Reesa23

I have a 3.5 gpa and I thought I'd be a shu in to get into the nursing program at the community college of my choice. I guess at this school thats not the case. I asked another girl how she got in. She said she had a 4.0 and submitted several letters of recomendation. This school doesn't require that but I'm thinking it's a good idea. And the fact that I should apply at other local schools. Who do I ask for letters of recomendation from (I do work at a hospital and my best friend is an RN) but who to ask and how to ask? Anyone have personal experience with this?

I'm sad to hear your school is phasing out the LPN program. The wait list here for the LPN is around 2 years. I've been a CNA for 10+ years now and still have not finished nursing school due to several moves which meant college changes and long wait lists. I'm a high paid CNA, but I'd settle for getting into an LPN program!

Man, thats horrible. In no way acceptable under any circumstances. I've been a CNA for 14 years (I took a CNA class for 6 months then passed a state test and my name is on the IL board website for my CNA licence) and the last 10 being mostly hospital nursing. LPNs have to works as CNAs where I work. And theirs quite a few LPNs working as CNAs there. And they don't make any more money than I do or do, or get to do any work above the CNA role. Hospitals here in IL just don't hire them. At my hospital if your not the RN, your not crap. And they make it well felt. The nurses talk to us like dogs basicaly. But I make good money and I like the patients and I'm in school for my RN so I take it. Why do I do it? I do what I have to do for me. I am an assistant to the nurse and the patient at all times at work. I pass no meds, and never would. Our hospital does not use med techs but I hear local nursing homes do and they are paying them around $10 an hour. That would be a large pay cut for me. But what I am seeing in our hospital is hiring people off the street with no training or from other departments (ie, patient transport) and after 1 week of working with a CNA they are now a PCT and working the floor. Is that even legal? I was shocked. I guess they are desperate for CNAs. I just don't know anyone that sticks with that job for long. They get burnt out or hate being treated like crap so if they stay more than a year, it's shocking. I did work at one doctors office where the MA (just a person off the street with NO edcuation past high school) told everyone she was an RN and had patients call her nurse and signed all paperwork SN I guess meaing student nurse but she was never in ANY program. I think the med techs off the street is a BAD idea all the way around.

I've been a CNA and I have not worked in a nursing home in over 10 years. This thread brings back horrible memories for me. I saw some HORRIBLE things and I'll never work in a nursing home as a CNA ever again. I'd rather work at burger king or Mcdonalds. It's about the same pay and insurance benifits anyways and your exposed to alot less.

I've been a CNA for 13 years. I've started and stopped nursing school 3 times for various reasons. I met someone I knew from my very first CNA job at this hospital I work at now. She's an x-ray tech. I asked her what her pay was because I knew her from the past and felt comfortable asking. She said around the $15 range. I was floored because she said the x-ray tech thing took 2 years of additional school. We work at the same hospital and I make more than she does and I still only have my CNA. Sad to know she would have been better off just sticking with her CNA.

I recently moved an hour away from my hospital job to be in district for another community college because where I was in district had no nursing program. They were starting an LPN program thru the college where I am now in district for. But all they ever did was give a run around. I got sick and tired so I moved.

I'm done with all my pre-recs for the RN program. I'm waiting to hear for this fall. Applications aren't even due till Feb. I'm taking some BS computer keyboarding online class one credit hour because I didn't have anything else to take and I needed some class to take because I'm new to this community college because I just moved. I promised myself I'm going to go see a counsler this week and ask what I have left for my associates of science I might as well finish off that while I wait. Not that it will make any difference in getting a job or anything but I just want that piece of paper because of all the time I've put in thus far. I've taken so many classes due to bad counsler advice.

"If it were me I'd go the MA route, what a CNA can do is limited as is an MA but a MA is above a CNA. CNA's work mostly in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and long term-care centers." I'm going on my 13th year of being a CNA. I've worked for many doctors, clinics, and the last 9 years at two different hospitals. I make $16 and hour plus differentials. It's all I've done sence highschool. I've never seen any MAs around here even get jobs past doctors offices. Advice about school? Look into your local community college and check out there financial aid office. You probably qualify for a pell grant. Flexible work can be found at your local hospital for a decent wage (tuition re-imbursement also) and you'll work right next to the CNAs.

I never had chemistry in highschool and when I took A&P 1 I did not even have micro under my belt yet. I did just fine. I also then took A&P 2 and did just fine. Then I took Micro, then transfered schools and needed and just finished chem. My advice? Flash cards. Put in the study time. This class will take alot of your time it's not just one of the easy blow thrus.

I'm going on my 13th year as a CNA. This is all I know. I'd miss the people. I've done ALOT with my CNA but I love the hospital atmosphere. I admit it's not the same as it was, but I'd still do it part time even if it payed crap.

First of all I hope you run right down to the unemployment office. You didn't do anything wrong. Sounds like you were fired unfairly. They can't put anything on your CNA licence because of this either, so don't be scared of that. What happened to you was completely unfair. They figure you'll find a new job before they have to pay in a dime to unemployment for wrongfully firing you.

First off you shouldn't be telling the techs to do anything. Asking is what you should be doing. And as a tech they should know what their job is and not even need to be asked. They should be adults and know what their job is. If your having issues you should take them to your unit supervisor. Your not their boss. If it's your patient and your there you can get the bed pan, the clean gown, etc. Bedside care isn't beneath you. That patient needs your help too. Nursing is a team effort. When people start saying "thats not my job thats so and so's job" thats where people start getting burnt out and why people leave nursing. Nothings worse than a lazy nurse that will hunt a tech down to get a bed pan they could have grabbed in half the time. Now tell me how is that being a patient advocate? :angryfire

Your book store should sell a study guide for this test. I know mine does. It's called The National League Of Nurses Review Guide for RN Entrance Exam. The author is Mary Mc Donald and the publisher is Jones & Bartlett. My college book store charges $24.95 for the book. I called today and verified this info so I know it's up to date. Hope this helps!

I need to clep chemistry to get into this next round of nursing. I have 2 months to study and I know it's going to be a hard test. Anyone who has done the chemistry CLEP if you can give advice or recomend any good study guides I would greatly appreciate it. I was told today this test costs $50 and can only be taken 1 time in 6 months and your score is available immediately. So I can't aford to fail. Any help is appreciated.

This is my 3rd year at this hospital and this was the first year they gave you anything besides time and a half if you worked the holiday. They passed out $25 gift certificates for Jewel for a turkey or meat product purchase (the certificate specifies this is what it can be used for only). I was happily suprized and thankful. The rumor is employee satisfaction is at an all time low for our company over all. I'm wondering what little "extra" we'll get at christmas besides time and a half if you work it, if anything at all. My departments Christmas party is at my bosses house. Guess it's decent of her to think we're acceptable enough to invite into her home:rolleyes: I'm not going because I'm only a tech right now and some of the higher ups can be snobby. None of the techs ever go. But they are asking each of us to give $10 for each manager in our department (their is 3 total) so they can get them each a gift. Last years gift was a $300 Ladro statute of a nurse to the boss! What a crock. Most of the techs this year are saying no way because the boss will barely give us the time of day and rushes us thru our yearly reviews this year saying she's really busy and has to move on. :angryfire