freckles2rn

Sounds like my situation, I was a vet tech for 10 years and finally made the decision to transition to humans back in 2007. I graduated nursing school in 2010...I have absolutely no regrets!! Most of being a vet tech is education of humans, so you already have that experience. I found that I am a bit better at IV sticks and that nursing school came much easier with my knowledge of medical terminology, IV push medications, calculating IV drip rates, lab draws, and especially how to keep myself safe in those "wild animal" situations. I still keep my RVT license current, just in case, but have no regrets and am enjoying my job! Plus there is so much more opportunity for advancement and different areas of work to go into (not to mention making more than 3x the salary :). With vet tech, it was very limited. I hope this has some influence on your decision. Like I said, I have absolutely no regrets with going the nursing route, except that I didn't do it sooner!!

Thank you all for your helpful information! Sounds like for the most part they are both paid and that makes me feel a bit better about applying for both right now!! Although I'm almost so desperate to find a job that I would probably take unpaid experience right now;)

I was just wondering what the differences are between internships and residencies. I cannot really find a definition for either of them. I was also wondering if they are both paid positions. I feel very naive about this and hope that someone can help me out!! I do understand that residencies are usually longer and have a contract to go with them. Any help is appreciated!!

Hi I have just finished my first year of a 2 year ADN Program, and I have worked the whole time and am getting great grades. I work about 20 hours a week and have survived just fine, with time to spend with my family. You'll be able to do it!!

Also, classes taken at Western won't transfer out of Western.

Hi! I actually attended the program at Western Career in Sac...but only for the 1st semester. I had the same mindset as you did about not wanting to wait to get in to a lottery school and thinking that just getting in and doing the bridge would be the fastest way. As far as the financial aid, you will get a financial aid advisor and they will work out everything with you. Keep in mind, it is a very VERY expensive program. When I went about 2 years ago it was $42000 for just the LVN, and an additional $36000 for the bridge. I paid over $10000 for just the first class, 4 months long, and I felt like I was in the 5th grade at the school. Things may have changed since then though. The first class was very disorganized, my clinical teacher would talk smack about the other teachers and the other students to us while we were at clinical. It was a very unprofessional program...and they don't go to any of the big hospitals in the area. We were at a convalescent home the whole semester. I posted a question on this website while I was going there asking for opinions of people that had completed the course and what they really thought of it, and I had the Dean pulling me out of class the next day demanding that I remove my post and stating that I needed to go to her about my dissatisfaction. I did get in at a local community college, after 1 year of applying, and couldn't be happier with the course. If you don't care about the price of the program, and dealing with the unprofessionalism, then I would say go the Western, at least you'll get in fast.

Hi! I attended Western for the 1st semester of the LVN program. I only attended for the 1 semester. I felt, as I think you do, that their reputation is not the best. (in fact, I posted something about opinions from previous graduates about 1 year ago and got asked by the head of Western's nursing department to remove my post because she didn't want anything on the interet about them). I felt that for the $10,000 that I paid for the 1st semester that I had wasted the money. Things were very disorganized, teachers would talk bad about each other and fellow students to us. Our instructor gave us all the answers to the test the week before(needless to say, I never had any homework and didn't learn a darn thing). There was no structure. I did hear that 2nd semester was better (and harder), but is it worth the $42000 bill at the end???? It wasn't for me. I felt that I could wait the 8 months that I had to to get into a accredited nursing program with extremely high n-clex pass rates. Don't let me sway your ideas, but I was not happy with my lack of education given at Western!

Hi! I am currently enrolled in the LVN program in Sacramento at WCC and I am wondering if there is anyone out here that has gone through the program and what you thought about it. I am finishing up my 1st term and am so disappointed in the teaching that I am probably going to drop out of their program. It is $42,000 and I feel that I have wasted a lot of money so far ($5500 for 1 class!!!). Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! If anyone has been through the program please let me know what you thought...does it get any better? Thanks!