HM2VikingRN

I would explore the ADN programs. (EG Normandale etc.) Some of the schools have 2 phase programs where you pick up your LPN after Phase I. Phase II bridges you on to RN.) Consider applying to: Ridgewater CC (Hutchinson/Willmar). They have a 2 phase model. (Full disclosure my mother is a retired nurse educator from this school.) South Central College (Mankato) If the school is a product of the mergers between the AVTI (LPN programs)/CCs (ADN programs) they generally follow a 2 phase model. Esunada is giving you a good perspective. I have never seen a Rasmussen student at the VA. I have seen numerous students from the state college/university systems as well as the private liberal arts colleges. When I interviewed at the VA I had a foot in the door with one NM because she was also a Mankato graduate. I think that in MN reputation of the school REALLY matters during the selection process for hiring. Because of the historical relationships between the schools and the area hospitals I think that your chances of placement in a really good first job are enhanced by choosing the more traditional route of a Normandale, Ridgewater etc. (Plus you will have much less debt to repay at the end.) PM me or Moogie if you want some ideas about how to successfully apply to the BSN/ADN programs.

I would contact a Navy health care recruiter. They can help you plan a strategy to work your way into the system. A few hints: Be Ht/wt proportionate and in good general physical health. (Some things are waiverable but some aren't. (eg diabetes.)) You will need to take a physical. Get everything in writing. Explore the Navy Reserve. (They do have some non prior service programs.) (The Hospital Corpsman rating is an excellent gateway to professional nursing from a psychomotor skills aspect. Essentially HMs are the military equivalent of an LPN or MA.) The reserves did have a program where HMs could be in a BSN program, given drill credit for school, receive their drill pay as a monthly stipend for satisfactory school performance with the requirement of coming to their drill center twice a year for PT testing/medical readiness requirements. Ask about MGIB also. Best of luck.

Not to my knowledge. There are a variety of student programs. Call the nursing recruiter for the VA you are interested in working at. Ask about the SNT program, Working as a nursing assistant etc. If you are already an LPN the NNEI program will help you become an RN in exchange for 3 years FT service following completion of training. There are some financial aids available for employees to advance their education. My advice is to "get your foot in the door."

I just entered NNEI. They will fund NP. It requires a letter from your Service Line head that there will be an anticipated need for NP. I had absolutely no problem getting that for my psychiatric NP program.

Fantastic! Maybe we can kill RTW in FLA from the inside....

Moved to prenursing forum for visibility.

I started my accelerated program at 45. Finished at 47. So my thoughts are no you are not too old to start a nursing career. (Prereqs are definitely achievable while homeschooling. Use them as an opportunity to teach your daughter A/P etc....)

Personally I would say no. As a nonlicensed person this has the potential for real heartache for you. As a TMA It is my understanding that you are under the direct supervision of a licensed person. Asking you to practice practical nursing without a license is not acceptable behavior by your supervisor. I would call the BON for clarification of the rules. We cannot offer legal advice for TOS reasons. Closing thread for moderator review.

Moved to Military Nursing forum.

Water, water,water I have dropped 53 pounds in the past 4 months through a combination of diet, exercise, and mental health supports. I work mental health and with my commute I work just about 60 hours a week. My trip to the gym is a priority. On PMs I go before I leave for work. On days I go just before bed.

The VA is starting to hire again....Careers: Nursing Career Center - Minneapolis VA Health Care System

HCMC is in the downtow area of MPLS. Abbott-Northwestern is probably 4 miles west....North Memorial is off HWY 100. There are 3 or 4 hospitals clustered in Downtown St Paul. Fairview Southdale is off France and 62. Fairview Ridges is in Burnsville. St Francis is in Shakopee off hwy 169. It all depends which part of the cities that you want to live in. If you want to live in Lakeville/Eagan/Burnsville the light rail is accessible. The light rail goes directly to HCMC. (There is a park and ride by the MOA that would give you free parking otherwise you would have to pay for parking at HCMC.) HCMC or ANW would be on the top of my personal list if I were a L/D nurse. (Followed by St Francis or Fairview University.)

If you do what you love the money will follow. Its a aphorism but it especially applies to nursing. As a second career RN I went from one MH job to another but received a substantial pay raise by obtaining the credential. Now I am back in school for my NP/CNS in Mental Health. (Not really for the title but because I want to be at a higher level of responsibility and apply my expertise to the care of patients.) Nursing is one of the professions where you can find a niche and grow your talents. If you find your niche and keep investing in yourself there is a great deal of satisfaction to be had along with the financial rewards. I never wanted to be a peds/OB/medsurge nurse but the opportunity for growth for me as a person was in metal health. Each of us in this profession can find our niche.

Correct-Any valid state license will allow you to practice at any VA facility...

Navy Blue

Thanks to Groovy Jeff for writing up this post!

Resumes, Interviewing, & Landing the Job Having been in Human Resources prior to becoming an RN, and having interviewed thousands of people for jobs, I would like to offer some job seeking advice to my nursing brethren. Below are some guidelines that will help you get that coveted nursing position. Resumes: You actually need two different kinds; one for people to read and one that computers read. The people one is formatted, neat, and is easy for the human eye to scan. There are lots of guides online on proper resume styles, formats, and what relevant content that they should contain. The "electronic" resume should have the same info as the first; however, there should be now special formatting, no extra spaces, no special characters, etc, and should be in plain text format. This will enable the computer to pick out the key words that it is searching for and not get confused. Key words are important; if your applying for a job on an ortho floor, words that will be of import will be 'traction', 'external fixators', 'sequential compression device (SCDs)', etc. Use the words that are part of your everyday practice. Interviewing: Read this very carefully: when you go to the interview wear a suit and tie. People that tell you otherwise are hampering your chances of landing a job. Think about this a minute; you are asking a complete stranger to allow you to take care of their patients, work with their employees, handle their equipment, pay you, and give you benefits. All they have to go on is your cover letter, resume, and their first impression of you. Here are a few common sense suggestions that will make a difference. - Neat, clean, very little cologne or better yet none at all, nails cut, etc - Suit & tie or blazer, tie, and dress pants - Shoes shined - Hide tattoos and take out piercings - Do not take your cell phone with you - Do not chew gum - Do not smell like you just smoked a pack of cigarettes - Do not call the interviewer 'Dude' or use other colloquialism - Take several copies of your people resume to the interview Go to the library and get a few books on interviewing and interviewing questions, so that you can sound somewhat intelligent when they ask you those open ended questions i.e. "tell us about a situation where you had to deal with a difficult supervisor" or "what happened with this job that you are no longer there" or (this is the dumbest question that has no practical use but HR people/DONs, etc feel a need to ask it) "where do you want to be in 5 years". These books will not give you the answers but will help you to formulate the answers in a positive light. After the interview, go directly to Hallmark and buy non descript, business-like thank you cards and send them to all of the folks that interviewed you. Having trouble getting a job: There are some helpful hints on what use to be the career forum which is now closed, but can be found at allnurses: A Nursing Community for Nurses . I have a sticky posted there on an alternative strategy that has worked for me in the past and landed me my current position. Good luck!!

Thread moved.

Threads merged.

Post away with your best ideas for appropriate attire.

Sister Callista Roy. (The Roy Adaptation Model)She asks nurses to consider patients in the context of their roles and how illness affects role performance of the patient across a variety of domains whether family, social, occupational etc.

MSU has a good nursing program based on the ROY model....I have a coworker who is finishing her BSN and she has been complimentary about her experience.

UND is all online and very affordable...

Thread reopened. Numerous posts have been removed from view and are no longer available for reading or quoting. Please try to keep the discussion centered on job hunting tips and strategies. Immigration discussions did not advance the discussion nor were they particularly helpful to the OP or anyone else who is struggling with the current job search climate. For perspective: An old rule of thumb was that it takes 1 month of job searching for each 10 thousand per year in annual income. For a 50-60 k starting wage that means 5-6 months of job searching. With our current economy that time frame has been expanded.

Reopened. One website that you could try is BSN-JOBST USA. Another site is at http://www.foryourlegs.com/Activa-Mens-Womens-p-1-c-546.html?gclid=CPCKyvXTtKMCFQ4Tswodnj5W6Q I know that the VA uses Jobst stockings for our veterans with LE edema. I encourage you to discuss your concerns with your provider to make sure that what you buy fits your unique medical needs.