Laurabell08

I know this is an old thread, but I'm going through this now. I also didn't apply for any graduate nurse internships/externships and now I'm hearing several of my classmates have received internship/externship positions at different hospitals. I can't help but feel jealous. I worry that I will be falling behind. However, I don't know if working in a hospital is really what I want to do. On one hand, I would LOVE the experience and with all of my nursing education fresh on my brain, I feel like it would help that information stay in my brain. It can be so easy to forget a lot of it if you're not dealing with it regularly. On the other hand, working at a hospital, with 12 hour shifts (possibly longer as getting used to being a new nurse, and getting all my charting done,) all the other required classes/education for the internship program, required staff meetings, etc., isn't the best fit for my life right now as I am dealing with caring for an elderly family member who has recently had several health issues. I'm graduating with my ADN in May, and I am currently an LVN. As an LVN, I did pediatric home health care. I feel like going back to pediatric home health care will be easier to fit into my life right now. I also plan on working on my BSN immediately after graduation, and the lighter work load in pediatric home health would make focusing on the BSN education easier. I'm afraid I'm wanting to go back to pediatric home health because it's what I know and feel comfortable with. I also feel like I won't be a "real nurse" unless I have experience working in a hospital or critical care experience. Just feeling kind of "down" lately.

There are several to choose from. I went to North Central Texas College in Gainesville for LVN. I decided to go there again for my ADN. I live an hour away from the campus, but they also have an online program where you don't have to go to the campus as often. I really like NCTC's program. There have been a lot of changes in staff recently, so that's a little worrisome, but so far things are still going okay. Also, the campus just opened a new building for the health sciences department and it is awesome!!! Good luck to you!

Hello all. I am currently doing a bridge LVN to RN program and will graduate in May 2017. The program I am doing is for ADN, however, I plan on continuing to get my BSN through an online program. I am very interested in nursing internship/residency programs offered in the DFW area that will accept new grad ADNs. Any information on this topic would be very helpful!

Hey! NCTC....as in North Central Texas College??? Great post! Thank you! I'm preparing to take this for NCTC's ADN program. Dread taking this test, but I think the info you gave is really going to help!

Thank you for all of your comments. This has helped me.

I am also in the Dallas area. I would be working 50 hours a week with this case, so their reasoning is they can't pay me more because I would be getting 10 hours overtime pay each week. They said that they would lose money...but not so sure about that. It just doesn't make sense to me that I would get paid the exact rate for a patient with no problems except a g-tube compared to a patient with g-tube, central line, TPN, LOTS of medical conditions!!!! Thanks for your response.

Hey everyone! I've been an LVN in Texas for about 2 years. I'm currently doing private duty nursing in pediatrics. I have a possible new case with a patient who has a central line and gets TPN. My question is, is pay rate usually higher for patients that require accessing central lines and administering TPN? The company I work for starts pay rate at $20/hour for a patient with g-button only. I've been told the pay rate is $20/hour for this new case and the patient has a lot more medical issues than previous cases I've worked. I would appreciate any opinions and help with this topic. Thanks!

I was accepted to the Spring 2012 on campus LVN program. I'm SO excited!! Ready to get started!