stacey2275

That is the way it has been run up until this fall 2010 semester. They are being overwhelmed with applicants for LPN to RN, so once the spots have been filled, the rest go into a pool for lottery. I have 3 friends still waiting to see if they are getting in for the fall term. Everyone caught on to the LPN smooth entry so now everyone is going that route. Glad we got in when we did Jermece!

Hi Bruno23, I am probably the only one out of this thread that lives in Pinellas County, but we have a lot of Hillsborough and Manatee County students in the program at SPC. I don't think they give preference either way as to which county you live in, because this is the first I am hearing that. Because so many people are going LPN to RN versus the traditional route of just RN, there are many more applicants then there used to be, so the program has made a few changes as far as getting in goes, from what I've heard. They still do not compete as far as GPA goes, but obviously if you have a higher GPA and all your pre-reqs are done, you'd be in no problem if they haven't filled all the spots. It's on a first come, first serve basis, so if your app is in way before the cut-off you may make it in the first time you apply. Once they fill the spots, they are now doing a lottery to fill any unexpected spots in case some people don't pass the background screening, drug test, etc. Frankly, I have been a little disappointed in the program thus far. I am due to graduate in December and entering the last semester of the program. The LPN to RN portion is constantly changing their curriculum, the order they proceed as far as units throughout the semester, and powerpoint presentations, and nothing has seemed very organized. I am highly organized, almost to the point of OCD, so it makes me crazy! And just like any school, there are some instructors that give fantastic lectures, and others that read straight off a powerpoint and won't answer any questions at all, even if the material is contradicting. I went over to Galen last week to sit in on a lecture to do a presenter critique for my speech class. I was very impressed not only with the facility, but also with the interaction between the students and this particular instructor (and the instructor wasn't doing this for our benefit, she had no idea why we were sitting in). Their lab for doing mock hospital work-ups is a much newer state of the art set up than what we have seen at SPC. And it's been worthless to even have it there, considering in two full semesters we have only gone into it once for maybe a 30 minute thing. The powerpoints are posted online for us to review prior to lectures, but then you get to class and find out they changed the powerpoints that morning, and are going by the new ones that are just now posted. So you can't even follow along when it's a good instructor who gives a good lecture and be able to take notes because the slides are completely different. A few of us have complained to administration about the way things have been and they responded that things would be better this semester. The program director has been great, she has received a lot of complaints, and said she completely understands the frustration we are experiencing and has said that there will be no changing of powerpoints once posted and no changing order from what the syllabus states. I am hoping that is true for the upcoming semester. All I can suggest to you as far as programs go, is to get a tour of each of the schools you are interested in, and try to meet students here on this site to gain "insider info" on how they feel about their program, but talk to a few students of each, because everyone has their own opinions. Good luck to you!

"gtlpn2rn" i got your pm, and i'm posting, so hopefully i'll get activated to respond to pms! i am planning on attending that session, and i heard about the tests too. as soon as i am able to, i will respond to your pm.

I applied and was accepted for the August 09 start for LPN-RN Transition evening classes. I don't know which one you applied for, but they've been sending packets out for a while from what we've been told. That's why we've been watching our mailboxes like total lunatics. Did you ever receive an acceptance letter yet? Do they have your info on record that you applied?

I don't know if you work weekends too, but some of the Quest Diagnostics locations are open on Saturday. Hope that helps and you don't have to take time off. I agree with you on hand delivering the paperwork, if I hadn't received my packet today I was going to go by there tomorrow to make sure they had received my letter of intent. Thank goodness it did, now I just have to work on getting everything taken care of.

Just to make your search thru the mail easier, it comes in a extra large tan mailing envelope so it sticks out like a sore thumb! It has the orientation info, paperwork for the drug and background screening, another paper that needs to be notarized, and a form to sign verifying that you've checked your degree progress report on MySPC and you are aware of your graduation requirements. Hope you both have mail whenyou get home!

Hi Gina, just wanted to let you know, my packet arrived today!! Let me know if you got yours. Stacey

CONGRATULATIONS!! That is so awesome that you were able to get everything straightened out! That is the exact same thing she told me as far as the dates and times go. I was so relieved when she said 7/23, and that 8/11 was for the late admits and ones who couldn't make the 7/23. I was starting to think ahead that if I missed the orientation while I was away I was going to have to reapply for spring, and I was getting really bummed! I will definitely be attending the 7/23, no matter what! Hopefully we will be in the same class, it always helps to have someone you "know", even if it is justfrom this blog! Again, congratulations and now we can both have a wonderful day!

Just got an update from the advisor, more letters are going out tomorrow. And she confirmed the dates and time for me.

Hi, I moved to FL from MA about 6 yrs ago. I live in the Tampa Bay area. There really isn't much of a difference as far as scope goes, still have to be IV certified here to hang IVs, can only hang blood as the second signer with an RN, and though you're not thought of like a CNA, I still get the "are you a REAL nurse?" question from patients and families occasionally, but I got that up in MA too. Just ignorant people that really don't know the difference between an LPN and RN. There are jobs in hospitals, LTC, rehab facilities, home health, Dr. offices and clinics, all looking to hire LPNs. Most are looking for 1 yr experience, but I'm sure you wouldn't have a problem finding something, just would have to consider less pay because of the lack of experience. The pay is less for the dr. office positions and Home health, unless you are taking a per diem position. It can range anywhere frm $14-$17 in those arenas. Hospitals depending on experience and if full time vs. per diem I have been paid anywhere from $16 to $21. I am currently in a full time home health position (started with them just over a yr ago) because I am going to school for my RN. The company I work for is unique in that we aren't going all over the county to see patients. We go to our own facilities to see clients, and I usually see them all in 3 or less locations per day. Though the pay was a slight cut for me, the benefits are great, my co-workers are fantastic and my schedule can be really flexible with my school requirements. You can look up jobs online at different hospitals in the area you are looking to move, seeif they hire LPNs, and check out sites like Yahoo, CareerBuilder, Monster, and even the newspaper for the area. Definitely look into getting your RN, a lot of places downhere offer "Earnas You Learn" programs and tuition reimbursement. It will open so many more doors for you! Good luck!

They handed out the information packets at the information sessions. They held a few of them over the last yr, I received a notice in the mail that they would be held on certain dates and times at the different campuses. It was very informal, I went to the Seminole Campus for both of them, and I think the person hosting it was just a general advisor from HEC, not just for nursing, because she was there to address all the Health Programs. I was also told at the information session that the spots were "first come first serve" for the LPN to RN, that if you applied and had the minimum requirements met, that you were in. I wouldn't worry about the deadline, mine was in long after that and I thought for sure I'd be passed up until the next start, so I was shocked to get the acceptance letter. Hopefully you'll get something in the mail from this next batch that advisor "D" told you was going out on Monday... This is so frustrating, I feel like my life revolves around the mail arrival! I have even been skipping going out to lunch to run home and check my mail box!

Oh god I hope the evening program orientation is 7/23 or I am screwed. I will be away 8/11, and the orientation is mandatory as that is when you register, so I would end up having to forfeit my spot. On the application packet it stated that the deadline for the evening august start was March 31, 2009. I didn't get my application faxed to them til May 12, when the spring semester ended and grades posted. I had to wait til my grades for the A&P II (lab & lecture) posted before I could apply. It only took a couple of weeks for them to approve it. I got my acceptance letter May 23. Maybe not that many people had applied by that point. I know when I've gone to the last couple of information sessions on the programs, there was only one other LPN looking to get in aside of myself. I think the competition for spots is a lot higher in the RN-ASN than it is for LPN-to-RN, but without the selective admission rules, it is a lot easier to be accepted into the LPN-to RN. You got a lot more information then I did from the advisor. I'm glad you got the tentative dates, so I can at least hope for 7/23, now. Keep me posted if you get anything, & I'll do the same! Keep thinking positive!!

"gtlpn2rn" I got your p.m. but it says I am not allowed to send them, so I couldn't respond. As far as my pre-reqs, I only had speech left at the time I applied, but I applied after the deadline too, so it's possible they are just swamped getting all the loose ends tied up. My only contact there so far has been the advisor "D" as well, and I was pretty much told the same thing you were. They must get so many calls, questions, and emails, it's probably a standard response from them. It's driving me just as nuts, but I think we are pretty much stuck waiting to hear. I just am really hoping they don'thave the orientation scheduled during the time I am away. If I at least knew the date they were having it, I could relax! Hope you hear something soon, I am keeping my fingers crossed for ya!

"gtlpn2rn" I still haven't received the orientation information letter... Naturally I keep worrying that it got lost in the mail! I hate to keep emailing and calling them. Feel like I am harassing them! Sorry I didn't reply back to you sooner, I just read your post. I live in Seminole, about 10 mins from the HEC campus. I can't stand the waiting! I am going to give the mail carrier a heart attack one of these days. Everytime I hear the clink of the lid, I whip the door open to check. It's awful! If you've heard anything yet, let me know!

hey "gtlpn2rn", i got my acceptance letter a couple of weeks ago for spc's lpn to rn evening program for august 09. it didn't even take two full weeks to hear back after i applied, so hopefully you'll hear back quickly! i don't know when the orientation is going to be yet. i emailed one of the advisors about 10 days ago, and she said we will register for the classes at orientation, and the letter detailing orientation date and time would be going out in the mail soon. i am going crazy wanting to know when it is going to be. i am going to be out of town for 2 weeks the beginning of august, and i am freaking out at the thought of orientation being scheduled during that time! good luck, and let us know when you hear back!! hopefully we'll be in the same class!