Tony1790

Did her course help you pass?? Wash it worth the cost?? Thanks Tony

I am in Johnson City, TN. I need a recommendation for a good RN refresher course in this area. I've heard good things about Montoria Williams (sp?) in Kingsport, TN. Anyone who her course or can recommend another?? Thanks Tony

Yeah nursing sucks a bunch, but until you pass your boards you can't know for sure if you like it or not. Take a refresher course and try the Nclex again, you owe it to yourself. You've only wasted all of your time on nursing if you don't pass. Pass the dang boards, try nursing for 6 months while you see if you like it or not. As to the wages, they get better. I'm making $18hr in TN and I've only been a LPN for about a year and a half. Good luck, study for the boards and then quit if you want to.....but first pass! Take care, good luck. Tony in TN

$3600 in TN total cost. Worked part time nights to pay for school out of pocket, and no waiting period, easy as pie. My two cents, LPN salaries (at least in TN) are NOT worth what some of you guys are paying for it, not even close. And if I was going to wait to go, then I'd wait for an RN school to open and go there. Good luck Tony in TN LPN working on RN

Hello, I have a multifaceted question with no real wrong answer. I'm an LPN working 3 jobs, 1 full-time in ER/Urgent Care, PRN - 2nd Urgent Care & Home health. I just finished my BA in History and I'm currently enrolled in pre-req for RN. I'm torn what to do next. I'm guaranteed a slot in the local university LPN to RN or BSN for 2nd degree holder accelerated program, but that won't start until summer 2012 (gives me time to finish my prereq) My question is: Should I get a 2nd Bachelors in Nursing (graduate 2013) or should I try for a higher level degree (direct entry MSN) or another Masters such as Physician Assistant, Infomatics, health care admin, etc? I'm a little long in the tooth time wise, I'm currently 44, next summer I'd start BSN at 45 and grad at 46, then try for MSN?? Financially I'm ok: no debt, retired military with GI bill benefits to boot, so I could in theory stop working 3 jobs and go to school full-time. In addition, I work for the VA and they will not only pay for school, but in addition pay my salary while I go to school and I only have to work at the hospital while on spring break, etc. That is assuming that there will be funding available next year for this program (doubtful considering the budget crisis). VA pay makes BSN and Masters level education worth it, much higher salary. So what to do?? guaranteed BSN or try for Masters instead. Best bang for the academic/cost/age buck??

Tasha, How would using the GI Bill work with EC being tests and not actual classes. I've signed up for an EC history test to give me my elusive last class for my BA in History and today I signed up for an online A&P class and an online intro to Micro class. That gives me 11 credit hours this semester, I really need to figure out how to use the GI bill. When I went to LPN school I paid for it out of pocket. But just the 2 online classes and books are going to cost around $1700. Tony in TN

OK, I'm an LPN in TN. I am REALLY wanting to get my RN, here are my options: 1. Guaranteed slot in RN program with ETSU due to being a grad of Tenn Tech Center LPN program (they got a grant to allow this), this would be essentially free as I could use my GI Bill to pay for school (close to $2000 month in cash). All I have to do is my 4 prereq classes prior to Feb 2012, and classes would start in summer 2012 and last for 16 months and I would have my BSN (accelerated program). In addition, the Veterans admin may pay for the school and my salary while I go (if approved). 2. I could start on my LPN to RN (ADN) with Excelsior NOW, but have to pay for everything out of pocket. What I'm thinking is to do both, as in, work on my 4 prerequisites now, while simultaneously working on my Excelsior tests with the hope of having my RN by Dec 2011, but with a back up of having the guaranteed ETSU spot just a few months away with BSN written all over it. 3. Finish my prerequisites and apply at a various number of LPN to RN programs around, but with no guarantee of actually getting a slot. The quickest one would be at WCU in NC, 12 month BSN (accelerated) with application period starting in Jan 2012. What do you all think? Drawbacks seem to be time and money. By doing the Excelsior in addition to the 4 prereq classes, I'm paying double and out of pocket to boot. But IF I could pass the Excelsior then I'd have my RN much, much sooner than a graduation date of 2013 with BSN at ETSU. Tony in TN

Hi all, I'm in Johnson City, I'm an LPN at the VA, I think I'm going to try the LPN to RN with Excelsior online, I know 2 other RN's I work with that did it and they recommend it. It'd be nice to have someone to study with, but I don't know of anyone going through this route. Anyway wish me luck, gotta get my RN soon, I'm getting old, turned 44 the other day, ugh. Tony in TN

I too plan on starting in 2011, I am an LPN with the VA currently and just found out that the EC program is eligible for the VA scholarship (VANEEP). I'm going to try for that, if not, I'll just have to pay as I go. Good luck, I know 2 VA nurses that were LPN's and achieved their RN thru EC. Tony in TN

Depends, Under 1 yr experience, I think that they start at GS3, maybe GS4, so that's $11-$14 hr to start, plus differentials. Over 1 yr experience, GS4-GS5, so $14-$15 hr to start, if a lot more experience the pay should be over $20 hr. I know a few that started over $20hr, not sure how much over it was, but they had a lot more experience than me (GS6??). I'm just over 1 yr. New LPN's get paid less than NA's at the VA unfortunately. Good luck. There aren't too many openings at the VA, I work at the VA as a tech and make $15hr, I just applied for a LPN job at the VA in JC. I hope to soon start working as an LPN, my pay should be $15hr and that's only because I'm already there. If you drive over to Asheville, NC (I did that for about 3 months) the pay is a lot higher, I started just under $17hr to start, plus diff Good luck Tony