wrobelchic

Wow, that's a good idea. I didn't even realize you could buy something like that, but I def think I would benefit from it, b/c math doesn't come easily to me. Thanks!!

I start school Sept 6. I can't wait. I have two text books so far, but they're not mine. I borrowed from someone who was in the class last year. The woman at orientation said that they might or might not be the same books as I will be using for my classes, but I figured that not a whole lot can change in A&P or the Fundamentals. The body is pretty much the body and will always be the body. lol. They may change up the way the write the book, but the info and systems are pretty much goign to stay the same. If worst comes to worst, I might just have a newer edition book is all. I know right now Aug seems so far away, but don't worry, before you know it, it'll be here. As far as supplies, I'd definitely say just buy the basics. We were told to buy loose leaf paper, 3 ringed notebooks, 2 3'' binders, pens, pencils, and colored pencils (I assume for color coding certain printouts of body parts, etc) We also have to have our own stapler, hole puncher and "milk crate" to store stuff in at the end of the day (our books, etc). Anyway, buy the basic things you KNOW you'll need, maybe then it'll feel not so far away for you. Oh, and we also had to buy 3x5 and 5x8 index cards. Good luck, keep me posted after your orientation. And, you as well, feel free to PM me anytime. :monkeydance:

I agree about the light at the end of the tunnel. Everything happened so fast. I hear so many horror stories about being on waiting lists, etc. I procrastinated in taking my entrance exam for the purpose of trying to find after school care for my children first. Then my nurse yelled at me and told me to take the exam and "everything else will fall into place". I can't tell you how right she was. But, I still didn't expect that I'd be going to school already. I went out shopping yesterday for some of the school supplies they already told us we'd need. You know, just the basics, pens, pencils, paper, etc. I am very nervous. I just keep having this feeling like something will jump in the way of me starting school this fall. I don't want to wait. I know once I'm there and dying for some sleep, I'll appreciate this in-between time that I have now, but I want to go to school tomorrow. THis is the rest of my life, and it can't start soon enough. lol. All the best of luck to you and I'm here if you ever need to vent. lol (I'm sure I'll be driving my husband crazy with that). I'm already driving him crazy with all the new stuff I'm learning just from reading through one of the texts.

lol, boy do I know that feeling (lifting the girls a little bit higher). Well, congrats on the weight lost and keeping it off. I think the hardest part for me is though I'm an intelligent person and KNOW it won't come off over night, I get upset that it doesn't. Then I get discouraged when I hit a plateu. I need something to keep me focused. I used to hang a sign on my refrigerator that read "Nothing Tastes As Good As Being Thin Feels" that way, when I went for a snack, I'd be smacked in the face with this sign and grab the celery instead of the cheesecake. Now, I just try to stay away from even buying stuff like that. (my poor kids and hubby, lol. It'll do them some good too).

Thanks so much. I didn't think about skipping around. LOL. I'm doing really well with the fundamentals. I'm re-learning some stuff I learned when I was certified almost 8 years ago and learning lots of new stuff and terminology too. I'll break out and dust off the A&P book and take your advice. Thanks again!

Hi Joann, well, I am taking mine at Questar lll which is a part of Boces, I believe. I'm taking their LPN program. I'm in Troy, however. I plan at some point in the future to further my education and go for my RN, but I'd really like to get the experience of the LPN under my belt first. Funny, I was just down in your area last weekend, as my brother in law lives in Clinton Corners/Rhinebeck area. Classes start for us 9/6 also. I went to my orientation on 7/24. It wasn't bad at all. Mostly an information session. We will be fitted for uniforms and shoes in the first couple weeks of school. Then in May or June, they do a cap fitting and a capping ceremony (an "almost there" kind of celebration). We will also be fitted for a new (graduation) uniform around that time. Our tuition includes everything we'll need for the class. Except of course our supplies, like pens, pencils, notebooks, etc. Our text books, the two uniforms, one pair of shoes, scissors, stethescope, and pen light are all included in teh tuition. I haven't finished my financial aide yet, b/c there have been some set backs. I got the name and number of a girl who works through the county I work for who can help with tuition. However, I called the girl ALL DAY yesterday and she finally called me back this morning. They only received 3 grants for $1500 each and there is a 6 person waiting list on those grants, so it doesn't look like I'll be getting any money from there...Hopefully, financial aide will do the trick and pay 100% of the tuition. If not, student loans, here I come. lol. I think for the most part, any immunizations I need I already have completed as I work in health care now, I just need to get copies of them (hopefully my job will provide the record, b/c lord knows, I don't know where any of htat could be). I also have to take the CPR class, mine is scheduled for 8/9. lol, I was telling my mother that I need to take CPR and she said, "Wow, I didn't need to take CPR", well, needless to say, she went for her LPN, then her RN. She's been an RN for about 13-15 years now. lol, Mom, ALOT changes. Best of luck to you. I look forward to using this site for support and offer up any support I can to anyone who made need a shoulder to cry on when it's the wee hours of the morn, you're dog tired and you still have 3 hours worth of studying to do. Good luck to us all.

If it's not too late, I think I'll start too. Ok, so I'm more than 3 months late on this one (wouldn't be the first time). Anyway, a co-worker and I decided we were going to diet together and be each other's support and oh, I don't know, we have family members that are much too generous with their food gifts to us, lol. Temptation is my worst enemy. I don't have very strong will power. I lost a ton of weight a couple years back, I don't know an exact number, b/c I never stepped on a scale before I started. I do know I went from wearing a jeans size 18 to wearing a jeans size 6. WOW! I hope I can at least go from my current size 12 to an 8. That would make me happy (probably not, when I'm an 8, I'll probably pray for a 5 but we're going to go with a "lose 10 lbs" mentality and then when I lose that, I'll "lose another 10 lbs". I'm going to start tomorrow. Thanks for making me realize what I already realized and didn't want to face up to.

Hi. JoannD, just wondering what school you'll be attending. I also start school in Upstate NY on 9/6, maybe classmates? Anyway I wanted to thank the person for the original post...I have my orientation tomorrow (ok, it's after midnight, so today) and I'm a little bit nervous about not knowing what to expect and all. Wow, I truly hope it's not as stressful as what you experienced. lol, I'll probably come home and cry. I do think they said something about getting fitted for uniforms. Not so sure. I know they said that our tuition includes our text books, stethoscope, pen light and something else, in addition to two uniforms so I'm assuming I won't need to pay out of pocket for all that (given that I can get all the stuff together for financial aid, I'm waiting on a copy of W2's from my employer as I didn't file my taxes last year). I asked for the copy last week (early) and she said she'd "order" it. Not sure where that's from. ANyway, thanks for the insight. I appreciate it and hope it won't be AS bad.

Congrats and welcome. I am also starting this fall. This site has a mother load of info I think you'll find very valuable!

Thank you both so very much. I'm so excited I can hardly stand myself. And my poor co-workers, that's all they hear about now, lol. One of my girls is even calling me "nurse". lol.

That last post was really good advice. The problem here is, I work as a CNA and my nurse really takes me under her wing and tries to let me watch and/or help and tries to teach me things sometimes. A co-worker who was enrolled in the same school just this past year loaned me two of his text books (Fundamental Concepts and Skills of Nursing and Anatomy and Physiology). Problem here is, if I don't "get it", I get bored. So, I started with the Anatomy and Physiology book. Thought that was my best bet. However, I can't seem to make myself remember all the ions and neutrons and cells and parts of cells. What am I going to do besides beat myself over the head with the text book to try to remember all this. Granted, I don't NEED to remember this YET, because I start NS in the Fall, but I wanted to get a head start. I'm a full time employee and mom of 4 boys, I'm going to need all the head start I can get! On a brighter note, when I got bored with not understanding the A&P, I went on to the Fundamental Concepts and Skills of Nursing and I'm doing pretty good with that book. Because of my current occupation and lots of thanks to my awesome charge nurse, I really understand most of what I've read. And what I didn't know, is coming pretty easy to me. Any ideas on the A&P? Thanks.

One more thing I didn't think of until just recently, do you know anyone who already went through nursing school? I asked a co-worker of mine who was enrolled just this year if I could borrow one of his text books. It'll give me a little bit of a jump start on learning. I got his A&P text and his Fundamentals of Nursing. I would try to find people who might have gone recently as SO much changes all the time in the profession itself, I can only imagine that the texts change as well. Good Luck.

Hi! I work full time as a CNA and I'm a mother of 4 boys, ages, 11, 8, 7, and 2. My household is pretty busy. Hubby helps alot, though we don't see each other. My mother was employed full time with 3 kids ranging in age from grade to middle school when she went back for her RN. I remember her sitting on the living room floor and crying b/c she was so exhausted and still had 3 hours worth of studying left before she could go to bed and be up at 5 am for work. Just remember, you CAN do it. If the good Lord brings you to it, he'll bring you through it. And I know for me especially (I will do school 8-3 and work 4-midnight, I'll never see my kids) Anything worth having is worth working HARD for. Good Luck to you. Just keep focused on what you want and you'll be fine!

Congrats to you!! That's great. I'm floating on the same cloud you are! I received my acceptance letter in the mail today. I knew I was going, but now I have it on paper!!:balloons:

Golden Scroll, where are you from? I'm from NY. Right now, I work in a County owned LTC facility and we're union so all LPN's make the same amount. Starting I will make only approximately $17 which is what my Sister-in-Law (working in the same facility) is making and she's been a nurse going on 3 years. At $17 it's only about a $4 pay raise for me going from CNA to LPN. Are these dollars amounts even comparable to your area?