rose2012

Since no one answered my question, I'll answer it myself in case anyone can find it helpful later. I searched and searched for an online class offered in the summer. There were none at community colleges, only very expenses classes at other colleges, and I don't even know if they were offered in summer. I finally came across an online class designed specifically for students doing the NCLEX-PN challenge exam. It costs $175 (plus a textbook, ~$94 new, but you can find it used), and you can find the info here: SD Pharma schedule. They have a copy of a letter on their website from the BVNPT to a student saying that the board approved the course.

Now I'm really starting to feel defeated. Why would they even allow the #3 option if you can't get hired with it? :' (

Well, yeah, I guess. I've completed three semesters of an RN program. Now I'm trying to get more clinical experience by becoming an LVN so I'll be more prepared for the 4th semester of the RN program, which has proved too trying for me.

I am having a heck of a time with the part of the application that my school is supposed to fill out. The director of my program won't do it and is making me fill out the form for him to sign, except that I have several questions. The board is evasive with me because they know this is the school's portion of the application, and I can't get any answers from my other best contact at the school because she doesn't know. I would appreciate any help someone could provide with the following questions: Pg. 1, section 10B: 1) 10B. Total number of theory/clinical hours which your school granted credit for "previous education". Does this refer just to nursing courses or also prereqs that you had to take to get into nursing school, such as the psychology and "normal growth and development" course requirements? If I need to include these courses from another school, can I just include both school transcripts? Someone at the board told me I'd have to get the other school to sign for those, which seems ridiculous since my nursing school already approved those transfer credits. Pg. 2, section 6: 2) For anatomy and physiology, can I include both lecture and lab hours, or just lecture hours? 3) The form says you have to have 54 hours of pharmacology; however, my RN program where I did my studies requires only a 36-hour course. Am I screwed and have to take another course somewhere? 4) Is there somewhere in the list where I can include my nursing program skills lab hours? 5) Does the BVNPT actually run your DMV record? If so, how far back to they go? Is an at-fault accident considered a conviction?

Hello, I'm applying to the CA Board of Vocational Nursing to take the NCLEX-PN. I am eligible, as I understand, because I completed three semesters of an RN program. However, I'm concerned about the 54 hours pharmacology requirement because my school's required pharmacology course is only 36 hours. Did anyone run into this problem, and if so, how did you handle it? Can some of the hours come from the other nursing courses or from skills lab, since pharmacology is covered to a degree in those classes? I'm concerned about this standing in the way of my taking the exam if I can't find a way around it, and yet I believe others from my school have taken this exam after three semesters.

Oh, ok, thank you!

Correction: Turns out I have only one over $300. Thank goodness. Does anyone know if this can affect one's ability to get LVN licensed? Are they mainly just trying to find out if it's been paid?

Thanks. Sadly, I have three over $300. It was just happenstance, due to stressful events in my life late last year. I did traffic school for one and paid the other two. Do you know if having three could affect my ability to get licensed?

Hello, The application for NCLEX-PN says you do not have to report traffic violations under $300. Does anyone know if you have to report a traffic violation over $300 if you went to traffic school for it? Doesn't going to traffic school keep it off of your record?

I think you're right, Kay, because the meds I'm referring to *are* PRNs on the MAR. And 2 pm and 4 pm really didn't make sense! I've never seen this "p" for "prn" before. Thank you!

Help! What does Q2P and Q4P mean referring to medication frequency? Does it refer to 2 PM and 4 PM?

Thank you, Esme12!

Hello, I had a patient whose chart indicated that he had had surgery in the past for a mitral valve prolapse. He was running very high blood pressures following orthopedic surgery. When auscultating his heart sounds, I heard a strong whooshing sound at the apex. None of the preceding shift nurses had indicated in their assessment documentation anything other then "S1, S2 regular." I'm wondering if anyone can tell me, perhaps a cardiac nurse, whether it makes sense that the patient would have an abnormal heart sound such as a woosh (murmur sound) following surgery for MVP. Thanks for any input.

Hi, I want to know if there is some fast way to come up with a PICO question and find one or more meta-analysis articles on it to discuss in a 5-minute presentation in my skills class. Every time I try to find articles on an area that truly interests me, I find nothing specific. I have so much left to study and prepare for before the end of the semester, and this short PICO presentation won't even be graded, as will my other assignements. I'm interested in ways to reduce hospital waste, which seems massive to me. (The number of gowns and gloves and masks I go through for my patients on contact precautions is astounding, and every time I throw this stuff away I think of what this waste is going to do to the environment.) But even doing a search on "hospital waste" and "infection rates," let alone using a formulated PICO question, I get nothing pertinent. Another interest I have is that I'm saddened about the way people die in ICUs, often in misery because the family is too afraid to make their loved ones DNR and therefore the hospital requires things like NG tube feedings that may be very unpleasant or not allowing even a sip of water to a thirsty patient due to NPO status. But alas, I must admit I don't even have a specific research question in mind that could help. If there's any advice anyone can give me about doing this without a great expediture of time, I would really appreciate it. I realize that evidenced-based practice is highly important in nursing practice, but right now I think the teacher mainly wants us to get a basic sense of how to do it, and I'm stuck. Thank you, Rose

Thanks!

Thanks, that helps to know. I'm in California. Today I got an interview for a job I applied for last night at a home health agency. It pays only $11/hour, but my friend thinks I should go for it, thinking that whatever experience I get will help me for other jobs. Thoughts, anyone?

lalopop86, where do you live? I know the job market can depend on location. I'm in the same boat as CAAMSE.

Thank you Joon! So glad to have it out of the way. The only problem job-wise is I found out today that registries won't hire you till you have your actual card from the state and some hospitals are hiring RNs to CNA positions since there aren't enough jobs for RNs. If anyone has any tips on where to look, send them my way! : )

Okay, confused... Foot care isn't even on the list of Red Cross tested skills. Are you sure you took your test with Red Cross?

I have my Red Cross CNA exam tomorrow morning. I'm really nervous about the skills portion, especially because I'm doing it as an RN student challenger, meaning that I did not take the Red Cross CNA training. I'm really curious to know what skills people were tested on. I know that hand washing is a given, and I'm not too worried about that. Then I believe there are three more random skills that you pick from a pile. I know there are 27 possible for those other three, but it seems like in earlier threads certain skills come up more often (e.g., ROM and dressing resident with one-side weakness). Anyway, your experiences and what skills you were tested on would be much appreciated. Thanks!

For Brush Resident's Dentures skill, would you really have to remove the dentures? As I understand it (?), the resident is played by a fellow student, right? In this case, we will not be able to remove any dentures. Isn't the skill for Red Cross really going to involve just brushing a set of dentures? (This is all so confusing! I just don't know what to expect in this test.)

Oh, also... are they always people (students?) acting as the patient, or is there sometimes a manequin?

Joon, Another question, if you don't mind: For teeth brushing skill (your skill #8), the book isn't clear on why 2 pairs of gloves are necessary. In your guide, you say to remove the gloves after drying the mouth, throw them in the trash, and then reapply gloves before basin and hand washing. I don't understand why you need a new pair of gloves just to wash the basin. Can you help clarify this? Thanks, Emily

Joon, Thanks so much for your help. It's just really hard to know what to expect, as you say. I feel as if I might fail and then have to go back and do it again (at least the skills part) once I know what the test is like. I'll write you here if I have any more questions. (All Nurses won't let people send private messages anymore unless they've made several forum posts already. I guess they are trying to avoid spam but I disagree with making users here suffer as a result of it.) Rose

Hi Joon, Thanks for your packet; however, I'm confused as it does not seem to match the Red Cross book I just bought, "Nurse Assistant Training": Amazon.com: Nurse Assistant Training (9781584804147): American Red Cross: Books For example, in your info for positioning the resident in a supine position, you indicate the need to log roll the resident onto his/her back before realigning the resident. However, this skill in the book does not ask this. It asks only that you positioin the person to be lying on their back in the center of the bed. Can you help me understand where you got the information for your packet? Thanks. I'm taking the challenge exam next week as an RN nursing student and have not done the Red Cross training, so it's very difficult for me to know what to study for the test. Rose