Benedikta

I'm still laughing.

I've got three kids under the age of five and I'm doing well in the LPN programme. It's not easy but you can do it. We've got a lot of folks in our class who have kids and they are doing ok. The ones who didn't make it are the ones who were used to a wild party life prior to entering the programme and could not put that aside for the time they were in school. They would come to class on Monday talking about the weekend: how much they drank, which clubs they went to, how many old boyfiends they saw, which one they ended up with, what hit the fan when the current boyfriend found out, etc, etc. Honestly, none of them made it past second quarter. I'm not condemning the party life but from what I've seen in our school (which has a reputation for being rather tough), one really has to put it on hold and save it for the breaks. Just my observation. Hope it helps.

Hello. Before I started LPN school I thought CMTs (as they are called in KY) were a great idea. Once I got deep into the program and came to understand how much LPNs learn concerning side effects of certain drugs, how to notice bad reactions, what to do in case such happens, etc., I began to wonder if CMTs are such a great idea after all. Does anyone know if CMTs are educated in the ways I mentioned above? I was talking to one CMT a while back about all I was having to learn and memorize in Pharm and he said something like, "Man, we sure didn't have to learn all that!". Thankfully, around here they are almost always used on first shift and I always work second.

Hello. I am also working on my LPN (in Kentucky) and hope to move to El Paso when I finish. I have never lived there but have visited and from what I can tell (and from what friends there have told me), the West end is nice and the East end is nice. I know that one can buy a nice new house on the East end for less than $100,000. Nothing fancy but a nice little stuccoed exterior, 3 bedroom, 2 bath with garage and small yard for $99,900 was not at all unusual on the far East End. I've heard bad things about the crime rate in the Northeast end and one friend who lived in Lower Valley told me that parts are OK and parts are not but I think I would avoid it generally. We looked at an area in New Mexico called Santa Teresa and they had some nice and decently priced houses there. Concerning crime, I have read in several places that El Paso ranks very low (low being good) in cities of 500,000 or more. In the last few years they have come in around the third spot (with one being best) in crime rates for larger U.S. cities. The people there are friendly and the weather is nice if you dont mind dry heat. I've also heard that LPN's in LTC make fairly good money there. I have heard, however, that it can be tons of trouble to get licensed in Texas. This is the main thing I fear concerning trying to move there. I've heard some bad stories from nurses who moved to Texas and tried to get licensed there. Have you heard anything about this?

Hello. I was just fixing to post asking if anyone knew anything about El Paso when I came across your post. I think you responded to my E-mail several months ago about working in El Paso and I do appreciate it. I am half way through LPN school and we are hoping to transfer to El Paso at some point after finishing (God willing, I'm doing well thus far). Do you think it is possible for a new LPN to make at least $16.00/hour second shift LTC there? Also, I was wondering if your friend there spoke Spanish. One DON there told me she has nurses who speak no Spanish at all and she has no problem with this (this particular LTC seemed to have a majority Hispanic population). I was wondering if this was the norm or do most places hire only English-Spanish speaking nurses? Thanks again for your earlier reply.

Dehydration is a painless death? I don't know what science says about this and I've never done a hugh research paper on this subject but I did suffer serious dehydration once and let me tell you, it was anything but peaceful and painless. I don't think my stomach has ever been so upset nor have I ever vomited so violently in my life. My entire body felt as if I had been run over by a truck and every bone left broken. My head hurt so badly I felt it had been split open. May God grant her rest.

Can anyone direct me to some information on how a LPN from Kentucky can move to Texas and practice there? What steps need to be taken ect.? I've searched the web for quite a while and can't seem to find any information on the Texas end, not even a web site for the Board of Nursing. Thanks.

Oh man, I had to reply to this one. I've lived in Louisville for three and one half years and I can't wait to leave. I came here from Mississippi and compared to there, the people here are quite rude and closed in on themselves. The weather is damp, cold, and cloudy for about half the year, and the city itself has no type of special character or spirit. I've actually heard it called "Blahville" recently. I suppose if you are coming to Louisville from somewhere like Gary, IN this may seem a heaven on earth but otherwise don't expect much.---OK, now all y'all native Louisvillians go ahead and kill me--I know I'd hate someone if they spoke of my home like this, I just couldn't resist!!! :)

To those of y'all who say y'all would rather work without a CNA--Go for it!! I'd really like to see the nurses on my floor work without us for one hour. Dont forget, without the CNAs would actually have to touch the residents-how gross!!!!!

Hello. I am not yet in nursing school (just working as a CNA) but I intend to start this Summer working on my LPN. My question is concerning becoming an LPN in one state and working in another. We are planning a move very soon to the area of Las Cruces, New Mexico which is just right across the state line from El Paso, Texas. Both cities have LPN programms and I will especially be looking at the New Mexico one due to several reasons (location, close to work, money from the state, etc.). However, when I finish (God willing), I will be sitting in between two cities, both with many nursing jobs, but in two different states. How hard will it be to become an LPN in NM and then crosss over into El Paso and work? What extra steps will I need to take, etc? I would be very thankful for any answers y'all might have (and any short prayers on my behalf that I finish my goal!). Thanks.

Thank you for your herp. I am looking into working at a Good Samaritan home in Las Cruces while I'm in school as we will more than likely live in between El Paso and Las Cruces. Thanks.

Hello. I just posted a message today but then thought of another question I would like to ask. As I said earlier, we are planning a move to the Las Cruces area this year. I want to attend LPN school so I assumed it would be in Las Cruces. I've come to realise, however, that there are many nursing jobs in El Paso just half an hour from where we will live. My question is, if I study in and become a nurse in New Mexico, will it be trouble for me to cross the state line and work in Texas (only the city of El Paso)? How exactly does this work? Is is difficult to become a nurse in New Mexico and then go to work just next door? I'm not set on working in El Paso as there are jobs in Las Cruces too, but it is always a possibility being so close to El Paso that something there may catch my eye. Thanks so much for any replies.

Hello! I was wondering if anyone happens to know of LPN schools in the Las Cruces area. We are planning to move there this spring and I want to enroll as soon as possible. Also, does anyone happen to know of any nursing homes there that pay CNA's anything over $6.00 per hour or is this the norm in New Mexico? Thanks a lot.

Hello. I am not a nurse, only a CNA who hopes to go to nursing school within the next year. The reason why I am posting is to see if anyone happens to know the avarage pay for a CNA in El Paso. We are moving there soon from Kentucky and when I talked to one DON at one nursing home she said they pay their CNA's $6.00 per hour. I make over $12.00 here in Kentucky so I was shocked. I read where LPN's in El Paso are making $18.00 per hour and this is the same as in Kentucky so I figured the CNA's would make near about the same as well. This DON did mention that her nursing home had one of the lowest pay rates for CNA's in El Paso. I'm not looking for a huge salary but for $6.00 I might as well work at Taco Bell. Anyway, I know this is long-winded and I'm not actually a nurse but I thought somewhere on this board there might be a nurse from El Paso who has some information. Also, does anyone have a recomendation for a LVN school there? Thanks a bunch! P.S. I visited there last week and fell in love with the El Paso- Las Cruces area- I cant wait to move there!