Sk8ermomRN

Second career for me, too. Have a BA in English Lit and was a school teacher. LOVED teaching. Great job if it is the 2nd income in the family. Not a great job if it is the only income! Also went for the associate's because of the time/$ issue, but will be going after my bachelor's soon. I was 40 when I went to nursing school. I was neither the oldest nor the youngest in the class. There were a lot of women like me who needed to be able to support themselves and their kids on their own.

I am an ADN RN. I graduated last May. It took 6 months to find a job working in a cardiologist's office. I learned to start IVs in school, but we never did venipuncture. I do both in the office. I am lucky, the veins talk to me and I can usually get even the hardest sticks...there is always one to keep you humble! The theory that if you can start an IV you can do venipuncture sounds ok, but in reality the hand coordination required to swap tubes while holding the needle steady on a squirmy patient takes a lot of practice. I probably started 6 IVs during nursing school, hardly enough to get comfortable with it, but enough so I had the basic skill. Venipuncture was definitely a learned on the job skill.

It took me 6 months to find a job. Had to move across country for it. It is in a cardiologist's office and is really interesting. I feel like I am learning a lot that will transfer well into hospital work, but man am I homesick!!

My guy is an engineer. Intelligent, educated, successful, and home at night. We talk about everything except work. Marry a doc? No way.

This is the first year my school has had assessment not running concurrent with med/surg 1. I would have liked the clinical time to practice the skills, but we did okay without it. We just practiced on each other.

ADN Program; 1st Semester-Fundamentals at LTC 2nd Semester-OB and Psych (one day of each) 3rd Semester- Med/Surg 1 (2 days) 4th Semester- Med/Surg 2 (2 days) They told us they switched the timing for OB/Psych and Med/Surg because the NCLEX focuses much more on Med/Surg than the specialties and they want it to be fresher in our minds when we take the NCLEX. I think I would have preferred to have Med/Surg first. I did not feel like I had enough of a foundation when I went into OB clinicals.

This is typical of community colleges because their admission standards are very low. At a traditional college, they already know you are able to handle the work in an intro class or you would not have been admitted. At community, they give everyone a basic skills test (usually math and English)to see if they are ready for intro classes. I even had to take the test and I already had a BA and was halfway to my masters in education when I decided to change careers! If you do not meet the minimum standard, you take remedial classes. It is designed to help students succeed. If you are concerned about the test, brush up on whatever your weakest skills are before you take it and you won't have to worry about taking remedials. Good luck!

While I am sure there are times when there are extenuating circumstances; like the young lady from my area who had a positive result for barbituates from her migraine medication. She provided a prescription and was exhonorated. This is not one of those times. Showing up for a physical intoxicated?! No way. No second chances. There are too many qualified, sober people waiting in line for a spot in nursing school.

I graduated summa cum laude with my BA. I NEVER studied. I read the assigned material, took notes in class, did my projects and papers, but never "studied." At NS, I study my behind off! Flash cards and study groups and practice questions.... So, is NS hard?...um, yes. However, nobody was going to die if I missed something crucial with my BA. It is supposed to be difficult and intense and I am loving every minute of it!

Not all community colleges are the lottery/waiting list type, some are competitive, so if your grades are good enough to be competitive, check around to see what is available. Good luck!

I also have a BA and could have gotten in to an accelerated program, but could not afford to pay for it. So I am entering the second semester of an ADN program and am very happy with the choice I made. Our clinicals started almost immediately, the academic work is indepth and challenging, and I will be done in 2 years. Then I will let the hospital I work for pay for the RN to BSN.:wink2:

I feel like a freak. Almost everyone in my class is SOOO excited to be going into L&D and I am dreading it. I have 1 child. My pregnancy was a nightmare. Hyperemesis, preeclampsia, toxemia...delivered 6 weeks early after 37 hours of labor, baby had severe RDS (the patient advocate took a Polaroid of her with IV's sticking out of her head and gave it to me saying "so you will have something to remember her by") she stopped breathing multiple times and was clinically dead for a couple minutes. She is fine now...but it was a horrible experience. Also, I was never able to get pregnant again so I have some baby envy issues...I don't just feel ambivalent about this rotation, I feel very negatively. Is there anybody else out there who has experienced a similar situation? How did you cope? Any advice?

I was a teacher for 7 years. Now I work in a book store to pay tuition. Ironically, I worked as a CNA to pay tuition for my Bachelor's degree.

Skills - 97 Fundamentals - 94 + 3pts for highest proficiency level on ATI, so 97:specs: Drug Dosage Calculations - STILL WAITING:banghead:

I grew up in Florida and have lived in 6 different states in my adult life. There were good and bad things about each place. Winters in Michigan, the ungodly heat in Texas, the miserable gray skies and rain all winter in the Carolinas...The worst thing about Florida was the tourists driving slowly, pointing at the palm trees, and thinking everybody in the whole state worked for Disney World! I was not a nurse in Florida, I was a teacher at a private school. The school system in Florida is no worse than in any of the other places I have lived. My daughter went to 5 high schools in 4 states and none of them was any better than the others. She passed the FCAT at 13, HSAP at 14, North Carolina EOC's at 15, and then when we got to Virginia, they made her take all the SOL's for all the classes she had taken in high school and she passed those too and graduated from high school at 16. I am not at all sure she actually learned anything after switching from private school to the public school system. I am sure that the Florida schools were no worse than the others. There are bad drivers everyplace. I would rather drive in Tampa than Charlotte, NC any day! I was making the same pay as a teacher in NC as I was in FL, the only difference was the amazing amount of hassle I had to put up with in NC! As far as low IQ's go, stupid is not dependent on geography! Every time I scrape the ice off my windshield or walk the dog in the freezing rain I curse my husband's company for moving us here and think, OMG I want to go HOME!!!

ATI Fundamentals exam yesterday- Scored at the highest proficiency level- YEAHHHH!!(that gets 3 points added to my Fundamentals grade) Tues- Calculations Wed- Skills Thurs- Fundamentals THEN...WORK WORK WORK to pay for spring term!

We also just started using ATI. What I have noticed most is that the ATI practice tests we have started doing cover a lot of things we have not yet discussed in class. There are a lot of med-surg type questions and we are still in Fundamentals. I usually do very well on standardized tests, and have an A average in class, and I totally booted the first practice test:uhoh21:. The second time through I got a 98%, but only because I have a really good memory.

I am 40 and starting a second career. I am far from the oldest person in my class. Just go for it if it is what you really want!

For all of us with severe BB...I am a 42G...Try a Posture bra. It fastens in the front and the back is a bracing structure that eliminates back and shoulder pain. I discovered them while recovering from a separated shoulder last winter. Also, OMG I haven't laughed this much in weeks! Thanks all, especially you guys.:lol2:

We get to choose our clinical days, but the times are totally up in the air...Also, we can choose either 1 day, or 2 days. For the 2 day option, you have to be available both days, but will not necessarily be doing anything. That makes it really hard for those of us who have to work. I am going with the 1 twelve hour day split between OB and Psych...That should be an interesting combination.

A couple B's on tests, but all A's overall. It is doable even with a 30 hour a week job on the side!

It really depends on your program. BSN the first 2 years is usually prereq's. Anatomy & Physiology, Chemistry, Microbiology, sometimes bio or organic chem...Plus the regular classes that make up a bachelor's degree...English, math, history, etc. The second 2 years are usually when the nursing core classes start. Good Luck!

We have been to clinicals at an LTC facility 3 times so far. The first time we were assigned a partner and the two of us had to provide AM care for one patient. Our patient had C-diff. At first everybody was all sorry for us, afterward they all wanted to know what we got to do for our patient and how it went. The 2nd trip we did vitals on 2 patients. The 3rd trip we did glucose testing on 2 patients and then assisited with feeding. In between we answered call lights, etc. It was pretty much sink or swim. The instructors were around, but with so many students to watch we do not see them that much.

We started with 60 and half way through our first semester, we are below 50. However, next fall we will fill all those slots (and any more that open up) with LPN to RN bridge students.

This is a hot topic in my program for all the reasons already pointed out. I only share my grades with the two people I study and practice clinical skills with. There is a lot of speculation and gossip, especially before the scores are known, about who made an A, etc. Everyone stands around in the hall, waiting and complaining about how hard the test was. Comparing responses to certain questions and worrying over who was right. I no longer participate in any of this. I bring a novel and read while I wait.