mickeymouse1205

Can anyone tell me about Excelsior, credit transferring? I have taken A+P 1 and 2 a few times, d/t them "expiring". I have heard at Excelsior, sciences do not expire, is this true? I went to a vocational school for my LPN, in MA. I graduated in 1997, starting around Sept 1998-Sept 2001, I started taking my pre-reqs, planning on going thru a LPN to RN bridge program, then life got in the way. At an actual community colleges. I have taken, completed and had mostly A's a few B+s in English 1 and 2, Gen psych, child psych and abnormal psych, A+P 1 and 2 (then again Anatomy, then Physiology). Humanites-Death and dying, a pharmacology clas. I still need Micro and what ever other pre-reqs they require. Anyway, would they make me take A+P yet again, since I took them so long ago?

Im currently in Vegas. I am an LPN, not a RN. I lived closer to RI. The Fall River area. I graduated in 1997. I NEVER had a problem getting a job, ever. As a matter of fact the last job I was at before I moved. The DON literally locked my friend and I in the building until, we signed on. Here in Vegas it is nuts. The healthcare stinks overall. Im not exaggarating. The running joke is The best place in Vegas for healthcare is the airport, the first flight outta here. LOL. I have been on interview after interview and nothing, not even per diem, in any specialty of nursing. I have been here since 2003 and mostly do homecare. I took a year off to raise my child, but even in that time still picked up a few cases here and there. Im really ready to get out of here

It really stinks here right now. I know alot of my RN experienced frineds are having a hard time too. Census has been low and alot are getting sent home with all the Medicare cuts and such. I'm in Home care and it has been really slow. Nursing certainly isn't immune to this economy, that is for sure. Good luck

I didn't mean CSN has to worry about the economy, I meant that there are probably more students signing up for schools everywhere(in all kinds of programs), looking to get a degree in a more stable field due to this economy. Exactly what you said they have plenty of students to choose from each semester, thus creates waiting lists for limited entry programs, if they only have so many seats and more students apply than seats available then you have to wait.KWIM

I was told they have a waiting list (CSN) maybe now because of the economy, people are rushing to school who knows, my friend is in their program now and was on a waiting list also took her 2 times to get in she also had all A's and her pres completely done before even applying.

Hi, I'm looking at schools in state and out of state LPN to RN bridge.I have all my pre's done thru CSN, but am sick of their waiting lists blah blah blah, I have A's in everything.I have heard Apollo(which I understand is very costly) starts 3x/year. Anyway my real question is has anyone applied, passed their entrance exam and NOT gotten in on the first try? I have heard they are getting a waiting list. I can't imagine that with the way the economy is ,there are that many people able to afford their tuition, even with the loans and/ or want to spend that kind of money.The federal loans do not cover the entire cost. Anyone want to share their recent experiences good or bad?

Hi I am an LPN in Las Vegas I went to school in MA graduated in 1997. I have been here in Vegas since 2003.Ahead is my opinion. I have worked LTC here is it AWFUL. The first place I worked I was doing a routine orientation and count was incorrect It was liquid Mophine off oh about 10cc's which is alot, liquids are hard to count,and sometimes can be a tiny bit off like less than a .25cc but not 10, anyway they thought there was not a problem with this, I went to the DON, the ADON and so on, I refused to accept the keys and out the door I went. Their reaction, they blackballed me, BTW I am NOT the only nurse this has happened to out here. You can get hired as an LPN in alot of settings here, corrections, homecare, md offices, insurance cos etc. I prefer homecare because I'm basically dealing with myself and just one or 2 other nurses. I will STRESS that Las Vegas is the only place in America that is in a nursing shortage and acts like they are not. Even way before the economy tanked it was like this, I guess because it is a very transitional place, but you can apply somewhere and they will call you 2 months later for an interview. Alot of the new grads especially RN new grad think its JUST because they are new,no it happens to seasoned nurses all the time also. Basically here you have go to know someone to get you in, if you really search these threads you will see post after post about this. Besides CSN there is also Appollo, Touro that is all I can think of right now but they are very costly, no other community local colleges for LPN bridge that I know of. HTH

I have never been compensated either for cell phone usage. What I did was get a cell phone plan with unlimited minutes. It cost 99/month per phone. It stinks having such a high cell phone bill but I also never have to worry about overages and I take the expense on my taxes. Sprint has a Simply everything plan umlimited, talk, text, data etc 99/month per line, plan cannot be shared. HTH

Wow when I moved here in 2003, VA was begging for nurses.

Hey everyone, Just wanted to let everyone know that my friend and a few other people(that she knows of) DID get a full refund, after having to withdraw. "Supposedley" (?SP) after re-consideration th school agreed that they should get a full refund and are gauranteed a spot for the "4th semester" in Jan. There were some questions about this so I wanted to let everyone know how it turned out. LOL Power in numbers I guess (kidding). Speaking of my friend, I let her settle down and slapped some sense in to her and told her aggravated or not you WILL return and be done with it. I told her I will tutor her in the math along with she should start pulling up practice tests (plenty on the net) now.I'm really good at the math I used to have to count the gtts(that each IV bag produced) SERIOUSLY for defending the hospitals against the no so nice insurance companies.They love to fight med costs, especially in the NICU. GRRRR Take care

I did Home Health while pregnant with my 1st child also. Getting in and out of the car was not bad. I was due on April 18th and worked up to the 16th. Your going to get tired towards the end irregardless of what position you are in, plus the peeing!LOL At that point I would use ANY bathroom.LOL. I am an LPN not RN but all the case mangers and other LPN's supported me in that they wouldn't let me go to a patient that was really difficult to manuver, gave me the simple easy to reach wound cares, or teaching visits,etc. They would just switch out visits and tell the scheduler. VERY nice of them, but I think they appreciated that I did all I could for as long as I could and didn't whine thru the whole pregnancy or put my load on them..LOL

I know North Vista hospital has a gero-psyche unit, They have spring mountain treatment center is always in the LVRJ. Also working corrections will get you ALOT of psych experience. CCDC is hiring also. HTH

I just spoke with my friend who had a meeting with the Director of the CSN program,' Here are the facts out of the Directors mouth.NO specualtion This is the 2nd class(in the 4th semester) EVER from CSN that took this particular TIMED test. The director herself said no other 4th semester math tests at CSN have been timed besides this semester and Spring of 08 4th semester. Last Spring (08) multiple people failed this test they were given 5+ chances to take it, one student in fact took it aong with the director because she just couldn't "get it" The Director herself said this test is BS, but is being pressured by the hospitals to make them take this timed test 33 questions in 60 minutes because they feel too many of CSN previous graduates that are now working in the hospitals are making too many med errors.She does feel that it is completely unfair and gauranteed EVERYONE who got kicked out a spot next semester.Because she ADMITTED it is not right. Although they will have to pay again. Conclusion-Previous graduates did not take this same timed test.From here on out if you are in the program make SURE you know it is a really big deal. Other things to note. My friend did attend the begining of the semester review, can't mention names, but the instructor told them she dies not teach math, can just give you sort of a review, Friend said she was better off going on the internet and figuring it out herself. It still is upsetting that they did make sure no one failed this test last semester giving some people 5+ chances, but will not do the same this semester. I also would like to say from a personal point of view, I put this post up to let other students know the serious nature of this test. You work your butt off in school and I wouldn't want this to be a surprise to anyone.The math tests are not a surprise but apparently this one is extremely harder than it was previous and also timed(per the director). So be prepared. I still think that these tests should be given ASAP so students that are out can get a refund if needed(especially in this economy).To me waiting to give a standardized test that could result in your withdrawl is BS. It is not like they are teaching you something that is on the test during the semester. KWIM The same questions would be on the test from day 1 or the last day, so why wait? One more thing the dirctor did say was that the hospitals were demanding that the students got 100% on the test or out, CSN got them down to a 97%. I do understand that CSN has to have a good relationships with the hospitals for a million reasons, but I really think that they have no business demanding this of the school. They don't accredidate them the BON does and if they are that worried about it. Why don't the hospitals give the test before they hire you, if you don't pass you aren't hired KWIM?There are alot of RN's that do not or have no desire to work in the hospitals.

The whole point is the instructors are not teaching it. Your right they all took 100b and passed as the pre-req requires. This was just an out of the blue thing,like "Oh by the way you will be having a math exam this week, we will review with you (which they did not) but you also have your regular (med-surg) exam, so don't worry about the math exam, study hard for the med-surg one, which they all did. They never once said you HAVE to pass this exam with a 97% or you will be withdrawn from the program.

Hi, I do regular home health per visit. I only have experience if you want to call it that in Hospice with LTC. Thee are probably stupid questions but it is just my curiosity. As A hospice nurse do they require you to have your CPR certification current? Also I know back in LTC we were always told by the hospice nurses, they didn't cover under their services, x-rays, labs, or any meds that were not connected to their diagnosis(that were reasons to be on hospice) Is that true with Home hospice patients also?

Here in Vegas As an LPN I get 35 per visit, but no mileage. I just deduct the mile at the end of the year. There are very few per hour positions here even for the RN's.

I had a patient whom THOUGHT I was on call 24-7, mind you I'm an LPN, but the reason, they always ran out of colostomy bags at midnight, Instead of emptying the bag they would throw the whole set up away!We had the RN, the SW, even the MD tell them, show them, sooooo many times. It was crazy.

Hdxdoode, I think you misunderstood, on the 1st roun 90 people failed the test out of the 114 or 115. That is almost the whole class. On the second round only 15 people failed.. Meaning they had gotten 2 or more questions wrong. It is just obsurd.I am a nurse and I KNOW for a FACT that while math IS a part of your job, it is certainley not the majority of it. Even the Pharmacists have computers and calcualtors for this reason. KWIM. My whole point is not that CSN is a terrible school, it is that they should have had the common courtesy to let these students KNOW, if you fail your out, not pass it off like it was not a biggie. Out means forever for some. There is a girl included in this 15 people who had to withdraw last semester due to severe illness. Literally life or death, now because of this she is out for good. All this time, energy and MONEY for nothing. It is just enraging me, they should've refunded them at the least. C'mon they KNEW the test was coming they just didn't decide to throw it in for good measure. It doesn't affect me personally, but as a nurse I just feel it is another kick in the face, if that makes any sense. How can they sit there and wonder why people are leaving the field. Anyway off my vent LOL

I've been in Vegas for 5 yrs now. That is how they are here. New grad or not. I think because it is such a transient city.Alot of my nurse friends laugh and say Las Vegas is the only city in America that is in a nursing shortage but doesn't know it.LOL

Hi everyone, I used to post here alot,still read alot, but anyhow. A friend of mine who is in the LPN to RN bridge at CSN and about 14 others(not all LPN"S) have gotten thrown out of the program recently. Here is why.They are in their final semester (10 weeks to go) and apparently the instructors told them they would be given a math calculation exam. They said you have two exams this week regular med-surg exam which is way more important and the math exam, don't worry about the math exam worry about the regular med surg exam so that is what the entire class did. 90 out of roughly 115 people failed the math exam. You had to have a 97% on the math exam or you failed. Thre were 33 questions on the exam. They told the class you will have to retake the exam, which they did.It ended up on the second try roughly 15 people failed again. They were called down and told not to report to clinical on Monday, they had to make an appointment with the Director. When they were hit with "withdrawl" forms from the program! They were told that they could re-sign up next semester.Well some people (not my friend) this was their last chance with the program so they are out forever! No refund on this semster, not even partial. The facts my friend told me: They NEVER informed anyone that they would be thrown out if they did not pass the test. They said there would be a review for the exam which was not offered. They are currently going to meet with the director and demand their money back for this semester and not count this as a withdrawl against them. We will see what happens. I am so aggravated, I'm an LPN currently lining up to get the rest of my pre-req's done with for CSN, and now am not sure at all.I'm starting to wonder if because of all the budget cuts, this was done to get some money or lower the class ratio to let instructors go.KWIM? I mean if they felt that strongly about the test why wasn't the test administered on Day one when they could dis-enroll and get a refund. How does everyone feel about it.

Hey, I don't work in the hospitals, I am a home health nurse but every nurse I know said St Rose is much better to work for. They have 2 hospitals in Henderson. Summerlin is not bad either but they seem to prefer St Rose. check out http://www.movetolasvegas.com for more on places to live. Hope this helps. Cheryl

I agree Danu3. I would NOT want to be any of those nurses in there.I tell you what though I would have 1-2 other nurses confirming my doses (what is drawn up and going to be administered) before I gave any morphine, because of what the father is saying, just to be on the safe side. I would also give what was appropriate and ordered to keep her comfortable, meaning not withholding to make other people happy to hell with everyone else who didn't like it, You would be the nurse for Terri, not the family, nor husband.Anyway. the whole situation stinks. If any good can come out of this whole mess, hopefully people will understand now, how important it is to not only tell your loved ones your wished but get it down in writing and legal etc.. Cheryl

LOL. I've been here since July 03 and I'm surprised when someone even posts in here, never mind a get together. What kind of nursing are you in? BTW you gotta follow the pharm reps around for the free goodies, not the nurses, will just rob yours. LOL Cheryl

All life is valuable, 100% correct, but why don't you try sitting in a w/c or bed all day for years and all that is keeping you going is that tube, then come back to me about quality of life. I have done LTC for numerous years and it really makes me mad when families think a solution is just to put a tube in a patient with no quality of life, that is selfish period. This woman can only blink her eyes again according to the media. How is this helping anyone? I agree the husband may have motives, but the parents are so determined she is going to live I don't think they are REALLY looking at her quality of life.That is my opinion. Cheryl

I think we are patient advocates bottom line. There is no quality of life there, that I can see from the views the media gives us, is all I have to go by. Let her go, IMHO. Cheryl