Pre-Nursing Ivy Tech Bloomington Question

jackson145 · Sep 23, 2008

I did all my pre-reqs and all but 2 of my co-reqs before I applied to the Bloomington RN program. I was taking Micro & ANP 201 when I received my acceptance letter.

So far, I haven't taken any online classes, but I'm taking IVY 107 online the last 8 wks of this semester.

One of the girls in my class took Micro online so she'd get 4 credits instead 3, which is what Bloomington's Micro class is worth. She loved it. I'm wishing I'd done it that way. Now, when I transfer to IU for my BSN, I'll have to re-take Micro. My 3 credit Micro isn't worth diddly at IU.

If I were you, I'd go ahead and take the TEAS once, just to get an idea of how you'll do. Then you'll know what areas to focus on. Also, I've found Medical Terminology to be a big help in nursing school.

BTownRNHopeful · Sep 23, 2008

thanks for all the information! i'll look into some of those online classes for sure. right now i'm just trying to figure out if i want to go with my lpn or rn. i'm not 100% sure what i would like to do. :banghead:

you really gave me a lot to think about thanks so much for your reply.

kgle · Sep 23, 2008

I have heard from a lot of nurses that LPN isn't the route to go, there are hospitals that are phasing them out. The ASN program is only a semester longer than the LPN.

I took PSYC 101 online over the summer and got an A in it...right now I am taking COMM 102 and ENG 111 online and APHY 101 in the classroom. In October I will start MATH 118 online.

Personally I would never take APHY online...as hard as the class is face to face, for me it would be really hard to learn from it. Its very very time consuming.

I definitely suggest getting all pre and co reqs out of the way, that way in nursing school you can focus on your clinicals and lectures. Although, if you go the ASN route, you will have summers off so you can take co reqs then.

jackson145 · Sep 23, 2008

I definitely suggest getting all pre and co reqs out of the way, that way in nursing school you can focus on your clinicals and lectures. Although, if you go the ASN route, you will have summers off so you can take co reqs then.

If you start the ASN program in the Spring (at Bloomington, anyway), you will have a Summer semester in Nursing School.

It's like this:

Spring, Summer, Fall, Spring graduation

or

Fall, Spring, Fall, Spring graduation

BTownRNHopeful · Sep 23, 2008

i have heard from a lot of nurses that lpn isn't the route to go, there are hospitals that are phasing them out. the asn program is only a semester longer than the lpn.
i did hear that bloomington hosp. was doing that. when you think about it only being one semester longer, it's not that bad. i'm really thinking about just going for the rn, it makes sense if you're already in school to just to finish up.
i just want to make sure i totally understand which classes would be a go for online and which ones to avoid online. i don't want to make a huge mistake by taking a class online that i should have taken on campus.
i was hoping the into to a&p wopuld be in the spring, but so far, i haven't seen it offered. (bummer) one advisor said it's really been a plus for getting your feet wet before you take ap i and ii. i'll have to keep looking at my campus connect and see if it's there.
anyway, thanks everyone for the information! :heartbeat

Innurse78 · Sep 23, 2008

Its not only the hospitals that are phasing them out, its also that some Ivy Techs are talking about not having the LPN program available at all, just the ASN.

If you note, even in doctors offices, they are letting more and more LPN's go and replacing them with CNA's because it's cheaper for them. So the only places that LPN's would then have the opportunity to work are nusing homes. If you like that kind of work then great....if not, then there are not many options.

There are just so many more opportunities for an RN than an LPN.

On the note about the TEAS test, I would highly suggest you NOT take this test until you are at least done with your ANP 1&2. Science is a major component of the TEAS and why waste 30.00 until you know what they are talking about. To take it before you know this stuff would just stress you out.

As far as courses on line, I took all mine on line and loved it. I do agree that trying to take the Advanced ANP would be horrid on line as its even more horrid in person. Its a very difficult course.

If you haven't been in school for a long time ( I think you said 80's)??, I would suggest you take at least a few courses in person that way it will give you a feel for being back in a classroom again.

Good luck!

BTownRNHopeful · Sep 23, 2008

its not only the hospitals that are phasing them out, its also that some ivy techs are talking about not having the lpn program available at all, just the asn.
if you note, even in doctors offices, they are letting more and more lpn's go and replacing them with cna's because it's cheaper for them. so the only places that lpn's would then have the opportunity to work are nusing homes. if you like that kind of work then great....if not, then there are not many options.
there are just so many more opportunities for an rn than an lpn.
on the note about the teas test, i would highly suggest you not take this test until you are at least done with your anp 1&2. science is a major component of the teas and why waste 30.00 until you know what they are talking about. to take it before you know this stuff would just stress you out.
as far as courses on line, i took all mine on line and loved it. i do agree that trying to take the advanced anp would be horrid on line as its even more horrid in person. its a very difficult course.
if you haven't been in school for a long time ( i think you said 80's)??, i would suggest you take at least a few courses in person that way it will give you a feel for being back in a classroom again.
good luck!

well bless your heart! thank you so much for the useful information!! i so appreciate everyone taking the time to answer my questions. this website is the most amazing place and i'm thankful i found it. :bow:

i'm not thinking about taking my teas until much later, that much i already know! (lol) since it's been such a long time that i was in school i have to take 2 math classes to get me where i need to be on the college level. i'm horrible at math, and buddy did that show on that test! so it doesn't bother me to take those math classes online with my english comp. now i know which classes not to take online and i'm grateful to know that, thanks to you wonderful people. :heartbeat

the thing that is heavy on my mind is knowing i could go through all of these pre and co reqs and not get accepted into the nursing program. i guess, (and you can correct me if i'm wrong) but to be accepted into the program you would have to have outstanding grades in all your courses? :eek:

what you were saying about the lpn's makes so much sense to me as it would be a way to cut cost for not only hospitals, but in offices as well. why pay an lpn when an rn can do everything that the lpn can do and more. in an office setting a cna would be great, but who would give the shots? i know a qma can pass meds, (where i live) but i've never heard of one giving shots to a patient. maybe things have changed a lot since i was a cna. (lol) i thought i was doing good with i&o's, heatlamp treatments and full vitals!

anyway, thanks so much to all of you for the awesome and very helpful information! god bless you all! :heartbeat:heartbeat:heartbeat

Innurse78 · Sep 24, 2008

Where I used to work in a huge medical facility in B-Town, they had MA's do all the same things as us LPN's. Scary thing is.............some do not even have any medical certificates at all; never took a MA course and here they are giving shots, giving out meds to patients, trying to explain test results to pt's on the phone and giving them the wrong info.

Lots of LPN's were fired for no reason after about the 5 year mark of employment with that company....why...because they can hire anyone to do the work of an LPN and pay them a lot less. There were some girls who had no medical training that worked in medical records that applied for and got a "nursing job" with a doc. They then had to do V/S, calling in meds they had no idea what were for or side effects they could have, etc etc. Very scary stuff!!!

I, too, had to start back at the begining of math because I had graduated from Lpn school 18 years ago. If your rusty on math skills, I would advise an in-person class that way you can get "live" help from the teacher for problems....especially algebra!

OMG, I hated math and still do. I am just glad its done and over and most of that stuff we will never use again. The only thing you use is the dosage calc they teach you in pharm.

Bloomington Hospital is not replacing any LPN that leaves because they want to get magnet status. They are also telling the LPN's that work there now that if you do not have your RN buy a certain time frame, then its bye bye time.

Monroe Hospital utilizes LPN's on its med-surg floor and I have heard amny good things about that facility. BH.........oh............I could tell you stories that would make your hair curl.

:)

BTownRNHopeful · Sep 24, 2008

where i used to work in a huge medical facility in b-town, they had ma's do all the same things as us lpn's. scary thing is.............some do not even have any medical certificates at all; never took a ma course and here they are giving shots, giving out meds to patients, trying to explain test results to pt's on the phone and giving them the wrong info.
lots of lpn's were fired for no reason after about the 5 year mark of employment with that company....why...because they can hire anyone to do the work of an lpn and pay them a lot less. there were some girls who had no medical training that worked in medical records that applied for and got a "nursing job" with a doc. they then had to do v/s, calling in meds they had no idea what were for or side effects they could have, etc etc. very scary stuff!!!
i, too, had to start back at the begining of math because i had graduated from lpn school 18 years ago. if your rusty on math skills, i would advise an in-person class that way you can get "live" help from the teacher for problems....especially algebra!
omg, i hated math and still do. i am just glad its done and over and most of that stuff we will never use again. the only thing you use is the dosage calc they teach you in pharm.
bloomington hospital is not replacing any lpn that leaves because they want to get magnet status. they are also telling the lpn's that work there now that if you do not have your rn buy a certain time frame, then its bye bye time.
monroe hospital utilizes lpn's on its med-surg floor and i have heard amny good things about that facility. bh.........oh............i could tell you stories that would make your hair curl.
:)

yup, i've heard a lot of good things about monroe too.

man, that really bites about the lpn's at bh!

that would be hard trying to work a 12 hour shift and go back to get your rn. i'm so glad i'm not working while going to school. i can't imagine the stress of trying to hold down a job and getting all of my studies finished on time. not to mention all the time you would spend studying for tests. my hat goes off to all those people that are working and going to school. kudos to all of you! :bow:

that is so scary about the ma's doing the work on lpn's and not having proper certification. that's bad for the patients and is an open door for a lawsuit for sure! when you blow off patient care and wellbeing to cut cost, that's just poor judgment (imo) :eek:

i hear ya' about math, it's my mortal enemy! i never liked it when i was in school, but now i have a different attitude about it and i'm so ready to learn and excel knowing i'll need a lot of it down the line. actually, that's not the classes that have me worried. it's more the anp that has me going pale with fear. just trying to memorize everything and spelling everything correctly is making my hair curl! (lol)

kgle · Sep 24, 2008

If you start the ASN program in the Spring (at Bloomington, anyway), you will have a Summer semester in Nursing School.
It's like this:
Spring, Summer, Fall, Spring graduation
or
Fall, Spring, Fall, Spring graduation

I was thinking about the Indy/Lawrence program. Sorry!

kgle · Sep 24, 2008

i have heard from a lot of nurses that lpn isn't the route to go, there are hospitals that are phasing them out. the asn program is only a semester longer than the lpn.
i did hear that bloomington hosp. was doing that. when you think about it only being one semester longer, it's not that bad. i'm really thinking about just going for the rn, it makes sense if you're already in school to just to finish up.
i just want to make sure i totally understand which classes would be a go for online and which ones to avoid online. i don't want to make a huge mistake by taking a class online that i should have taken on campus.
i was hoping the into to a&p wopuld be in the spring, but so far, i haven't seen it offered. (bummer) one advisor said it's really been a plus for getting your feet wet before you take ap i and ii. i'll have to keep looking at my campus connect and see if it's there.
anyway, thanks everyone for the information! :heartbeat
i think for online classes its honestly how you learn. its hard to tell someone what to take and what not to take...there are many ladies on here that took aphy online and i am in awe. there is no way i could take this class online. i am in it right now and had no intro course (didn't know there was one!). i was terrible at science and biology in high school but as of right now, after 4 quizzes and 2 exams (one lecture and one lab), i have an a in it. its just very very time consuming to say the least.
online classes seriously are much more convenient for me. i work full time and have a 2 year old so adjusting my schedule that much is just not an option, and i cannot afford to lose pay and insurance to go down to part time status.
good luck with whatever you decide :) i really like being back in school...i feel so good about myself now that i am finally doing something! i have to say though, i hate the early morning classes! evening classes next semester it will have to be!