LaurenceM

And when you do receive report from her, make a sacrifice for a day and do the exact same thing back to her x 10. Test every button, valve, or adjustable piece of equipment in that room and tell her its an "environmental safety check". As shes giving you report, ask her to wait as you test if the pt's bed can slowly raise all the way up...... then all the way down. Then one up her by opening up the computer, telling her about all the things you disagree with on her assessment, but also mention how you can see why she can have those opinions, making sure to explain all of the reasoning for both points of view. LOL. I'm not really recommending you do this, although I would.

Yup, completely agree that the first step you should take is identify what the problem is. So you didn't pass because you missed too many questions on your weekly exam. Why do you think you missed those questions? This is where you have to be a bit insightful and honest with yourself. Were you truly as prepared as you should have been prior to taking the exam? Did you study and review the material enough to be able to grasp an understanding of the underlying concepts? If you believe that you had done both of these things, then the problem lies elsewhere. Did you fully understand what the questions were asking of you? Or perhaps did the available responses that you had to choose from confuse you or conflict with what you had studied? I remember during my first term in nursing school a large portion of our cohort initially struggled when faced with "NCLEX-style questions". Remember that many of these questions are accompanied by responses which one may argue can all be correct. But you're tasked with selecting the "best" response. This is where your ability to prioritize, or your ability to utilize ADPIE, Maslow's or any of the other fundamental nursing concepts truly comes into play, Personally, I think that the best way to overcome this hurdle is through discussion with your peers. Get together and talk through some practice questions. This can help you as a group unravel the correct answer together. It also gives you insight into different ways of thinking that you may not have been able to see clearly before. Group discussions/study sessions allow each one of you to justify why you chose a particular response and it also allows others to challenge these differing answers. collectively forcing your group to use your critical thinking skills to hopefully arrive at the one that is most correct. Remember NCLEX-styled questions aren't like anatomy, physiology or other questions from prereq courses that may just require you to memorize the information. These questions that you're going to continue to face throughout nursing school will challenge your ability to use your critical thinking skills and they'll also continue to challenge your ability to look through the surface of each question and unravel the deeper concept lying beneath. Keep your head up though, you're only 4 weeks in! Just don't lose hope or motivation. And remember to identify what the issue is specifically on why you're getting the grades that you are. Finally just do your best to form a strategy to overcome that issue.

I dont think any of the reasons you listed are 'wrong reasons' for becoming an advanced practice nurse. Personally, I do admire those people who found nursing through a "calling" or whose "passion for the craft" drive them. I'm not one of those people. I love the 3 shifts a week schedule and the free time that comes with it, allowing me to either work per diem if I choose, or just spend the day with my dog. I do like the science and theory behind nursing practice, but I really dislike the back-breaking exhaustion I feel from floor nursing at times. My likes or dislikes towards the many facets of my job doesnt effect my productivity though. I get my job done, I smile as I do it, I interact well with patients, and I continue to grow and learn as a Nurse. So does it make me worse at my job or less qualified to aspire to advance my career because I'm not solely driven by a "passion to save the world"? I honestly dont think so. Like the previous poster, I too agree with your statement on what seems like a future over-saturation of APRNs and the increased competitiveness this will create on job hunting or even applying to advanced programs. In the end I say that if a person is capable of completing and also willing to do the work, who cares what their motivation is?

I remember that the scariest moment that I had in any of my clinicals during nursing school was in Peds. Specifically, it was the very first time I had ever held a baby. It was only for 5 minutes while I fed him, but that was more frightening to me than any code or rapid response while in school. As you can tell, I'm not particularly comfortable with children/infants. But its just one clinical rotation and it'll fly by in no time.

I've gone through this situation twice, once with the LVN board and more recently with my state's RN board. I was charged with a misdemeanor that was about 4 years old when I applied for my LVN license and 6 years old when I applied for my RN. It can be done. When nursing students finish school and apply for their license the board decides on whether to grant licensure on an individual case-by-case basis. From what I've been told they take into account what the infraction was, how much time has passed since the infraction, and what you have done to improve and move past that mistake. When I applied for both of those licenses I wrote each board a letter describing the event and explaining what I've done to improve myself and ensure that I would never repeat the mistake again. But I got through it, obtained both licenses, found work as an LVN, and now have found work as an RN at a local hospital. But all of this really just depends on your state's BON. Good luck and keep your head up!

I would also suggest waiting until you finish fundamentals and then becoming a CNA. When I was in my BSN program I worked 2-3 12 hour shifts a week. I had friends who worked as CNAs or Unit Secretaries while they were in the program and they all did really well through school. In fact, I think it can be not only an advantage when job hunting post-NCLEX, but it'll help you through nursing school to work with nurses and other health care professionals. You're able to become more comfortable in a healthcare setting and you're given opportunities to witness and become more familiar with the nursing process/nursing skills/nursing interventions. Plus if you work nights like I did as an LVN you can find plenty of time to study at work when its slow :).

Thanks for the help! Could you also point me out to where to take some prerequisites online? I need to find an online school where I can take Human Nutrition, Developmental Psychology, Philosophy and Religious Studies. I found a program through Southern California University where I can take my Anatomy, Microbio, O Chem and Physiology prerequisites on the weekends!

Hi, I'm a new poster to this forum but I've been a frequent reader over the past few months. I'm determined to find a path in order to become a nurse. However all of the information that I've researched has left me in need of guidance! Just to give you a quick background on myself; I'm 24 years old, living in Los Angeles California, I have a Bachelors Degree in Kinesiology from San Diego State University which I acquired in 2009. After experiencing the work field for 2 years I decided that it wasn't the right path for me. After consulting with family & friends, volunteering at a local hospital and my own extensive research I've come to the conclusion that Nursing is the path I want to take. The problem is that I have a few obstacles ahead that I could use some help to overcome. For one, my GPA is relatively low. I graduated with an overall GPA of 2.86 (due to low grades at the community college I attended prior to SDSU). My upper division GPA (or the last 2 years of my coursework) held a GPA of 3.1 but was weighed down overall when my first two years were taken into account. I still have a few prerequisites to complete (Anatomy + lab, Physiology + lab, Microbio and Ochem), so I hope that they can raise my overall GPA over the 3.0 mark. However I'm still nervous that when I send my applications that I'll never get in anywhere due to my GPA. Another problem i'm facing is that I can't find the quickest route to taking those prerequisite classes. Community colleges are packed and have cut classes since 2004 when I first attended. A counseler at Pasadena City College told me that I would have to take a full year of unrelated classes in order to gain enough registration priority to enroll in Anatomy/Phsio etc. Are there any private colleges/programs where I can take these prerequisite classes quickly? I've taken Anatomy and physiology before however the courses I took did not have a lab portion. I've also taken Intro Biology and Chemistry classes. I also wanted to ask what colleges have an ABSN program in the los angeles area? I know of Mount St. Mary's and I intend to apply there. Are there any programs that anyone can recommend? Lastly, are there any helpful words of advice or guidance that anyone could share for a person in my position. I really appreciate all of the help!