redbull68w

I was treated like that by my classmates as well. A girl will tell a guy all sorts of things once they deem you "one of the girls" a.k.a. non-threatening! You certainly find out a lot about women from their conversations!!

I got my ATT on Jan 13th. Searched around at 5 five testing centers to find the earliest time/date available. Going to take it Jan 27th. Thank God!! I have to drive an hour and a half to take it, but it's worth it. I just want to get it done and over with. I'm tired of studying and waiting and of not having a job!!! I'm using Saunders comprehensive NCLEX review. I've just about completed reading it and doing every question in the book. I also use the CD; I just randomly pick an area and do 100 questions each time. I read each rationale for every question regardless if I get it right or wrong. I feel i'm well prepared for the test. Now I just have to take it

a lot of places don't hire new grads into critical care. I did get a critical care job as a new grad (graduated in december). My school offered a preceptorship program our last semester where we could work on the floor with a nurse in an area we were interested in. I chose either ER or critical care. Got critical care and worked my butt off during my shifts. Asked questions, showed a genuine interest, and was willing to do anything they asked and apparently impressed the staff and the unit director cuz on my last shift there, she offered me job! Will start in Feb. It can be done

Started pre-reqs in Fall 2006 (was 35). Just graduated in December with my ADN. That makes me 38. When I started I was one of three males in a class of 36. One was 25, one was 39, and there was me. The average range for all students was 19 to 45. If you're worried about age being a problem don't. I think it helped me on a maturity level. a lotof the younger students didn't like all the "mcikey mouse" stuff that goes in first year and griped all the time. I just kept telling them "If you want to get through this, you gotta play the game" Most of them couldn't figure out what I meant by that.

It seems that I got to this thread a little late, but I feel compelled to post o this. I have not been a nurse for very long (just graudated in December). However I have been in the workplace for around 20 years and have been on countless interviews, and even been fired a couple of times so I think that I can speak on this subject. You seem to think that everyone is coming down on you and being judgementmental when in fact people are giving what you need most: the truth. The truth is a funny thing; everyone asks for it but very few actually like it when it's given to them. You are worried about getting another job being a new grad in this less than rosy economy. That is totally understandable. All of us are feeling the pinch. Let me put this question to you: Are you willing to do the right thing to make sure you secure a job with a future so you can provide for our family? Or are you willing to "whatever it takes" to get something as soon as you can? I ask this because "what ever it takes" and the "right thing" are polar opposites. I reading these posts I think there are a couple of key peices of wisdom you need to take with you, the first being that honesty IS the best policy. It may just sound like a quaint old saying but it is true. Being honest about your circumstances may cause some employers to overlook you, but most of them won't rule you out. You may end up getting called back for a job interview because you turned out to be the most promising after all. The second piece of wisdom is this: The nursing community IS a small community. It may not seem like this on this site, with thousands of nurses from everywhere posting on here. But in your area, in my area, in every nurse who is on here's area, it is a small community. Someone in your area who you worked with or supervised you knows someone where you are applying. which leads us back to point #1; being honest. I think you can connect the logical dots that connect these two points. I hope that you read this. It sounds like you've already made up your mind, but I do hope you make a decision that you can live with. Good luck

The main thing tha I always try to keep in mind is why I'm in the nursing field. In any job there are going to be those co-workers who range from eccentric to flat out nutso; it's unavoidable. For me, being a nurse isn't all about saving lives, cuz you won't be able to save them all. I focus on being there for the patient and the family. It's the small things that seem to me to be the most rewarding. Taking a few extra minutes to talk with a patient; getting them a warm blanket; listening to their concerns and fears. The thank you's I get from doing those seemingly little things mean a lot and make putting up with all the other B.S. worth it. I don't know how anyone else feels, but that's why I do it

Harley2008, I've never had ******** for Pharm, but I've had her for Lifespan 3 and 5. She expects you to do your readings. Personally, I don't think she is a very good instructor. She never really gave very good guidance when it comes to things like papers and other assignments; she would bascially say "here's what's due, get it done." Hopefully she will be better for you guys. I know that she really hasn't been teaching all that long. ***** *****is a great lady. I think you'll like her. She is pretty easy going (almost to a fault). I had her for Lifespan 4. I don't know how she will be in Assessment. I found Health Assessment to be pretty easy but I think that stems from my background (I'm a EMT and a medic in the Army National Guard). The best advice for that class is to read (I know, ugh, right?!) and to practice in the lab, cuz you'll have a lab practical where you have to do an actual assessment on someone. Good luck on the NCLEX. It seems like you are hammering away at the questions. I found that the test taking strategies at the beginning of the book are pretty helpful. They go over how to break down a question, keywords to in the question to focus on. Things to remember about the test: 1) don't read too much into the question. If you start asking yourself a lot "what if's" about a question, stop and re-read it. 2) Some questions may seem like they have more than one right answer and that may be true; what you need to remember is to focus on finding the "more right" answer from the ones available. 3) Don't freak when the computer shuts down and you're done and you think you either didn't get enough questions or you got too many. You get a minimum of 75. some people only need 75, some people need more. 4) Relax. Believe me, I know what you're going through. Go in there with confidence. There WILL be questions that you flat out don't know the answer to. Don't let it get to you. For every question that you don't know there will be others that are so easy that you won't believe they ar eevan on the test. Again good luck. If you need anything else don't be afraid to post!

It's really upsetting to hear about your situation. I just graduated in December with my ADN and I have to say that I did not encounter any instances of bias/discrimination at all. This includes the faculty and the staff of the various facilities where I had clinicals. I was ready for it, espeically in my OB and Peds rotations. However, it was quite the opposite, in OB of all places. I was treated just as any female student was. I only ran into one instance when an OB patient wasn't comfortable with a male nurse. I hope that you don't just let this go but continue to fight this issue with the administration at the school. People seem to forget that nursing was once a male profession. Read up on Luther Christman. He paved the way for the modern male nurse and advanced nursing as a acience as well as an art

leonidasrex, welcome to the ranks! i just graduated in december (got my adn). i'm 38, married with two kids. it can be done! the only advice i can offer as far as the ridiculously large amount of reading is to at least skim over the reading before you cover it in class so you at least hit the highlights and take good notes in class! rely on your fellow classmates cuz they're going to be your "family" for the next couple of years. and make the most of any quality time you get with wife and kids cuz you won't get much of it. don't let any of this deter you from taking this on.......it's a great career and i really enjoy it!

lizl123, Always glad to help! If you need anything later on, don't be afraid to put something up on this site. This is a great place to gets tips and advice.

lizl123, You will have to take Workplace Empowerment. It used to be called Career Strategies and when I took it you really only went over how to write a resume and how to perform in an interview. It's probably good for someone who is 18 to 20 yrs old. But I'm in my 30's and have been in the workplace for 20 years, so it was a snoozer class for me. The PN phase is hard because they through so much at you at once and they tend to treat you like you're 3 years old. A lot of my younger classmates had a huge problem with this. But it's just a game you have to play. The clinicals are well supervised. The first semester is divided into phases; you cannot advance to the next phase without passing the previous one. Clinicals are the last half of the semester; the first half you will learn basic LPN skills, Dressing changes, putting in a Foley catheter, trach care, drawing up and giving injections, and calculating medication dosages and IV drip rates. The clinicals are supervised pretty well. You won't be able to give any meds without the instructor there with you. You'll also be responsible for all nursing cares like bathing. Be ready to help your other clincal mates out; work as a team and you'll get through it.

Harley2008 Who is your instructor for Pharm II? Just curious cuz I bounced between the main campus group and the Jennie Ed group so I know a lot of the instructors. Pharm II is tough. You will really get into the the actions that the drugs have on the body. You need to know your side effects as well. In the tests you shouls always get both the trade and generic name if they are talking about a specific drug. Use any helpful tricks that you picked up in Pharm I as much as you can. For example beta blockers typically end in "-lol". As far as the NCLEX goes, go through the study guide that came in your books cover to cover, including the CD in the back. Go over as many sample questions as you can. I took that book around with me everywhere I went while I was waiting to take my test. When you feel like you're burning out on them; put it down and leave it alone for a couple of days. 3 days out from the test put the book away. Rest and focus on other things. Good Luck!

I have heard some not-so-good things about Kaplan as well. I don't know anyone personally that went through them but one of my clinical instructors left there as she said "in disgust". She said that the faculty and classes were sub-par. Plus their tuition there is insanely high! I don't what part of the state you are in, but I would urge you to check your area community colleges. They have programs that are established, usually have quality faculty, and there classes will transfer to other comm colleges and/or 4 year schools. Good luck!

lizl123 Anything I can do to help let me know.

Harley2008, I take it that you are in Pharm I this spring. If you are going full time time then you'll have Pharm II during the summer. Well, for Pharm I what my class did (and our instuctors helped a little) was to put together a matrix for each class of drugs we were studying. We would include in the matrix the drug name (Generic & trade), drug class, drug action, uses, and common side effects and contraindications. Some people tried to take notes off of the power point lectures during class however you move pretty fast through these and if you spend all your time writing, you'll miss a lot. That's what makes the matrixes so helpful. don't skip your reading though. I would skim the readings and just try to get the important points and that and filling out the matrix would help me get through the lectures. You'll be familiar with some of these drugs from the drugs cards you fill out for clinicals. You can use those to study as well. Let me know if this helps and if you need anything else let me know.