Raistlin007

I live in Dormant which is like 15min away from Pittsburgh. Does UPMC Mercy have a LPN program or is it an RN program? I know the CCAC program is insanely competitive, which is why I figured I'd get my LPN then get into the LPN to RN bridge program at CCAC. I still need to work on some education prereqs, but I was still trying to find a decent LPN program I could apply to once I'm finished.

Does anyone know of any good LPN programs in the Pittsburgh area? I've decided after I get my CNA im going to get my LPN and work as a CNA both to make money and to get experience in healthcare. The RN program at my community college is insanely competitive and I honestly don't think I'd be able to compete since academics isn't my strong suit, so I was thinking the LPN to RN program and then RN to BSN would be more realistic. I was just wondering if anyone knew of the good LPN programs in the Pittsburgh area. I don't want to waste my time and money going to some scam program if I can help it. Do any LPN programs in the area stand out or have a good reputation? Any feedback would be much appreciated. I'm at the start of a long journey and want to make sure my first few steps on this journey are the right ones.

Thank you for all of your advice I appreciate it. I guess that's why you people are good nurses you're good at helping people. I'll look into talking to someone at Community College. I've just been very discouraged and down lately because I am 32 and stuck working a survival job with no hope or future, and feel like a failure in life. Would you suggest I look into a CNA training program so I can get my foot in the door in the nursing profession, or should I focus on getting up to speed with my education in community college first? I do appreciate all of the advice and encouragement though, you people are really kind and helpful and I'm sure you are good nurses.

My mom and my brother have helped me in life and are encouraging. I just worry about being too dumb to pursue this. I'm very realistic with my strengths and weaknesses, and sadly I'm not the best academically, but I've read others have passed nursing school not being the best academically. I really want to be a nurse, the big question is can I realistically become out given my lack of abilities and talent. I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer sadly. I've already found out I am quite bad with careers seeking mechanical aptitude and now I find myself at a crossroads. At the moment I'm working a survival job with no future and I have been doing a lot of thinking about where I am in life and where I want to be. I have no clue if a survival job is all I can hope to achieve or if I can realistically get through nursing school given my lack of abilities. I want to be a nurse, the question is can I. I hope I can I just fear I'm not smart enough, but I really am tired of working a survival job with no hope for the future. I'm just at a loss as to how I pursue this goal given my many limitations and where I am at currently academically.

My home life was pretty bad. I was taken off my mom when I was 15 and placed into CYS custody and sent to a rather bad juvenile facility for 1 1/2 years then put into an Independent living home in the ghetto. My dad died when I was 12. So You're right my home life wasn't ideal, I'm not complaining since life isn't ideal it is what it is, I'm just worried that I'm too dumb to pass nursing school. I've tried careers where I needed mechanical aptitude and I found out I have zero mechanical aptitude, so that rules out most blue collar professions. As it stands now I'm in a dead end job making barely enough to even survive with no future. I'm simply trying to set realistic expectations for myself. The fact I am so far behind in math and science courses worries me a lot. I've learned just because you dream something does't mean you can realistically do it, and I was just wondering if it was out of my league or if I should try to pursue it despite my major short comings. I'd like to have a career that's more than just a job and actually help people and I know nurses do that, and I'd like to earn more than a survival wage. I just worry if I have the ability to pursue this dream.

I want to get into nursing because I want to help people and earn an average wage, since I'm struggling financially, but I have a major problem, I am bad academically. I dropped out of high school after 10th grade and got my G.E.D. I have taken no science classes ever and I don't even know basic high school algebra. I was looking into an LPN program where I live and to even qualify for it I need to pass a test called a TEAS exam. It's broken down into four sections. I tried to do the practice math section and I bombed it. I saw math I never saw before and felt lost, and this is simply the eligibility test to see if I could get into the LPN program. Is Nursing simply an unrealistic goal for someone in my situation? I have no idea where I go or who I talk to, to try to get educated enough to pass this LPN eligibility test. I really want to be a nurse, but have no idea what to do in my situation. Am I simply dreaming too big, or can someone in my academic situation realistically become a nurse?