Bopeepinwv

You must practice as a full time RN in med surg for two years to sit for the exam. I'm not sure if LTC would count. My nurse manager had to prove my years experience. My friend used the Springhouse Review, I used the one from the Academy of Med Surg Nurses webpage. I like mine because it was more of a "short and sweet" slide show just the facts type of thing. BTW, we both passed. :)

AirForceRN: Well put, could not have said it better myself. I've been an RN for four years, in fact I am a CMSRN (certified med surg RN) and I've NEVER heard it called an indwelling IV. Maybe it's a term only used in some areas.

I currently work at the VA in Huntington. I work on the Med/Surg floor. Of course like most hospitals it has it's ups and downs. The benefits are pretty good. As an RN I get 8 vacations hours every two weeks and 4 sick leave hours. The pay is good, I have been here two years and have already went up in my salary by 4000.00. Sometimes the staff to patient ratio leaves something to be desired, but all in all it's a pretty good place to work.

When my husband recently had a colonscopy done he was not allowed to leave the hospital until they spoke with me to ensure he had a ride home and would not be driving. Maybe that was the situation in your case, they needed to know that someone else was indeed driving. Mex-- since when is it not a nurses job to help a pt get dressed? I must have missed that memo! :typing

I would have to disagree with sosiouxme, I am a RN working at a VA hospital and I do not have a BSN. I have an associate degree as well as do several of the other RN's working here.

If you go to bed at 9am and get up at 2pm that is only 5 hours sleep, doesn't seem like much rest. Do you have kids that require you to get up at this time? If not, I would try to get more sleep if I were you, maybe sleep to at least 3pm. Just my opinion though. I also work nights, but I do 8 hrs shifts. I try to sleep from 9-5, just like it's my daytime job. It doesn't always work out, but I try. Then get up and spend the evening with my husband and kids. Good luck, it does get easier.

It seems that your passion lies in teaching. I work at a VA hospital and we have very good retirement benefits. I will be able to retire in 20 years. I have only been here approximately 8 months and already have 3000 dollars in my retirement fund. So there is help with retirement for nurses. My insurance is thru my husband, so sorry can't help you with that part. Also, my starting salary was 41,500, that's alittle more then want you quoted for teaching. You seem very mature for your age. It's nice to hear a young adult wishing to make something of themselves instead of wondering where the next party is. I commend you. I also think it's great that you wish to stay in GA near your family. I'm not sure if any of this helps, but I would just say to go where your heart leads you. The best thing you could do is pick a career you would enjoy. I know alot of people who have to go to a job they HATE everyday.

Please do not compare all VA Hospitals with Walter Reed. I work at a VA hospital and I promise you that we take the best possible care of our patients. We may be short staffed at times, but we make sure all patients are clean, medicated and shown the upmost respect.

I work at the VA hospital in Huntington, WV. The basic starting rate for an RN here is $41,323/year. Plus we get eight hours vacation and 4 hrs sick leave every 2 weeks (pay period) Also I can retire in 20 years if I chose to. Hope this helps.

I am currently working for the VA hospital in Huntington, WV. We treat Veterans and actually some spouses of veterans. The benefits are pretty good here. I can retire after 20 years of service, and I receive 8hrs vacation and 4 hrs sick leave every two weeks. Of course as with every other hospital there are down sides. We work short staffed alot, and get mandated to stay over working extra hours. Also I am considered a federal employee, which is kinda cool.

I'm not sure it will help or not but my test stopped at 108..... and I passed. Here in WV, you can get online and find out usually within 24-48 hours if you passed. It took me 48 hrs to find out. Anyway, like I said I stopped at 108 and my friend's stopped at 105.

Have you ever considered going back to school to get your RN degree?

I met both of my best friends in nursing school. One from when I went to LPN school and the other from RN school. I still talk to them both at least twice a week and see them whenever I can. We talk less now that we are all working, it does take some effort on everyones part. If you want to remain friends with this girl, just make an effort to keep in touch!!

That sounds interesting, Good luck!!

I absolutely believe LPN's are nurses. I guess I'm alittle bias, I started out as an LPN. [banana]Go LPN's[/banana] I worked hard to make my way thru school and even harder to pass that dang NCLEX. Alot of the LPN's I work with know a heck of a lot more then I do.