ksrnstudent

The GPA isn't the only thing BCC looks at. They also look at the entrance test scores as well. I know that the LPN's who came into my class had pretty high GPAs (3.6 and above from what I heard). I would say give the nursing department a call and ask those questions. BTW, the college also has an online program now for entering LPNs that you might want to check on. They just started taking online students last Fall. This might have changed the GPA/entrance scores to make it easier to get in. Once again, I would recommend calling and asking. Good luck! I think it's a great program! Sherri BCC Graduate May 2005

I know MO requies a fingerprint card before they will issue you a license. The fingerprint cards can take 12 weeks or longer. I am a Kansas GN who applied for MO licensure only to find out the 90 days I'm elligible to work in MO as a GN may be in jeapordy b/c of the fingerprint card. Last week I finally decided to transfer everything back to KS and sit for my NCLEX exam there. So, long story short is get your fingerprint card out of the way now and expect a LONG wait!

Hello everyone! I graduate from an ADN program in Kansas on May 14, and I have excepted a position in Butler, MO. This is the same hospital I was born in! I'm very excited to return to my roots and be near my mom again. My new job starts May 16, two days after I graduate! Sherri

jzprple, I can tell you the pay will vary for a GN between $15-17/hr base plus shift diff. The VA pays higher than the other hospitals. Wesley pays somewhere between $15-16/hr. Via Christi pays $16.25/hr. The one thing you need to consider when moving here is if you can afford to not have a full-time job. I have been told by numerous nurses in various hospitals here that even though they were hired on as full-time, doesn't mean they will get the hours. Most nurses have 2 or 3 jobs in this market to make ends meet. As far as best place to work, well this is just my opinion but I like the Via Christi hospitals. I have done clinicals in all of the hospitals in the Wichita area, and I can tell you they are better. Wesley Medical Center is okay, but I wouldn't work there b/c of staffing, treatment of their nurses, lawsuits, etc. The Robert J. Dole Memorial Hospital is okay. It has problems, too but mostly with management. The one good thing I will say about the VA is they have excellent benefits and guarantees the nurses they will not be called off if census is low. You will be guaranteed your hours there. However, you may end up floating to a different department or working as an aid if needed to keep these hours. I will be graduating in May, and I will not be staying in the area. I'm not trying to be negative, but the nursing shortage here seems to be in areas other than hospitals. The benefits aren't near as good here as they are in other areas of the country like the east and west coasts. Good luck in your decision. If you do happen to move here, PM me and I'll give you some information on the better areas of town, schools, etc.

Twarlik, I used to live in the Portland, OR area a few years ago. What I can tell you is that Vancouver, WA competes with the Portland, OR area for nurses since it is right over the river. Pay is $23 and change base plus shift differential. Here's their website: http://www.swmedctr.com/ I have looked at their jobs online, and mostly I see med/surg or telemetry positions available for new grads. I don't know what area you are interested in, so you might want to call them. Renting can be reasonable in some areas, while high in others. The cool thing I like about Washington state is there is no state income tax (like FL) and Oregon has no sales tax. So, you can live in WA state and drive across the river to Janzen Beach in Oregon and buy all of your stuff. I love the area and wish I was back! Crime rate is fairly low, weather can be good or bad depending if you like rainy winter months. The pacific ocean is COLD, so don't expect to go swimming once you get here without a wet suit! LOL Great recreational activities, lots of hiking, skiing, etc. Portland has wonderful shops and I love the MAX lightrail. I could go on and on... :) Good luck and let me know if you have additional questions.

Betty, I currently attend Butler of El Dorado. I will graduate in May with my ADN. The college has an outstanding pass rate for those taking NCLEX-RN. It is one of the better nursing programs in the state (I'm not just saying that because I go there)! If you are an LPN, which I suspect you are by your screen name, Butler now has an online LPN-to-ADN program that you might want to check out. You wouldn't have to drive all that distance to get your education. PM me and I'll give you a couple of contact names for the program. As far as cost, tuition is approximately $55 a credit hour. You can contact the financial aid department and get the appropriate paperwork started for federal loans, grants, etc. Go to Butler Community College's website at: http://www.butlercc.edu. I am getting my education paid for through WIA (Workforce Investment Act). They pay for my tuition and books. I also applied for federal loans and received some grant money to help offset my living expenses while going to college full-time. It's not a lot, but something is better than nothing. I have heard that WIA is no longer picking up tuition, but that is only what I've heard. You might want to check them out in your area. Do a search on the Internet. Also, to help answer your opening question about comparing colleges, go to the Kansas Board of Nursing's website http://www.ksbn.org. Click on Education Division and you should be able to see statistics on pass rates for all colleges in Kansas. Hope this helps! Like I said, PM me if you need more info!

Portland also has an RN-to-BSN program through Linfield College. Here's there website: http://www.linfield.edu/portland/nursing/index.html You can go to classes at their campus or do their online program. The college is located in a great area of town, too! The street trolley runs right next to it. It is a very hip area with a lot of shops. It is right across the street from Good Samaritan Hospital (part of Legacy). Here's the hospital's website: http://www.legacyhealth.org/ I lived there for a few years in that area of town and loved it! I hope to return soon. PM if you have additional questions.

Yes, it is very much like 8th grade math. I'm not joking! No word problems at all. You will see math problems where you need to add decimals together such as 123.45 + 6.789. You will need to know percentages such as 25 is what % of 145, etc. The only thing I worked on was my speed. I practiced the sample problems in the book and timed myself. That's all I had to do. The other part of the NET is on reading. There's really nothing you can study on the reading section. You might want to practice answering questions and time yourself, but really don't sweat it! My overall score was a 90. 99 is the highest you can get on the test. If you have addition questions, feel free to to post or send me a PM.

I took the NET test a couple of years ago. The math is really easy. It is decimals, fractions, percentages, addition, and very basic algebra. I bought a book at my college's bookstore to help me prepare. Don't get hung up on the algebra. There are only 10 questions and they are simple such as: x + 10 = 14 I'm not sure what the name of the book was that I bought, but you might want to check with your college bookstore or on amazon.com. Good luck!

I hope you get the job you want at St. Luke's. I have heard only great things about them. KC is a nice town with great restaurants, culture, and people. I wish you the best of luck! Keep us posted on your progress.

Sippy, I'm currently in an ADN program close to Wichita and will graduate in May 2005. I took my prereqs in Spring '03, and started the nursing program in Fall '03 of the same year. At my college, the prereqs for the RN are the same for LPNs because all students start as RN students. Only after completing two semesters (half of the program) are we allowed to sit for LPN boards. This is completely optional. However, after the two semesters you can either continue for two more semesters and get the RN, or stop with your LPN. I would recommend going for the RN, especially after working as a new LPN now. There's so much more you can do as an RN that you can't do as an LPN. RN's are also paid better. I don't know if this is true in other states, but here in Kansas if you are an LPN you will most likely be stuck working in LTC. The hospitals around here don't hire very many LPNs and they won't put them in area such as ICU (which is where I would like to be eventually). I hope this helps! Feel free to e-mail me if you want additional information. Oh, by the way, don't let your age discourage you. I have a classmate that will be 60 when we graduate next May!

I just got back from talking to the director. She is a very sweet woman! She gave me a hug and told me that everything was fine. She read the incident report and talked to the RN on duty that night. She has recommended that I stay on orientation for a few more weeks. We discussed my medication error and she told me to just make sure I look at the medications carefully. She also said the RN now has keys to the medication cart and it is her responsibility to put up the narcotics when she signs for them, not me. Anyway, she said the night shift RN reported that it was a very quiet night...they all slept like babies! As far as pay, they are supposed to get this whole mess taken care of for me. I guess students get paid according to the number of credit hours they have earned in school so far. Has anyone ever heard of this at other VA's?

You are a little thick! She has done it MORE THAN ONCE! My error was a mistake; the other LPN did it intentionally. You don't simply make an error by putting your hand into a patient's drawer, taking out a medication, and popping it into you mouth and do this twice in one week, for God's sake! My "mistake" has already been reported. An incident report was completed. I really question your safe practices as a nurse! Just to help you out here, here's the definitions for error and intentional from http://www.dictionary.com: intentional - Done deliberately; intended error - An act, assertion, or belief that unintentionally deviates from what is correct, right, or true; The condition of having incorrect or false knowledge; The act or an instance of deviating from an accepted code of behavior; A mistake. I think you're just trolling this site to get into an arguement this evening because you have nothing better to do. With that said, I have nothing more to say to you.

Merlyn, Thanks! You answered my question I feared most; my license. It's a relief to hear what others have been saying. I like your Sixth Right: Relax. I will remember that!

jaimealmostRN, Your quote: "Obviously tylenol LPN was probably wrong but maybe she's been there for 20yrs and knows something this student does not. We have a lot to learn from our preceptors and more expirenced coworkers." So as inexperienced nurses we should overlook anything the experienced nurse does because they know more? I think not! What about the nurses who intentionally take narcotics for their own drug habits? What about the "Angel of Death" nurse who killed all of those innocent patients? Now, most nurses would NEVER do those things, but there are exceptions to the rule and one never knows who is honest and who is not just by looking at them. And to correct you, this LPN has been there a little over 2 years, not 20. I haven't been bashing experienced nurses at all. In fact, I know quite a few nurses that have over 30 years of experience that are awesome and I tell them such! The opening question I had is what would other experienced nurses out there do. And to follow with that was a more serious question about a medication error and my license. Your quote: "ps. diverting meds is obviously wrong but having a simple one to one with the LPN may have cleared things up quickly-maybe the floor stock was out, maybe her only other choice was to leave the OP alone for the night unless she got some relief)." Obviously you didn't read what I said about confronting the LPN nor did you read that stocked Tylenol was not out and she had the choice not once but twice to do the right thing. The stocked tylenol was only two drawers down from the patient's drawer. I considered this an ethical question. I guess I feel a little defensive when someone attacks me and calles me "holier than thou" when all I simply needed was some advice. The issue at hand isn't about attacking others and name calling, the issue now is about my medication error. Yes I made a mistake, but it won't happen again! It was a huge learning experience for myself. Maybe something said on this board can be a learning experience for you, too!