marioSN

Just to add to everyone else's suggestions, this is what works for me: -type/retype up notes from class, or create an outline on the computer (the end result doesn't help as much as actually thinking about it and typing it up) -with flash cards, it's good to use some kind of system (a common one I've heard is the Leitner System). there are also plenty of online flashcard websites to be found if you search for flashcards and even leitner... but you'll have to type up all your cards. i always do best with physical ones anyway.

That's the case at the hospital that runs my nursing school program. I currently work as a HHA and got that through the Red Cross, so I also have 2 cards for the price of two. It kinda fades into all the other costs of nursing school...

The best way I've found to find jobs is to target what you really want. If, for example, you want to work in a hospital, find all the hospitals (just do a search on maps.google.com for something like "hospitals near york, pa" or maps.google.com even "long term care facilities near york, pa") in the area that you're willing to drive to, and look on their websites for job listings. I've seen many more positions listed on individual websites than I've seen on the big search sites. This also works for some LTC facilities if you'd like. If you're open to home health care, a lot of the agencies advertise in the newspapers so they're easy to find. I'd give more specific places, but I live across the river in Lancaster, so I'm not too familiar with places. I just keep watch on jobs opening up for when I finish nursing school (I haven't started yet, I'm just a HHA).

That sounds like a really good option! I didn't think of that when I was making a my choice, but I just went with the availability of jobs in my area as support for making the switch.

For CNA, I just went to the local community college (Harrisburg Area Community College). They offered a program every couple of weeks, and the program took 14 days (about 8 hours each day). It was quick but intensive. It cost about $600, but a nursing facility is required by law to reimburse the cost of training as well as the certification test through the Red Cross (a little over $100 here). Looking at the school you mentioned in Palm Beach, they have a Patient Care Assistant program which includes training for Nurse Aide, Patient Care Assisting, and Home Health Aide. That seems to take 3.5 months: http://www.pbcc.edu/x3223.xml?id=76

As someone who is changing careers, I just finished a CNA course, and my certification test is in a couple weeks. I like this path because of the experience I will get while working my way to RN (with a goal of MSN down the road). I wasn't thinking about LPN too much, but after reading this I'm pretty sure I'm taking a good path. I know that at least here in PA (I'm sure other places too) will let you work as a nurse aide if you are a nursing student, so that can also work. I've been warned about one school around here which is easy to get in for nursing, but some people wait up to 2 years to get into clinicals because they don't have enough space (about 60 people per 120 each semester), so that might be something to look at when looking at schools.