to one school.

Haha, I like your name. And i was looking at private school prices. They are insane, I do have one comunity college in mind though. I thought it would cost much more. But maybe thats due to my inexperience. Also, after I continue to talk with my friends who are already in the process of applying for the NS Proram they are urging me to just go into it also, I think when this years taxes come back I will be able to get assistance for school for sure. Maybe that will also assist in my decision, I honestly would rather go striaght into the ADN/BSN but it was just a few things that was making me think of other options. I didnt mean to make it sound like I know I can handle anything and ive heard many a horror stories about having no life when some people have gotten into the program. I was more so saying I am getting prepared for that once I get into it. But again thanks for the feedback it means alot to me. I will def keep it in mind.

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Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.

Go in with a positive attitude and stay away from the negativity. Let Nursing School be a part of your life, not your life. Make time for yourself, family and friends.

I did this and I came out of nursing school doing well and overall really enjoying it. I didn't spend 5 hrs a day studying and giving up my life. I am not someone that is stressed easily though and I have no focus when it comes to studying so it came naturally to me to go out to eat with friends and play online. lol

Only time I stressed was after a test.

Attitude is everything. Congrats on your career choice. I love Nursing.

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Go in with a positive attitude and stay away from the negativity. Let Nursing School be a part of your life, not your life. Make time for yourself, family and friends.

I did this and I came out of nursing school doing well and overall really enjoying it. I didn't spend 5 hrs a day studying and giving up my life. I am not someone that is stressed easily though and I have no focus when it comes to studying so it came naturally to me to go out to eat with friends and play online. lol

Only time I stressed was after a test.

Attitude is everything. Congrats on your career choice. I love Nursing.

Thanks, do you all mind if i ask what dept. you work in. And why you chose it or love it? Ever since my rotations in the ER. I just loved it, I knew from that point that i would be happy with that career in that area. But when i say happy being in the ER it seems only Nurses understand what i mean. Most people look at me like im a bad person ha. But yes I cant wait to get going! Thanks for the feedback to :D

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Specializes in Tele.

I attend one of those expensive private schools and it IS that - expensive! I hear people on here all the time saying the pay around $1000 a semester and I get pretty jealous. My school is around $10,000 a semester - but I do really enjoy my school. It has an awesome reputation with all of the locations around this area that hire nurses so they tend to go towards our graduates. Also, this school (which as I said earlier, is Mount Aloysius College in Cresson, PA) is really willing to work with you financially. I received more than $5000 in grant money for this semester and the same for the next one. So while it is expensive, it has a lot of different grants available.

No to mention its just about 20 minutes from where I live..much closer than any other school in the area except Penn State, but they would have charged me more because I'm still considered an out of state resident. :uhoh3:

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