megykilo

It sounds like you have it all sorted out; that's great! You will stay busy and get lots of time for studying! There is one guy in my class whose family lives in Vancouver and he rents a studio apartment here and goes home on the weekends. It seems to be working out for him. I kind of know how you feel about the seperation thing; about 5 days after we got married my husband left for the east coast for 8 months. We 'reunited' right before I started nursing school. It's a military thing. Well, I wish you luck and I'm sure we will meet very soon. Small town :)

You shouldn't worry about it. This is just me having a meltdown as we get to finals week and being on allnurses instead of studying ha ha! You are blessed to be able to bring your family with you. I was going to school and working on prerequisites for 2 years while my husband lived in Alaska, and I know how it is to want something to work so badly you'll do almost anything to get there. Astoria is gorgeous and if you don't mind the rain everything will be great! Do you plan on working at all while you are in school? What does your husband do? Will you live in Astoria or a nearby town? If you have any questions I've lived in the area for a total of 12 years I might be able to help, feel free to email me. You are going to have a blast in the Nursing 50 course, or at least my buddies that did it last summer say so.

i did my prerequisites at clatsop, and live in the area. it is definitely cool to live within walking distance from school and 5 minutes from the hospital. i don't have much to say about clatsop...if you've attended before then you might have an inkling about how unorganized and frustrating it can be...this is rural nursing at its 'finest.' anyhow, congratulations on your acceptance, you will be in school with a couple of my friends and pm me if you have any questions!

i have a white pair of pants and they are completely see through. didn't expect that because they were kind of expensive. i have to wear white for school. twas a bummer

Well that was sweet! I'm another one of those soon to be nurses that won't ever take a CNA for granted.

In LTC you will have between 8-15 residents and be responsible for incontinence care, feeding, ambulation, dressing, transfers, getting them to the dining room and making sure they all eat enough at meals. Plus vitals and coordinating with family outings/activities etc. I'm sure you knew that and realize by now that it is not easy. In the hospital I do clinicals at for NS, there is about 1 CNA for 8 patients on MedSurg, most of whom can transfer with minimal assistance and are continent. They don't typically require help with getting clothes on (they will stay in a nightgown as admits and very often there are family members with them to help) and they eat in their rooms. Expect to do cath care with all indwelling catheters, vital signs, I&0 and baths and showers for those who need help on day shift. There are more nurses to help in the hospital, plus PT, OT, dietary, RT to help with the various issues patients will ask you to resolve. I thought the same thing that you did about hospital versus LTC. I never ended up taking the hospital job as a CNA and will graduate with my ADN next year, but I feel like my 3 years in LTC is priceless. You learn SO MUCH about time management, multitasking, management of behavioral issues, patient/family dynamics. There are coworkers of mine in school with me, and those who have worked as hospital CNA's. It seems that those even with experience in the hospital become easily frazzled; it almost makes me glad for all of those hectic shifts in the nursing home. The wealth of knowledge to be gained in LTC is SO much more than meets the eye; don't ever think that 'settling' for the nursing home could ever be detrimental to your career. I'm glad I stuck it out.

funny! my husband is an AMT3 as well, and he graduated this past august. i hope you get stationed somewhere fun too! i wish i was already done with school like you are! elizabeth city is pretty neat, i lived there for about 4 years when my dad was in the coast guard, and i went back for my husbands graduation this summer. good luck with everything, and my bet is that we will probably cross paths some time. :)

sorry to hear that. my husband is also in the coast guard, but we arent due to transfer again until 2 years after i graduate. i know what you mean about some health care facilities not caring about anything but a dollar. i would feel discriminated against, too and i hope everything works out for you. where is your husband transferring to?

I started pre-reqs at 17, started NS at 19, and this year will take the NCLEX PN (at 20). I will graduate with my ADN at 21.

all i have ever heard is that hospital cna's have it easier. i work in LTC and know exactly what you are talking about. despite being a 'lift' hoyers take a lot of energy and it is so easy to throw out your back. my first experience in the hospital came this year in clinicals. the cna's work side by side with the nurses and there are lift teams for the big stuff. plus they arent getting everybody up, dressed and to the DR for meals. i read in a nursing journal that the average nurse lifts 2 tons in an 8 hour shift. from what i have seen, the cna's in LTC are probably exceeding that statement and those in hospitals don't even come close. i'm not sure about exactly what unit is best, but in my situation based on my hospital i would go with med surg. good luck with everything!

one of my clinical instructors is a '99 grad of chemeketa, and a girl in my class did her prereq's there but i really don't have any helpful information. my teacher described herself as a 'survivor' of CCC and said that when she was in school, everyone had a 4.0 in prereq's...that's all that I have heard. i'm at the other CCC- clatsop community college in astoria. good luck!

I'm a first year student at a rural community college and we had around 200 applicants for 24 positions....i can imagine in portland the numbers would be baffling. my best advice is to get really good grades in A&P and definitely do the CNA work. I think i had a year of full time experience before i applied and i got 6 points for it. good luck!

yup, it sounds just like the LTC where i work. so sad. what a system.

my school will not round up for us. our care plans do count towards our final grade, but it is very minimal. too bad. so sad. i spend a lot of time with my careplan and get good grades on them, but as far as theory tests, no matter how well i feel like i know the content i always get thrown by a few questions.

i'm beginning my ADN program in september. i'm really excited; i've worked so hard for the last year and a half to get in...but it's almost frustrating to think that if i went to a U (closest is 2 hours away) I could be getting my BSN in the same amount of time. moving is not an option because my husband is in the military and it was a stroke of luck that we got stationed in the town i was accepted into nursing school for. i plan on doing the RN-BSN bridge anyway...i guess i can suck it up. so...here's to the class of 09! megan

yea i remember in cna class they mentioned vicks up the nose...i did try it once but it ended with me smelling minty poop. now i just suck it up, get the job done, open the window etc. it helps to have a strong stomach but there are always those instances when you encounter nothing you have ever smelled before. lol! like another poster said, don't worry, you will surprise yourself.

I am married but with no kids. I've been working full time and going to school part/full time for 2 years now. All I can really say is that it's hard; especially CNA work...I mean physically exhausting. And forget about pulling a double with the 'I'll have more time to get homework done in the night' justification. I work mainly evenings and go to school in the mornings and I learned right off the bat to not expect any homework to get done on any shift. This summer I'm taking Statistics, Cultural Anthropology, General Psych (all prerequisites for the RN/BS bridge program I plan to complete after graduating from my ADN program) and World Lit, which was my last corequisite for my ADN program (arts and letters req.) all online, and I work 5-6 days a week in LTC. This fall I'm taking 20 credits, including nursing school clinicals and 12 upper division elective credits through two other universities online for my BSN. But I sing praises everyday about only working 1 day a week then! Never been able to take a break like that (decided to bite the bullet and take out student loans) Good luck with your state test! The written one is cake. Don't get too nervous about the skills meg

oh oh oh...i would NOT try all heart, but that is just my experience. part of my order never came, and i bought the 10 99 croc like shoes. worthless. painful. stiff plastic and they crumbled and started to deteriorate after a few months. i got white and was unable to wash stains off of them. the real crocs are better. the airwalk style at payless is ok and they look nicer and come in cute colors. i dont know much about steths...i need one for nursing school clinicals next month and found a 30 year old one at my parents house. i can hear my heart, lungs, my cat purring, and take a BP no prob. i think i'll wait to graduation to buy a littman or anything super nice.

that's interesting about the two nurses aide courses. i'm a CNA and was hired on as an OB Tech at the hospital after a year of experience in LTC. well they offered me the position but i ended up turning it down after some thought because i thought it could interfere with my school. but the position involved setting up, assisting with deliveries, weighing baby, fingerprints, footprints kind of stuff and as a surg tech for C-sections. along with alot of techy kind of stuff like organizing, restocking supplies and scheduling c-sections. really not my cup of tea. i like old people. little ones scare me. btw i was 18 when they hired me so i dont think you are at a disadvantage...just keep checking for openings. it really helps to know someone in the department you want to work in...maybe volunteer a little more?

residents fall and it is a fact of life in a nursing home. as long as you are consistent with checking to make sure conditions are as safe as possible before the transfer, there is nothing else you can do. i felt like you do when i first started; it was overwhelming, i was sick from the smells, sights and feeling so sad that these people had to live like they do. it will get better. great peace of mind goes with knowing that you did the very best you can, every shift. this is hard work but it is very honorable. there is nothing that beats getting a heartfelt thank you from the people who recognize that you are the one walking beside their mother so that she doesn't fall. :) as far as experience before clinicals start: you don't think you're getting enough experience? how about the times when you had a million things to do, call lights giving you a migraine, had to pee, viciously hungry and a resident with dementia chanting something you can't understand...and you were able to prioritize and get things done the way they need to be? when you were sweating to death in the heat while they ask for a jacket and you smile and gently help them with it when you could have finished the next task by then? when you come across the biggest motherload all over the sheets and clean up in record time without batting an eye? how about being able to calmly explain a basic concept to families who have no idea about anything? or being able to brush off the most lewd comments and dodge the swingers who are convinced you are their worst enemy from the past? do you really think a rookie student with no CNA experience can draw from these situations (and so many others) and apply it to a clinical setting like you can? character and work ethic is the best prerequisite for nursing as a profession, in my opinion. it's a humble way, but it's a good way to start. please don't be discouraged! ps sorry about the long post. i'm tired. from you know what

well judging by their ranking as the #7 nursing school in the nation, i'd say that OHSU is the best? i plan on obtaining my bsn online once i finish my two year degree. they are transitioning to the OCNE oregon consortium of nursing education curriculum with some new/different requirements. i'm biased simply because i've already decided to get my degree through them. just thought i'd reply to your post!

i work in LTC in Oregon and from day one they were very supportive about my school schedule. for most terms while i was doing prerequisites, i worked 3 days a week on eve shift, 145-1015 pm. i was able to pick up shifts whenever i wanted and could work doubles at my choosing when i had time off. the downside is that my facility offers a single scholarship opportunity with no other continuing education assistance. they did reimburse me the 500~ cost of my cna class/certification over the course of one year, which was nice. most LTC facilities are so desperate for help that they will give you whatever you want, especially if you are going to school. i will be starting my nursing program in the fall and they will be accomodating me throughout. we have a few float shifts- 4 hours that entail vitals and help with transfers. then there are of course the 3 8 hour shifts and most everyone has worked a double before. i have done every double- day-eve, eve-noc and noc-day. dont ever do the latter. lol. i read somewhere that a typical nurse in an 8 hour shifts physically lifts over 2 tons of body weight. in our facility, the aides are the ones lifting and i estimate it to be far more than 2 tons a shift. so when you are going to school, definitely know your limits and dont work simply because you may be able to fit it in; this kind of work takes its toll on so much more than just the hours you spend there.

i was the youngest in my cna class, at age 17. i work with aides of every age and from all walks of life. it is a lot of fun and i will always have fond memories of my coworkers. just take care of your back and your feet, pee when you need to, never hesitate to call in sick when you are ill and never, EVER work a 24 hour shift. the oldest in my cna class was in her sixties. its no biggie and i wont ever forget my cna classmates!

I 'm in LTC and it is hard work. However, I love geriatrics and we have great teamwork. Hospitals have always seemed to me like greener pastures, but at my job I can have the schedule I want and some great flexibility with great supervisors. I occassionally think about applying again; I was hired as an OB Tech at the hospital but was beginning A&P in school so I said no to the 12 hour shifts... LTC is great for basics in infection control and wound care. I lost 13 pounds my first month there so I'd say it's great for weight loss and chronic migraines too. It's a workout. If I were you I'd shoot for the hospital right off the bat, because I have a feeling when I hit clinicals this fall for nursing school I'm going to wish I had a broader experience as a CNA.

in response to a dansko question, any of you who have a military ID can get danskos at the exchange for 76 bucks, i just stocked up on the white 'marcelle' mary janes and the cordovan mary janes. compared to regular stores it's a deal. just thought I'd put in my two cents. I think danskos are completely worth it. they never wear out! they just get more comfortable. the arch support is awesome and i love being a little taller. it straightens out my posture. i guess i just love them.