cgardner2010

I have been an LVN for 5 years and to be honest, I feel it was a waste of my time and money. Finding a job as an LVN is like pulling teeth....the only options you have are SNF, Home Health or if you are lucky, working in a clinic at one of the major hospitals (Kaiser, Sutter, ect). You are better off going for your RN. There are so many LVN's coming out of school that the job market is saturated with them. As an RN, you have more opportunities because of the new grad programs along with the desperate need for RN's. I have friends that have just received their RN license & found jobs right away. I have friends that are LVN's STILL looking for work 1 year later.... HTH!

After pass Fundamentals of Nursing you will be able to challenge the CNA exam

As far as the prereq classes go, I was told by the admissions rep at CSU East Bay, they really want you to have a B or higher in A&P, Micro & Chem for their LVN - BSN program. In regards to GPA you want to shoot for a 3.5 or higher because you make your chances of getting in greater than just meeting the required 3.0...HTH!

University of Phenox offers a LVN to BSN program at thier Modesto campus....one night a week feom 6pm to 10pm. Pacific Union College in Fairfield offers a program as well in the evening....as far as online programs go, the CA BON does not allow them which is why Indiana State stopped excepting CA students....HTH

Jackie, I am trying to do the UOP program at the Modesto Campus hopefully for 2014. I responded to the invite for the Program Preview & waiting to hear back from someone. Are you trying to get into the program this year as well? It would be nice to have someone to study with...email me if you would like [email protected]

I am now really confused because I spoke with the director of the nursing dept for distance education today who specifically stated that are accepting applications from California students once you have completed the required general education prereq classes! There are 3 phases to the program: Phase 1 is completing your prereq's; Micro, Chem, English, A&P, College Algebra, Intro to Computers Phase 2 is applying to the university as a degree seeking student, testing out of the four lower division nursing courses, taking the TEAS V exam. Phase 3 is acceptance into the nursing program & starting the nursing portion of the program along with completing any add'l lower division general ed classes you might need. The entire program is 3-5 years in length depending on how many classes you need to take to apply to the school. The first phase of the program can take up to 2 years to complete. So, with that being said, I do not see how you could be told that they are not taking any CA students when I am currently taking my phase one classes now for a Fall 2015 entry.

Don1984, As I stated in an earlier post, ISU began accepting new students from CA into their program beginning July 2013! I know this because I started the program (Phase 1) here in CA in August! They are using the VA hospital & the CA Dept of Corrections for clinical along with working on more clinical sites in Northern & Southern CA

Leny061, Cal State East Bay has a Concord campus that has an LVN to BSN program...they are the only school that I know of that is left that offer that program since Holy Names stopped offering their program. Another suggestion is to do the Online LVN to BSN program with Indiana State University...this is the option I am going with since I am working and need a flexible schedule...I am taking the prereq classes (Micro, Chem, English, Algebra, ect) through CLEP, Excelsior Credit by Exam & DSST...feel free to email me if you want more info: [email protected]

ISU has reopened their program to California residents as of July 2013

They have been talking about an LVN to RN program since I was a student there from 2011-2012...the last I heard they had not set a date of when they were starting the program & told to keep checking back.

I am a 2012 LVN grad from the Concord campus...your textbooks, uniforms, HESI review are included in your tuition. Since I went to the Concord campus, I do not know about the instructors, but I can say that going to Gurnick prepared me to enter the workforce as an LVN. I am very thankful for my education I received there & highly recommend the school. As far as exams go, as long as you study for them you will be fine...if you do the work, you will pass the exams. Your financial aid will not cover the full cost of the program & will have to make monthly payments to the school. I worked full time during the day & attended school at night...survived on 4-5 hours of sleep each night, but well worth it when I graduated with a 3.85 GPA. You will laugh, cry, melt down want to just throw in the towel, but the friendships I created in school will last a lifetime...I still am in contact with all my instructors who have continuely provided guidance, advice, references, etc... Feel free to email me with any additional questions you might have [email protected] Enjoy your journey, Christine

I am with the college network working on the rest of my prereq's for ISU's Online LVN to BSN program...I DID NOT purchase the study guides because they are all online anyway and can be printed out chapter by chapter or the entire course...the only thing I am paying for is the testing fees to test out the classes I am taking...I tried the JC route and just found that with my work schedule & family life trying to get to class was such an issue and then when I was there, trying to stay awake to listen to some boring lecture. Now, I am able to study when I WANT, I have no deadlines for some stupid homework assignment, a test I need to study for, ect. I am simply VERY happy with my decision to go this route... In additon, I read all the reviews about TCN and took it upon myself to research the company...as I stated I am very happy with my experience with TCN to the point that I have referred three people already to them who are also very happy...three more people to go and I get my entire TCN portion paid IN FULL by them... When I signed up with them, I told my rep that I was not able to afford the down payment ($400) at that time. Instead of telling me to call back when I was able, he simply asked me what I could afford and then we ended up just enrolling in the general ed courses that I need to finish with $50 down and a monthly payment of $100. When I am ready to take the four nursing courses that need to be passed before applying to ISU, we will then add that cost in and my monthly payment will increase to $150. I also declined on the NCLEX study package which saved me $525 and also TCN is making my first monthly payment for me...I also declined the study modules which cost $35 plus tax and shipping and just print what I need from home (everything is online) so that saved me $1000 (including tax and shipping for each module) I think the problem with some of the people that are bashing TCN is the rep that signed them...my rep was so honest and really had my best interest at heart. If you sign up with a person who cares more about the commission they are going to get, of course they are going to rob you blind...if you would like to inquire about the program, my rep would be more than happy to assist you and if you tell him I referred you, he will give you a discount on your program cost in addition to the discounts he can offer you without the referral. All, in all this is your journey and if TCN is an option for you, then YOU owe it to yourself to get the facts NOT rely on what is posted on a forum by some people who have had a bad experience. In addition, I have a dozen or so friends that just completed the program from the TCN stage to the ISU stage and passed the NCLEX with flying colors, gainfully employed along with very happy with thier experience. That is what I listened to before signing up with them... Best of luck to you.

First off, I KNOW that TCN is not a school...duh! Secondly, the only part of the program I am doing through TCN is the Phase One & Phase two (which ISU REQUIRES you to go through if you have ANY of the general ed classes to finish and to test out of the four nursing courses) Third, this is MY journey! NOT YOURS!!! In my LVN program we only had clinicals TWO days a week and I took it upon myself to take advantage of every single opportunity to learn something new every time...I was not in school to just graduate, I wanted to learn and because of that, I am far more advanced than the rest of my classmates were. California is one of the stricts states to get a nursing license (LVN or RN) and requires that you complete so many hours of clinical rotations...I have a dozen or so friends that just graduated from ISU's program last year and passed the NCLEX with flying colors along with being gainfully employed! I did my research with the BON in CA BEFORE I signed on the dotted line and would NEVER sign up for something that I would not be able to license for after completing the program... Finally, I have had not one single thing bad to say about TCN...I read all the reviews and decided that it was MY decision to go this route or not...no one from TCN forced me to sign those papers...the last time I checked, I am the one paying the bill NOT YOU so this is MY education and not yours! I am VERY happy with my decision and stand behind it 100%! In the end, I am going to have my BSN at the end of this journey...where are you going to be? Still an LVN working in a LTC?

I am doing the online ISU LVN to BSN program with The College Network.

ISU is nationally and regionally accredited. If you go on ISU's site you can see the accredidation there. Look under the "Distance Education" link or "DegreeLink" ISU was paired with Sonoma State for a number of years because of the fact that ISU need to pair with a CA institution for the clinical rotation part of the program. When Sonoma State pulled out of the deal with ISU, the students enrolled in the program here in CA were unable to continue with their program as well as ISU was not accepting any new CA students. The BON in CA stated that in order to continue the program here they would have to either pair with another CA university OR obtain their own contracts for clinical sites. In July 2013, ISU had secured clinical sites for certain zip codes (you have to live at least 50 miles from the farthest site) in CA with the VA Hospitals & Clinics, along with the CA Dept. of Corrections. If you look at the requirements for a RN license in CA on the BON website it states that you MUST complete your clinical rotations in a hospital or clinic in CA with a licensed RN (preceptor). ISU has met this requirement. I called the BON to check on this and that is what I was told after being on hold for 45 minutes... I did the research and would never mislead a future RN to a school that is going to end up in a dead end...all you have to do is look on the website and see the requirements for licensure in CA...easy as pie...then go to ISU's website and look up their accredidation...when you want something bad enough, you move hell or high water to find the info... HTH!