jetsabel621

$12,000 is actually on the lower end of the tuition costs I've seen and heard about for PN schools. Is there a public technical school in your area that offers a PN program? I got into one nearby and it was only $5500. I suppose it's up to you whether or not it's worth the money - it's either money or wait for a spot in the RN program, which I've had great difficulty getting into myself. Good luck!

I understand that not everybody is 18 and has their entire life to sit around. I am 19 years old and I don't want to sit on my community college's RN wait list for 2 years either, thanks, which is why I'm GOING to the PN program. It's just a shame that some schools charge so much. I'm guessing California is not a good place for nurses right now, huh? Florida's booming. Wonder why...

Hello, my fellow nurses! I am a nursing student that is being plagued with some rather bizarre symptoms and (as many of us know all too well) it seems like every doctor I talked to didn't learn a thing in medical school. This may be unrelated to traditional topics on this site, but please understand I am at my wit's end! I've seen almost every doctor under the sun and the only people that have been able to give me any answers whatsoever have been nurses (thus, why I decided to go into the field)... so cheers to you, and maybe you can give some insight and advice? I've had chronic lady partsl yeast infections for the past year (which have within the past month somehow spread to my navel). I've tried EVERYTHING to get rid of it: monistat, terazole, gynazole (which has been recalled), diflucan, relagard and even flagyl to treat bacterial vaginosis. I've tried acidophilus, Align, yogurt, folic acid, cranberries, not eating sugar, abstaining from sex; I've been tested for Lupus, Diabetes, HIV, etc. And of course, whenever I mention to my doctor that NOTHING seems to be working, she just writes me another script for diflucan. Have any of you ladies had this problem? Have you seen this sort of infection in a patient? I have an appointment with an immunologist in a few weeks.

Certified Nursing Assistant: * Depending on the school, anywhere from 75 to 400 hours * Works as a nurse's assistant, carrying out patient care under the RN or LPN * From what I've seen, usually works in hospitals and LTC, but sometimes in physician's offices * Starting wage around here for a CNA is $10.00/hr. (Minimum wage here is $7.25) * Many LPN programs will allow you to fore go X amount of hours in the program if you are a CNA * Does a lot of the "dirty" work (although I wouldn't call any nursing job "clean" hehe) such as wiping, changing diapers, making beds, bathing * High demand (at least in my area) and ample chances for advancement Medical Assistant: * Anywhere between 8 months and 2 years, depending on certification and if you wish to obtain a degree alongside it * Is commonly seen in physician's offices, but rarely in hospitals * Trained in both front office (billing, reception, phones) and back office (vital signs, patient care) however their exact scope of practice in the back office differs depending on the state you are in * Makes between $8.00 and upwards of $15.00/hr depending on place of employment (For example: my mother is a radiologic technician who works at a small, but successful orthopedic surgeon's office. There is only my mother and a medical assistant. The medical assistant is the "manager" of the office.) * Unfortunately due to their usefulness and average lower pay than that of a licensed nurse, they are sometimes coerced or ordered to perform procedures they are not licensed to do. * Not much room for advancement, but a great, steady job for those who find the physician's office much more comfortable than a hospital or LTC setting.

:lol_hitti my brain hurts so badly after reading this entire thread for the last 2 hours.

Wow, $25,000 for a LPN program?! I mean, granted - there are a few in my area that tried to pitch that price to me, and I laughed and walked out. I found one for $5500, fully accredited with a great reputation around here. $25k... omg... I didn't even pay that getting my RN prereqs at the community college! GEEZ... anyway. Could you possibly work as a CNA? A bit below your level as an LPN, but it'd be better than nothing while you find an appropriate LPN to RN bridge. I heard Excelsior doesn't throw any of those BS prereqs at you and you could have your RN within 1-2 years. Best of luck to you (and now I will have nightmares tonight) Sincerely, Current LPN student

Hey there! I checked out Galen thoroughly and they're not difficult to get into. They require certain SAT/ACT scores (or get a suitable score on their test) but they didn't say anything to me about my GPA. (which was a 2.9 weighted in high school because I'm lazy ) The real problem is they charge $25,000 for it... Check out pTEC if you don't want to bust your piggy bank.

I was wondering the same thing. I knew a few people who will be doing the Excelsior Bridge but I'm a little skeptical of its accreditation and the chance for transfers. I would like to think so, but who knows? (And smart of you, may I say, because SPC thinks they're "cutting you a deal" by having a bridge program when in reality they just took out Nursing I & II and then implemented two extra courses in their place --- not saving you ANY money or time.)

tatara, go back to sleep and pat yourself on the back. taping a little bit of pubic hair is at best a nuisance to take off. it's not as if you taped it to his testicles or did something that would cause him an extreme amount of pain. he knew what he was doing, and these are his consequences if he tries to continue his unacceptable behavior. nurses are only human, with boundaries just like everybody else. i praise you for your patience with perverts.

I think the OP was referring to the possibility of the technician reusing a needle. That is why I like to witness the opening of the sterile package myself. :) And, might be a little off topic, but does anyone have suggestions for donating blood? I've tried three times and each time I lose consciousness halfway through the pint. I've tried eating large amounts, drinking sugary soda while being drawn, etc. and so forth.

Vivalasviejas, you truly have a gift - both in nursing and in writing!

Sorry for the delay in response. So you did make it? Congratulations! Yes, class starts October 29 but from what I was told it's basically a half day. Just an orientation so they can let us know about uniforms and books. Look forward to seeing you there!!

As an LPN student (starting October 29) I am scared beyond all belief. These same questions have bothered me the last few months when I decided to change my major from Social Science Education to Nursing: "Am I going to be able to be an effective nurse with these prescription bottles next to my bed?" It is something that haunts me at night, wondering if I have the strength and stability to do my job and love it. I've suffered from anxiety since the early age of 12. I've had 7 years of antidepressant therapy (have tried 4 and Prozac is the only one that comes close to making me "normal") and 3 years of benzo. It sounds awful for a teenager to use benzos, but I also had a terrible psychiatrist who would allow me to talk him into upping my dosage of Ativan each time I saw him. Doctors, right? Anyway, this post and the wonderful people (save for a few ignorant people who think anxiety/depression/bipolar are all a matter of "snapping out of it") who have responded have given me a renewed confidence. I'll venture forth to say that our understanding of chronic, mental illness will help us be even more compassionate with our patients. While we may be ashamed of the prescriptions in our name and the stigma society has placed on those receiving treatment for aforementioned illnesses, we certainly are capable and responsible beings. Why not rejoice that the medication we need is not destructive chemotherapy or antiretrovirals? While our SSRIs may cause us to gain a few pounds, we cannot imagine the pain and suffering someone taking those medications has to endure. Let us learn to appreciate each healthy day we get, laugh at the label "mentally ill", and know that we are great nurses, no matter what prescription we pick up each month. Thank you to everyone who posted their story here. They were all very uplifting.

I'm not doing BayCare, but I was accepted at pTEC! You should have received an email regarding your acceptance?

My friend and I spoke personally with Sherry Lamb just last week regarding the orientation. I have my application completed and she decided she wants to give it a shot so I accompanied her to the St. Petersburg campus. Ms. Lamb told her that while they would not refuse an application because she didn't attend the seminar, she would give precedence to the applications from those who attended the orientation. There were somewhere around 150 people at the orientation (although I did hear that many people were going to attempt obtaining a GED, taking the TABE, getting a suitable score on the TEAS, etc etc all in that 6 week span). I've also been hounding the counselors down there who tell me that only about 60% of the people who take the TEAS pass it. pTEC has, in the past, had a problem with an overwhelming number of applicants, which is why the TEAS was implemented. My advice is to apply for pTEC's CNA program and then transition into their PN program. You won't lose that much time by doing so and your chances of getting accepted to that are much higher than trying to be selected as an alternate. Good luck... we're all scrambling to get our stuff done. It will be such a relief once it's over, right?

Hello all, I come to you as a 19-year old college student who is rethinking my career goals. I am currently obtaining an Associate in Arts degree because I thought high school teaching might be for me. However, over the last couple of months I've found that many of the things associated to teaching teenagers wouldn't work for me. Recently, I cut my hand open with a boxcutter and had to go to the hospital to receive stitches. The A.R.N.P. who sewed me up was chatting with me because she knew I'm a bit squeamish. I was telling her that my main career goal would be to help people and make a difference in their lives. She asked me why I was not going to be a nurse. At first, I shrugged it off and told her I'm too squeamish to be a nurse. (Not afraid of needles and blood, but I do tend to vomit when I see others do so.) All of my relatives were extremely confused when I told them I might change my major. Some are questioning if I'll be able to tolerate the "blood and guts" of the nursing field as well as if I have the mental strength for it since I have anxiety. I just wanted to obtain some opinions from a few of you who have been there and done that. My thinking is, at first, I would probably vomit and feel mentally uneasy, but once I found the joy of helping people, I would be able to overcome my fears. And that is another reason why I would really like to go into nursing. I can help people while helping myself - I take great joy in watching others succeed and be happy, and I would be able to kick my phobia of vomiting. I'd love to hear your opinion on the matter. Do you think it is feasible to get over such a fear in this profession? How long do you think it would take? Do you have any similar cases? I thank you in advance and admire the strength nurses have.