Alexis33

Congratulations Yasmin! Cheers on your success and remember the best is yet to come! Lexi

I passed my exam- 3rd time is a charm they say. It was hard! But I pressed through and took 3 breaks which gave me the strength to keep pushing through. Big Dreamer than you for your prayers, support, and encouragement and to our study group- where we argued over mock scenarios and priorities. Yes there were times the RN role came in but we had to beat it down and allow the NP role to rise. I am still in shock, I look at 4 rooms in our house loaded with paper- you cant even see the carpet. There are books and papers all over the bathroom on the sink, in the linen closet; papers in the kitchen, by the stove, on the fridge, on the sink; a mountain of paper and books in the den, in the study; in my car, the trunk, in my pocket books, and in my bedroom- even under my pillow (index cards). yes the index cards, I had about 500 of them. I shut down cell phone convos except for our study group and taped my shows. I relaxed- took time to meditate, workout- this helped, and watch comedy shows. Then I would start up conversations with friends about how I would work up a pt with certain symptoms and they would look at me crazy and say, "Girl what is wrong with you." And I would smile to myself because they did not know it but they were helping me solidify what I was studying. And my prayer circle

I agree with goldenmom. Always cover yourself. I worked prn in a SNF and we the nurses had 20 pts a piece. When we started having frequent call outs, we started making copies of the assignment and passing it up to the DON and administration in writing. We also pointed out that the stateboard of nursing has no problems revoking licenses too. After 2 letters we had a prn pool and the nurses went back down to 18-20 pts. I always back the nurses on my team and stand as one. Let us know how it turns out. Cheers Lexi

I can relate to you because working 12's going up and down long hallways with no sort of cushion on the floors do take a toll on your feet no matter how fit one is. I am addicted to running and do a bunch of workouts so fitness was not a factor. What made me go back to school for my FNP was when I began ordering shoes with support heels/cushions/ arches/ and all sorts of fancy options to save my feet. And none of them worked for any long time. So yes I love my patients and love what I do but love it even more as an FNP without the added politics etc. And I will continue to advocate for my patients and share all the things they need to live healthier lives as well. Cheers! Lexi

Give yourself more credit being a military nurse and what you've accomplished so far- this is something I downplay a great deal. Like the plan you made to move forward with your education. You can become certified in your area. You can write articles or team up with others to do research. You can work with a foundation- assist during crisis and disasters, be a mentor, develop an idea that impacts nursing and I can go on. Whatever you decide, you will do fine! Cheers! Lexi

Networking is a good idea if you find you don't want to work in LTAC. I am grateful for all my beginnings because they lead to bigger things. Try volunteering in local events or services in your community- Red Cross, Medical Reserves Corp- nurses, MDs, counselors, EMT, etc join to provide assistance during disasters - local and otherwise. There are tons of opportunities out there. CONGRATULATIONS on passing your boards! Cheers Lexi

Nursing is my life however, in my role as a bedside nurse, I promised myself that I will always learn something more. So going back to school for each degree was a must for me. I will probably volunteer later on when I start back traveling but for now I will focus on health prevention through education and lifestyle modification. I volunteer at the indigent care clinic alongside physicians to reduce the number of admissions. And because nursing is my life, I will always be in search of ways to be innovative and bring the best to my patients. Cheers! Lexi

You have lots of great ideas that you can use to ace the interview. Don't doubt yourself because you can ace it. One of the things that worked for me was that I found out through small talk that there were things I did that they also enjoyed doing. Best to you! Lexi

I noticed that too Aussierules.

For Georgia, the salary is within the VA hospital not on the outside in clinics or pvt places. There are very few positions on the outside but you can go to any state with the VA hospitals. With the state of affordable healthcare, the shortage of physicians, nurse practitioners are going to be playing a much bigger part of the healthcare system regardless. Best to you in all you do and much success too! Lexi

Anytime. You WILL pass!!

Well stated and thoroughly explained Sierra117. You are an excellent resource with regards to lifting one's spirit and focusing on solutions instead of knocking one down. Hats off to you! Lexi

Well stated! I loved # 7 I found out I am not an auditory learner too. You got exhausted at question 75 and I had narcolepsy (even my brain was protesting) -smile I didn't take any breaks but I will next time. It makes all the difference because it gives your mind time to breathe and regroup too. thanks for sharing all.!!! If you have to move- spread your wings and SOAR!!!!!! The best is yet to come!!!!! L.

Don't look at it as a setback. Look at it as a tough practice exam. You can do it. You studied and worked hard so congratulate yourself on getting over another hurdle. Next time you will clear it.. Back to the drawing board in the meantime while the material is still fresh and nail it! You will. Lexi

A solid foundation in the concepts/disease process/patho/treatment/etc is a must. Once you have this and can tell me about the different processes etc. You can handle any exam. If you just do practice exams and don't have a solid foundation on the basics, your chances of passing will be decreased a lot. IJS

Casias12 is right about the boards. A good deal of the questions I have yet to see at the clinic. I was thinking more along the lines of the most common diagnoses that are usually seen in outpatient clinics and primary care but nope. Ortho to the bones and policy out my ears. Bones I never knew existed. Policy- never gonna work in that area. smile. Now I know.

The FNPs here in GA on the psychiatric unit are making 98,000. My friend is going for her Psych NP cert. I guess location and demand has a lot to do with it. I know about the psychotherapy salary. Best to you in all your endeavors! L.

My pleasure! We are here to encourage and support you through your journey so when you hit a snag in the road or have questions post them here. Lexi

Well states. You covered everything well in your response. Remember you cannot memorize your way in the NCLEX. You need an understanding of the concepts plus everything else listed above in the post by DOGOODTHENGO. Happy studying and much success to you on the boards. You can do it! Lexi

Huge congratulations are in order!!!!!!! The world is yours for the taking. SO go ahead and make your mark. Lexi

You get what "you" put into it. I did University of Phoenix and Walden and gained not only essential real world know how in terms of workplace success but also colleagues from all around the world. I was hesitant at first and many discouraged me but I had nothing to lose since I was raising 3 sons. I have no regrets from my for profit education- just a "few" student loans. Was it worth it? A resounding yes. GO for it. You only live once and no one can walk in your shoes except you! Cheers Lexi

[COLOR=#003366]dance4life. Where do these nurses get to look down on other nurses? I thought our profession embodied compassion? You mean this only relates to our patients and not our colleagues. I would take an experienced nurse any day. I have worked with nurses who have bachelors and masters degree with no nursing skills. Don't let those nurse rob you of your experience as a great nurse You my friend are much bigger and better than they are else they would not be saying what they said.

The resources posted are great. You may find it beneficial to join a professional association - yearly meetings, workshops, and a great venue to network with others across the globe. There are also online webinars for behavioral health. And finally, it would be beneficial to join your local Medical Reserves Corp- they hold tons of free classes to members from psychological first aid and many more. Congratulations and best to you!

Research findings serve those who pray but for those who do not believe in prayer or do not want to pray or have anyone pray with them, that is still their choice; and research findings may not be important to them. We do not have to agree with their religious beliefs or spiritual beliefs but we have to respect them. This is one of the premises of cultural diversity. I cannot force a client who comes to substance abuse counseling and tell him to ask Jesus to help with his drinking problem. I am there to help him gain insight about his coping strategies while allowing him to sort things out. Being raised in several countries, I was fortunate to see various cultures operating around me. I think it's this cultural immersion that affords me to respect other's religious beliefs and cultural beliefs without agreeing with either.

Congratulations to you. It's going to be a journey and for me it was one that I learned a great deal from. I worked full time during the entire program. If I had to do it over again, I would work during the theory classes and quit during clinical. Maybe others can share their experience with this. As far as compared to nursing school, it is way different because you are now learning in the role of a healthcare provider, not just a bedside nurse following orders. Texts- the same as mentioned above plus Bates-for your physical assessment, Upjohn, DeGown's- medical diagnoses and a few hours. Check out the link below. 10 Books Every Nurse Practitioner Should Have – Online FNP Blog