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I CLEPed out of Soc, Psych, and a couple others by cramming for a couple weeks before testing. It's not the best plan if you want to retain any of the info, but it's doable. You might also want to search Flashcardexchange.com and studystack.com for previously created study cards... saved a lot of time for me.

Semper Gumby ... Always flexible. Learn it, live it, love it. I wouldn't spend too much time/energy trying to figure out what you may be walking into... the military likes to keep things "interesting". Your most reliable information will come from your unit leadership, all of which may change at any moment in time (your assignment, your leadership, and/or the information). Plan on not making plans until your leadership give you their approval. The US government now owns you. They can tell you where to live, when to work, and if/when you get any time off. This is reality... I have experienced it first hand. I'm not saying that the military is bad, I actually miss a great deal about it. Until it is realized that you need to have permission to eat, sleep, and sh*t... it could be very stressful. Good luck with your adventure!

LOL @ SummitAP!! ... and in the midst of humor, you provided education... Well done.

I used to sit on an ambulance for 12+ hours... I packed about three full meals and a few healthy snacks into a good size lunch bag/cooler. If I had something that needed/preferred to have heated, I'd swing in to a convenience shop and use their microwave. Most of them don't mind, particularly if you're in uniform. Be careful, though, many of those microwaves run at a higher power, so start with about half the time you think you need and repeat appropriately. I also had the opportunity to experience working 16+ hours a day between a couple jobs for a short while. I planned ahead and made multiple meals and kept them in a small cooler in my car. I also loaded it up with various fruits and healthy snacks that I could replenish my small lunch bag between shifts. Adapt and overcome!

Sounds like two reasonable courses of action. A few things for you to consider as YOU decide what's best for YOU... - how well do you learn while you are overworked and underpaid? or simply, do you consider yourself a strong student? (many of the "strong" ones struggle while only going to school FT, no side jobs) - do you plan on using your P after you get your RN job? - how well do you adapt? (I agree with the thought that Ps do better advancing to RNs than RNs do advancing to Ps... I believe it's about the confidence developed from autonomy.) I imagine that other folks have different thoughts... Good luck, mate!

I concur with the previous posters... I've been a Paramedic and Navy Corpsman over the years, and now a new RN. Most hospitals just wanted to know how much experience I've had as an RN. I was recently hired by a great facility and NM that respected my diverse (non-RN) experience and saw it as a noteworthy foundation to build nursing experience on. Have faith... at least in yourself! Good luck!

I agree with the previous suspicions... ... from someone who's assessed more than a few individuals found possibly dead.

Have you considered posing your questions to a counselor at Excelsior?

^ what she said! *continues pacing while waiting for NCLEX results*

salary.com is a reasonable place to start. Good luck!

Thanks for all of the incredible info you've been sharing, indigo girl!

I completely agree... ... I usually provide the instructional/reference material that should help them though their troubles. Give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day... Teach a man to fish, he'll eat for a lifetime.

I would DEFINITELY spend time on the following site... DosageHelp.com - Helping Nursing Students Learn Dosage Calculations ... don't delay, go today!

Thanks for the great info folks! I'm a prior Navy Hospital Corpsman (E-4) and have considered returning as a nurse. You guys definitely opened my eyes to the possibilities that I thought were out of my (current) reach.

Could be... I don't remember anything about ADN, but the O-3 sounds familiar. Hmmm... *wheels start turning* This has gone from sounding familiar to sounding inviting. Time to do some research. Anyone know of any branches that will still commission an ADN? The last I read, everyone requires a BSN... even the reserves. I can't say I'm ready to go back to school (just finished... still a GN)!

I was told my one of the nurses that I worked under years ago while I was active in the Navy that USNR (Reserve) nurses who are on active duty are only eligible for a limited rank (O-3 maybe?), while USN nurses are able to progress higher. I don't if it was true or accurate, and if it was, if it's still the case (been 10 years now). Something to ask about/research I guess.

It was always exciting to get new orders... I wish you the best... and who knows, I may even join you (as a RN next time)!

this site is a great resource... http://www.dosagehelp.com/

http://www.gla.ac.uk/ibls/US/fab/tutorial/generic/sapulse.html Scroll down to the popliteal pulse section... shows pics and gives description. HTH

That's a nice looking site! I wish I had known about it BEFORE my CPNE! *sigh* (...don't worry, I passed.)

some added dosage support is available here BTW... I got that link from another supportive member of AN!

I graduate from Excelsior with my AD in a couple weeks. I found the program to be reasonable and accommodating, which I completed in about 3 years (had to do all of my lib arts too). If you have the time and motivation, I believe it's possible to complete the whole thing within a couple years (doing it part time). I initially struggled with my procrastination, compounded by the liberal scheduling (no teacher to give/hold you to deadlines) and my fear of being adequately prepared for the exams (but I never failed an exam and my final GPA was 3.52). As I got into a routine and used resources that EC offered, as well as those shared here, I settled in and got through it.

I passed my first CPNE attempt in Utica. Here are the main things that helped me make it happen... - Rob's CPNE video & mnemonics (best study aid for your investment... USE IT!!) - review the CPNE posts here... everyone has something unique to share (experience and/or study aids) - I found the (Excelsior's) online documentation and nursing plans courses to be very helpful - the CPNE workshop (Excelsior's) helped clarify what they expected throughout the CPNE, and provided live evaluation (not much education) of your skills... but they are helpful if you're shaky. (I also used this workshop to test my prep for creating an ideal environment for my R&R during my CPNE weekend... really helped!) - create a schedule/routine to practice skills, study your mnemonics, review notes, etc... don't procrastinate, do know what the study guide outlines "to know" I hope that I helped a bit. Good luck!!

Thanks for the input. I just finished up at Excelsior (waiting for the official docs). I'll poke around their site to see if they have any resources. The links you guys provided all look to be pretty helpful. I'll be diggin into those right away!

I'm an unofficial GN now (yay me!), and I'm starting to update my resume. I have a mixture of EMS experience, military & civilian clinical experience, plus my current position in IT (x6 years). I was wondering if anyone could point me towards a good resource to review my resume prior to sending it off to the recruiters. Thanks folks.