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I was not good in math in high school because I did not apply myself. I believe I had an attention deficit. I was always preoccupied about my mother dying. However, I did pass my math classes -2 without any remedial work. What I did do though was a lot of practice before I did my placement. I went to the thrift store and found a workbook and text book that accommodated it and practiced,practiced and practiced. I took a two week refresher course before taking my placement test and I was placed into an intermediate algebra class and then went on to finite math. I was so proud of me because I had not been in a math class in almost 16 years. Use several text books from the library, thrift store or look at Amazon or Ebay for books (cheap but good). When I did drug calculations in the program, I always passed the first time - I would do over a hundred problems a couple days before each day and it was a good thing. Math was not my bag but I passed and you can too. I will share what my Finite Math instructor shared with me and it encouraged me. Stop saying you aren't good because you will start to do your math that way. Here goes the story. My math teacher was in the military or either retired and he taught on Saturday mornings. How I did so well in his class is because he was motivated and together. He wrote every thing using all three boards for his schedule. His alarm was set on his phone when it was time for the next phase and when we had breaks and the end of class. His voice was like a coach or driller but he was personable and encouraging. He told me that when he was in elementary school, by 5th grade they told his parents do not let him think of any jobs/careers using math because he would not make it. He in return encouraged himself as David did in the Bible and made himself learn by applying himself and began to like it enough to become a math instructor. When I went to him saying the same thing you are saying about my inability, I was encouraged. Also, my daughter was good in math all through school until middle school. She and an instructor clashed and she had to repeat it and her math went down hill thereafter. However, in high school I encouraged her to take all the math and science she possibly could because I screwed up in high school because I literally took a teacher at her word. Back then an adult's suggestion was golden always. She would say when someone was acting up in class "If you aren't doing good now in Algebra 1, don't come to me next year for Algebra 2." Why did I feel she was talking to me. I was making C's and it was kind of boring and I was preoccupied that my mother was going to die more than any thing. To get to the point, my daughter entered college and had to take remedial maths 2x. We thought she would never get out of remedial math. She wanted to be a nurse and she changed after A&P 1. Then she transferred those credits to a CIS program. After 99 years almost, she decided to change her major again to ACCOUNTING. Why? Because she found a job that taught her financial budgeting as an admin asst. and she has an awesome resume reflecting millions of dollars that she handles for large companies - some have been fortune 500 companies. The phone rings off the hook for interviews and she has not completed her Bachelor yet. Her starting salary is better than mine and I had been in the gov for 20 years. YOU CAN DO IT TOO! PRACTICE, PRACTICE AND PRACTICE WHILE YOU ARE HOME ALONE. CLOSE YOURSELF IN A ROOM LIKE I DID WHEN FAMILY IS AROUND AND YOU HAVE SPENT TIME WITH THEM. GOD BLESS YOU AS A NURSE:bow::chuckle:coollook::loveya:

Not only VA and GA but I know MD because I checked. The only one that MD accepts is ISU and there actually is a campus in which nursing students go and also the distance learning. Looks like ISU is more stable right now. You are an LPN and that qualifies you for the LPN to BSN. I think that is pretty good. I wish you a blessed career.

I am 48. Been at this thing almost half of my life with it's ups and downs. I failed RN school - 8 wks to graduation and can't go back to that school. I have had it hard because I had no backup -- had to work. I will go back and get my LPN if I can't find an RN school to accept me. LPNs and then RN I believe is better for me. Close your eyes and just do it. You would be 40 or older even if you didn't. At least you will be 40+ doing what you want. I am quite sure you have other accomplishments in life outside of nursing. Don't be so hard on yourself.:clown::clown::clown::clown::clown::clown::clown::clown:

How many clinical hours does an LPN have to have in order to bridge from LPN to RN at this school? It, I believe, is the only one that MD BON will accept. Am I right? Look like I remember this in some of my research?

Who can one write to instead of just commenting on HR 5924 and Excelsior distant learning amongst ourselves and commenting on website http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/? What do you think? Help to reduce the shortage and save your investment if possible!!! Get the pen out.

Does any one know about any other states in which Excelsior is cool? Who can you contact in order to find this out?

Can you possibly move or get with a state that is accepting it near you and do your thing? I live in MD which is one of the states firstly that won't accept EC grads. However, I think VA and WDC does. I had been informed that I can only get licensure for these states and not MD.

I understand and what is so ill about this is that good nurses, docs and medical personnel suffer. When these commercials come on I think about what it is doing to those persons (like me) who want so badly to be in the medical field. It makes me think that I would fare somewhere else better without all this darned stress. Nursing does not pay what it's worth for all the stress in nursing school and definitely not on the floor. We are already preoccupied a lot of the time with not harming the client and safety issues enough. To me it's like telling medical persons that ha! ha! so you are stressed but this is your punishment for choosing this darned field. There is not incentive and as it goes along, I believe the medical field is going to see some great shortages. Nurses will leave just like some OB/GYNs have decided to take other courses of action in regards to their practices. Like with me, I don't want to even think about being a obstetrics nurse because people want to blame every one for their child's mishap and sometimes it's an act of nature and not something someone done straight down to the janitor in the hospital. I don't know why I like nursing so much because it is definitely not the money - it's skimpy. Traveling nurse pay isn't enough for me. It's to see someone survive and do well is what my pay is. Good question.

Well, look at it like this. We all have had to start somewhere and have made mistakes that we hopefully have learned from. I am not a nurse yet but have had clinical and did okay in but my last one - the one before transitioning. I say I went to clinical with Satan's twin. However, I have learned that people are going to act as if this has never, ever happened to them but is that always true? Heck no! It may not have been your situation but one maybe even more detrimental. I know that this is someone's life and infection is not wanted nor the wrong location but if the person is still breathing and here you move on and chalk it for experience. I had an incident where I did not document something appropriately as a student and this same instructor read my journal (computerized journal) and responded as if I did not care and that was not true. She wanted me to supposedly drench myself about this forever. What I did was move on and go to God for forgiveness and thanking Him that nothing detrimental happened. Sometimes you have to do this because if you keep going back you will stay back and paranoid. What can you do about something that has happened except for what you did - be responsible and bring it to someone's attention. You could have not mentioned it until a problem occurred or the client croaked. Remember, people are not God and they are not perfect. The next time you change a central line dressing or do anything, be cautious like you were before with more emphasis and concentration. You are new and when we are novices it can be challenging but don't be discouraged. Any nurse can tell you (if they are truthful and not arrogant) that they have done some things accidentally. I respected a young nurse so much when she told me she gave wrong medicines mostly at a time when everything seemed okay because her guard was not up as much. Don't get too relaxed but do calm down. Another time will come for you to do it better than the first. God has forgiven you so why are you still in imprisonment. He know you did not try to do this or was negligent. Congratulations. You are where I want to be. That nurse might be jealous of you; new nurse with happiness and bright thoughts - not burned out. AGAIN - MOVE ON.

I want so badly to get started with Excelsior. I read so many things on this forum about online problems and State BONs being negative about them. Tell me what is going on with this aspect? I am almost about to change my career goals. Nursing is getting to be a headache; I wish I didn't love it so much. Things don't have to be this complicated. This is why there is a shortage and people are getting fed up. It's happening while they are yet students. I am in the hit and miss arena. When I get one thing done, it changes to something else. HELP ME PLEASE!!!:argue::chuckle

Congratulations. After 2 nursing schools, maybe one day I will. Reading this made me happy for you. Jesus is definitely the one to thank.

There's always something going on once you think you have a way. What the nursing boards need to remember is that there is a shortage and people who love nursing so much they are doing a lot to become one. I know safety is an issue but there are some nursing students from traditional colleges that are not safe. I have done clinical with nurses of yesteryear that are not safe especially in the hand washing department. I know it is someone's life we are trying to save and not kill the person but sometimes I feel that this nursing thing is bent out of shape. Actually, the only pay that I see so beneficial is the one you see when your client is better and on their way to recovery. Other than that, it's not that spectacular. I like it because I love people. It's definitely not the money. Like someone else in this forum said, there is a such thing as moving to another state. Think about it unless you have ties. I understand that could be an issue. God Bless You and you are not the only one stuck in this nursing deal; I have failed my last clinical and cannot find a school to take me. When the nursing field has so many shortages I really don't feel for them any more. I feel for the clients who suffer in the end. Why is it that the Nursing League approve these and when you are smack dab in the program they come up with these far-fetched ideas? Think positive; there's a way out.

I failed nursing school last year for the second time and I cannot go back to either one. However, the LPN challenge exams are no longer in New York as of 2007. I am stuck w/ a lot of credits that aren't doing anything but sitting. I see that Excelsior accepts students w/ at least 50% clinical done. I failed my last clinical and have 75% done and passed. Do you think I would be a risk if I attended EC to finish up or should I find another major. I worked before and actually looking at it, I can't believe I made it that far with all the work you have to do in nursing. It was like I had a zillion things to do. Do you feel as competent with Distance Learning as you would in a traditional college? What's your opinion? HELp

I have tried to be a nurse for over 10 yrs. now off and on. I thought I could take the LPN challenge since I failed my 4th semester 9 8wks to nursing. I just found out I could not because that was blown apart in june 2007. I can't win for losing and I am tired. I just finished caring for 3 1/2 months my friend's mom and I was a good advocate for her and really knew my stuff. I don't understand why I can't be a nurse and why it has been so hard for me - I had to work. Does anyone have any suggestions about the on-line courses - Excelsior. How is it - I do qualify for their program. Tell me how you did it if you know about it. Otherwise, I give up. I don't feel like starting another program.

I have problems worse than that -- believe me and I am 48. Flunked out of two nursing schools but I have continued to educate myself with everyday opportunities to help my studies. I was not fortunate enough to have help or could manage with a nursing asst. position. Therefore, my grades suffered and looks like every time I turned around something stupid would interrupt my studies --- weather without electricity; overstudying the wrong information or something stupid with the computer. However, I will no let this overthrow me forever. There will be some way you will get in the BSN program and make it. Don't give up; I have not no matter what it looks like. What helped me a few months ago from dying or committing suicide about a terrible, terrible clinical instructor that I clashed with was to volunteer my services to a friend and care for his sick mom. It was trying but I used my nursing skills in the situation and advocacy at her doctor's visits and I saw her progress before my and every one else's eyes. That alone re-enforced and enhanced what I had learned from lecture but had never got a chance to practice except for the dinky clinicals that I went to. I even learned how to deal with others (NP, docs and other medical staff) as a result. My ankles look like little hams but the experience was intriguing for me. Try your best in class and experience things outside of class and use other books as reference which can break things down a little better at times. It's worth the try to just do better in your BSN program to meet your goal. God Bless

Ensure that your grades are at least 3.4 or 3.5 and all pre-nursing courses - core courses - are completed - including Micro.

Well, I got to my last semester in an associate program in the Fall of 07 and I flunked. I feel that it was due to the limitations that nurses have. Until then, I was not aware of it. I like assisting clients in and off the hospital scene and every time I looked up it was the conversation of losing licensure if you did such and such. Just like this summer I went to visit a good friend and I was proud of my ability to help her with a disorder until her appt came up with her doctor. I was told by a nurse of 20 plus years no to do that when I get my license. I know that was for good but I don't want to feel that if I am a nurse that I have to be afraid. I actually started fearing what I was going to bring into my life. To top it off, I went to clinical with the CI from you know where. I flunked clinical and that was something I have never done. She was down right menace and taunted me the whole time. I missed an e-mail from her and made an error during the day and she screamed at me like I was a nobody and told these horrid lies on my evaluation. However, being away from clinicals and work -- just chilling-- I have came to a conclusion that I will challenge for my LPN license and that will help me to determine whether this is for me or not. It is so, so sad that instructors like these, who doesn't take into account what they are doing to help you to flunk. I honestly, honestly feel that if I had another instructor I could have passed and graduated last semester. She watched me from the beginning of 5 weeks making errors and never came down on me until the end. I feel in my heart that if you have 8 students that's small enough of a clinical class to call a person to the side and communicate as soon as possible and know a little of their background. Yes, this hurts me and I am 48 but I have made up in my mind that I will gain more than what I lost. Instead of just being a staff nurse, I will go beyond. I believe this problem/situation arrived because I would need this experience later in order to do my job more successfully. This has hit me so hard that it makes me want to go further and eventually teach even if I don't for five years. That's enough of teaching nursing the right way to repay what was stripped from me --- dignity. A nursing instructor should never, ever tell a student that they don't know what they're doing or scream at them because they are humans. Professional nurses make mistakes; why are students so mistreated. The way you and I feel is the likelihood of the nursing shortage. Pray that you will feel better and not be so aggravated. Pray that God direct your path.

I envy you. I was right at the 8 weeks mark and I went to clinical with Satan and flunked. I know that this happens to no one but me. I can't go back to the school from which I was. I can challenge for my LPN and will. What other colleges are there on line besides Indiana State and Elsior. I want to do an online where there is an actual nursing school present. I live in Maryland. I had heard that MD does not grant license for onliners. Is this correct?

I would like to know if anyone has testimonials in regards to how Director of Nurses/Human Resource rate online nursing? Is it 2nd class to traditional nursing school? I am interested in the University of Indiana's online nursing program. Is it hard to get in? I am challenging for my LPN; how long do I have to be an LPN to get started with University of Indiana's online program? Is Maryland a state which accepts online? I have heard otherwise and is this information the most recent information in regards to the states which accept this? Any negativeness in regards to online nursing that you have experienced? I have failed nursing school in my last semester. I need a walk through.

In my last semester of nursing school I failed and cannot attend this school again. I can challenge for my LPN license. Since I have gotten to my last semester in an associate degree program, would it be wise to look into an on-line curriculum. My LPN experiences will give me more clinical practice plus my RN clinical experiences. Help me please. I am about to give up but I have invested too much time.

I know it would be best not to because we have to remember that clients are not our friends. Friendship is something that is earned. I have a problem with being too friendly too quick sometimes. As a nurse, this could come back to haunt you. It would take God to come and tell me in the flesh that it is okay. :redpinkhe