BeverlynBama

I work as an LPN in the largest clinic in the region where I live outside hospitals. LPNs are the supervisors where I work and when needed do patient care. I love my job and what it entails. I am older went to college after my kids were grown so LPN is good for me.

It must be related to where you are in the country. Here in the south LPNs are very high in demand. Yes, they hire MAs here but MAs cannot give out controlled substance medications. Where I work the majority are LPNs.

When I was in school the rumor was going around too. Some of our instructors said the rumor was rampant when they were in nursing school over 20 years ago. Yes hospitals don't hire as many LPNs although one of our biggest hospitals here do team nursing with the team being a RN, LPN, and a tech. I currently work in a medical clinic and love it. LPNs are charge nurses where I work.

shoes really depend on what shape foot you have....Merrells are great shoes but they do not do well on my feet...I prefer New Balance but my very favorite are Birkenstocks...they make a great nursing shoe

I found out that stethoscopes really do make a difference. At first I bought one at the college bookstore and couldn't hear anything. I thought it was my hearing until one day at clinicals our instructor asked me if I was able to auscultate bowel and lung sounds. She asked because she realized the difference a good stethoscope makes. I went that next day and bought a Littman Light and I LOVE it!

I started the 25th and we have not tested yet. We have our first clinical check off next Friday. It will be hand washing, PPE, putting on TED stockings, doing slip knots for restraints, taking our sutures and staples, applying ace bandages, and applying a dressing to a wound. Our first exam will be a midterm in health assessment which is week after next. The most difficult part for me is how to study. They keep telling us this is not like any of our the other classes we had had. I am doing the study guide book for fundamentals. They just now have our lecture recordings posted so I will spend the weekend reviewing some lectures. I think my nerves will settle down a bit after we start working in smaller groups with the instructors. Right now we are in a large lecture hall with 325 students. I know I am exhausted tired.

The A&P classes where I am college are the same for LPN and RN. They are difficult classes but doable.

They said the cut off this year was 151 points for the RN program.

Jamie, Thank you so much for information. It is a bit overwhelming at the moment. I would love to have your email addy please. I have some questions already. LOL

I hope you have started your reading. It was quite a big assignment. Not only was reading assigned but we had to register at ERI and do the coaching material for Reach for an A. With the coaching material we have to write out notes. They cannot be typed. I plan on taking the fundamentals book and the assessment book. Maybe the cyclopedia but I am not sure.

Tomorrow is the big day for me too. I am so excited, scared, and nervous. I want to take today and chill but need to do so much to organize. I want everything ready when I wake up in the morning.

The rolling backpack is wonderful. I purchased mine at Marshall's. It is a Jansport and it was under $30.

I am in the same boat but older. I a 52 and have NO medical background other than raising two kids. I plan on spending the next two weeks organizing my study area and enjoying life. I firmly believe that our age will be a great asset to us in nursing school. At orientation they talked about how crucial critical thinking skills are. Those of us that are a little older have a lot of experience to draw on in the way of critical thinking. Let's all enjoy the adventure together and pat ourself on the back for reaching out for dreams.

The Clift notes site is one I have used a lot in my A&P classes. It is a huge help in getting the whole picture in understandable terms.

Thank you for the sharing. Congrats on the test grade!

it looks like a start to the answer might be found at this site. http://au.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080504213554AAwI4hI

I am so glad someone started this thread here. I just came from Barnes & Noble and saw the LPN notes but there were so many things that one could buy. I did purchase Taber's cyclopedia. I know there is a thread in the other forum on PDAs. I have tried to read through it more than once and get so lost. Do any of ya'll plan on getting a PDA or have one?

I will be glad to compare classes with you once mine starts. The wait is nerve wracking, I am so ready for it to begin. We have orientation Tuesday but classes don't begin until the 25th.

I am with the mind set that I prefer strict instructors that push their students to be and do the very best possible. I personally look at it as a challenge.

I have found this forum so helpful and I don't even get started till August 25. Tomorrow I will be at a book store looking at the NCLEX books. Daytonite YOU ROCK!!

So we should buy and exam prep book at the start of our classes?

All of the advice is so good. I agree that we all must find what works best for us, and that there are very few people that can take shortcuts and do well. Ursus what an inspiration you are. I am 52 and will be starting nursing classes next month. For all the prerequisites like the two anatomy classes I found I did best when I would get overall concepts. I need to see the whole picture and then after seeing the whole picture I can go back and break down everything and add details. I take notes in class, make note cards that are always with me. I do every exercise in the book and do a lot of internet searching for sites that will break down diffcult material in easier to understand ways. I talk to myself a lot going over points. I really do think adding a recorder to my study habits will help me. Something else I do for memorization is I make lists and post them everywhere. lol My refrigerator will never be the same. I also have a study group that I am involved with, sometimes bouncing points off of other students is beneficial.

Thank you for the information on a recorder. You are so correct in that it will help even if we just record concepts of what is covered in our own words. Back before I started college someone told me to study out loud and even in front of a mirror. Using all of our senses we can use really helps. I will check out that recorder at Wal-Mart.

I hope I am not making a duplicate thread. Does anyone use a recorder during lecture classes, and if so which one do you have? I am looking for one that will be easy to use.

One thing that has helped me get through all the prerequisites for nuring is that I made study cards. I take them everywhere and look at them often. With the nursing class I will continue to do the cards but I also want to record the classes.