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Hi and thank you all for your help. Actually, neither of the programs here have a waiting list. I would have a wait at the 4 year schools in my area, but not at the 2-year community colleges or at the tech. school, so that is one thing I am not stressing about at all. I do work at home now as a medical transcriptionist. Some days the money can be great (today has been awesome, constant work) and I average $20 per hour, but other days, the work can be close to nonexistent and I can average close to $10. It all depends on the doctors and the number of patients they have seen in the past day or so. (And this is with working for 8 hospitals while also having an account that does independent medical exams.) Course, I don't do the 8 hospitals by myself!! LOL! I get paid by the line. Anyway, my pay can vary greatly because of the above, so yes, it would be nice to get a job where I can rely on the pay and have it be consistent from week to week, so that is also an idea regarding becoming an LPN and then having whereever I work help pay for my RN degree. I have thought of even doing something like that now. Possibly getting a job as a CNA--or just a job in a hospital or somewhere they have tuitioin reimbursement and using that to help pay for my degree:rolleyes: Well, again, thanks, and if you think of anything else, let me know. Robin

Hi, I have not posted in a long while, but I still come here often to read. I am hoping someone has some information that may help me in making a decision. I am 45 years old, getting ready to finally pursue an RN degree. It has been a dream for a long time. Anyway, I have taken just 2 prereqs. Now, I am contemplating possibly getting my LPN first and then finishing up an RN degree at the local college (where I was originally planning on going anyway for the RN degree). Here's the scoop, our local Tech school has an LPN program, which starts in September (next class 2009) and ends the following August (so I would be done in August 2010). It's a year long class, so I would be done a lot sooner than at the comm. college. BUT (Big BUT) the price is $13,500!!! (everything is included, books, uniforms, equipment) That to me is a lot of money. I could go the RN route and be done in approximately 2 years and it would cost me about $8,000 but of course, I would still have to pay for books, uniforms, equipment). So, any suggestions that will help me make a decision are greatly appreciated. I would love to be done quickly, and then work towards the RN degree at a bit of a slower pace, but the cost is mainly what is getting me. I honestly thought the tech school would be cheaper than the community college. Has anyone taken their tech school's LPN program? Thank you all in advance. I appreciate it! Robin

Hi Mark, Thanks for your input. What is the difference between a GN and an RN. I am assuming GN is "Graduate Nurse?" Right now I do medical transcription at home and on days when I have all good doctors (dictators), I make $20 an hour at least just staying home, but I have always wanted to go to nursing school, and I must say that med. transcription is just a "job" to me, which is fine, but I want a "job" that I enjoy and look forward to. Thanks, Robin

Wow, thank you so much Theresa. It is so good to here from someone who can relate. The vertigo is basically my only symptom. I don't get the nauseosness or hearing loss, thank goodness. Thanks for the info. on the FMLA also. I will look into that more. Robin

Thank you both so much. I appreciate your encouraging words. They are what I hoped I would hear, but then I was also afraid I may hear something negative. I have definitely never let it get me down. I keep going and going until I just can't any longer, so I feel that attitude would also be a huge benefit. Also, I don't get the nauseousness or hearing loss that some suffers do, only the unrelenting vertigo, though that is probably the worst symtpom. Anyway, I am open to more replies. Thanks again, Robin

Hi, I have had Meniere's disease for about 18 years. For a few years now, I have been going through a period of very few spells. I have always dreamt of becoming a nurse. I asked my doctor if I could still become a nurse (this was a number of years ago) and she said, yes, absolutely, there are so many people that work with disabilities, there is no reason I cannot--or words along those lines. I was glad to hear those from her, but I still have doubts. I am starting my prereqs in the spring and still worry about being able to work. Most of my days are great, but when the vertigo hits, it can last for a few hours to a day and one time lasted for 3 days. I get chiropractic care now, which has also helped cut down on my Meniere's spells tremendously. I guess I am just looking for more affirmation that I can do this! I also realize that if working in a hospital is too strenuous and causes me to have more symptoms, there are plenty of other options--I have even thought that teaching nursing at our local tech school may be something I would like. thanks for the ear and sorry for any typos. Robin

Hi, I hope you check back and find this posting. I am a medical transcriptionist who works from home. I have been for 2-1/2 years. Yes, the companies you see who want you to PAY for a job are SCAMS! Stay away from them. There are literally thousands of MT companies out there that are very reputable. You need to go to an MT school first though before most will even think about hiring you. Online schoosl have the best reputation for working from home. Most online MT companies don't know what type of an education we get from our local community college so won't hire us with a certificate from them. And in fact, most community colleges don't have even half the amount of practice transcription that online schools do. I went to Career Step. (www.careerstep.com) Andrews and M-Tec are also very good and all 3 have a great reputation amoung national MT companies. Career Step is the cheapst. Andrews and M-Tec are very pricey, in my opinion, and their grads are not offered any more money than Career Step grads. You can make a very decent living doing MT at home, but it is not necessarily easy. Some of the doctors are terribly hard to understand and you get paid by the line. Starting pay is usually between 6 and 7 cents per line. Generally you do not get an annual raise. The only way you can make more is to do more lines per hour. I work for two MT companies because the work is basically feast or famine. Either I am super busy or there is nothing to do, so having two jobs helps to even it all out. You can do it!! If you want to. I do know someone who makes $50,000 a year part-time and has been doing it for about 6 years, but I don't, I made just about $25,000 last year before taxes but then again, I was a SAHM for 16 years so anything I made was a bonus! I hope this helps you some. Check out the schools if you want. It's a job for me, but I still really want to get into nursing! Good luck! Robin

Hi, I am still in the beginning stages of returning to nursing school. I am starting my prerequisites in the spring. Anyway, I have been searching off and of for information on the average pay of nurses in general in Rochester, NY and the surrounding areas (Dansville, Canandaigua in particular). I am looking for information such as beginning pay for a brand new nurse, pay after working for 5 years or so, and pay later on in a nursing career. I am trying to compare hospital (which departments may pay better or are they are they all the same), versus office versus private duty, etc. etc. I have found various sites that have some information but not nearly as explicit as I would like. Would I be able to call the local hospitals and ask them general questions about pay? I know it would not be exact, but again I am just looking for some general information. Does this make sense? Can anyone tell me where would be a good place to begin? Thanks, Robin

Wow, Thanks everyone! I kinda thought I would get answers like "the insurance is the same as anywhere else," but not answers like they will fire you if they find out you are sick, etc. I may eventually have to have our insurance under my name, that is why I asked. I am not working yet, just starting prereqs. in the spring. Thanks again, Robin

Hi, I have a quick question. As far as health insurance for nurses or any medical professionals for that matter--do you just get the same health insurances to choose from as anyone in any job would--ex. Blue Choice, Preferred Care, Blue Cross etc, and the same general rates OR do they have other insurance companies and/or lower rates for medical professionals--or any other discounts a nurse may get for health insurance? I am not sure if this question makes sense, but the reason I am asking is my sil works in a doctors office (front desk) and is on her husband's insurance, BUT she gets free doctors appointments where she works, and also free appointments at specialists, etc, even for family members just because she is an employee of a doctor's office, something about "professional courtesies." Thank you. Robin

Hi, I will be 45 this month, and am planning on starting my prereqs. in the spring, so of couse I don't think 45 is too old to start a nursing career. Robin

Hi, I am just beginning prereqs for nursing school, but I have an idea for your husband. How about medical transcription? I have been working at home as an MT for about 2 years now. (Gee, that sounds like an infomercial, sorry!). I went back to school with Career Step, an online school, www.careerstep.com), graduated in less than a year and started working less than a month later. I love it. It is super flexible. You can do it anywhere there is an internet connection. The pay is not super, but I am an IC and have total flexibility, which makes up for it, in my mind--that plus the fact that I had been a stay at home Mom for 16 years so anything I make now is more than before! Just losing the 15 hours of travel time a week for him will save your family money. Another school that people recommend is M-tec, www.mtecinc.com I still visit the Career Step forums every day, and they have a number of male students/graduates. Good luck in whatever you and he decide. Robin

Hi, I hope someone can answer my question. I am just beginning my prereqs for nursing school, but I have put much thought into becoming a nurse. It has been a dream since I was 18, I am now 44. My husband is 10 years older than me, so 54. He will be taking a mandatory retirement from his company within a year. He will get a good severance, etc, but will still need to work for a few more years until our kids are out of the house. My question, will it be possible to be a traveling nurse and have my husband, in tow (LOL!). We would love to be able to travel once it is just him and I, and since he will be able to retire long before I can. Has anyone done this? I can't see where it would be a problem, but just wanted to throw the question out there. This seems like it would be a perfect way for me to still work and for us to be able to travel together. Thanks for any help. Robin

:) Hi, I have loved reading all the tattoo stories. I don't have one, but have always wanted one, maybe someday. I posted this under that thread but thought more of you would see it if I posted it as a separate topic. This article is of an 80-year-old woman who has DNR tattooed on her chest. The tattoo is recent, not from years ago. I admire her for letting her wishes be known in such a permanent way, but a friend of mine says she thinks that nurses and doctors still cannot abide by her wishes if any family members do not agree with her DNR request. Is this true? Here is the article and picture (I could not copy and paste the whole article here). http://www.boingboing.net/2006/05/17/do_not_resuscitate_t.html Enjoy, Robin

Hi, I am not in nursing school yet, but it is my dream, and I am getting closer to that goal. I am signing up for a couple prereq's for this summer at our local community college. Anyway, I WANT to work in LTC/nursing homes, etc., always have. It is where I feel comfortable. I honestly love that generation. I also feel (from experience when 2 of my grandparents were in nursing homes), there are not enough RNs/aides, etc. that truly care about these patients. The one I ran across seemed to be there just for the "job." I want to be there for the patient's and their families. Good luck! I think because it is what you want, you will be an excellent LTC nurse. Robin