ok, here goes...(kinda long)...

[chelli73]

i have been sitting here in front of this computer in my living room everyday for at least 4hrs at allnurses for the last 2 1/2 wks waiting to hear from my BON re taking the IL NCLEX-RN. i've got to get some things off of my chest, and i hope that i don't come off as a whiner, but this is a message forum, right, so there is a risk of being whiney!!??:balloons: ANYWAYS, here's my story (i always have a story to tell!): i finished school in DEC '05, but at the time was living w/my sister and her family due to the apt that i was renting being put up for sale:o i had to move out in Oct '05, (right at the beginning of my LAST semester, oh how i begged my Landlord to give me more time, even offered to pay an extra $50 a month in rent until Dec--NO LUCK) so i thought to myself, self, you have put your personal affairs on the back burner for so long due to school, now that you are finished, put school on the back burner for your personal affairs!!!! the good news was that in Oct i had found a cute little cottage to rent at a decent price, and it was literally walking distance from my old place! GOD always cushions my blows;) the bad news was the house had no floors, no kitchen cabinets/sink, and no furnace!!! my NEW LL had begun to remodel this place, oh, about 2 yrs ago, and kinda quit on it (probably when he saw the condition of the rest of this 'hood!!)

BUT, he promised me he would have it ready in--2 WEEKS! (ever seen "the money pit" w/ tom hanks??!!) SOOOOOooo, i said to my kids, we will survive!!! and i thought about 2 things: finishing school and getting this house! once i gave my $1300 deposit, i relaxed--a little. well, 2 weeks turned into 2 months and before you know it Christmas came and went. i was getting a little, oh how shall i put it, FRAZZLED!!!!! but i said to myself, self, you have come SOOOOO far (i love doing that to the word "so", i will stop that now!) DON'T GIVE UP!!!

just stick it out awhile longer...well i moved in my brand new house in FEB '06 ( bless my little sis, she was so good to me and my kids), and i must say, it was indeed worth the wait! the house is completely BRAND NEW, i even got to pick the carpet color (my LL is a dearheart, just very, very busy) and, i thought: we are home!!!!

now all the while i was deliberately putting off preparing for boards due to this major personal adjustment in my life, but now it is haunting me. at the time (Dec-Feb) i was just so glad to be done with school and the dreaded HESI exam (that is a whole nightmare story in and of itself) that i justified this delay of preparation. who knew i would get FIRED from my unit secretary job in MARCH '06??????(just shy of my 3rd yr anniverserary at that hospital, btw, i loved working there--in fact i was born there in 1973, and i gave birth there to all 3 kids) i tell you people, there is NEVER a dull moment in my little life...OH THE DEVASTATION:angryfire ! actually, even though i went through the arbitration panel process to fight for my job (no such luck there) and was approved for unemployment right away (REASON FOR TERMINATION: argument instigated by co-worker, thats another good story), i was kinda happy to get a "bad vacation" and my kids LOVE having me there for them--i mean that in a kinda sarcastic way, we pick our battles! so i set about my preparation for boards. now my particular school has a MANDATORY comprehensive review in which we MUST complete 5,500 questions from 2 different sources: nclex3000 and some place called starnurse which is only accessible online. well i grumbled my way thru the whole darned process, as we have to have all printouts of each test with a 90% accuracy to turn in to our nursing dept chairperson. i actually was happy that i did it after the first 2,500 questions, 'cause it was getting me "back in the know", ya know? upon completion of that i went to get my fingerprint thing done, still waiting for the results (and YES i have been arrested once, NO i have not been convicted) and there is where i am now, WAITING....

it is AUGUST, people!!!! what will become of me??? have i waited too long? will i be successful? my unemployment checks were decent, but they will end soon, I DON'T HAVE A JOB!!!! my bills are slowly creeping up on me, and i am starting to get that FRAZZLED feeling again!!! i don't want to get a job right now for anything except for what i went to college for--NURSING!!! yet, i don't want to work license-pending (many places don't even do that anymore) and then just end up leaving if i don't pass the test on the first try!! or what if (i hate those 2 words, but....) i get a job as like a gas station attendant and then pass the test? i will have to exit very quickly and begin looking for an RN job!! don't get me wrong, i will shovel poop if i have to to support my family, but everything seems like it is coming together in a very CLOSE call situation!!! ya know what i mean??? to quote the late great John Lennon: "HELP, i need somebody"!!!!!! here's the whiney part!!!!! help me, i need, gimme, gimme!!!! ok, thats enough. no really, what do y'all think i should do here????:trout:

p.s.--thanks to all who reply positive, phooey to all who reply negative--i hope someone even replies to this craziness, I WOULDN'T!!!!! LOL

[mrscurtwkids4]

All I can say at first is "WOW!"

I feel for you with how trying the last little while has been for you. I hope that things will pull together for you and you get a least a little comfort in having some sort of resolution to all of this. Perhaps you could call and just ask if there are any results as of yet? How long ago was it that it was done? If it's been quite some time, I'd call just so it's known that the interest is still there. Good luck and may things work out the way you wish!

[jschut, BSN, RN]

Good heavens!

I agree....what harm could a phone call do? Give it a shot. Explain your situation and how long it's been.

Best of luck to you!

[chelli73]

All I can say at first is "WOW!"

I feel for you with how trying the last little while has been for you. I hope that things will pull together for you and you get a least a little comfort in having some sort of resolution to all of this. Perhaps you could call and just ask if there are any results as of yet? How long ago was it that it was done? If it's been quite some time, I'd call just so it's known that the interest is still there. Good luck and may things work out the way you wish!

thanks alot for the positive reply (just kidding about the "phooey" part!) and yes, i have made a call to the IL state police, my prints haven't come back yet, so we shall see....

[chelli73]

BTW, i am taking all of this stuff in stride!!! i know that there are way worse situations out there, and i pray for all of us to have peace and prosperity in our lives....oh heres another question to add: can anyone point me in a nursing specialty direction?? i am at a loss as to what i would like to do, so far med-surg is my plan...but i like the idea of HHC and ER seems fitting for my crazy up and down life!!!!! appreciate any ideas!

[mrscurtwkids4]

I thought I knew the specialty I was wanting until I had a bit of a sore experience with it during my clinicals...long story. So, at the moment I am sticking to the idea of med/surg as well. Most of the local hospitals like to have at least a year's worth of med/surg experience in the RN's they hire into certain specialties. This way when I do figure out exactly what I REALLY want to stick with, I'll have that experience taken care of. Plus, it'll at least get my feet in the door at the hospital that I'm wanting to work at. At this point, I just want to be done with school, pass my exam, and start working!

[chelli73]

I thought I knew the specialty I was wanting until I had a bit of a sore experience with it during my clinicals...long story.

kinda like when i so badly wanted to help deliver babies and educate young mothers (i was one myself)--but then failed my OB class not once, but twice??!!

don't give up on whatever you want, i'm sure that you can do it!!! and GOOD LUCK in school and your future career as a nurse!!!! thanks....:balloons:

[FutureUSRN]

Wow...that really touched my heart...I don't know what to say...you need to hang on and just stay strong....you'll make it through all these hurdles and will come out a better person....

[EricJRN, MSN, RN]

Chelli,

Best of luck to you on the NCLEX! Keep in mind that on this very site we've seen people pass the NCLEX several years after graduation. I wouldn't recommend waiting that long, but it's been done. You could just as easily become another success story!

[bsunurse]

Just a thought for you.... Were your fingerprints done with computer or actually someone printing you with ink? The reason that I ask is because I worked for the state and took fingerprints and when we took them by ink and they were bad prints it took forever for the FBI to notify us of this! This might be the case and they cant read them, but havent notified the state yet. If they were done by ink, you might want to go have them taken again and pay the money. This might speed things up if they can get a good set of prints the second time. Good luck to you!

[LoriAlabamaRN]

I just want to wish you the best of luck on your NCLEX results, I know it can be excrutiating waiting! If I were you, I would call around to the various healthcare facilities in your area, explain your situation, and see if they will hire you as a CNA or a tech of some sort pending the completion of the NCLEX, and move you up to an RN position from there. That way you wouldn't have to worry about quitting a new job after passing your boards, and if you do not pass, then you can continue working there in the same capacity until you can retake them. Many long term care facilities will train you to get your CNA license and pay you while you train. I would also recommend taking Suzanne4's plan, I have seen nothing but positive results from those who have done so. Good luck!!!

[chelli73]

thank you, i really will be looking for a job ASAP. i am getting stir-crazy at home all day on this computer, anyway!!! LOL:balloons: