Positvie/Negative Feedback Regarding VMI Course

Editorial Team / Admin · Nov 12, 2006

hello, rkna and welcome to allnurses.com and the legal nursing forum

it is great to have you with us. i moved your post to its own thread for better feedback. check out the other threads regarding the milazzo course for some good information. good to read of your interest in the lnc career.

good luck and enjoy the site.

Agnus · Dec 2, 2006

I signed up for the VIP package. It looked expensive. It was worth every penny. You get so much more than is really listed in that package, including free admission to the 2007 NACLNC conference.

The negatives are one's you can get around.

Hotel rooms very expensive. You can book a room yourself at another hotel or share a room.

The food was delicious, sensibly proportioned, and beautifully presented. You had no choice of menue. People complained a lot that the servings were too small. (a testament to out supersize mentality) I am a hungry eater which my girth will attest to and I never left the table hungry. Continental breakfast included a wide variety of fruit and pastry. Folks said they missed their bacon and eggs.

If you can live with the food for 2 meals a day and find another hotel or share a room I can not think of anything to be disatisfied about.

Or if you do the home sturdy all that becomes moot.

henayneiCLNC · Dec 4, 2006

or like me..... I did the home study before going to conference (I really appreciated having my notes already in front of me and having the luxury of really listening to the lecturers and cherry-picking their comments into my notes.

madwife2002, BSN, RN · Dec 5, 2006

The positives are the other nurses you meet and share ideas with

Negatives whilst you come away enthused it can be difficult to maintain that enthusiasm. It takes grim determination and focus

seattledeb, RN · Dec 5, 2006

I was quite happy with the course, very professional and thorough. Wish I had done it years ago when it was a little cheaper. ;>) I was quite happy with the basic level myself, I get a great deal of support with a local AALNC group. Yes, apparently some groups are rife with politics, but the Seattle group is not at all-professional, friendly, and has been generating a fair amount of work for each other with group advertising and brochures at conferences. Quite honestly the basic was best route for me, what I need now is the money to start the business-the license, the insurance, etc, not more mentoring advice, and glad I do not have the added pressure of a larger loan payment.

Oh Agnus, LOL-you must have missed the Supermodel lunch day-the one where they served a teaspoon of salad? I have never seen so many women wolfing down the bread baskets. But you are right, the rest of the meals were quite nice, and for a continental breakfast pretty good too, but did suggest it would help learning curve to have a little protein offered, pastries are hardly low cal nor great brain food. Even those things were minor issues, over all everything is handled very nicely.

2boysmama · Dec 6, 2006

I will agree with what others have said. Yes, the rooms are very expensive (IMHO). One girl in my class went out the first day after class and found a local hotel cheaper, and cancelled the rest of her reservation at the marriott. She stayed in an extended stay.

There was no choice at lunch but I do think I remember seeing the staff to people with special dietary needs, too.

I did the executive course. I was intimidated when all the VIPs already had their books highlighted, notes taken, etc. But I didn't need to be. I studied every night about 4 hours and it was a bit overkill, I got 96% on the exam. So it is definitely do-able even if you can't do VIP.

I also agree that you come home super motivated, but you have to have a great determination to stay motivated. There are several things you can do before the course, too, so that you have a bunch of the little stuff out of the way and you can start marketing yourself as soon as you get home.

Agnus · Dec 6, 2006

Oh Agnus, LOL-you must have missed the Supermodel lunch day-the one where they served a teaspoon of salad? I have never seen so many women wolfing down the bread baskets. But you are right, the rest of the meals were quite nice, and for a continental breakfast pretty good too, but did suggest it would help learning curve to have a little protein offered, pastries are hardly low cal nor great brain food. Even those things were minor issues, over all everything is handled very nicely.

The the first day the VIPs ate seperately and it was more substantial. So yes I did miss the supermodel lunch. I did not know about that. No wonder people complained.

nightingale, RN · Dec 8, 2006

The course cost, with the VIP package, IMHO, is well worth it. I have enough material to be certified for five years. Ther material covers everything I could imagine at this early date.

I do wish I had studied more before I went. I do a lot of contract PRN thorugh an Agency and found myself working extra hours to pay for the course (lucky me that I can do that). I was able to get through the test, with some studying each day. I passed and that was with being quite ill the night before (huh Deb... sorry). I am grateful to have the home study course to brush up on those topics I want to review.

Vickie did mention that she herself brings along snacks when she travels. I was fortunate to go shopping with a collegue one evening during the week for snacks of cheese and fruit. Luckier still, that I had my car with me as I was able to drive to Las Vegas.

I was able to room with a buddy in Las Vegas; I cut my Hotel cost in half. I was fortunate to have an easy roommate. Luckier still, I will be rooming with another colleague / Nurse Buddy in Orlando. My trip will be under $ 1,000.00 and a total business expense. The fact is, the entire cost of the course is tax deductible as a business expense.

genevieve40 · Dec 11, 2006

I took my CLNC test via computer yesterday and passed. Yay! I took the home study course, found it to be very informational. I am looking forward to starting a new career.

Editorial Team / Admin · Dec 11, 2006

CONGRATULATIONS, genevieve40. Good luck with your new career.

genevieve40 · Dec 11, 2006

Thanks so much!