HolliT

The presentations are pretty laid back and can be done in a power point format. No stress really.

I'm not sure about ORMC, but MRMC does hire LPN's. The majority of jobs are in a nursing home setting, either long term care or sub-acute. Home Health is another option. But like I side I know that MRMC hires them. A few in our class are CNA's there and will be staying there and not just because they are "grandfathered" in. Its an exciting time, Congrats on the start of your journey!

Lovelyflyaway Yes, I am at CFCC. We had a few each semester but not what I would say is alot and its always in a group setting. Mudslyder, The list of books are usually not given until the day of orientation along with cost of tuition for 1st semester. FYI for orientation.........Bring some cash or a check book. The ADN students will be coming in to sell the patches for uniforms. I recommend 4 sets. 3 for uniforms and one for your lab jacket. They will also be selling bandage scissors, pen lights (I don't recommend, the broke frequently this year), t-shirts, clipboards and all kinds of other stuff. You do NOT have to buy it, you can buy it somewhere else on your own....its a fundraiser though and its nice to support our fellow nursing students. I should see everyone at orientation, I am the V.P. of the PN student nursing association for this year. Oh BTW....did you know your first semester schedule is available! http://www.cf.edu/departments/instruction/health/adn/calendars.htm Scroll down to Practical Nursing and click 1st semester! If you wanna see what our summer/fall was like you can look at those too as they are still for this year. The schedule is not written in stone and they may make some changes to it, but the hours will remain basically the same. Let me know if you have any other questions. Holli

Congrats lovelyflyaway! I am in the program now and will be graduating Dec 11th. Its been a long hard exhausting road and I can't wait for gradution day to come!

We finish our first semester in the next two weeks. So far, other than being extrememly stressful at times, everything is going good. We started with 52 and are down to 38. We will see how many are dropped at the end of semester for not maintaining grades.

We have had A LOT of reading, power points and terms. We have already had to be signed off on hand washing and proper use of isolation gowns/goves/mask/eye protection. We were demo'ed full head to toe physical assesments yesterday and we have to do them for instructors Tuesday (and we don't have class Monday!) We had an all day long hospital orientation today! We have three tests the last week of January (Funds, A/P, Growth and Development) and two test the first week of February (Geri and Personal, Family and Community Health). Yup...feeling the pressure!

I've just started and have a long 2 -3 years ahead of me....but I already have my secret list to treat everyone for putting up with me! I want to get my hubby a new truck. He is driving a 2002 ecomony car right now to save money (its paid off and the gas mileage is good) and he hates it. It will be about 10 years old when I am done.....praying it makes it. Take the family on vacation! Like someone else posted we also are used to vactions once or twice a year. It will be hard not seeing our extended family for two years! Pay of student loans. Besides our mortage it will be the only debit we have. Save for retirement. We cashed out some over our current investments so that I can go to school and not have to work full time. I would say that I want a new Dooney and Bourke purse, but my hubby got it for me for Christmas as a huge surprise! Finally, I want a new soft-top 4 door Jeep!

Well, I had my first 3 days of class this past week (we started on the 7th). I am thankfull that out of the 6 classes this semester I only have to take 3 of them. Kinda eases me into it. (I took some prerequisites for the RN program so I can bridge when I am done) The first couple of days were ok for me. We went over alot of procedures/policies kinda stuff. We went through our syllabus and decoded it.....its written really weird! Alot of people still don't get the calendar and abbrevations on it. We met our instructors, made sure everyone had the right books etc. The second day we dove into lecture and on Friday we went to the clinical lab and went over the do's and don'ts and schedule of the lab and free time to practice. I am still trying to figure out the routine of things. I am very OCD and having to adjust to not being on a day by day routine is a little overwhelming to me. I have a friend that suggested I get a year-at-a-glance calender (one where you see all 12 months) and write all the IMPORTANT stuff on it. It sounded so simply and silly but I did it and it was such an incredible relief of stress. I put all my tests/exams in red, papers due or things that were special (not daily stuff) in green and days that we don't have classes in blue. It hangs right next to my desk. All of the sudden it didn't seem so overwhelming....just idea for anyone else to try! OH and don't forget to write GRADUATION in big bold letters in your favorite color. It will make crossing off each day a little more fun. Good luck to everyone be sure to keep us all updated..I need to go and finish my chapter reading and notes for tomorrow! Yeah!

That's generally what it is....bladder spasms. I work for a Urology clinic and ambulatory surgery center. If our patients need to have a foley for any length of time and are having severe bladder spasms, our doc's usually prescribe an anticholinergic such as Detrol, Ditropan or Vesicare.

I agree with everything has its time and place. I am just starting school this January, but I have several friends that have done either the PN or RN program and watched how it affected the family/social circles. Just like you have to plan for studing and school, you have to schedule family/spouse time that doesn't involve nursing talk. They deserve some of your undivided attention.

I start January 7th! I am having a hard time finding stuff to do keep myself occupied and going crazy with anticipation! We had orientation on Dec 10th and it wasn't very informative. I suppose it was for those brand new to the college, but I have been taking classes there for awhile now. It was mainly about the general college aspect, and not the PN program. So I am going stir crazy. We got our syllabus and I have read it cover to cover three times now! Like the above posted asked, please let us know how your first day went.

I am getting ready to go into the LPN program (Jan 7th!) and will do the bridge to the RN program. Like others have said, I am doing it this way because of family (two young children) and finanical obligations.

Kay1982, Does that mean you are sticking with the LPN class? Are you getting excited? I am....I just got all my books today and used Half.com as well. See ya Wednesday....is your name Kay? Just wondered if I would find ya there or not. Do you know what you are wearing that day? I'll try to find ya.

To be honest, I didn't ask why YOU felt that way I asked why "KAT7AP" felt that way. But since you felt the need to respond. I disagree, I am sorry but we (MY OFFICE) don't assist our MD's. We do it ourselves. We draw the blood, we start the IV's, we place and remove foley catheters, we do the injections and bladder installations, we do incision and wound care, staple and suture removals. We do the patient care teaching and education. We don't just stand there and had stuff to our doc's. They are busy seeing patients and in surgery. They ONLY thing we have ever assisted our MD's on is the occassional pelvic exam to check for bladder/uterine prolapse and that just because all our docs are males. Also, I didn't quote Webster's definition of NURSING, I quoted the definition of a NURSE. If its not "snooty" and just different, then RN's should just treat it as so, give credit where credit (They should treat LPN's better too!) is due and stop being so self-rightous about it.

Go to the main page....http://www.gocfcc.com The left hand column under "quick links". Click on Bookstore. The third "red" section says "Buy Your Text Books online now" Click on Spring 09 Semseter Click on PRN for program Then click each section Just follow from there....any more questions just ask.

I am a CMA (11 years now) and can call in whatever the doctor orders (as long as its a med that can be called in) Doesn't matter if its a refill or new med.

I would really like to know why you feel this way! I really resent that statement. As per definition in Webster a NURSE is...." a person who cares for the sick or infirm ; specifically : a licensed health-care professional who practices independently or is supervised by a physician, surgeon, or dentist and who is skilled in promoting and maintaining health" I work in Central Florida, I make 15.25/hr. I have my certifications in IV, EKG and phlebotomy. I hold a BLS Health Care Provider card. I do CEU's. Not because they are required to maintain my job or my "title" but because I can and I care to keep myself educated so that I may take care of my patients to the best of my ability. I work for a large facaility (over 150 employees)that has its own ambulatory surgery center, basic x-ray, CT scan, ultrasound and a full clinic. Tomorrow, in just the clinic alone, we are scheduled to see 58 patients with 2 doctors and 2 PA's and that is just the morning without counting the walk-ins! I start IV's, give injections and oral medications, insert foley cathters, do bladder cancer and cystitis treatments (BCG, MMC, DMSO). I do pre-op work up's including EKG's. I triage patients, return phone calls, handle prescription calls, schedule appointments, do referrals, set-up hospice and home health. I review lab test results,cytology, pathology and radiology results and direct them to the proper MD for review if needed. I train clinic staff for all three of our offices (INCLUDING LPN's and RN's) When our clinic supervisor is out of the office, I am the one that is in charge. I really hate the snooty, know it all, RN's who think THEY are the only nurses out there. They treat everyone else like crap including LPN's (licensed practical NURSES). (I am not saying that you are one, but your statment sure makes it seem that way) The funny thing is I start the LPN program in January simply for the "title". I won't make anymore....LPN's in this area start at 15.00/hr. However my office is paying for it and they are holding my positoin for me. Maybe one day I'll make it to the bridge RN program. Then the "nurse" comments won't bother me so much anymore. Sorry if I offended anyone, I just felt the need to defend my not so prestigous CMA status. For what its worth....when I first moved to Florida in 1998. I had a job lined up at a hosptial. I went with an office job for the M-F 8-5 schedule. I previously worked retail and bartended and had enough of nights, weekends and holidays at the time.

I am not sure what to expect on Wednesday. I know they are supposed to have things we can purchase. I suspect that it will be things like books, patches for uniforms and our lab kits. I am not sure when fees are actually due. They schedule for the first semester is already online and the book requirements are too. I have already ordered my books. I don't think the syllabus will be ready anytime soon since it is printed by CFCC and they wait til they have a "head count" before printing it. I hate not knowing what to expect and wish Wednesday would just get here!

Have you heard anything about the RN program? I am doing the LPN program this January. It was my understanding that once you accepted a seat into one of the health care programs (besides EMT) they removed you from any other lists. Just wondering, if you are still doing the LPN or if you changed?

Hi! I am in the class too! The schedule is posted on CFCC now. On the home page, click on schedules on the left hand side, then click on the nursing schedule. The bottom of the the page will have the 1 semseter for the PN program! See ya at orientation on Wednesday!

Hi Christine, I noticed you haven't received any replies. I don't know anything other than its a pretty popular program and hard to get a seat. I have a friend that lives in Ocala and applied. I forget the totally number of available seats but the amounts of applications they received in 2007 for the 2008 program was in the 300's! She ended up at CFCC and is doing well.

I received my acceptance letter for the LPN program about a month ago.

I spoke with the advisor this past week and I am all set to turn in my application packet (in August). Just wondering if there was anyone else getting ready too!

Ok, so I took the NET test (dumbest test ever!!) and I passed with flying colors. Now I am just waiting til I can turn in my application packet......anyone else??

Hi, I live in Ocala too. Like the previous poster stated, please avoid Marion Oaks. It has really turned into a high crime rate community. Check out www.marionso.com It is the link to the Sheriff Dept for the county. You can check with them regarding neighborhoods and crime rates. Here are some other sites to get you started!!! www.ocala.com is the website for our local news http://www.marion.k12.fl.us/ public school district http://www.marioncountyfl.org/ Great county info website http://www.pa.marion.fl.us/ property appraisers office http://www.munroeregional.com/ hospital http://www.ocalaregional.com/ hospital www.gocfcc.com local community college Also, feel free to PM if you want with more specific questions.