teiladay

It's important to keep in mind that while the Department of Defense does not as a rule pay for spouses to go on deployment, it is not uncommon for spouses to relocate themselves to deployment locales on their own dime, which the military has no control over. Such is common for deployments to Korea, stopovers in Panama, Guam, etc... Many spouses will meet up, or actually live on the economy during deployments or remote tours (e.g. Korea). This is popular with many Army/Air Force service embers who serve in units that are/were notorious for getting extended from 12 to 18 month tours in Korea... They bring the spouse and kids over on their own dime. Someone mentioned the divorce rate... There's credence to that statement; the amount of transgressions in the military is a sub culture in itself that most of you cannot fathom or have never been privy to, with locations such as Korea, Ft. Sam Houston (San Antonio), Germany, et al., being Mini Meccas for large-scale cheating with women of every nationality you can imagine being smuggled onto the base, or "entertained" off base... A smorgasbord of opportunity that any new bride should consider before taking the plunge into military life. Know all aspects of the military culture before you jump in! If you ever have a position where you have to dole out punishment to service members- you'll get a shot of reality as to what goes on underneath the military vail real quick. Just realize that being in the military is like being a corporate pilot... You simply go where, when, and how you're told to go, and for how long you're told to be there... At least the spouse has the option to follow the service member or not, sometimes maintaining several households (one stateside and one overseas where the service member is stationed) flying back and forth between the two at wish. The military affords many wonderful opportunities, and twice as many opportunities to get into trouble... You're the captain of your own destiny.

I think this is the kind of response the OP was trying to avoid. There are many things that people don't like doing (in many occupations), but will do it in school because they know they won't have to do it in the particular job they want in the first place. If the OP "comes across" something that she doesn't particularly like in NP school, she will simply make that decision whether that "something" is a deal breaker, or just a "something" that she has to put up with in school knowing full well that it's not something that she'll have to deal with (or only minimally so) on the job. Too easy a decision to make and I'm sure the OP is smart enough to make such a simple decisions for herself. That's not what she's asking, neither what's important. It's remarkable how so many "smiley faces" and statements of 'how no disrespect is meant to those in xyz types of nursing' often written is a pretext to questions, just so the respective OP doesn't offend, or hurt people's feelings. Get over it. The OP asked a simple question that is not only very reasonable, but very important since a lot of nurses, nursing students, and prospective nursing students often ask and wonder. Cleaning up poo isn't for everyone (whether you do it or not is immaterial) and frankly, many excellent nurses seek out jobs where they don't have to deal with the stuff, just like many excellent attorneys, physicians, pilots, etc., only engage in practice that caters to what they like, despite having to have a well-rounded exposure while in law/med/flight/nursing, etc., school, where they had to deal with stuff they didn't like. That doesn't make them any less of a professional, and sometimes makes them better at what they do because they essentially become subject matter experts at doing they type of work that they love. Different strokes for different folks, what difference does it make to me? None, as long as you're competent and happy, then I'm happy for ya! Some nurses don't like cleaning poo, but do it because that's part of the job. Other nurses don't like cleaning poo and are able to circumvent doing so by circumventing the jobs most apt to have to deal with such. What the OP is asking is what nursing jobs *essentially* don't involve poop, but will hone the OPs skill set needed for FNP/NP. Here's what I would do if I was the OP. I'd skip the floor nursing, etc., because I don't think there's a significant advantage to enduring that type of work if you're intent is to be a FNP. I think the OP would get far more mileage out of going directly to NP school, and soaking up as much info as possible from other NPs in the area of practice that the OP wants to engage in, as well as physicians and physician assistants in that area of practice. I think the OP would best benefit herself positioning herself in an environment where she is gaining knowledge mostly from the practice of medicine and is surrounded by those either practicing medicine (physicians) or as close to it w/out running afoul of the license (practicing FNP'ers), as opposed to the daily trappings of traditional floor nursing. It should go without saying that all of us respect the opinions and work of others. I don't think less of a nursing student that loath's the thought of floor nursing but is excited about working a 9-5 in family clinic, breast augmentation clinic, etc.. No more than loathing an attorney for only wanting simple tort cases and never setting foot a courthouse- No more than a med student not considering primary care based on pay alone... No more than an excellent test pilot who can't navigate from here to there worth a flip, but can analyze every inch of the aircraft in flight better than the best... no, I don't turn my nose up at such, because that would be petty and just silly. Different people excel in different areas and many are smart enough to know whether or not they're wasting their time pursuing a traditional route just because it's what everyone else does. Because a person doesn't like what I like, or isn't willing to put up with what I might put up with, hardly means that person's priorities, dedication or sense of reality is compromised. The OP asked a reasonable question that has realistic avenues she can take dependent on the type of nursing that she wants to engage in. Best of the day to everyone

Wendy's considers their workers "professional" too. I'm not arguing that point, or speaking in that context. The fact of the matter is that (and I used this word intentionally in my previous post) the traditional use (not the dict. use) of the word "professional" denotes specialized training generally requiring graduate school or higher. There are some exceptions of course and engineering, architects, et al, fall into that category. Nothing against your hubby. I'm sure he's professional at all that he does. Two old ladies are having lunch bragging about their kids. One says "my daughter is still teaching and her fiancé is a "professional..." The other lady immediately starts to think Physician? Lawyer? business executive? dentist? etc.. in the 80's people started using the word "professional" with every job under the sun, but most people who've been to college or who have simply lived long enough, generally understand the context, if your granny says "Oooh I'd love for you to marry a professional"... that she isn't talking about marrying a store manager at Best Buy. Technically, "avionics engineering" isn't a common channel of engineering but I am very familiar with aviation (licensed pilot for over 25 yrs) so I get it. Unless your hubby went to a school that has programs geared toward aviation (University of North Dakota, Embry, etc..) or he graduated from a school like Devry, then avionics engineering isn't a common major of study in the field of engineering. If your hubby went to a traditional university or college and is a licensed engineer with a BS or BA in engineering, then I would guess that he majored in Electrical, Computer, or Software Engineering and is working in a position called Avionics Engineer(ing). But you'd know better than I. I'd like to hear more about it. PM me if you please. Back on point. Alphabet soup is not existent in Aviation. I think you're confusing a few things. Just like a physician will put MD, DO, or OB/GYN after their name (because it tells something specific about their training or job within the field of medicine), Aircraft pilots have titles as well that are meaningful. No pilot (or physician, or PA) is going to put that they have a Bachelors degree in "whatever" because that's silly in the industry. CFI = certified flight instructor. You don't have to be a CFII (instrument instructor) to work as a CFI. If I need to get current and do my obligatory 3 takeoffs and landings, I just need to find a CFI if I'm only wanting to fly VFR. CFII = certified flight instructor (instruments) VFR (visual flight rules) has nothing to do with IFR (instrument flight rules). IFR does not infer VFR and neither have anything to do with the pilot. That terminology basically simply denotes weather conditions. You can't fly VFR in IFR conditions, but when you fly above 18,000 ft., you must fly IFR no matter how sun shiny it is outside. Most airline flights fly IFR in VFR conditions. Has nothing to do with the pilot ratings. MEI, MEII, etc., tell me what the pilot's training has been and in what capacity that pilot can be put to work. In fact, I address this issue and make a comparison between nursing and aviation in a previous post several years ago I think. I'm not "hating" on the alphabet soup issue as much as I'm relating how petty it is to put your degree, instead of your specialized training after your name in the medical field. You having BSN behind your name doesn't tell anyone anything about your specialized training as it pertains to nursing. Doing so perpetuates stereotypes about nursing and diminishes the occupation seen as a well trained, highly professional and technical profession. Don't shoot the messenger. I'm just being frank. putting CRNA, NP, CNS, CNM behind your name = makes sense putting ADN, BSN, MSN behind your name is, well, you know... It's different, say, if you're a teacher where your actual degree (Masters in Secondary Edu) and degree emphasis (e.g. chemistry). I know what it's like to work hard for a degree(s) and I have nothing but praise for those who had the guts to stick it out and finish what they started.

You are 100% correct, and it just doesn't affect medical schools either. It affects most math/science based degrees. The reason is because community colleges generally do not offer the same rigor in the math/science courses as many (not all) national universities (National univ = where majors up to and including a full range of PhD is offered). It is also why universities will specify University physics instead of College physics. Some majors have to specify that your classes for a biochemistry degree might not count toward a chemistry degree and so on. The rigor is different in many courses with the same name depending on the actual major of study. Finance at a community college might not have a math prerequisite, however the same course at a university for people wanting an MBA might require Business Calculus, etc.. You bring up an important point- too many people think they can just take certain math/science courses at a community college and it count later. It doesn't always work like that. You have to understand how the College Majors work. Once you gain that understanding, then you can pick and choose which courses you may take at a community college vs. U with confidence in order to save a buck.

You're kidding right? What are you talking about? Many PA's actually take a Pre-med d-e-g-r-e-e program as their undergraduate degree so they knock two birds out with one stone. 1. The PA student has easily met the education pre reqs for PA school. 2. The PA who's ultimate goal is to become a physician has (generally) met the education requirements for Medical School as well. Majoring in "Pre-med" is as common as people wearing flip flops to Wal*Mart. A BS in "Pre-med" has been around for a loooong time, just as an AS in "pre-med" has long been around. Yes, you can get a degree in Premed, and it's been like that for at least 40 years at many schools. Some schools call it a BS in biology/pre-med option... which basically means "Hey look, you're doing a pre-med program but in doing so, you've also completed the requirements for Biology." No brainer there. Of course you've completed the requirements for a bio major in most cases, because a biology degree is a math/science based degree. B.S. in Biology - Pre-med Option Pre-Medical A "transfer track" is basically any degree that requires you to finish up at a 4 year institution to really get the degree. e.g., you can go 2 years and get your RN via ADN... or... you can go 2 years and graduate with a AA degree in nursing, however we all know that you can't do anything with it until you finish the last two years at a university and earn the BSN + take the NCLEX, etc., etc.. Higher institutions of learning assume many people already know that. Fundamental difference between AA and AS degrees, etc.. This comes straight from Indiana University which does not offer a pre-med major. (Hint #1). " Indiana University does not offer a "premed" major. Medical school admissions officials usually say that they do not have a preference for one particular major over another, and do not give preference to students who have completed a "premed" major. Rather, their priority is in admitting students from all majors who have developed a strong foundation in the sciences, as well as other intellectual abilities and skills." Blah, Blah, Blah... we know that stuff already. The reason Indiana spells out that THEY do not offer a pre-medical degree is because many other universities and colleges do...

"J.D., LLM, SSD = professional degrees".... whoops! I meant to put SJD (law doctorate) not SSD. Sorry.

1. Do not be mislead. The "minimum" requirement to take the NCLEX (2 year or 4year institution) absolutely does not include General Chemistry at many institutions, and never has. 2. The biology that many people took on the path to becoming a nurse does not fly for many science majors at many institutions. Not even close. 3. The prerequisite courses + the courses that are required to get to the prerequisite courses + the courses that are required to earn an undergraduate degree (which is basically required to be a competitive applicant at most medical and law schools, even though some say you will be "considered" with only "X" amount of credit hours) winds up putting you close to earning a science based degree… which is the point of taking pre-med in the first place. You might as well get a BS degree while gearing up for the MCAT (which is basically all pre-med is anyway… MCAT prep) 4. You're correct if you don't know many RN's taking college level Pre-calc, because most do not, have not, and will not ever take such a course in his or her lifetime. The point I was making is that depending on the institution, you cannot take Calculus, or General Chemistry without taking at least pre-calc first. Of course you've heard of people going to med school with non science degrees. It's common. No one cares what you got a degree in (same with law school… and is why many people major in Psychology and other easy majors for a high GPA + LSAT score, but that's another conversation) just as long as you have a rigorous (important) science, that's what matters to med schools as far as the courses you've taken. Math and physics plays less of a role than chemistry. A math/physics major doesn't promise that a person will quickly digest anatomical content. It's different. Harmonics, fluid dynamics and understanding how boundary layers affect the design of an airfoil (wing) or electrical concepts can be quite different than physiological concepts, etc.. It's not just about GPA, we all know that. But basically it's about GPA and standardized test scores in virtually every professional school on the planet with few exceptions… no matter what the school likes to tell students. 5. You've taken the prerequisites for what professional programs at what school(s)? All schools aren't equal. All schools don't require the same amount of rigorous courses. Applying to a NP program is generally a lot easier than applying to a school of Veterinary medicine or Optometry. You have to be specific. 6. I don't think being an RN would be an advantage worth mentioning, because the difference (in my opinion) is too great. Applying to med school if you had been a CRNA with hopes of becoming an anesthesiologist would be more of a direct advantage, and I'm sure you can conclude why. Applying to med school and having worked as a PA I think would be more of an advantage. 7. A BSN is not a professional degree. It's an undergraduate degree. I mean it does spell it out right there in the degree itself "Bachelors of Science Nursing" Professional degrees (and the term professional) is usually/traditionally used to denote careers or courses of study that require at least the student graduate from a graduate level program (Master's degree) or the occupational equivalent. There are nautical and aviation occupations that take years of training, outside the realm of traditional "degrees", but are still considered "professional" occupations. Bachelors in Accounting = not a professional degree Masters in Accounting with all sections of the CPA exam passed = professional Bachelors in Business = not a professional degree and arguably worthless MBA in investment banking/finance = professional degree Bachelors in Law studies/para legal = not a professional degree J.D., LLM, SSD = professional degrees… and in this economy it means working at Starbucks while trying to pay off your $137,000 law school loan. "Whip cream with that sir?" Generally only put letters after your name to denote your specialized training, or training within the respective field. Suze Q, BSN = silly, ridiculous, trite. BSN gives no more specialized training then ADN or diploma grad. Suze Q, RN = reasonable Suze Q, CRNA or NP, and other advanced training = reasonable because it directly relates to your specialized training. Suze Q, PA = reasonable Suze Q, CPA = reasonable Suze Q, Bachelors of accouting = silly :) Kudos to everyone who's put in the hard work to get a degree period! Any type of degree. I'm in no way knocking such- just speaking in the context of professional vs. non professional degrees (in the traditional sense) and how the nursing community would benefit from dropping the BSN, ADN alphabet soup after a persons name. It makes the nursing profession look less professional compared to other professions that know better when and when not to put letters behind a name.

... The cold reality however, is that for most nurses (or most people for that matter) to even come close to completing the requisite science courses, they will pretty much complete a science based degree program just in trying to meet the prerequisites so they can even *take* the requisite courses :) Sure, a school might say you need organic chem, but the course guide might say you have to have general chemistry before you can take org chem... the prerequisite for gen chem is pre-calc (at the least) at a lot of schools. See where I'm going? That's just to meet the minimums. To be competitive, schools might "recommend" (often code for "take these courses") that you have courses in genetics, immunology, etc.. Next thing you know, you've basically completed the pre-med undergrad degree in your pursuit of being competitive. Don't forget you're competing with people who are able to easily get a 3.8 hard math/hard science GPA on a bad day. The bottom line is that med school is an entirely different ball of wax, fiercely competitive on a different level, but not out of reach to anyone who is able to digest the math and science requirements, score high on the MCAT, etc. I think the OP is generally speaking about people who really don't have a clue what applying to med and other "professional schools" entails. [in this context, degrees/ licenses that requiring the completion of a graduate level program or better as a minimum; e.g. PharmD, Optometrist, Podiatrist, Vet medicine, Path assistant, etc.] I wish everyone the best with whatever dream they have. I also like when people are realistic and knowledgeable about their dream occupation. Best of the morning to everyone!

... Not today, but if you were a frequent (or even infrequent) flyer in the 60's and 70's you'd recall nearly 100% of flight attendants looked like that at many (every?) airlines, back when airlines had weight standards strictly enforced. Reminded me of an industry fashion show back then. Decades ago when I worked at UPS (United Parcel Service) one driver described the clinic he went to and how all the workers looked. Where do you thin EVERY male driver (all but one of our drivers) went that year (and many subsequently) for that annual checkup/physical? The benefit to that clinic was obvious from a financial standpoint, not just that year, but subsequent years just on word-of-mouth from one UPS driver. Multiply that by other people spreading the word x pricey procedures and, well, you understand the financial impact. I get it looking through the eyes as a person who runs a business. However I find it an unfortunate reality in healthcare. The practice of not hiring the new grad, and not hiring the highly experienced and or educated is proverb in the field of healthcare and education... There's a lot of highly experienced healthcare workers and PhD educators who can't find work. The number of people today not disclosing that they have a PhD is a sad testament. Old guy with super long nose hair and hair growing out of his ears, or the frumpy old nurse with bad back and shrewd face, skilled hands and that partial non-fake, honest smile that lets you know she's got your back... But don't get on her nerves! I couldn't care less, as long as I get the best care possible.

The debt from people who went "4 years straight" will generally have debt in the same ballpark whether they took their classes online or not at the same, or a similarly ranked institution. Many private online curriculums (e.g. UOP) are typically more expensive. I am a hard advocate for online curriculums, I think it's ridiculous that it took this long for institutions to get their head out of the sand and start using online formats... that said, it's very unfortunate that many people (especially prospective students) don't have even a working grasp of how various programs differ in rigor, and how such can affect later education pursuits... irrespective of what occupation is being sought. A 3.0 GPA from a school like University of Phoenix (UOP) isn't respected the same as a 3.0 from a school like LSU, which requires at least College Algebra and General Chemistry to earn the BSN... and that's relatively speaking near the bottom of the BSN requirement scale. There are schools that require several courses of Chemistry and Calculus. So... if you're applying to a practitioner program at Johns Hopkins, or applying to an anesthesia program at Rush, *all else being equal*, which candidate seems more qualified and better educated based on their degree alone? (1) The nurse who completed a UOP RN-BSN program (2) the nurse who took at traditional route at school that required her to take college algebra and general chemistry (not that intro chem. that some schools accept) (3) the nurse who had to take calculus, general and organic chemistry. Remember "all else being equal"... 1. Which is statistically most likely to be successful at a top 10 program? 2. Which is statistically most likely to have an easier time with understanding biochemical concepts? ---------------- Look, it isn't a secret to those of us who've been around higher education enough to know that students used to major in "easy" majors just so they could apply to grad school with a high GPA. Majors like psychology, sociology, etc., have historically been used by many for that very purpose... it's a lot easier to get accepted with a 4.0 in Psychology, and apply to a limited seat MSN program (for those with previous degree) than having a 2.8 GPA in Chemical Engineering and doing the same, because many schools just plug your numbers into a formula (e.g. GPA + test score)... and that's unfortunate. The brighter side is that many schools (law schools, med schools, etc...) have started to really pay attention to the RIGOR of a particular person's degree program. It isn't the "name" of the school that is bad, but rather flimsy non-rigorous programs that particular types of schools are mostly associated with. Saying a BSN is like any other BSN just isn't true, nor even reasonable to think so. The reality is that a rigorous program (whether it's online or traditional doesn't matter) will prepare you for things that most people don't think about. When you take the GRE, GMAT, MCAT (should you want to branch off into other aspects of the medical field); the courses you took in your BSN curriculum could be the difference between you making a few points higher on your standardized test score, which could make the difference between you getting accepted to that PA (Pathology Assist.), Anesthesia (CRNA or AA), or NP program at a well respected university. Truth be told, it (the rigor of your BSN) can even make a decisive difference on how well you do on the analytical section "games" of the LSAT ! :) Just because two RNs passed the NCLEX doesn't mean they have even *remotely* close to the same *quality* of education and that's a very important reality. Whether it all makes a difference or not depends on what you want to do with your life and career. To answer the OPs question: No one really cares whether your body warmed a seat in a traditional format or whether you took classes online in your bathrobe and slippers with screaming kids in the background. It doesn't matter. Generally you get the same diploma whether you did most of your work online or otherwise. I would be less concerned about whether the program is "online" and most concerned with how the curriculum and institution measures up to traditional standards. Accreditation is only the bottom rung of standards to be met as two schools can be accredited by one of the accrediting bodies that matter, but one school might have high standards and the other school might give out diplomas that aren't worth the paper it's printed on as far as anyone is concerned. Know the difference! It's not about people on their "high horse" or people ragging on ASN nurses. It's about the type of people that you *usually* get in the applicant pool (whether it's for a job or degree), when the nurse (or initial applicant) has already been subjected to a high educational standard. Kindest

I think preference is given in Indiana for those with ties to the region. TEAS not required for many (most?) bachelor and master degree (those who start their RN training on a graduate level who already have finished an unrelated undergrad degree) programs .e.g. IU East... BSN Consideration is based on the following categories: Category I Students who have taken more than half of their prerequisite coursework at Indiana University East, who have taken over half of their coursework at another Indiana University campus, or students who are regionally connected to the IU East campus service area, i.e., live in one of the following counties: Wayne, Union, Fayette, Franklin, Rush, Henry, Randolph, and Darke and Preble (Ohio). Category II Students who have no regional connection and students who have taken more than half of their prerequisite coursework outside the Indiana University educational system who now wish to complete their nursing major at IU East.For questions about your particular situation and requirements, please contact the Pre-Nursing Advisor, Chad Beanblossom." Thumbs up to the OP!

I agree 100% with you should be able to do what is legal for in your private time. If you want to model nude on your off days and run a Media site, I couldn't care less if I was an institution's administrator.If you wanted to delve into politics and promote communism, then that should be your right too! Rock on! ... However, smoking doesn't just affect you. It affects patients/clients that will smell smoke on your breath, clothes, and or skin when you're next to them regardless of the steps you've taken to minimize the impact of their habit. As a non-smoker, I am no longer amazed at how many non smokers can't smell the stinch on themselves. Smoking often affects the over all aethetics of the Grounds no matter where you work. All too typical to see cig. butts discarded in the grass next to the building or around the break area, or employee entrance. Who pays to clean that up? Who has to spend time to clean that up? Lastly, smoking employees cost businesses a lot of money. They cost money through health care costs and often create a significant loss in productivity in many businesses to include the U.S. Military. I would not hire a smoker in this context. I am all for businesses having the right to discriminate against a costly habit to incude your weight.You being employed is a priviledge, not a right. A "police state" would apply if the business came to your home and hog tied you, then beat you with a cane pole for smoking, and sending your kids to school for smelling like smoke. Since businesses don't do that, it's more about a business excercising their *legal* right to discriminate... just as you have the *legal* right to smoke. note: I use the word(s) you/your in a general way and have no idea whether you smoke or not.

What caught my attention with your comment was that you felt prompted to "tell your daughter to be a veterinarian" instead of a nurse. The two jobs aren't even on the same planet as far as requirements, preparation, entry exams, etc.. Akin to saying "yeah, I told my daughter to be an M.D. Instead of an RN because all the corporate nonsense" Huh??? :) I would hope that if your daughter breezes through calc, genetics, has a penchant for biochemistry and can score respectfully on the mcat (etc.) without sweating bullets and donating a year to prepare for that potentially life changing exam, that you would do so anyway since having what is considered a professional degree (in the context of higher education.. e.g. PharmD, J.D., MD, DVM, etc.) is far more financially fulfilling and viable- that I would encourage my children to reach for what requires the highest requirement(s) first, as they can always migrate to jobs that require (and pay) less but not the other way around. It's not about what's just now happening to nursing, but obvious trends that have been happening in healthcare, aviation, advertising, photography, and countless other occupations over the years. Keep in mind that corporations aren't in business to employ people, and although I think it's crummy how some operate, I see it all for what it is and have no delusions whatsoever about the realities of business. At the same time, employees should be cognizant that they *volunteered* to accept the *privilege* of working at a particular job and can always end the work-relationship if it's too much for them. I do not embrace degrading, abusive, and disrespectful corporate behavior- but it is what it will continue to be until enough people get fed up and put an end to it. If my daughter was an RN... I'd encourage her to stay in the trenches just long enough to get into her school of choice (NP, CRNA or AA, etc..) in order to (generally speaking) command an overall better quality of life. Floor RN is along the same lines of being a Certified Flight Instructor (generally considered the armpit of flying jobs that pilots leave the first chance they get!)... except far more RN's actually stay in the job as opposed to clawing their way upward via education; RN, BSN, CCRN, CRNA or RN, BSN, MSN, DNP, teaching at University, etc., (just two examples). My hats off to those who've spent years actually caring for patients, weathering corporate "stuff", and having the state of mind, strong will, and physical/emotional/psychological ability to keep at a job that is truly needed and mostly appreciated by anyone who's ever had to be hospitalized. I often write matter-of-factly; not to be confused with disrespect. Respectfully...

100% accurate. One would be required to have a family care plan, which doesn't even have to be the non custodial parent. When the service member is deployed, generally the designated care taker under the care plan will receive the service member's housing allowance (if things haven't changed). All should keep in mind that in today's business and legal climate a power of attorney is not the powerful instrument that it once was; many banks, institutions, etc., no longer accept a POA, so it is paramount that the service member really has his or her ducks in a row. Congratulations to the OP for joining the ranks!

Of course it isn't cheating, otherwise most of the research done all over the world would be considered "cheating" when most research is based on research that has already been done, and quite often using the exact same information... which is expected. That's the whole point of documenting your research- so it can be tested and carried on by future researchers without them having to be redundant in their particular research when another person has done a bulk of the work already! The fact that you're using your own work means a lot. Generally speaking, you can't cheat using your own work. No doubt there are people who will be ridiculously bent on doing an entirely different project just for the sake of it, and that's great that it makes those people feel better about themselves. But for those tuned into real life, the fact of the matter is that your project isn't likely to have any bearing on your applied nursing skill set, and a PT relying on you isn't going to give a whooptee-do whether or not you used the same information from your LPN course or High School for that matter- as long as you know how to extract and synthesize information...especially if you plan on going into research; if you are not good at gathering and reporting what you've read etc., then do a report from scratch for the practice. Do what you have to do (within the bounds of reason) to complete your assignment with a good mark and carry on with spending your precious time trying to learn and hone applicable nursing skills and relevant knowledge without sweating the small stuff that totally doesn't matter to anyone outside of the school house and of course, those who like to be petty and trite.

Absolutely not. Do not mention it to your institution unless you want to open up the *possibility* of you being under the mercy of an administration and possibly screw up future opportunities that might have otherwise been open to you if you'd have kept your mouth shut. I am only recommending this to you if you know how to use your common sense. The problem is that you want to get a piece of paper stating that you are an RN. End of story. After that, you have options even if you fall out unexpectedly like a fainting goat on occasion. Obviously your common sense would tell you not to apply for a job where your condition would even possibly put someone at risk. Options- Research jobs, jobs in education, non clinical jobs, legal consulting, etc., which require that you be an RN. The bottom line is that once you have or have had a license- that puts you in a different situation than if you (because of your condition) were denied the opportunity to become an RN in the first place. Example: should a private pilot with failing vision go on to become a flight instructor or test pilot? You bet! He or she could still be a ground school instructor, teach aerospace/aeronautical engineering concepts even if he or she is blind as a bat! ... especially in those jobs that have a requirement that one must be or have been an FAA licensed pilot. Be smart and keep others save, but at the same time, understand how the real-world works and don't shoot yourself in the foot in the name of "doing the right thing". You can "do the right thing" on your own without screwing yourself in the long run. :)

... and that basic right would (if it existed per se') still be intact, because no one is stopping a would-be worker from working at Burger King, WalMart, The Dollar General Store, Popeyes Chicken, being a cross-walk guard, or working construction, etc... In a nutshell, on the legal front, it is near impossible for someone, or a non government entity to actually violate your constitutional rights.. and a blacklist doesn't even come close. Teila

Think of how many would-be physicians, and attorneys never became one only because they didn't do well on a standardized exam (MCAT/LSAT). Does a single exam make them bad or good, unsuccessful or successful applicants by default? Of course not, but *generally speaking* it (standardized exams and blacklists) are sane tools that (like most other things) aren't perfect, but works pretty darn well. There will always be abuse- but most of the time, such isn't the case... Teila

At least one person mentioned whether or not it (concept of a "blacklist" was constitutional). Why wouldn't it be? Why shouldn't a business be afforded the same freedoms that we enjoy as individuals here in the U.S.? What "constitutional right" is taken away from someone when they are put on a black list (which folks are free to create). A black list doesn't take away one's right to work in the least. A black list in itself does absolutely nothing to impede your progression as a nurse, etc., and merely serves as a tool, only for those who choose to use it. Get a 140 on the LSAT, and your essentially "blacklisted" from virtually every "good" law school on the planet. Score in the 29th percentile on the MCAT and your "blacklisted" from virtually every med school on the face of the earth. You get the point. A blacklist is merely a discriminating tool (like the lsat, mcat, gre, gmat, sat, act, etc..) The opposite is also true, but you don't hear people whining about that- if you score 178 on the LSAT (near perfect) and have a decent GPA, you'll have your pick of law schools... Columbia, NYU, Chicago, Virginia, Stanford, Yale, Harvard... would that be considered a "white list"? If so, I don't hear people crying foul about it. Standardized Exam = discriminates based on performance Blacklist = discriminates based on performance, and /or a myriad of other personal attributes. Both serves as excellent *general* tools of prediction. I would just focus not getting on the "list" to begin with, and if you or your friend are on the "list", then I'd simply focus on having enough strong recommendations, education/certifications to minimize any affect that being on a 'list' is likely to have. Truth be told- such 'lists' have saved people (firms, corps, hiring individuals) a money and time- no matter what the law ever says, blacklists will forever be. I hope you or your friend focuses on tilting the scale(s) with a bunch of heavy-weight good stuff. Respectfully and good luck! Teila

License? No. Job possibilities? Unfortunately, Yes, because you have a lot of businesses that are unwilling and or unable to separate your personal business from what is required of you at work. If I ran a hospital, I couldn't care less what you did in you private life, and would be far more concerned about your professional skills/knowledge. If you have to give me an epidural, I care about how well you can do your job, and how proficient and consistent you are, as well as your knowledge base! I wouldn't care one bit if you modeled nude for Maxim, glamour, or super Media magazine on the weekend... Just be darn good at putting that sharp ended thing in my back! Do not be fooled.. There are many ways to find your photos on the Internet without knowing or using your name (many professional photographers do it regularly to protect their copyright, etc.). A potential employer just uses a photograph of you, and software will dig up every photo of you on the Internet.. Even photographs where you're looking somewhat away from the camera. Old technology actually, that has been used for years.. Highly accurate. Fortunately for many people, most employers have never heard of such professional software. Copyright... A photographer or entity owns the right to those photos, so although you can ask for them to be removed and or destroyed/deleted, you wouldn't have a legal leg to stand on in any state. At least one poster here is misinformed.. Let me be perfectly clear, unless you took the photo, you generally do not have the rights to that photo, even if you paid to have them taken at the mall, etc. I will reiterate: Generally speaking, you, nor your attorney, or any court in the land, has the legal power to have a nude photo removed from ANY web site as long as that photograph was posted legally and mandatory reporting laws, (18 U.S.C. 2257/ if applicable) etc., followed. I do a lot of photography, and have shot many nurses, law students, etc.. I encourage those doing any type of modeling (which has put many students through nursing school) to do so under another name, and to keep your personal business under cover. Only use the typical social media sites for general conversation etc... And only converse using a pseudonym when doing anything that can be perceived as even remotely non-goodie two shoes by the most conservative people you can imagine. Doing such keeps you out of the crosshairs, and eliminates future worries. From what you've presented thus far... I wouldn't worry, nor bring it up again. Best in all that you do and in all of your future endeavors Teila K. Day

Generally speaking, Colleges and Universities don't care what classes you've had in the military... they (military courses) DO NOT usually carry over for college credit, and justly so. Here's a good rule of thumb that you can apply to both the military and civilian schools: "DEGREES carry over, college or military credit doesn't." -Teila K. Day Here's a good example; you take anatomy and physiology at some crummy little school and other schools won't accept their credits, even if hell froze over... HOWEVER, because that crummy little school is regionally accredited (by one of the common accrediting bodies), then colleges and universities will honor the DEGREE if you obtained one from that crummy little school. That means you'd be able to start on a Masters program at Harvard (assuming you got in) even though you got your undergrad at some horrible little school that no one accepts credit from. Ok, that's a basic rule of thumb, and the very reason why when you select a less-than-stellar school, you darn sure better graduate from it, or you've wasted your time and money. You have been told that you can "Go for Officer" a year after you complete the 68WM6 course. Forget what they are telling you, and conduct your own research because you'll usually fair FAR better! Did the army tell you that there is a Enlisted to Officer program where they PAY for your tuition and you retain your pay while you attend a civilian college, and you're commission at graduation (passing the NCLEX)? Check into that program! You might have to be active duty- but those are the programs you want to check into. DO NOT waste your time doing 68WM6 if you want to be an Officer. Complete the prerequisite courses at your college and pass the NCLEX. THEN finish your BSN (as applicable; required for active duty, not for the reserves and or National Guard) and then work as an officer. Always finish civilian schooling FIRST, unless circumstances dictate you do otherwise. Aren't you too old for ROTC? Physician Assistant: Complete the required prerequisites, apply for the course at Ft. Sam Houston, get paid while going to school, then work as an officer. NP: After completing your RN, complete an online or in-house NP curriculum and work in the military as an NP, bypassing the often requirement to work several years as a med surg RN. You'll also get constructive credit (refer to the appropriate DOD Instruction; do not go by what a recruiter, etc., tells you. Constructive credit is outlined in black and white.. there is no guessing as what rank you'll be if you have prior experience as an RN or a degree past the required undergrad.) OR.. Generally do your time working med surg, then when it comes time for your advanced training as an officer, then you'll be sent to school for NP, CRNA, Critical Care, etc.. No promises on what you'll get. It all comes down to the military's need and space. You know the deal if you're already prior service. You do not even remotely have to be an enlisted nurse before being an officer. Go for the RN/Officer, and skip everything in between if you can as it just wastes time. * Check on the Enlisted to Officer Nursing Program. You'll get paid your current rate while going to school. It use to be that you're commissioned after passing the NCLEX-RN, and you'd have to finish your BSN while on active duty with a set time. a) always read the requirements for any program yourself. b) always read the regulation, Da-Pam, DoD Instruction, etc.. that governs any program, training or college credit that your completing or interested in completing. I've had to correct folks at the Military Ed. Center on more than one occasion. Always know what you can and can't do by law or regulation... do not merely rely on what the 1SG, Commander, etc., tell you! Hope that helps. Teila

I feel compelled to put this old post into perspective. This is not a dig at charley75, but rather a dose of reality for all the youngsters out there who seem to think less than (about) $22 hr is good money. It's not. Let's reverse engineer reality shall we? (It is understood that there are many other variables that come into play) In general, at a minimum, a person needs to make $35,000 per annum or more to purchase a home in a decent neighborhood (impossible on $35k annually in many locales across the U.S.) have money for savings, have money for emergencies, food, mortgage/rent, utilities, car payment(s), etc... Ok, let's do the math: $35,000 annually, means you'd have to make roughly $45,000 to offset 20% worth of federal, state, & property taxes, medicare, etc.. So we take $45,000/12 = $3750 per month .... and $3750/4 weeks = $937.5 per week gross pay, = $23.5 per hour. Think about it... a 21 year old that graduates with a degree in elect. engineering can realistically find a job starting around $50k per annum. That's $26 per hour for a young'n that has barely been out of High School 5 years, and hasn't had a job since working at Arby's in his/her Jr. year of High School ! In 12 years, a person could've finished an undergraduate degree, med school + residency = $80k annually even at, or near the bottom %tile. or undergrad, then law school + a LLM (masters of laws) in tax law (total of 9 years) or BSN + MSN (Practitioner) midwife/critical care/etc.. $50k - 80k is realistic across many locales. or 2 year LPN, no other training, and starting at $13 per hour (varies of course). or 2 year RN, no other training, and starting at $17 per hour (varies of course). Again, just to put things into perspective, I'd be really steamed to be making $18 per hour after working in the field for over a decade. $18 per hr. is great if you're living with your parents, or working at UPS or FedEx while you finish up college. But for people who want to purchase a home in a middle class neighborhood with really low crime, a home built in the last 10 years with at least 2,000 - 2,400 sq ft. (conditioned), 3-4 bedrooms, 2 bath, 2 car garage, at least 1 car that is very dependable, etc... $18 per hour isn't going to cut it... and after 12 years, hardly keeps up with inflation! ** I'm using this purely for awareness purposes- When you do the math, you'll find that an $18 hour job (after 12 years) is the kind of job/career that keeps countless (not all) women financially stuck in crummy and or abusive relationships only because they lacked the financial power to walk away. I encourage all women to invest in a job/career/training/education that gives them the better options in life. Very respectfully..

1. Depending on the branch of service, you don't get to pick what type of nursing you want to do until after your 3rd year (Navy), meaning that all newbies (generally speaking) will be a med/surg nurse for several years no matter what. After that, you'll put in for advance schools (usually around the time you've reached the rank of O3). Again, that's generally speaking. 2. New nurses usually will go to the larger facilities, so if there are only 3-5 large facilities CONUS for you to go to, then you getting your pick isn't exactly a long shot. ** This again depends what branch you're going into, as they are each administratively different animals. 3. ** You might want to review the statistics on what branch promotes the fastest in your job (nursing). There are distinct differences. I HIGHLY recommend that you get a spreadsheet printout on the promotion rates, and compare the branches. AF is often pretty darn slow in a lot of jobs. It might not be that big of a deal when you're an O1 waiting for promotion to O2, but it might mean a world of difference between getting paid as an O3 or O4; Additionally, it might mean the difference between a ho-hum assignment, and an exciting one. 4. The military has people stationed in places where most people in the military never would suspect; universities/colleges, shipping ports, single person duty sites, army ships, etc.. never assume that the bases you see depicted on charts/maps and at a recruiters office is all that there is. Most Active Duty folks (to include recruiters) can't tell you all the places you can be stationed even in their own branch of service! 5. Lastly, always check to see if it is beneficial for you to go right in, OR for you to finish an advance degree BEFORE going into the military. Do you homework on "constructive credit" and see if holding off is a better option for you. Often for those who aren't jumping up and down about starting at the bottom rung of the ladder.. constructive credit is a blessing in skipping the grunt work, getting better assignment opportunity, and having a better chance at working in their area of expertise. Example: Say you want to work Crit. Care with a goal of becoming a CRNA. Is it better to just go into the military as an O1, or better to work as an RN in critical care for several years while working on your masters, then apply to the military CRNA school as a civilian. If you got picked up, you'd come into the mil. with .5 years x your years of work experience + 2 years credit for your advance degree. Which means you'd come in at O2 as a minimum. Work for 4 years, and O3 or O2 promotable, is a reality. If you got accepted to the CRNA school, then that would be icing on the cake. You'd come in with advance rank + a CRNA, thus having bypassed all the traditional newby work. Different strokes for different folks, I'm just putting out some options and realities for you to consider Good luck!

Nothing really in particular, and that basically goes for all the branches of the military. Just follow what I'm saying here for a sec and then I'll more specifically answer your question. It's kind of like wanting to become a Tax Attorney. There isn't really any particular class that you need to take early on, because the biggest concern is simply getting into a good law school (4 year degree + great LSAT score + great GPA).. once you finish 3 years law school and pass the bar, THEN you go to get your Masters Degree in TAX (LLM). Law school (like med school teaches you general medicine) simply teaches you the general letter of the law. Nothing more. You don't go to law school to be a Environmental Law attorney (like many people think).. you just go to law school simply to be able to practice law... the rest of your training comes later. Or becoming a brain surgeon- no particular class you need to take other than those typically *required* by med schools for entering students, and those classes that will help you do well on the MCAT. *AFTER* med school is when you branch into your specialty, and classes that are geared specifically for what area you want to practice (basic explanation). Nursing... ok, you need to focus on classes that are required to get into whatever nursing schools you're going to apply for. Remember you have to have a BSN (4 year degree in nursing.. or a higher degree in nursing) to be accepted as an RN (which are officers in the military.) BSN programs typically require (with some variation of course), Introductory or General Chemistry, College Algebra (at a minimum), Anatomy/Physiology, Microbiology, and Biochemistry. IMPORTANT NOTE: I only listed courses that are the meat and potatoes of the prerequisites at many colleges and universities. So if you're in High School, the biggest thing you should be doing is eat, sleep, and drinking math and science (you should be doing that anyway because memorizing Poe or knowing history inside and out isn't generally going to get you a job worth squat later in life!!) Once you get your BSN and take the NCLEX (nursing exam), you qualify (assuming your mentally, and physically fit) for the military. Once you're a nurse in the military, and after you've done the mandatory time in medical surgical- you'll have the opportunity to take an advanced school (e.g. OB/Midwife, Nurse Practitioner, Critical Care, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), etc..) Here's the deal- Generally speaking, the military will stick new nurses in Med Surg for about 3 years before they can do anything else. Some savvy nurses get their advance degrees BEFORE going into the military and bypassing the whole med/surg thing. Recap: What specifically do you need to take? Answer: Nothing other than what you need to take to get into nursing school. What should you focus on: Math and Science, because it's going to be math and science that will be at the root of virtually all the "good jobs" in the medical field. Hmmm.. let me rephrase that.. math and science are at the root of all the higher paying jobs in the medical field. You might want to apply for CRNA school- A lot of Chemistry and math will help you out. You might want to apply to PA (physician assistant) school. You will be required to have general and sometimes organic chemistry under your belt, and at least precalc is required at some schools. You might even get a wild hair and later want to apply to med school. Math and science will either make you or break you. Engrave that in granite Best of luck to you in all your pursuits!

All the best to you! Congratulations! ((two big thumbs up in your direction)) Go get'm !