leslie_23

Everyone, THANKS for the words of encouragement about nursing school. You all offered such great advice! I have already purchased a new calendar/organizer so that I can manage my time well. Yes, I have been known to procrastinate, but I am too scared to procrastinate on anything in nursing school! LOL! I have spoken to a woman who just graduated this summer from the very same program that I will be starting this month. She is in her early 40's and already has a four-year degree in education. She said that nursing school was very difficult for her and that she literally had to arrange everything else around her study time. She is a bright woman and someone that I respect (she managed to graduate at the top of her nursing school class). So, if she says that school is difficult and time consuming, I believe her! Good luck to everyone who will be starting nursing school this month! Let us all know how you are doing! I am sure that I will be sharing my "freak out moments" here quite often in the days and months ahead! Leslie

Hello, Everyone! A little re-introduction... I am Leslie. I am 30 years old and will be starting nursing classes on August 26th. I have been married for nine (going on ten) years. I do not have children, yet. About school... I have chosen to start in a 15 month LPN program. I already have almost three years of college behind me, however, that was as an education major. I thought that starting in an LPN program would give me a chance to "get my feet wet" in the field of nursing. The rule for the LPN to RN transition (bridge) here is that a person has to work for a year after becoming an LPN. During that one year time frame, one can complete the remaining prerequisites for the RN program. Then, the RN program takes a year to complete. That's my plan! I am a little nervous about starting nursing school. My sister-in-law's mother just graduated from an LVN (LPN) program in Texas. She said that her mother was incredibly stressed and that she basically had to eat, sleep and breathe nursing school in order to be successful. I have also heard that very same assessment from a nursing student that just graduated from the same program that I will be starting this month... Has anyone else heard the same information about their program? Who else here has been told that they will be eating, sleeping and breathing nursing school? Good luck to all of the new nursing students out there! Leslie

Hi, I am Leslie. I am a brand new nursing student -- my classes start on August 26th. I am very excited. I have a gross story to add... I worked as a technician for an eye surgeon. One day, he was doing an evisceration (removal of eyeball -- everything). I was still too new to scrub in for that particular procedure, but I was allowed to observe. This particular patient was not under general anesthesia, but was instead given some medication to help him to relax while the surgical site was totally numbed and of course draped. Anyway, I watched as the doctor removed the eyeball and the contents of the "socket". The entire OR was very quiet -- no one was talking when suddenly the patient, who was totally covered in a drape said, "Hey, Doc -- have you started cutting yet?" The doctor replied, "Yes, I'm just finishing-up." We all just looked at each other, and I nearly gagged because this guy was talking and I was looking at his former eyeball...it was a very surreal moment. Also, at this same job working as a technician, I was responsible for doing basic eye exams. I called a large, female patient into the examination room, and as soon as she came through the waiting room door, I smelled the unmistakable smell of "female odor". I was trying to say, "Mrs. So and So, how are you today?" But, I couldn't. I began dry-heaving and wretching as I was trying to get the words out! I was so embarrassed! We could not even close the exam room door because the smell was so pungent. After the woman left, I had to scrub down and disinfect the entire examination room, and there was STILL a horrible, gagging, pungent, penetrating, so-bad-you-could-almost-taste-it ODOR. I can truly say that I have never in my life smelled anything that awful. Anyway, that's my gross-out story, and it still doesn't compare to some of yours! By the way....I've been sitting here for oh, say, more than an hour reading all of these disgusting posts! LOL! What does that say about me?? LOL!! Leslie :)

Amy, Thank you for taking the time to reply to my post about LPNs in oncology. I didn't think that anyone was ever going to answer! I really do appreciate your input. I knew that LPNs could not administer chemotherapy. I was just basically wondering what it would take to "get my foot in the door" on an oncology floor as an LPN since working with cancer patients AND becoming an RN are my long term goals. Good luck to you in your nursing career! Leslie

Hello, Everyone! My name is Leslie, and I am new here. I have just been accepted into a 15 month LPN program, and classes begin on August 26th. I am excited to finally be pursuing my dream of being a nurse! I am very interested in working in Oncology when I graduate. I am curious to know if working in Oncology is a possibility as an LPN. One of the directors at my nursing school said that LPNs are utilized on Oncology floors in my region, but she did not say in what capacity. I was also wondering what, if any, additional training would be required to make my goal of working with cancer patients a reality. Thank you for the advice and input. I look forward to learning from the experienced nurses here!! :) Leslie