TerryGvl

I'm in the Upstate of SC, not the Midlands, but from what I've seen, LPNs start at around $14-16/hr. The hospitals here no longer hire LPNs. They are hired almost exclusively by nursing homes and doctor's offices. The amount of autonomy and scheduling flexibility probably varies greatly by facility.

I agree with GrnTea. Your school should have provided you with specific instructions, including critical errors. Anything not addressed in their instructions probably will not fail you (i.e., washing the basin vs. rinsing it). If you don't have very specific instructions, I recommend searching the Pearson Vue website for Nurse Aide certification in your state. Find the Candidate Handbook on their site. It will contain detailed instructions for basic nursing skills. You could also search YouTube for videos demonstrating the skills.

I bought one early on with every intention of using it throughout school. I never actually used mine until I graduated, though. Our school recommended both the Saunders book and Davis's Q&A. I bought Davis's and found it very helpful. Between the book and the CD, it had around 5,000 questions. I used it in conjunction with the ATI review book and passed the NCLEX on the first attempt.

My school used ATI and our last class contained a week-long review of content. We were given ATI review books, which were about 300 pages and summarized the content without us having to read thousands of pages. If your school didn't give you something like that, I highly recommend buying something similar. I re-read the ATI review book and did a few hundred NCLEX practice questions. I also recommend reviewing test-taking strategies. I had questions on topics I'd never even heard of, but the test-taking strategies helped me answer those.

I earned my ADN from a community college with a similar progression. I spent my first year taking prerequisites for the nursing program (A&P, Microbiology, etc.). I was then able to enter the nursing program, which was 22 additional months to earn an ADN--a total of approximately 3 years. However, I already have a bachelor's degree in another field, which meant I did not have to take other courses that were required for the associate's degree, such as English, history, algebra, etc. Had I needed those courses, an ADN would have taken 4 years or more. Now that I have graduated and become a licensed RN, I'm having a difficult time finding a job because everyone in my area is looking for nurses who have a BSN or experience. That said, I'd advise you to check the job market in the area where you want to practice before starting school. Considering the time it takes to complete an ADN and the difficulties you may encounter in finding a job with that degree, it may be worthwhile to pursue a BSN if that's feasible for you.

I don't know if this helps or not, but in switching from a non-accredited school to an accredited one, your classes may not transfer. It could mean starting over from the beginning at a new school. Make sure you have your transcripts evaluated at the new school to determine which classes will transfer before you make your decision.

Rosio, try putting a dash in your school code. I believe it's after the second digit (i.e., 03-419). Congratulations to all who passed!

I took a medical terminology course before I started nursing classes. The structured learning helped me stay on track (which I wouldn't have done on my own) and it was a fairly easy online course. Plus, it helped boost my GPA because I made an A in the class.

I recommend taking a Medical Terminology course at your school. Assuming you study, it's a great way to boost your GPA. The textbook for the course I took was Medical Terminology for Health Professionals by Ehrlich and Schroeder.

Some of the posts indicate that there is a new good Pearson Vue popup ("The candidate has previously passed..."). I took the NCLEX Saturday, July 7, 2012 and didn't get the new good popup, but the old one ("Records indicate you have recently registered..."). I received my quick results today, Monday, July 9, 2012, and I did pass. The trick worked for me.

I think it's important for you to do SOMETHING. Even if you decide later that it's not the right path for you, you'll at least have a means to make a change. As for your shyness, don't let it deter you. I have suffered social anxiety disorder all my life, but I graduated nursing school in June and passed the NCLEX this weekend. Nursing school will teach you how to interact with patients (e.g., therapeutic communication techniques). Your mind will adapt to meeting new people on a daily basis. It's certainly uncomfortable in the beginning, but you'll survive. And, if you have a passion for the field, you'll thrive.

You take your first nursing job wherever you can get it.