starlightwings

Hi, I'm working on my pre-requisites and also working full time. Something you may want to consider is getting a full time job at a college or university. I am working as a law enforcement dispatcher at a university. The advantage to this is one of my benefits is tuition assistance. My tuition and fees are paid for. I just pay for books and supplies (which I get on Ebay and Amazon-so I save at least 50% off the exorbitant university bookstore prices). My hours never change so its fairly easy to schedule classes. Look at CLEP testing as well. 5 of my pre requisites are Clep-able and will save me much time since I can only really take 2-3 classes a semester with work. Check with your school to see if they accept certain CLEP tests-just because a test exists doesn't mean your school will accept it. I make more money then I did as a CNA and have more time to study and do homework while at work. Many of the things I have learned as a dispatcher will help me as a nurse. Dispatchers at 911 make much more money then I do but have far less time to study and have rotating day/night shifts. Since I'm right here on campus I often go directly from work and walk to my classes. I loved direct patient care but get more responsibility, autonomy, and experience with prioritizing in emergencies more often here. I'm very experienced now with having to call up grumpy sleepy higher up professionals at 2 or 3 am. I deal with all kinds of people at their best and at their worst. Even coworkers Best of success to you, gentle day, Lisa B

Hi Mountainside, I wanted to add I've used a MP3 player to help me study (it saved my bacon many times in Latin class!). I record myself or use other study recordings available on the net in mp3 or wma form. I listen to the mp3 player on the way to work, school, while waiting in line etc, before and during sleep. I try not to do the while sleeping listening often because I think sleep time should be processing time to give the brain a chance to transfer information gathered during the day from short term to long term memory. I don't want anything interrupting sleep. Many mp3 players will record as well as play mp3 files. You can make them on your computer if your mp3 player doesn't. I found it effective when learning lists of things to repeat each individual list item then pause, repeat it, pause then repeat again, pause. The pause is for me to repeat the item aloud or to myself silently. I do each item 3 times. This works for me and may work well for you. It may be useful to record class lectures as well but I found there is just too much wasted time in too many classes for this to be useful for me. It could be different for you. If you have a video capable mp3 player there are video blogs and podcasts that are medical/nursing related as well as many on useful related subjects. I found it easiest to use a PDA for this as they usually play many different audio and video file formats depending on the specific PDA. I think the more senses you can engage in learning something the better and faster you can learn it. I agree with deeDawntee about studying just before sleeping. I think it has to do with how our brains process information. I like to nap between study sessions. gentle day, Lisa B

Hi, I try to avoid coffee and Mountain Dew when I study and drink Yerba Mate tea with creamer. It tastes like alfalfa hay but I find it helps me focus and stay awake without the sometimes jittery severe up and down of coffee. Also the aroma of fresh Rosemary helps me with chasing away tiredness. I use it also for headaches though its effective only for a short time after smelling it so you have to keep sniffing the Rosemary sprig ever so often. Placing the Rosemary in a cloth drawstring pouch would probably help prevent poking yourself in the nose with the Rosemary leaves. I used to use Rosemary a lot when I worked nights as a CNA. For the Yerba Mate I use a french press (works wonderfully for coffee as well). You can use tea bags with it. The tea balls don't really work well with it because some of it is very fine. Best of success to you and gentle day, Lisa