unseen

I just purchased the books and dvd's off ebay at a good price. They are not required for our class, and actually i had never heard about them till about a week ago from another nurse durning clinics. She had just taken boards in sept. 08 and said she used this program and exam cram for RN Nclex. She passed boards with 75 questions. The person i bought the books from said the same thing about passing with 75 questions... Im beginning to see a pattern here and hope that it will be my case. In our class we use Hesi and to be honest with you.. I dont like it all that well. SAUNDERS is the bomb.

No....I find that ridiculous. Its bad enought trying to remember all the checks of the skill. That really doesn't make sense to me.

The one thing that i have figured out is that my pride gets in the way. For some reason that helps.... Like many of you i was an A student until nursing. I have gotten B's but at great cost. I think if somehow you can assess yourself to why are you feeling this way and make it self focused..... you may find the answer. This clinical weekend i came to the realization that for me it was a pride issue. I don't accept criticism well,,,,, especially after i studied every angel possible to prepare for clinics and when it comes to give the info i go completely blank....most likely d/t no matter what i never seem to have the right answer.....lol. Hours of studying all that information to be asked about ...."what is the one thing you need to know about insulin before you give it?" It has to be checked by two RN's...... (not anywhere that i worked before as an LPN). LOL most times i was the only evening nurse there. ...... So i have come to the conclusion for me..... its my pride. I'm not living up to my own standards no matter how much study or practice i put into it. Besides i think guys have it so much easier.....they don't have all the hormonal issues and things tend to roll off them better. I have a guy in my clinics that i talk to alot and he says to me...."you know if i get a passing grade, thats all that counts." Which really is so true...i have seen some very very book smart nurses that struggled to pass boards and make terrible terrible nurses...... In saying that,,,, Those of you that are super super smart...i didnt say all... i said some. And i have seen others that struggle and make the best nurses once in practice. I was just talking to another classmate.... she told me about a co worker of hers that struggled through school....took boards 3 times ..... and has worked in the field for more than 7 years and is up for some national award..... so lets not be so hard on ourselves, the task ahead is hard, no doubt. Give ourselves a break and when you leave your clinics and feel like you have been hit by a mack truck, ask yourself...."What did i come away with from this hard experience?" Most times its alot of learning or new skill. Then say..... i deserve a ******** {fill in the blank}. I do get resentful of others that in my class that make it look so easy or are the teachers pet.....but then i realize.. what are they gaining by not being challenged .... So stay tough fellow students, and when the the giant stands in front of you....do like David did and get your slingshot..we can overcome. WOW ...i feel better already. :w00t::w00t::[anb]:

Though i hate having to go through all the emotions and anxiety, I am glad to know Its not just me or a regional thing. As i look over all the replys i can honestly say that i could have been the one posting any of them. With such a shortage of nurses and the empathetic field we are going in, I don't understand why the program has to be this way. I have spoke to some of my friends that have been nurses more than 10 years and they say it was just like that when they went through the program. I dont understand why schools haven't been more accomidating to develop a program with possitive structure. I work now in a home health role with a client that goes to college. I feel the other professions don't have like this. I maybe to general in saying that but sometimes the anxiety is over the top. In our program you have to get an Eighty to pass at a C. All that said, I have to agree with so many of you, and try to keep my eye on the finish line. Best of luck to all. :[anb]:

HELLO...... and im on that ride with ya.... so don't feel alone. It is so hard to not get emotional when you feel like your character is being stripped. That being said, try to turn it around and look at it as skills enhancement. LOL. When you figure out how to do that ..... please tell me how.

Yes it is possible,,,,,, but very difficult. I am working full-time b/c i have to. Plus going to class and clinicals. I have 3 teenagers and the struggles are great. I had a real bad day in clinics today ..... and if i hadn't paid so much money i would tell them not nice things to do with their clinics. But back to the point.....why is it in such a field where a nurse gives so much of ourselves ....... Experienced nurses that teach eat them up. I have seen it time and time again. Hopeful hang in there and pray for the answer....... and hug your twins while you have the down time. It will alll work itself out somehow.

Hey everyone, If you are feeling overwhelmed then you are doing good. If you weren't then i would think something was wrong with you. LOL I too am an older student, i work full-time and have 3 in high school. Like it was mentioned before, break it down into manageable tasks and try not to over do it. Also don't look to far ahead, that will bring on gloom and doom as well. here is a link for test taking tips...... http://evolve.elsevier.com/staticPages/s_student_development.html ....tho i have been in and out of nursing for a few years now. I still found this helpful to focus on how to answer them questions. Also, try and find a nclex recview book, even if it is an old one. You can look over your topic, the outlines are rather good. Then, take the practice quizzes and tests. This helps me alot because it has rationale on why it was or wasnt the best answer. Just keep practicing. I hope this helps and goodluck.

Once again ..... you should go look up EC website. The supports that college network offer are the supports that EC offer. An advisor and several other supports...... Like buying used text from previous students and to many others to mention. Really take the time to go look at EC website. They also offer at additional cost some telelink classes related to what your studies are and a number of other things. YOU might really want to go explore them before you waste your parents money. A lil effort would save them a great deal of money https://www.excelsior.edu/

Tammy DONT SIGN ANYTHING until I get a chance to tell you about some very interesting stuff i learned late last night surfing the web. It was late last night.... and im tired right now to type it all and have to work early in the morning. I will get it on here in a day or two. I dont think you will believe this. I live in iowa county. Anyway Hang tight chat later Unseen

well i just looked a little deeper and you dont need college network or rue at all. actually you can save tons by doing it directly through excelsior and buy used books on ebay and amazon.com. actually going to excelsiors wedsite they warn you against for profit business deals that are not affiliated with them. you might take a second glance....get out before your 3 days and go it alone. a word of caution for your benefit, a few words regarding test preparation vendors claiming a relationship with excelsior college. that is directly from the excelsior college. here is excelsiors link if you are interested in researching further https://www.excelsior.edu/ once again you may want to go through more threads in all nurses..... i find more cons then pros just becareful and watch out for the pit falls. unseen

I just want to know has anyone gone face to face with college network. I did just tonight and found the rep to be sales overboard.. That is a big investment and he wanted me to fill everything out that minute. Not only that i wanted to talk with him about the ISU lpn>BSN program. I have all prereq's done for BSN thru University of Iowa plus some others. Which he told me were not transferable .. well some of them. I'm not saying its not legit. But proceed with great caution. I found thier rep decieving and was more interested in sell me on this LPN>Rn program that was in my home state. Boy was i a sucker...... it ended up being that same college that Rue uses. Once we got done talking about that and his sales pitch. I asked about info on what i thought i set the appointment up for in the first place and he really had no interest in sharing other than saying this." It will take twice as long and cost twice as much." And if i wanted to book another time for him his schedule was pretty full and it may take a several weeks. Now in saying all of that. For the one who said 20,000 for BSN. That would be wayyyyyyyyyyy off. It would cost me atleast 8000.00 to get my RN and i have only 7 units to do instead of the 15 if you dont have prereq's done. Every time i want to take an exam it costs me 220 up front. And yes you are garunteed to pass but it will cost like 660 for one unit if you were to fail 2 times and they had to tutor you for at thier expense. Im not suggesting it not legit but there is underlying motive to college network. And of course it is money...... so please please please .... do your research .... share what you find with others. And once again proceed with caution. BTW.... he did offer me a list of people that graduated from them...... what i thought was odd was this. Iowa is not that big... but none of them were from my county or any surrounding counties. And i live by two of the most populas counties in our state. Just things to consider. Good luck. Unseen

okay........... i met with college network. Not as impressive as i had hoped for. It basically is a rue program with a sales man in your face. And thank goodness i did a little homework before i went.... I dont think he was totally honest about everything. He led me to believe that all the classes were transferable to other colleges.... That i know is hog wash just by what rue told me before. Also he tried to make it sound like the college for lpn>rn was right here in iowa. And then when he said the name of the college..... it was the same college the rue uses with the same principals and loads of money....... :angryfire . He was very pushy once he said his speal and not impressed that i didnt follow thru when he was trying to get me to sign mountains of paper work. I wasnt born yesterday. I filled out the transcription transfer but that is when it stopped. He put some other paper infront of me and wanted me to sign barely giving me time to read it....saying that i didnt need to read it he would be going over it as we went through the other paperwork. LIKE NO WAY .. i will sign it once we have gone over it. That is when he started growing impatient with me looking at his watch ...... saying most people that walk away come back within the year and say procrastination cost me a year. .... well im here to tell ya ... i dont want to make a decision that will cost me all my life. Now for the ciriculum i did get to see the unit book. That was nice.... but once again the cost is alot. I have all my prereqs done so i only need 7 units and when all said and done..... cost is about 8000 dollars.....and that is cutting the 8 gen ed classes out. Hate to see the cost if i needed them all. They also had a class that is needed called nursing in professional health.... I have taken that twice.... once at the U of I .....and once at kirkwood....they wont clep that which is bullshit (sorry) considering that i took it for credit at a state 4 year college. Also he question a humanities course i took.......... an honors course at the U of I i took as being acceptable....... I see big problems with that. I could go on and on.... but i won't and will just say this. MY suggestion is this. 1. Wait on Kaplan to get thier heads out of thier butts and share what they know for a distance learning program that is possible in the future. (Hopefully in april we will know) 2. If that doesn't manifest itself and you are interested in distance learning...... I found rue to be more up front with me.... rue sent me the papers that need signature where as college network wouldn't even let me take copies to go home and go over. 3. If at all possible take all pre-rn gen ed classes at your nearst community college. It will save you tons and many times you can take them courses at off times or thru self study. WOW ..........lots said so far......the other thing i want to say is this... Rue never said one thing bad about college network when i told them i was meeting with them before i really came to any decission. The only thing i remember him saying is .... that is good to explore your options.... they are our closest competitor.... and we have been around for 18 years. With that said..... College network did try to decieve me in ways as explained before...But he also said the only reason rue was around bc when someone worked at college network left he opened rue and that is how they came about and that college network has been around 15 to 16 years....... :smackingf Unfortunately math was my best subject .......and this dont add up right but i dont know at this time who is lying there...... So all in all .......precede with caution. I dont know if this long windy soundoff helps at all. But theres the facts. OH one other thing.... college network dude showed me names of all the people that went thru there course for nursing in the last year.... but when i looked was more like since 2003... the dates where on there.. duh.... and get this... not one was from my county or any of the counties surrounding my county.... I thought that odd. Anyway goodluck.... and will post anything else i find as it comes up... Hope you all do the same. Unseen:monkeydance:

it is through that college network..... but im still going to hear what they have to say..... do you know anything about the college network :uhoh21:

HIYA, I have an appointment to talk with a representative from the college on Tuesday, March 13th. Excited to hear what they have to say. Afterward i will share what i learn. Kind of impressed that the rep lives here i iowa. Makes me thinkith that others are doing it this way, just not sounding out here. unseen

Hello to both of you, I too, seek the same information. I have been head banging in class trying to finish off my R.N. and being non-traditional student (having to work full-time, take care of 3 teens) the classroom setting is not for me. I test fine and all that its just the commitment on the teachers terms that makes it so difficult. Also, this last attempt, I was so unsettled by the unproffesional setting of the other students and made it difficult to focus on what i was there for. I just emailed for some information on the Indiana state university program. When i get a response i will post it if you are interested. Also, I called Kaplan and they acted as though i was talking Greek to them about an online program for LPN>RN..... don't know what is going on there. If you two find anything else out please post..... I'm very interested. unseen