PinkAnther

Crestwood. It's pretty central to a lot of highways. I think it takes about 30 min to get from Belleville. 1 bdrm 650 sq ft, central air, mini dishwasher, pets allowed with one time pet deposit of 100 or 200 (can't remember which), dog park, pool, clubhouse, community laundry mat, right near stores and restaurants. And it's a safe area. Rent is $525/mo. The complex is Forest View. It's worth looking into! Here is a link I found for you: Forest View Apartments Apartments For Rent in Saint Louis, Missouri - Apartment Rental and Community Details - ForRent.com Hope it helps!

I've heard a lot of not-so-great things of Chamberlain. I'm not sure they have the greatest reputation. However, I have a friend who graduated from there and got a job right away a couple hours away in ICU.

Oh no she did not... say to the patient, "Oh, this guy has a lot of experience being the catcher," about the patient transporter. The transporter had just told the patient not to worry about falling, because we would be right there. My flirty patient told the transporter he'd much rather fall into my arms. This is when I referred to his experience as catcher. The worst/best part is the patient totally caught it and was making the "oh my god, i cant believe you just said that and i can't stop smiling about it!" No she did not... give this same patient her number during clinicals... on ACCIDENT! I had two pts and one of them was being transferred to a new floor, and I wanted to accompany her. We don't get phones passed out to us during clinicals, so I wrote down my number on a piece of paper and told him to have the nurse or whoever came to get him call my cell before he left the floor. I set it far, far away from Mr. Flirty since he couldn't get up on his own. Unfortunately, this paper got sent home with him. I soon received a text saying what a difference I made talking to him and caring for him. Of course this was followed by him asking me out. I declined but thanked him for reminding me it's worth it to suffer through nursing school! No she did NOT!!! Get a stern "talking-to" about picking her nose... and not washing her hands... at clinical! (NOT ME!!! And we've alllll seen her eat it!) Laugh out loud when the instructor told us a patient had cancer. (same booger-eater) Literally pour the crumbs from her potato chip bag into her mouth our first day in nrsg lab... right after the instructor told us to treat the lab as a real patient room. (the boogie lover again) Give a patient twice as much medication as ordered in clinical. Of course the instructor is in hot water for not watching med admin of her student, I could write a novel of oh no she did not's on this instructor. (Guess who... same booger eating doofus!) Those of you with the stories about idiots in your class who didn't make it give me hope. We've been making bets about this girl not making it to the next semester since the first few weeks of class! It terrifies me to think someone like her could have made it this far!

I've completed my first semester of my 2 year nursing program. I now have a semester of clinical experience under my belt. I would like to get a job as a PCT or CNA. I've heard a few things about a nursing student being considered the same as a CNA after their first semester. Anyone have the facts on this?

I absolutely disagree with kicking people out because they're shy. I'm thinking the logic behind is it that you do have to interact with patients. You'll have to be the one to not only provide care, but take care of patient teaching. Also I think people who are shy are often viewed as lacking confidence. When your life is in someone else's hands, it's probably a little disconcerting to feel that they aren't confident. Why should I believe you can do it, when I'm not sure you do! BUT I'm the least shy person many people know. But even I get shy when I'm unsure. When you asked your instructor for help, she should have used HER OWN interepersonal skills to figure out what you needed from her to instill confidence. It seems lazy to me for her to just say you gotta go. It's her job to produce competent nurses. We can't all just show up to the first day of nursing school that way!

I agree. Maybe not as vehemently... haha. These are my thoughts... Them cheating isn't actually hurting you. You may feel that it's unjust for people who don't care to get better grades than you. But typically in nursing classes, clinical performance is considered in your grade, isn't it? Not to mention, you said you THINK they are cheating. If you knew they were, you'd have said you KNEW. Also, I've always been one of the non-studiers. On the dean's list. That doesn't mean I was cheating. Certain things just click for certain people. Nursing isn't quite that easy for me, but I wish it was. Still certain aspects of it are. I can hear about it once and know what's going on. Or some people just know what to look over. I had classes with a girl who would study 6 hours for a test vs my 1 hour, and I'd do better. Everybody is different. Andd how feasible is it really for a cheater to pass the NCLEX? Sure... it could be possible. But really, how likely? Most nursing students bust their asses throughout school and then make themselves crazy studying for the NCLEX just to pass. So if someone who has cheated through school can pass the NCLEX, it would seem they would have had to have learned after all. Obviously it's up to you. You gotta do what feels right to do. But like H-town said, don't do it out of jealousy.

Obviously, you've had a ton of replies. DUH! You're not too old! I can't say I'm older or this or that. I will say this. I'm 23. I went to college to be a veterinarian, then changed my major to pre-med for people, then changed it again to nursing (bachelor's)! THEN figured out the nursing program I was in wasn't worth a crap for me! So I left and I'm now on the waiting list for a community college. I should start in the fall. All in all, it will have taken me SEVEN years to wind up with an associate's degree! We all take different paths to get to the same places! You do what's right for you and if it took you til your late 20s to be ready, so be it! If there was a time where it became too late to do what makes you happy, what a sad world this would be! Also, I will definitely say that the older ladies in my classes had it together WAY more than us youngins! They had sacrificed what they already had to do this. Us kids on the other hand were still too busy growing up to be as committed to our education as the others! Good luck, and I hope you get what you want whether it is nursing or not! Oh and I'd suggest maybe shadowing a nurse for a bit to make sure it's for you! I think it would be a good way to ease some of those insecurities that have kept you hesitating for this long!

I'm not even through nursing school, but if circumstances are conducive to travel nursing when I graduate, I plan on it. I loooooooved Mexico the 2 weeks I spent there. I love the Spanish language and Mexican culture. Has anyone done any nursing there in Mexico? Australia seems like the place to be too, so anyone done this there? If so, tell me about it!

I'm currently a student at STLCC Meramec. I took some nursing courses at SEMO but was a little leery of their program. I could have stayed there, as changing my major kept me there 3 1/2 yrs and very close to a bachelor's in general studies, but I know I want to be a nurse. So I decided to go to a different nursing school. I'm currently on the waiting list and as of right now will begin my nursing courses Fall 09 with all my prereqs out of the way. (Yay!) I moved to STL and I live on my own and pay all my own bills. It's tough to do to say the least. I know someone who knows someone who can help me get a PCT job at Barnes. I think that would be great! Not only will it be good to know that I can handle working in the hospital setting, but I also think that experience will make nursing classes easier. Not to mention working at Barnes may get me a foot in the door post-grad and help pay for some school/loans. I work at Red Lobster right now and serving is a quick and easy way to make money with flexible scheduling. My worry is that I may not make as much money and make life that much more difficult. Can anyone tell me how scheduling would work as a PTC? Same schedule every week? Does it change every week? Are they flexible when you need time off for certain things? When I get into nursing classes will it be more difficult to make time for work? Should I keep weekends at Red Lobster? I feel like I am missing out on getting experience because of financial pressures and I am not sure what the best thing to do is. Any info and advice would be greatly appreciated.

I am moving up to stl this summer for nursing school. I have been looking into working at Barnes or Children's. Can anyone who has worked there, or knows someone who has, let me know what they pay student nurses? I definitely want to work at a hospital while in nursing school, but I'll be living by myself (:no:EXPENSIVE!!!), so I'm not sure when. I waitress and make good money, so I don't wanna give that up for less money too early on.

You all have no idea how happy i am to have found allnurses.com, and this forum tonight! I am moving up to saint louis to go to stlcc at meramec this summer. I'm planning on moving by myself so i'm trying not to go too far over $500. Rent.com is helpful, except I don't know how long it is actually going to take me to get to school, and I am worried about being in a safe area. I'm a 22 year old female and I've never been without roommates, so it's a little scary! Not to mention the fact that I'm only scarcely familiar with the area. You all seem to be so knowledgeable and happy to help! I love it! (What else would I expect from a bunch of nurses?) Does anyone have any suggestions of which areas to look around in or avoid due to safety or distance? Even better, does anyone have any specific apartment complexes to suggest?