greatloxz

Hi all, I just wanted to share my experience. I have been applying with the VA for a year now at multiply locations in Pennsylvania. I received and "Eligible" NOR on June 1st for a CLC (but didn't really want it....just to get my foot in the door). I followed up on June 28 on the status. However, I was being considered for another position that I had applied for back in April and was not selected. The position was the one I wanted (lucky me) in the Hospital Outpatient Clinic. I interviewed on July 15 and a was called and given an tentative offer on July 22nd. I was sent a link for VETPRO on July 25 and completed it the next day. On July 26 references were called and emailed forms to complete. I received a call later in the afternoon to schedule my physical and fingerprinting (I missed the call). Things are moving quickly......much faster than I had expected from reading the helpful post. These threads were most helpful in completing VETPRO....(thanks!). So far, it been less than a month and I have completed 3/4 of the process. I only have to complete the physical and fingerprinting. I am excited to get started. I am a new nurse with 1 year experience. However, I worked agency for 6 months that helped me again a lot of skills and experiences while working as a staff nurse a my full-time job. I knew when I was in nursing school I wanted to work at the VA. My advice: Keep applying, and if selected the process may be lengthy and take a while (months), but hang in there. Anything worth having is worth the work and wait! List all of your nursing skills (it sets the salary). Don't burn bridges with employers and Supervisors, Managers and DONs because you will need them for references above just basic employment verification. Do NOT quit you current job until you have an official hire and start date. If the process is too long and you need a job, by all means get a job maybe at an agency, if you have a tentative office. You don't want to a full-time job just to quit and burn a bridge in the future. As we all know, people in nursing move around and up. Good luck to you all! BTW.....I received an email saying I was referred for the CLC position on 7/26/16.

I am a current student with a GPA 3.6 at LTI in CC Philadelphia, PA. Whatever you do, do NOT go to LTI LPN program. LTI is the worst school ever. I don't learn from the instructors, it's all self-taught. The instructors barely instruct and uses YOUTUBE way too much rather than show you the skills themselves. I can YouTube and watch videos myself. We NEVER get Simulation-Lab skills at all. The simulation lab is just for show when prospective students are touring the school. The equipment in the Simulation Lab is broken and the manikins fall apart. LTI's focus is learning the content to get you to pass the NCLEX which makes school look good and to meet the state's requirement for the NCLEX pass rate. You will have to do a lot of work on your own, and figure it out on your own. If you are successful doing it own your own you will pass the program and NCLEX, but will not have any nursing skills other than book knowledge or what you seen on YouTube. Oh, but you will know how to do CNA work, which is the basis of clinical rotations. They accept anyone into the program. If you pass the TEAS test with their low requirement score and can qualify for Financial Aid....you're in! It's a bunch of ratchet, high school mentality, young CNAs trying to be LPNs. LTI clinical sites are not good sites at all. The school does not have any academic support services at all....no tutoring. The instructors do NOT want to come in early or stay late to help you, nor do they want to use their lunch break to help you. You're on your own! I totally regret attending LTI and now stuck. LTI have a bad reputation with employers as being poor.....so finding a job is going to be hard. Most of the students haven't a clue as to professionalism. The school looses clinical sites because of students being unprofessional at the clinical site. The students are hard-headed and can't follow simple directions not to use their cellphone on the floor at clinical. The only good thing about LTI is that it's a clean school and they do give you enough material to learn, they just don't teach you it!

In a nutshell, everyone posting is going to give you what works for them. Be mindful that time is money, it's going to cost money to complete a program faster than normal. Testing out of classes requires studying whether self-study or through a testing prep service. If you can study on your own....go for it, BUT if you need help, motivation to study, a test prep program will work. The College Network have so many negative reviews because of it's study module with no support, study at your own pace, and thousands of dollars. So, let's do the math, to complete a test prep program + college fees, testing fees...etc. would cost around $10,000-$15,000 dollars. A traditional ADN program would cost around the same, however will take longer and enrollment is yearly and competitive. You may spend a year just doing pre-requites then have to apply for admissions into the RN program and then two years in the RN program for 3 years total. Achieve Test Prep you can complete your BSN in three years, for just a few thousand dollars more. You are not paying full tuition rate for the classes, but for the testing fees. You would be not only saving time, but THOUSANDS of dollars. I have a BSN from Temple University and completed the traditional 4 year way at a total cost of $68,000 back then....Where was Achieve Test Prep back then...LOL! (Oh, Temple University did NOT accept any of my LPN credits)

I did a lot of research on the salary for an LPN, and according to the BLS, the median salary for an LPN in PA is around $41,000. Is this salary with years of experience? Ok, now here's my problem......I make that amount now working in a mental health hospital as a Mental Health Tech. I am a little scared because the LPN program I've chosen is VERY expensive and I am seeing a lot of people posting about limited jobs, employment options and LOW wages for LPNs. I currently make $19.63/hr. with good benefits........will it be worth it, the cost of the program vs. my starting wage. I am NOT accepting anything under $18/hr. I know I have to continue my education because it appears that most LPN jobs are in nursing homes....I am not looking to work in that area of nursing. I will accept that, to gain experience, BUT I don't want to be limited to just that area...LTC/Nursing Homes and geriatrics. With all this in mind this is my plan: I start an LPN program here in Philadelphia in December 2013, needless to say I am both excited and scared. I always wanted to be a nurse and have attempted an RN program numerous times, and have become frustrated with all the prerequisites and the ever changing TEAS test score requirements. I took the TEAS test for the LPN and surprisingly, I scored an 82%. I know that's high enough for any RN program. Most of the RN programs started already and I would have to wait another year to get in. So, I came up with my own plan. I will move forward with the LPN program and after each phase of the program I will take to the CLEP test to get college credit for that course (i.e. anatomy and physiology, sociology, psychology and algebra.. etc.) I will be learning the basics of these courses as part of the LPN program; however, they are not transferable to any college or university, therefore I have to take the CLEP exam for college credit. This will be a much easier and less expensive way to complete my prerequisites for an RN program while at the same time completing an LPN program. Upon completion of the LPN program I will start an LPN to BSN bridge program through ACHIEVE TEST PREP program that does credit by examination for my general education courses and nursing and clinical courses. This process will allow me to continue to work in the field while earning an RN, BSN. I did a lot of research and have friends that are RN who obtained their BSN through ACHIEVE TEST PREP credit by examination and have become successful RN,BSN. The only down side to the LPN program is that the school I selected is VERY expensive.....their tuition is ridiculous. That's why I am going to let them teach me the materials and then CLEP to get the college credit for it. I currently make the around the starting salary for an LPN in PA working in the mental health field now. I always wanted to be a nurse and becoming an LPN will make my dream come true after many years of trying. I can achieve my BSN within 3 years.....thanks to the LPN program, CLEP and ACHIEVE TEST PREP credit by examination program. With this plan, I feel motivated and encouraged because I think as and LPN I will be limited to working in an area I don't want.....geriatrics. Plus, the school I selected have a high employment rate right out of school, guess where......NURSING HOMES!! I don't knock it nor am I above it, I just don't want to work everyday in a nursing home.

I start an LPN program here in Philadelphia in December 2013, needless to say I am both excited and scared. I always wanted to be a nurse and have attempted an RN program numerous times and have become frustrated with all the prerequisites and the ever changing TEAS test score requirements. I took the TEAS test for the LPN and surprisingly, I scored an 82% that's high enough for any RN program. Most of the RN programs started already and I would have to wait another year to get in. So, I came up with my on plan. I will move forward with the LPN program and after each phase of the program, I will take to the CLEP test to get college credit for those courses (i.e. anatomy and physiology, sociology, psychology and algebra). I will be learning the basics of these courses as part of the LPN program but they are not transferable to any college or university; therefore, I have to take the CLEP exam for college credit. This will be a much easier and less expensive way to complete my prerequisites for an RN-BSN program while at the same time completing an LPN program. Upon completion of the LPN program, I will start an LPN to BSN bridge program through ACHIEVE TEST PREP program that does credit by examination. I will be able to test out of general education courses and nursing and clinical courses that I already completed as part of my LPN program. This process will allow me to continue to work in the field while earning my BSN. I did a lot of research on it, and have friends that are RNs who obtained their BSN through ACHIEVE TEST PREP credit by examination and have become successful RN,BSN. The only down side to the LPN program is that the school I selected is VERY expensive.....their tuition is ridiculous. That's why I am going to let them teach me the materials and then CLEP to get the college credits for it. I currently make the starting salary for an LPN in PA, working in the mental health field now. I always wanted to be a nurse and becoming an LPN will make my dream come true after many years of trying. I can obtain my BSN within 3 years.....thanks to the LPN program, CLEP and ACHIEVE TEST PREP credit by examination program.