xmasbabe

I've worked clinic for 25 years. Would not say it's low stress. The hospital nurses who come to work with us end up quitting. They think it is going to be easy and it is not. There is a lot of work for one nurse to get done on her own, telephone triage, presciptions by the dozen to phone in, families to talk with, test results to phone to patients, cleaning and stocking, and I could go on forever and ever. These are just the "side" duties besides being at the doctor's beck and call at all times.

I have been an LPN for 20 years. I started the ADN completion program after being on a waiting list for 3 years. Considering the "shortage" of nurses that we always hear about, you would think they would have found a way to quickly usher LPN's through an RN program to get them quickly out in the market and filling those nursing vacancies.

Please do not let anyone have that kind of control over what you want to do with your life. I am just starting clinicals and I absolutely hate it. I feel absolutely inadequate. I dread every Sunday and Monday night but I know I can get through it. I have been an LPN for 20 years but only in a clinic. I started the ADN program just last month in the third semester. I feel totally lost as what I am supposed to be doing out on the hospital floor and feel it is somewhat irresposible just throwing me out on the floor and expecting that I will know what to do. I don't know because I have never been taught and have only worked at the clinic. I am supposed to do total patient care including all meds, IV's, blood, etc... etc... and know the hospital computer program for charting too. The so-called "orientation" was worthless and a few hours is no where near long enough. All the other students were in the program the first and second semesters and so they are not new to the hospital setting. I was on the waiting list for 3 years to complete this RN thing and I will complete it no matter what! They will have to ask me to leave if they want me out. I would not give anyone the pleasure of having that kind of control over me that I would voluntarily drop the program. Please stick with it and then let us know. You go girl! The very best of luck to you!!!

I make $19.14 per hr in Wisc in a clinic and I have been there 20 years.

Ryaninmtv, thanks again for your response. Your advice about learning the testing style sounds very wise. It has been many years since I have been tested! What would you recommend as something "easy" to start with? I have been studying the Chancellors Occu. Strat. and have just learned that you must be enrolled at Excelsior before being able to test out on that one as of 10-01-01. So I would like to move on to something else, preferably not too difficult to start out with. Thanks for your encouragement and congratulations on almost being done!

RyaninMTV, Thanks for your reply. I appreciate your helpful advice. I am still not sure which route to take. I see now that for many tests, you must first be enrolled at Excelsior. Was it that way when you tested? Did you enroll at the beginning of your studies with Chancellors? That throws a wrench in my thoughts, as I don't want to register at Excelsior more than one year, and every year is an extra large fee! I guess there is no easy, low cost way to accomplish this.

Thanks for the reply. I understand that Regents/Excelsior is the SCHOOL that grants the degree, and the others are just publishing companies that print material to help you study to pass the nursing tests. I was wondering if anyone had tried Chancellors study guides, as Chancellors claim they are an all in one notebook/study guide and audio tapes. No other text books are required and so you don't have to buy a bunch of school books. If you go straight through Excelsior, you need to buy a lot of textbooks to learn the information needed to test out. Also was wondering if anyone knows of someone selling the Chancellors blue study guides and audio tapes for any of the ASN/ADN nursing courses. Thanks again. Also, any opinions??

Does anyone have any Chancellor's study guides that they would like to sell? Has anyone used Chancellor's and found that they also needed to purchase additional booksfor study? Chancellors claims that all you need are their expensive study guides to pass all the tests and then enroll at Excelsior for the degree. I just can't afford their study guides. Thanks!

I had planned on working until 39 weeks with my first, but PROMed at 36 weeks after a day of working ICU. I had planned on working till 40 weeks but went into labor at just 20 weeks. I was working in a very fast paced clinic as the only nurse. In, "Every Pregnant Woman's Guide to Preventing Premature Birth", the author, an RN, writes of how many NICU nurses she knows that had preemies. When did you deliver? I delivered at 36 weeks gestation after 16 straight wks of bedrest in and out of hospital. I also developed other pregnancy associated complications. Were you given a reason for your PTL? I was never given any type of reason or explanation. My child is healthy.

If you have 2 years to devote to full time study, why not go for LPN or RN assoc. degree? I was a CMA but could not find a job. I graduated from an LPN program and had no problem finding a job. A med. asst. is trained more for clinic work, both clinical and clerical duties, whereas an LPN is trained more for hospital and long term care. The pay for an LPN is also a little better. I know of no hospital that hires CMA's. I did not know there were still 2 year med. asst. programs. When I went to school, a long time ago, my class was the first 1 year program to graduate and then they discontinued the 2 yr program. I hope this helps a little. Good Luck!

You did not state if you are MALE or FEMALE! What are you doing on a nurses site if you are a neurosurgeon?