l_wheat

Congratulations to all that passed, and good luck to those who don't know yet or are about to test. L

Hey, I used the latest Saunders Q&A book and I passed, so, take it for what it is. There are a lot of questions in the book and on the CD (5200 I think) so it seems to help to have MANY MANY questions at least in my case. Try and keep track of your missed questions and go back over them after you finish the book. I also kept score because I'm a freak and was soooo used to calculating my grade to the ten thousandths I just couldn't help myself. The computer program keeps score for you, but you'll have to score yourself for the hard copy questions. Good luck. L :)

Hey, I too took 78 questions and thought.....WHAT!! 78, I've NEVER heard of someone getting 78. I thought SURELY I failed. I had VERY similar questions as you described and almost drove my wife INSANE along with myself, BUT I passed. I took it on the 10th of Feb. and my wife called me @ 0500 Valentine's morning saying "YOU'RE AN RN!!!!" So, don't freak, get out of your house and try to distract yourself. I know you'll be checking the BRN site at least 10 times a day, and California says they can take forever BUT most of the time it is up within 3-5 days, so just relax and know you don't have any more nursing instructors trying (or so it seemed) to get you kicked out of the program :). The hardest part of the pre-employment phase is over... you passed nursing school, celebrate. Good luck. L

Hey there, Yes it is possible. A classmate of mine took the MAX and she passed. I took 78 and I passed, so.... you just can't tell until either you see your name on the BRN site or get a notice saying you didn't pass. EVERYONE feels like crap after the test and 99.99% of people think they failed, I did and so did my friend, but we did it and hopefully you did too. Go TRY to do something to distract yourself, I know its easier said than done, but you're just going to drive yourself and your loved ones batty for the next few days we ALL do. Good luck. L

Hi all, I hate to be the bringer of bad news, but I live in central CA (modesto), and they don't want new grads it would appear, 2 of the 3 big hospitals in town only have a couple of nursing postions even open. I graduated in December and have passed the boards, but I am still getting ONLY rejection letters in my inbox, which is kind of a bummer after all of the hard work to actually get my RN. Not one interview, not one followup, nothing. So I'm thinking of actually moving out of state for a little while just to get some exp. I wish you all the best of luck in your job search. Lloyd

Hi, I too felt the way you do now back when I got into nursing. 6 years ago I was fresh from the IT industry when I got my CNA cert. One thing that has ALWAYS helped me was to think of my clients as auto parts or like I was working on a computer (not actually treating them as if they weren't human) it helps to distance yourself from the obvious weirdness you'll feel the first couple of times out on the floor. I know it sounds strange, but it works. I mean you MUST be caring and compassionate, but try to look at it as you're doing a job, and that job is to help clients meet their needs. As for being accepted, the other aides will love you because men naturally have more upper body strength which is something that also comes in VERY handy as an aide plus males in nursing are still a novelty so you'll have that on your side. Also I agree with the other poster, don't get caught up in other people's BS don't snipe on others. Keep your opinions to yourself regarding politics and other taboo subjects. Always be available to help. Ask questions of the nurses and other aides and pay attention to what they're doing it will help you soooo much when you do your nurses training. Lastly, enjoy your time as an aide, it is hard work but I found it VERY rewarding, enjoy your clients, the smallest thing you help them with makes a world of difference to them, and remember you are there for THEM and only them, keep that in mind and you'll be done with the nursing program and working as a nurse before you know it.

CONGRATS !!!!! Chloe. Well done.

Hey Diz, Yeah I sat Tuesday in CA. No results yet and Im about to drive my wife batty. All I've been able to do since Weds. is sleep, and gripe. Just curious do you or anyone else know if one doesn't pass will they revoke your IP at the same time or will it still show up on the BRN site as valid for a period of time? I'm really at my wits end with the wating. Monday is a holiday and I don't think I can take much more of this. Good luck to you.

Hi Jeepdude, just curious what state are you in? Im in CA and also took mine tues. but nothing on the BRN site yet. Who knows. All I know is it sux CA doesn't have quick reslults. BTW I took 76 which also scares me. Good luck to you.

45 days.

My state sux. We don't have quick results in CA. I'd pay $100 to know if I passed or not. It's maddening not knowing. I think you should get the results @ the testing center. I mean it is computerized. Funny how the ATI testing has automatic results and the real deal doesn't. Lame.

Hey, I feel ya. I took mine today also and boy did it suck. Lots of priority, 2 SATA., shut off @ 76...... Not feeling good about it as I'm sure everyone does, but if need be we can take it again. **sigh** I just wanna sleep.... I'm too bummed to even get drunk. So good luck to all those that are waiting.

Just wanted to say CONGRATULATIONS !!!!!!!!!!! to all of the new grads of fall 2008. WE DID IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now the real work begins. I wish you all the very best luck in passing boards and finding jobs. Take care of yoursleves, your families and your patients. Merry Christmas and HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lloyd (no longer SN )

I can sympathize, I started @ 33 on the nursing pathway and I hopefully graduate in Dec. Congrats on starting the CNA prog. it is a big step in the nursing path (just doing the job is too). Good luck, L

I would go for the LPN also, it may mean a little suffering in the mean time, but the rewards will be WAY worth it. Goog luck, L

CNA exp. will take you ALOT farther than phleb. will, take phleb. @ a trade school or something, DON'T drop the CNA, it will help you SOOOOO much in nursing school if you have aide exp. Good luck, L

Look in your Dx book and try to think of the worst case scenario, those are the ones that you REALLY REALLY need to pay attention to, prioritize all of the Dx's that are in the book, ABC's, ABC's, ABC's. Good Luck. L

I personally wear an undershirt and tuck it between my undershirt and my scrub top, works for me, and my hair is almost crack length. L

By a digital recorder if you can afford it and record the lectures, if the teacher will let you that is, and take good notes, and READ, READ, READ! I agree with one of the previous posters, DON'T procrastinate, study as you go. Med/Surg is trying, but it is also VERY interesting to learn these things. Have fun and good luck. L

One piece of advice. Regarding GE units, make sure that the units transfer to all of the colleges you're planning on applying to. I'm taking 9 units this summer in order to graduate in Dec. BECAUSE I didn't research all of the area nursing schools proprietary systems (I got into my third choice out of town). Cut ahead 1.5 years in the nursing program and Im taking a heavy summer load to graduate. Make sure WHATEVER humanities, speech, sociology, etc. are transferable and ACCEPTED by whatever NURSING PROGRAMS you're going to apply to because some nursing programs (as I can attest) have very specific classes they want you to take that aren't required at others. Good luck

Hi, I wouldn't worry too much about getting a B in AP UNLESS it directly affects your chances of getting into the nursing program. I too took AP in the summer and got a C (thanks to my crap-o computer). The thing is, it wasn't a pre-req for the program just a pre-req pre-req (if that makes sense) so that C didn't hurt me too much (just dropped gpa slightly, and you can take more units to sort of negate that C and bring your gpa back up) because I got all As in the core pre-reqs. I'm taking 9 units this summer in order to graduate in Dec. so I hear ya about the summertime blues (it sux). Good luck, and find out if the AP is REALLY that big of a deal.

I agree with Zana, pay attention to what your instructors tell you about themselves some of the time its very subtle. Sometimes they don't let much sneak out, BUT when they do, it usually is something that they REALLY enjoy. My last instructor didn't say much about herself but she often commented on gradening and what plants she was going to plant, etc. So our group got together and got her a gift certificate to a home and garden store, she loved it, which we were glad because she gave so little info that we were affraid it wouldn't be appropriate, but she gave no info on what she liked. She was such an AWESOME instructor it made us all happy she liked her gift. On the other hand some instructors LOVE to talk about them selves and its hard to tell exactly what to get. If thats the case they'll like just about anything that they enjoy. Good luck.

Hi, I did externing after my first semester in the E.D. I was a CNA for about 3 years before that in a SNF. I can tell you, if you have NOT been a CNA, the experience of externing will benefit you. You will get a better feel for patient care in a more relaxed environment than during your clinical rotations. You will not be able to do as much as you can in clinicals BUT you still will be able to do ALOT of things CNAs cannot do (skills wise). Trust me the experience is definitely worth it. One thing however, I did it during the summer, some of my classmates did it during the semester also and regreted holding the position, so if your hospital will work with you and keep you as a per-diem employee perhaps it wouldn't be THAT bad, BUT remember in per-diem positions USUALLY you're expected to work either one day a month or one day a pay period (depending on the facility) and you STILL have MANY, MANY, MANY hours of studying and projects, and etc. in addtion to work so take that into consideration when thinking of working during the semester.

Hi, If your school offers phramacology as a general allied health class before the nursing program I would take that DEFINITELY. Also if you have alot of time on your hands I would suggest keeping up on physiology, you will need that knowledge more than any pre-req course you will take. Keep on top of physiology, it will pay off in the end. Lloyd

Hi, definitely check into what is called academic renewal (at my school atleast). If a semester is fairly old (2 years at my school) you can usually get it taken out of your GPA. You may have to take a few classes and get good grades before they will take the bad semesters off, but don't worry about the bad ones, just focus on doing well in your current classes. After you've re-established yourself as a dedicated student then try to get the bad semesters taken off. Hope that helps. Good luck. Lloyd