studentinnursing

Medical transcription. Work at home. Paid on production, by the line, about 0.08 per 66 characters. You only make about $300-500/wk (cake hours and proofreading; some don't worry about quality and just blaze through and always made more than I did), but you have no gas/commute costs or childcare costs or scrubs or shoes....not for the breadwinner, but you could do it part-time and do nursing part-time until you're not the only one making money. You can also make more as you get experience by moving up into admin or editing or mgm, or you can have your own transcription company. Just a thought and I know it's old, but you may be ready to change now. Good luck to you and your family. btw, eventually you can support your family with a mgm position. I am now a single mom of 2 and before I went to nursing school made about $600/wk, not great but can survive and hang at home with the kids, cook, clean, relax in your jammies til noon....

I can't be a nurse; no it's not temporary, but it's not this bad all the time. I still want to get my degree and the credentials that I just worked for, for 4 years; wouldn't you?! And I can do other things with an ASN, RN, after my name, when docs get it more under control, just like I did when I was attending school. I have had this condition the whole time (14 years actually, didn't know it would ever get this debilitating or I OBVIOUSLY wouldn't have begun school....) it got worse "exponentially" is how it was explained to me with the physical demands and even just emotional stress of nursing school. I am supposed to have "none to very little stress" and if all of you have been through nursing school yet you know how pretty impossible that is, and don't forget I am also raising two kids by myself at the same time, did work part-time on school breaks and here and there first 2 years and then til about 2nd semester (3 years in), and finished all my BSN prereqs too, also went full-time every summer, and look where it'd get me if I gave up. BTW--Some of these replies....I am surprised to hear some of the things that were said, coming from nurses; some of you did sound like nurses, politely telling me I'm probably screwed LOL, and those replies made much more of a difference to me than the ones who didn't answer anything and just posted something or asked more questions....those which did not take....let's say....a holistic approach? And appear to be lacking in therapeutic communication skills. Thanks to the others.

Actually, close works with medical documentation too. Thanks for the replies. I'm all set, and it does depend on situation, school, etc., because we had a couple of people who missed clinical hours because of medical reasons not, not pass because of missing more than the time required. I have also worked hands on during my full-time summer semesters, so I have more than enough required for the degree. Anybody out there in this situation, just talk to your school, Dean, instructor. You just never know what God has in store for you, and keep a positive outlook no matter what people say because you know what opinions are like....and everybody has one.

Unfortunately, I had private insurance, not through an employer, paid by my grandfather before he passed away, and another family member kept it going until this month--I'm on my own now kinda thing. Right, what I was counting on is having a job as a nurse and exactly as you stated--they could not, not insure me. I am p.r.n. at home since I couldn't even work part-time hours since starting nursing school, but this is the most flexible and easy-going job I'd ever had, and the reason I have kept it so long. However, they have gotten tighter with transcriptionists having to type a certain amount of lines per day before they can get/keep their benefits and/or PTO. I'm starting to get tired, but I will try to get to your questions. One thing I saw when scanning...No, you do not need to work at their office for any period of time whatsoever; some may require it; some don't; I have worked for physicians and transcription services. Transcription companies usually hire you right at the beginning from home. You just have to type fast because you will get paid per line, a 65-character line, for example is about 0.07-0.08 per line. Some companies will not pay for the spaces (how'd they like a report with no spaces in it is what I say LOL). From the length of your posts, it appears you type pretty fast; just a guess, but usually posts are short when someone doesn't normally type a lot (not mine! type as fast as I think ). You're gonna wanna type at least 85 wpm, over 100 wpm to make decent money. You can make decent money, and I actually proofread my reports and only ever made about 10-12/hr, but a lot of girls do not; they just I guess are careful when they type the first time, and they make more money. I just do QA now and make a lot more, so all those years of proofing paid off later. If you can get a transcription test--some companies online will have the automated recordings right on their website--and try it out. Even a Southern draw will stump the most seasoned MT, so it's not just the "foreign" docs that are tricky; some docs have no accent at all and just fail to breathe when they dictate or have the microphone apparently halfway down their throat with an office birthday party in the background . When you get those spots, put a blank (the test/transcription service will give you instructions on how to flag/insert blank in the report). I fill in the blanks in QA and what we don't want to see is guessing; when you test, always flag or insert a blank if you really are not sure of something. But with anatomy and physiology and pharm and spelling and grammar in just nursing/charting, you'd be fine; just getting your speed to make money is what matters to make anywhere from 300-500/week. However, there are team leaders and administration and QA positions too after you've been doing it for a bit, so you can make decent money, but you will top out below what you made as a nurse, definitely (and why I decided to become an RN then NP instead of stay in transcription). I do not have lupus; well, I don't think so. I have been going to doctors for about 15 years; they began with arthritis (at age 27 just before my first child) and chronic fatigue; one of my diagnoses is polymyositis and I have spondylosis and spondylolysis among others they cannot completely rule out. Now my doc wants me to see another type of specialist, so not sure what he's getting at with that yet, but he's the best so far; he treats the whole person instead of the dx is how he comes across. In the meantime, PM me or I will PM you with the name of one, I think, that has a transcription test on the website. So, you could go to a few transcription company websites and use all fake demographics and do a practice test, or MTDaily might have something there; just Google maybe...medical transcription dictation example, dictation test, something like that and check it out. I will get back with you while not sleeping in a couple hours or in the morning if I get some sleep. Have fun with the tests!

Wow, we have so much in common, and Elizabeth138--that is exactly how I felt when I worked last summer and basically was worried I might not get a job in the future if I had one more day where I felt like I did at work; funny how a patient can see how miserably in pain we may be, or just plan sick for that matter, but the experienced great nurses ignore every S&S they see in us, or do they not see them at all?! I just thought, how can I be working in a trauma center ED with sweats/chills, N&V, rhinitis/sinusitis, and only the patients notice I'm not feeling well? That was a weekend where I was just plain sick, not a flare-up of my dx that kept me from finishing my last week of school. And what's scary is I had started my first thread ever on here, been reading it since before I took prereq's and half of them seemed like they didn't understand what I was saying....and all I wanted to know is if I could sit for boards (which seems silly because I couldn't be a "regular" nurse at this point, but I hope to feel better at some point, did feel okay the last 3 years but was always late, tired, etc., compared to most others). Anyway, you can "feel" the tension in some of their "voices" when they were responding to me; one said, it doesn't sound like you can be a nurse anyway, [so why should I sit for boards]. I obviously want to finish, the principle if nothing else; I worked so hard to get through school and support my kids while doing it, begging and borrowing along the way, and because I missed the last week of 1 class (other 2 of last semester were completed including all exams/end of program/96% chance passing NCLEX-RN...yada yada...for which I will be turning in medical documentation, and I just want to pass and be an RN even if I have to file for disability, dammit, I worked for it--is what I wanted to write back to that post. I also thought what a great opportunity I am learning about chronic illness and debilitating disease, and what a great hospice nurse I could be, but I don't think I could handle the caseload, and I thought what about private duty? but then what if I didn't feel good that day; I just never know when it's going to be bad or really bad, and at least there are a couple other people who are in the same position. Legal nurse consulting pays really, really, really good. And you do not have to do Vicki M.....'s think. idk how it's spelled either. With 33 years experience, and in your field; you'd kick butt at it; you could make a lot of money IF YOU CAN do it of course; because I know what people are thinking when I tell them I work at home and can't get out of bed and work; desk is 3 feet from the bed, and no, I can't get up, walk over and sit down every day to work. What I mean is I completely understand if you might say, no, I cannot read files and type reports every day because I can't type reports every day and my job is something I've done since 1995, not a completely new career, which is what the LNC would be for someone. I just am so happy I came across y'all's posts, don't feel as bad as I did about filing for disability; I swore I wouldn't ever do it, for the past 14 years, and now here I am; I agree, we sometimes believe God trusts us a little too much but I do believe everything happens for a reason. I don't feel any freaking better about the whole darn situation, but I do feel better about what I will have to do to take care of my family, just no other way I can do it right now; I am worried about what will happen while I'm waiting for disability, but I have just contacted, tonight, an office I have noticed lots of times, and they really seem to be ethically and morally sound, and that's all I need, a good honest lawyer (don't laugh; as soon as I typed all those words together I had to chuckle, though; is that an oxymoron?) I'm kidding! Law was my other choice after nursing and I wanted to stay good and honest and chose nursing LOL. Kidding! I believe there is a reason, don't agree with it and don't want to deal with it, for all of this...I guess. Good luck to you, and Esme12, thanks for sharing your story with us; I am not so worried about waiting years for disability now and hope it is swifter than I had thought, did not know what to do about kids, rent, etc., for years; I have friends who can help us out I think if it can be done quickly. I would think if someone has to take care of a family they would look at those cases first, but I completely understand that everyone has his or her own issue and may need it more than I do even if it doesn't feel like it to me some days. Wow, I am not tearing up every time I type the word disability anymore. Thanks again, both of you.

OMG. I just, at 38, after our second baby, started school. Divorced him during nursing school. No help or child support. Moving every 3-4 months if I couldn't pay rent or, like me having no luck, the landlord decides they are moving in or....just one thing after another. But whatever, I had been told to go on disability during this, but I just took whatever medication they said may help and got through 4 years of college, until the last 70 hours of 120 of my internship. I am waiting now to see what the Dean says, as our school gives exams and end of program exam before the internship, and the preceptorship/internship is a separate class....I don't even know if I can sit for boards. So after 4 years of killing myself and refusing to even think about disability (btw both kids have their own issues which I've been told makes them eligible for their own disability). Now, like a week and a half short of graduation I really just could not get out of bed anymore; it got bad in third semester but I kept going, got really bad about a month and a half before graduation, and then it got so bad I didn't care anymore, couldn't care, didn't have the strength to care. And barely able to take care of my kids or myself, I didn't complete those last 70 hours....4 years down the freaking drain; my youngest is 4, so there's my guilt trip, missed the first 4 years of his life basically, and now I cannot even think about nursing, not my ED/Trauma NP plans. Thank you for telling your story and I am glad to hear you got disability quickly; with 2 kids I just keep trying to do what I can do to get by, but it's all gonna come crashing down now, as I have not been able to work since November but was attending school, been seeing doctors for over 10 years but refused to be disabled. This is so freaking frustrating, and I'm sorry to hear that other people have had this happen, but as sucky as it is, I figured somebody out there must've done it and got through it. Now, I'm thinking seriously about filing for disability. I cannot believe it still, though, and I'm still talking to school/Dean about sitting for NCLEX-RN, but I am currently uninsurable (that's another story, more than just my medical problems), so that may equal to unhirable too. Idk. Thanks for the info you provided. I was definitely thinking to go through a lawyer if I did it because I just don't have the strength to do it, quite frankly. And I'm the one everybody used to have write their correspondence. God, just never know what is gonna be handed to us. I am so frustrated and sick and disgusted with the whole mess, but I feel lucky because I do have a previous job working at home; however, I have not recently even been able to get out of bed to do that, but I'm trying and will just continue to do what I can do I guess. Now that I think of it, for the nurse looking for something else to do for work; medical transcription is something you can do at home; and when I started there was no internet so you had to have all drug books, etc., but now that's all at your fingertips, and being a nurse you will have the medical knowledge; we had anatomy, English, all sorts of classes I never thought a transcriptionist would need, and it made nursing school easier I think. Anyway, the problem is it is paid on production; I've made anywhere from $10-20/hr. There are so many schools now that give degrees for this, but really, once you learn those accents you'll be fine. Check it out online, and there is a place where they post jobs, etc., MTDaily online and I'm sure many others by now, haven't looked for a job for 11 years (except my awesome summer as a PCT halfway through nursing school at the trauma center), so I know that particular site is still around and dependable. Thanks to you both for sharing what you have. I am just trying to at least sit for boards I guess to show I did accomplish something over these 4 years; killing me, but I just couldn't do that last week and a half of school, just couldn't, and I think both of you know what that feels like.

My income for this year, with 2 children, is less than $100. Obviously I had to have school loans to take care of 2 children by myself. I haven't felt like this the whole time; this just started happening a month, month and a half before graduation; some days I'm okay, most days I am not. So, after 4 years of school, $30k in loans, I cannot be a nurse because all of a sudden I physically cannot. Life's a *****, huh?! Thanks for the answers. I was also wondering how the graduates of a private school (where none of the credits are transferable for a degree at a state university or community college) can take NCLEX-RN if they don't have an Associate of Science in Nursing? I am not sure if you all are talking about a degree and graduating as the same thing/interchangeable. If my name was sent to the BON at the beginning of April because we already took/passed all exams, then I didn't think they would keep me from sitting for NCLEX-RN with medical documentation showing why I couldn't go the last half of management; with my preceptor it was no different than what we did in 4th semester, did absolutely the same things with him that I did before we took exams. I guess it depends on the school and/or circumstances. Or maybe I'm just screwed no matter what. Will find out next week.

How about diploma programs? There is no nursing degree to be had and students sit for NCLEX-RN? I could have sat for NCLEX-PN last semester, so I'd rather make up my one "I" in management than sit for PN. With medical documentation (once they freaking tell me what to bring, been doing this for week or two) I at the very least will have an I in only 1 of 3 classes, so far is what I'm told. I passed all exams and end of program exam, just missing part of the preceptorship. No, cannot do nursing duties as a floor nurse, but I can do many things with my AA, ASN, and RN.

Yes, if/when I'm out of bed working I make the money; no, I have no money when I can't get out of bed. You have to get up and work, can't work from bed.

If you do LPN first, you will still have to do 3 of 4 semesters of the RN program in any school I have checked out; I am in Florida. So being an LPN only lets you "skip" first semester of an ADN/ASN/Associate of Science in Nursing in this state. However, being an LPN lets you make some money while in nursing school, but I work AT HOME doing medical transcription and barely could get in 8-10 hours a week during SOME semesters or on break. But, I do have 2 little ones by myself, so I have less time than others; it is very hard to work while in nursing school, in my opinion, but the LPN route would let you make a decent wage while in school if you can swing it; otherwise, I would not go that route because you are only skipping that first 4 months of the 2-year degree. Just my 2 cents. Good luck!

I have had a medical issue come up, with just 70 hours (and 2 journal entries) of my internship, which is 1 class of the 3 separate classes of my last semester of my Associate of Science in Nursing. I have completed the other 2 classes, and we have already sat for exams and our standardized ATIs, and I was so excited I had 96% chance of passing NCLEX first try....Now, with 48 hours of my 120 required, I cannot/could not (happened last week) complete the other 72 hours of my "management"/internship with my school-appointed preceptor. Because we already had exams, and those were for "Roles" and for "Nursing IV" which was theory, and I completed and did okay and everything, was good to go, just had to do 3 journal entries; I only did 1 of 3 because I realized I could not physically do the other 72 hours of my preceptorship, so I figured why do the papers; however, I still have time to complete those. I want to know if I am still allowed to sit for boards; did my school send my name to the board after I passed exams? I think finishing this 72 hours would only be for my AS degree, not necessarily whether I can sit for boards or not? I am freaking out, had BSN all lined up, scholarship for this summer and another, separate recurring scholarship from Spring that would "recur" in August or January of my BSN, and now I cannot even finish this stupid 72 hours, cannot get out of bed, cannot even drive my kids to school; yeah, that freaking debilitated. I am going in to talk to the Dean tomorrow, if I can get out of bed, but I have to get there some how since my instructor (who seems to be nice and helpful) has not given me any information since she asked if I wanted to talk to the Dean and I said Yes, and asked what my options were; she never replied what my options were. She has called once in the past 3 days I should have been in clinical/preceptorship, left no message; she usually texts but hasn't. So I'm going in blind to speak to the Dean about hopefully getting a slot-in whenever possible to either redo the whole semester???!!! Or just the "management"/preceptorship class??!! (Of course what I hope is the case, just the one class). At this point, though, I only have 3 days left, so no way I can get childcare nor physical strength to finish this by......Pinning is May 3rd, and instructor never gave me "due date" in which I needed to finish 72 hours when I asked....probably this Sunday I am guessing. But I am not physically able to jump back in and do it even if I had 6 days to do it in. Can I sit for Boards?? I cannot believe this, four years I've put in, and (quite literally) a week from being done, I cannot finish. We used to joke about what we'd do if something happened, breaking our ankle and having to redo a semester, and I thankfully won't do anything crazy but I am obviously frustrated, angry, sad, humiliated, defeated, just feel horrible all around.... PLEASE SOMEONE TELL ME I CAN SIT FOR BOARDS; 2 kids, no child support, and have worked about 20 hours since Thanksgiving because of nursing school, and my job is great so I can go right back to near full-time (which is at home and doable at this point), but I have no income coming in until I can get a few weeks in with pay period, etc., and I don't eve know how I'll pay May's bills, as I had to use loans to survive so far, but they last about a semester and the semester is up, had to turn down a job at the trauma hospital (my dream workplace but not dream position thank God), and I am ready to flip my lid of course if one itty bitty thing more happens. I haven't had the strength or courage to call Board of Nursing yet, think I'm scared of what they might say, haven't been able to get out of bed until this evening and talking to the Dean tomorrow, but now I want to know NOW, ya know? If anybody out there is awake in my time zone, or hopefully in another, please let me know either way if I can sit for boards. I do have my at-home job, so besides May, we will be okay because it's almost as much as I'd make as a GN/RN, but I really want to sit for Boards, obviously. Thanks for any input! Really, please tell me either way; now I am feeling better, thinking clearer, able to come upstairs to office, and I DO have the courage to want to know what I need to do, but it happens to be 0130 EST and I can't ask anyone! Just my luck, huh?

Check with both schools....if you have your LPN license, you then will still have to do 3 semesters of an RN program....I almost had to drop last semester and called Excelsior. Even though I learned all the material in an RN program (as they say RN program teaches the "why" of everything to the cell level and LPN was more of a technical nurse) and they told me it did not matter; if I wanted to take the NCLEX-PN I could then come to their school for the 3 semesters to become an RN. My RN program lets us redo one semester, and if you can go back and do one semester, you will be an RN in about 4 months (if you can get right back in; if not, work as an LPN til you can); if you choose to take LPN boards and then go through Excelsior's RN program, it takes about a year-and-a-half, what I was told; I may still have the email if you want to see what it said exactly, but I think just call them or email them for your situation in particular. Also, I'm not sure if this is a state thread, but you have to call your state board of nursing to see if they allow grads from Excelsior's online RN program to sit for boards; my state does, but they said it is the ONLY one they recognize and some states do not let Excelsior grads sit for boards, so check out that too, if you haven't already. I did not read all these pages but was subscribed to this thread and just got your post and the one after it, so I wanted to make sure you knew the deal with 18 months, not just 4 months and/or just doing the clinicals and testing out of that and doing level 4 theory; it's for LPNs transitioning to RN, so it's 18 months long; you only skip one semester of an RN program as an LPN transitional student. I had to move and all kinds of things to keep going in my program, almost had to drop in level 3 and again in level 4 about 2 weeks ago, but I keep praying and trudging through, and now I have 3 weeks of preceptorship/management and I'll be done, thank God. Anyway, for me, I was not gonna go through 18 more months of childcare/transportation issues/getting 2 kids on 2 different txt plans and meds to doctor every other month, etc., because I could barely get through that one semester, so I figured a way to get through it, moved and made some other arrangements, and I kept going til about 2 weeks ago; something else happened and I thought I had to drop for medical; freaking roller coaster, and I was able to stay in with my documentation from doctor, etc., but if you can take last semester again, waaaaay quicker. Also, I have not been able to work, so in my situation, I was either going back to my old job asap or just hang in, beg, borrow, etc., this last month and God willing I'll get a job, but I never thought it was gonna happen and so far so good. All I'm saying is check out doing last semester at your school, or any other school for that matter; at worst, work as an LPN for 18 months while on a waiting list to just do last semester; see what I mean, make money, get experience, and then go finish RN. I just cannot see doing 18 months of an RN program...even though you can do from home, and I almost had to, just try everything you can....something will work out. .

I am sorry if I missed this info somewhere: Are you a new grad, it looks like yes since you mentioned "after graduation" but I wondered if you had any experience as a CNA or LPN before you graduated Nursing school? And I was going to ask more about your dream job, how exciting! but I think the next poster does, and I will read on to see what it's all about! Congratulations!! I graduate in May, is why I am asking, and am very worried about getting a job, just the number of LPNs in my class as well as most of them working now and probably will move right into a position, and every job I see wants a year experience, but since I've been in Nursing school for 2 years I am stating all that I have done, units I rotated on, and I had a summer PCT II position at the level II trauma center in my county, so hopefully that will help. I am single mom of 2, both ADD/ADHD and only people who can watch them just were not available for me to keep the job full-time, then went to pool, then with 3rd semester coming at that time, I talked to the RN Manager; no big deal she says, "just resign because of school hours, for now" and because I'll "be an outstanding nurse" and all but gauranteed me job upon graduation, applied at a few positions at the facility and called to talk to her; she is not there anymore! How does an RN Manager of the Emergency Room in the only Level II Trauma facility in the county up and leave/be dismissed within 8 months!!!! Anyway, I no longer have hope for that hospital, and certainly not getting back into the ER. The recruiter who set me up with the RN Manager for interview last summer called me last week and said there are a ton of "internals" waiting for ER, so I probably won't get in until I'm an RN on another unit and then apply..... Anyway, enough of my discouraging crap LOL. I cannot wait to hear about your blessing of dream job (that was my dream job at trauma hospital is why I thought of my dream job), hope you love it and are very happy there. studentinnursing (ER/Trauma Nurse someday)

Woops...grants....you dont get much sleep and only proof your care plans....LOL.

First, you don't have to pay for school until you graduate. No matter if it is hrants or loans. School will pay for itself. Call yours local community college. Talk to ank advisor. Call a couple private schools. You wouldn't believe what we are capable of til we want something bad enuf. School pays for itself. In Texas RNs makes about 30/hr. I'm in FL and they start at 20. With 20th kids and renting a house, working part-time, barely making it, but you will makes out much better :) If you want to do it, call around and see what you come up with. If I get a BSN, I'll have a loans payment of $500? Month when I graduate, and with 2 kids I am hesitant, but even then, if I work at Veterans' hospital or something like that., and this is a dream, I pay for 10 years and the government forgives the rest. May never happen, but point is there are so many options....Good Luck!

And if you break your ankle and cannot complete clinicals, you're out and have to repeat the entire semester. My friend did her clinicals in a boot and thank God, she did it. Can you imagine having something medically happen that keeps you from performing clinicals.....at our school, if you cannot perform, you of course have to start over on that semester when you are medically capable. Someone who is pregnant is not going to be kicked out; however, they would be dropped until medically able to perform clinical duties, such as lifting 50+ pounds. Just like the broken ankle, after they have the baby, the can go back to school....I cannot imagine doing this pregnant. I am halfway through 3rd semester, and I am exhausted, couldn't imagine doing it pregnant. Get up about 5 a.m. just for time to myself, have 2 kids, and I am just tired most days. More power to ya! if you are pregnant and doing this. One girl went through 3rd semester over summer, having baby this semester, and then "meeting back up" with the rest of us in Spring to do her 4th semester. Lots of ways to deal with our medical problems....

I think there do have to be higher standards. I'm kidding, just proof for a living and came across it and I thought it was ironic. I make mistakes all the time, but if these students actually have read what they wrote, they'd catch the mistakes I think. I always put on here, sorry for typos, not proofing cuz I'm not working LOL.

Hey, just a mnemonic a teacher told me for insulin: Nancy Regan, RN; NRRN; NPH air, Regular air, Regular draw, NPH draw. I am not an EC student, CC student reading these, thinking about EC last night.... Anyway, idk how much you have learned by this point of labs, but as a nurse, you understand why, right? Because your regular can get in you NPH because it's short-acting, but you wouldn't want to accidently get your NPH in your regular bottle. I don't know if you guys also get the rationales of why you do it a particular way; my guess is this stuff is on your written exams...just making sure you understand the WHY of everything, because that is what your state boards are after. Made me nervous it wasn't mentioned....want everybody to know the why with the NPH and Regular, drawing up. I am in 3rd semester, and our teachers love to tell us "that'll be on boards"....the concept of what we're talking about. I don't know how EC works, so I'm not saying you don't learn the why's, I just wanted to make sure everybody knew the why of the insulins because of course...it's important for our patient's :) Nice notes! We did this first semester, which was when we did most of our checkoff's, somebody in class would type up the steps, we'd add or take out, and we'd post it for everybody....worked well so we kept on doing it through level 2; now we learn and checkoff same day, so we don't have luxury anymore, but this way, in your notes, is how you learn it. Very nice notes for anyone, not just EC. Some things are called different things, and we sure don't in real life pull up our flushes, but that is great practice to pull up meds, pulling up flushes. Very cool!

Thanks for the info. Yeah, I don't wanna take longer.....I just thought maybe it'd be renewed enthusiasm too doing it another way; but I certainly don't want it to take longer, especially if what I am finding about the doctorate/NP laws changing; I may make it if I go straight through without having my DNP to start being an NP, and then there's having science classes being more than 7 years old....I think I am thinking about all these years right now as opposed to going one day at a time. So far, I have accomplished what I wanted to accomplish in the time I had planned, but with 2 kids, there are never any guarantees. I am glad you brought that up; I do not every plan to move from Florida, but ya never know, it might get washed off the map LOL and we never know what surprise life will bring each day, and then what if I cannot get licensed in another state makes sense to stick with where I am. I just read the wet-to-damp (or whatever they call it) dressing change. We did that first semester, so I don't know if they get any harder than that, but I would have no problem with the labs, don't get nervous anymore, but only if they were all labs/clinical type tests....that'd be fun! Thanks again for your input!

So I am 7 weeks into 3rd semester of my community college ADN program. Two kids, just divorced 2 years ago, no child support, no time to work; I almost dropped a few days ago, exhausted physically and no time to work to make $ to take care of my family. So, after level 3 we can in the state of Florida sit for the NCLEX-PN, so I can do that, but I owe so much in loans being in school doing all prereq's through for my BSN, that if I don't finish my RN, I'll be in deep....all I have to do now is nursing classes through my BSN. (Then I'll have to start with graduate school prereq's I'm sure). My friends talked me into staying in, just a bad week, suck it up, we all wanna quit some days. I really do not want to quit, just overextended most weeks. However, I worked at home doing medical transcription for a very, very long time, I'm almost 40, and then started prereq's in Fall 2008, can graduate with my ADN in May next year....but I really am exhausted and I know I have the motivation to do the studying at home, and I have finally learned how to study for concepts instead of every darn word of a chapter LOL....so my question is, is it worth trying to get into Excelsior for that last semester of nursing. I would rather study my butt off and then go take a test. I am doing fine with grades; until nursing had a 4.0 in every single class, every semester; now I get Bs in nursing school, so in your opinion of grads from EC, is this something I can apply, get in, and still graduate about the same time as I would if I stayed in? I am in Florida, BON will let me sit if I go EC route. I want to be an NP, so you've answered my question as far as that goes, but if I finish this semester in December, when could I expect to graduate from EC, starting in January. I am not an LPN. But clinicals are......I don't know how to explain it, but I just seem to know what to do. I used to get nervous talking through a checkoff, but I'm very used to that. We now watch our instructor do a skill and checkoff the same day if we want, and I do (we only had IVs, trach care, and CVL cleaning this semester; most skills done in level 1). In level 1, we had a week in between learning and doing. I worked in the ER a short time and left on good terms to go back upon graduation, but childcare for 2 kids on weekends was too expensive, and I am at school Tuesday though Friday. I am back to my at-home medical transcription which pays twice what a PCT pay is, and really am tired of being tired. I know once I get out there, I will love it, but I am so over school, used to love it. So, what is the timeframe. I am tired of getting up at 4 a.m. for someone else (used to do it on my own when working at home, thought), but I'd hate for EC to take too much longer than just staying in school. I read the requirements and because I am as far into ADN as I am, I can go to Excelsior......so can someone give me some info on how long it would take if I started in January, applying and all that asap but couldn't start til January. If it sounds doable, I will call them. Right now I'm writing IPAs and Care Plans, all weekend, and I would so much rather be learning the "meat" of school. Care plans I have down now and "get it." Let me know, please, if you have the time....I just maybe need a change of scenery, who knows, but I want to finish and I want to be an NP. Thanks!

Sorry for typos, darn phone, but I'm done proofreading for a living, LOL, only my nurse's notes and med clarification from here on out! :)

Well that's promising, and aftet contacting FL BON and them saying it was the only online they accepted I felt better about. And when J've looked into any BSN programs they really only require an RN to qualify, plus preteqs of course. As bad as I need to work, I have made it this far, and I graduate SPCs program in May, 9 months from now, so for me it makes no sense to spend twice as long doing Excelsior's program; my biggest thing other than paying bills and taking care of 2 young children is I want the experience at the trauma hospital, thinking anout NP in Emergency Medici.e as well as my first thought of Critical Care. However, I have made it this far with just 9 months left, so I am going to stick with SPC, and I specifically did their prereqs too, and I have finished those, so if I can just make it this last 9 months, can make way more money when working full-time while doing my BSN at SPC. All clinical sites and other hospitals I have talked to also have expressed great respect for SPC and I love it so far. Matter of fact, I love clinicals, so that's another part I'd miss out on with Excelsior. Right now, I am trying to work something oit where I can do night shift, easier for someone to watch kids while they are sleeping! And childcare will cost less that way, I'll fill commitment of working weekends albeit night shift, and best of all the experience I get just by being in the trauma hospital. At this point, if my childcare is covered and I only break even, with benefits paid for...hopefully also paying a bill or two it's completely worth it to me. Will have to make those school loans last and this facility pays $ for education as well, so if I can get my bills paid and survive last 2 semesters with at least a B I will ne ecstatic. Thank you all for your comments and sharing your experiences, as one thing does not always match up for one person, and end results are very different for each individual too. Good luck to everyone and hope to run into you one day and we can share more stories as we continue our education. Jave a wonderful semester! God bless.

I found GA for CPNE.....

Yes, I did find all that today. I am in Florida and the only accept Excelsior, no stipulations, did ask. And I called again later to be sure. But I graduate in May; would take way longer to do Excelsior and I feel comfortable with skills, just feels natural when I do them, but I wanted to work and thought it might be a good trade-off going/taking longer, but I cannot work the days they need me every month regardless of where I go to school because of no weekend childcare, so I am staying in my program, love it anyway, but cannot work, so am not sure what I'm going to do. Used to have job doing medical transcription at home, which I may be able to get back; they were very supportive, til they cut my pay for barely working, but something's better than nothing. Good luck to you all! And thanks to all who took the time to put there input out there.

Thanks!