nursetabitha

You got the two I dreaded. Lol! (Peri care and occupied bed). Here's what I got: 1) handwashing 2) blood pressure 3) ROM shoulder/arm 4) nail care 5) feeding a client

Oh great idea! I'll check that out. Thanks!

So here's another question to add: where to go to get vaccines done on a nursing students salary?

Yes, I do know the difference between a CNA and a tech... *rolls eyes*

It's nice to see a thread that appreciates CNA's. :) We seem to be in the minority on this forum. I am blessed to have a CNA job making $11.25/hr while going to nursing school.

I know I will need vaccines for school. I hate that I have to get them, but anyway, I've never had chicken pox nor been vaccinated for it and I'm probably even due for another tetorifice shot. So I'm probably gonna need everything in the book. So my question is, how far ahead of time do I need to get my vaccines started? I asked my supervisor at school and he said I won't need to worry about it until I start the first semester because we don't have clinicals until the second semester. In your opinion and/or experience, should I trust him on that and wait to get them started? Or is one semester really enough time to get them all up to date? I've heard some horror stories about students who didn't get vaccines done in time and had to miss an entire semester if not the whole program.

Yep, no surprise there! This economy is tough.

Wow, that's just crazy! So we're supposed to pay off our loans for that 4 year degree on $10 an hour? I'd like to know what the cost of living is in the area where this job is located. The only way I can see that being a possibility is in a very low income, rural area. Like everyone said, employers can afford to be picky and pay less because there are so many new grads that are desperate for a job, and not just in healthcare.

I'm in WA as well and I am a brand new CNA with no experience. I got a job in a skilled nursing/rehabilitation facility (really nice place, brand new) and I am starting at $11.25/hr. And they are willing to work around my school schedule too.

I've been a nanny, pet sitter, house sitter, and non licensed private caregiver.

I know what you're talking about. I'm a new CNA and start work next week. Also planning on working as a CNA while going to LPN school which starts in July. Feel free to message me if you want. There is a CNA forum in here under the nursing student forum. That's where you can CNA related questions.

I'm 26 and I chose not to go the long route for the least expense (community college). I want to be a nurse in a year, not 3-5. :) My LPN program is $29k. To me, time is money. I would rather pay more and double my income sooner. I already plan on doing bridge programs for my RN and BSN. You should still be able to get plenty of grants and loans if you go the LPN route and then bridge into an RN program. It's what works for me since I just don't have time to sit around wait to get my career going.

I am a CNA, while in LPN school, and I actually agree with the original poster. It is dangerous for a CNA or tech to allow someone to think that they are a licensed nurse. That being said, I'm sure you all still treat the CNA's with respect since they do a lot of the dirty work. :)

@chesccrp, yep, I downloaded all the free NCLEX apps even the ones for RN (I will be taking the PN exam first). I've already learned a ton by practicing using common sense to answer the questions and then looking at the explanation. I'm getting half of them right just using common sense, and learning so much along the way. It's awesome! A great head start in my opinion. I also went to my library and got all the nursing and anatomy books I could find to read.

Oh and hospitals pretty much across the board require one year of experience before they will even consider you. Some people will work in a LTC facility to get the experience and volunteer at the hospital so they can be on the "inside" track when a position opens up.

I mailed in my application the day after I took the exam (2 weeks after my last class) and it took exactly 3 weeks to get my license. If you do LTC in nursing homes they usually will hire you with a stipulation that you must pass your exams and have your license within a certain number of days after you start. My fellow CNA classmates who went into nursing homes started working before they even passed their exams. I didn't want to work in LTC so I applied at a skilled nursing facility and I got the job but couldn't step foot in a patients room until I had my actual license in hand. They're much more strict than LTC. I had my last CNA class on March 27th, took my exams on April 12th, and start my first job on May 16th.

I'll be working weekends while in LPN school. I think it just depends on how bad you want it and how hard you're willing to work. I know lots of people who have worked part time while in nursing school and they had A's too.

No job is ever going to be easy and pay high. LOL! Nurses have bad days and good days just like everyone else. I think too many people go into nursing because they think it will give them job security and lots of money and then they get into it and hate it. Become a nurse because you love it, not because it's a "good job". :)

I waited 2 weeks after my first interview, then I got called back for another interview. They called to say I got the job 2 hours after I left the facility from the second interview. I think every job is different, and it also depends on how many applicants they have to go through.

Yes it is sad but if you can't have a sense of humor when caring for those with Alzheimer's and Dementia, then maybe you shouldn't be in this profession. I don't think anyone was degraded in this post and it was quite humorous in my opinion. I enjoy hearing the crazy stories. What about all those shows on TV that reenact the weird patients that come into a hospital acting like complete idiots? There are no real names used and they are actors but it's a true story and usually the doctors and nurses that were there are the ones telling it. Not much different than sharing stories on this forum, right? In my opinion, the most important thing we can do in the nursing field is to keep a strong sense of humor and make light of all the sometimes quite disgusting things we encounter. Keep the funny stories coming!

I would really think about it, especially if you are a petite and/or pretty woman or a short and skinny guy. You could quite easily be hurt by an inmate who has nothing to lose, male or female. I personally wouldn't do it, but there are some people who absolutely love it. I would think that rehab would be a lot better. You'd still be dealing with violent patients, but it seems like you might have a little less safety issues there. I can't speak from experience though, this is just my own common sense opinion.

Well that sealed the deal for me! I will go another route besides Excelsior! Sounds like too much of a bother and my state is on the bad list for their program. Besides, I don't think any of my credits would have transferred.

Summer college is also starting an RN program that will include an LPN bridge, and Carrington will be adding one in the next couple of years so there will be more bridge options in the future. I might do mine at LCC in Longview, but I'm not looking forward to having to do all the pre reqs. However, I'd rather be making an LPN salary while doing it then working as a CNA and waiting for years to get into one of the community colleges RN programs. :)

That's very helpful. Thanks! I'm going to a technical college that doesn't require much general ed. So I probably would have quite a few of those, but this gives me a much better idea! Congrats on being an LPN and I'm glad you're loving it! :) I can't wait!

I got accepted and start in July. I downloaded a bunch of apps on my phone and went to my library and got some books on nursing, an NCLEX study book, and an anatomy book. I figure they'll help give me a jump start. I think reading anything you can get your hands on beforehand is going to be helpful. I can already tell you I've learned a ton from the NCLEX book.