RN3339

That's AWESOME. So glad to hear it worked out for you. I agree dealing with mom/baby is definitely better on the other side of the labor/delivery process ;-)

I understand you were advised to discuss it, but I agree with Soprano that if the statement is supposed to be about why you want to attend that program I don't think I would bring attention to the WDs until it came up. Alternatively, if you feel the need to then I would perhaps include it minimally and just be direct and honest and state what you have learned or how you have changed in an effort to explain why this would not be an issue moving forward. Your school charges you with a withdrawal during the add/drop period? I realize all schools are different, but I've never seen that before personally. That's crazy to me. If you changed a class during the time it was allowed which is the same time people can still enroll late, etc that should not constitute a withdrawal. That's tough. In any event I would definitely focus more attention on why you want to attend and just make the withdrawal section short and sweet with an emphasis on how you've grown since. Regarding the WDs themselves I'm sure that they would look for accountability and personal growth. Hope it all works out for you!

I don't know how much this will help, but I have a friend that did this for one school year. It was all over the board. Sometimes she would know she was working certain days to cover days off, etc. Sometimes she was called the night before, sometimes morning of depending on when someone called out sick. It was really hard to predict. It is similar to a substitute teacher. She did have the option to decline, but that was frowned upon. It was too unpredictable for her so she only did it the one year. I would ask the person hiring you to outline more information about the requirements of the position and ask how many hours this position usually averages based on the previous two or three school years, etc. Again, not sure how helpful that was, but good luck to you :-)

My husband is hospitalized frequently and it is usually he that "outs" me or it just comes out because I know someone or they remember from a previous visit. I have not ever pushed it on anyone nor do I try to use to intimidate or get preferential treatment. If anything I try to make it easier on the nurse on shift by doing his showers or bed baths, changing the linens, etc. I think so long as it is handled in a way of showing respect to a fellow colleague there shouldn't be any issue.

I still remember my orientation for nursing school when the program director said that "many of you have been straight A students and as nursing students you will become B/C students because you will have to learn to think completely different then you ever had to before." It's very true. Memorizing and retaining information is only half the battle to a nursing exam because it is applying that information that you are tested on. Many exam questions are subjective because all of the choices may be correct, but it's about which is the first priority, etc. Do not think that you are inadequate, you are learning a new way of thinking. Like another poster stated, the fact that you are this concerned means the world. You are going to make mistakes and have "aha" moments two days later, lol, it happens. You're learning more each week and the further along you get the more confident you will become. The same will happen when you get your first job as a new grad and over time things will become second nature. Please do not equivocate your worth or adequacy with the fact you cannot maintain a 4.0 in nursing school. It is a different world from traditional classes. It definitely can be a shock to the system/ego, but with time you will learn to think more like a nurse and as you do the exams will get easier. Good luck to you!

It truly just comes down to what your HR Dept decides at that time. I've seen people leave 6 months in and not have to pay back a dime and others leave at a year and have to pay back their prorated amount. I believe when the time comes if the hospital has a need in the area you want to transfer to the will probably strike a deal with you. While they will have to invest in more training for you, at least you would be staying with the facility. With that being said, L&D is not always an easy transition as a new grad and it can take a year or two to truly feel comfortable with your skills/nursing judgment no matter where you work. I would see how you feel when you reach a year in and if you still feel like you need the change have a discussion with HR. I would be surprised if they didn't try to work something out with you, especially if you're willing to reimburse them if they require it. Good luck to you!

There are things such as the hand sanitizer that can cause false positives and many unreliabilities with this test that are coming to light. There is a SAMHSA bulletin regarding this and many studies in place regarding different issues that have risen. Contact your state's Bar Association for assistance in locating a lawyer if they indeed try to take further action on your license. Congratulations on turning your life around and I sincerely hope you are able to resolve this situation!

I'm not sure how this much will help answer your specific question, but here is what I can tell you. ..... Every school has different rules and there may be some ways to raise your overall gpa based on the rules of your school, but your cumulative gpa will not change based on the fact that your starting the nursing program. Your transcript will still factor in your entire academic career. Have u retaken the courses that you did poorly in that first semester? Many schools will only factor in the grade from the retake towards your gpa although the first attempt will still be listed on your transcript. Was it five years from when you took those first classes before you returned to school? If so, some colleges have a forgiveness that you can apply for. Again, it remains on your transcript, but is not included in the gpa. I would review the college catalog for your school and see what the academic policies are or meet with an academic advisor to see what options you may have. With that being said, the fact that you were accepted into the nursing program and that you are successfully completing all of your courses is wonderful and what you should focus on. I know its not optimal that your success is not reflected in your overall gpa at the moment, but your gpa does not define you. Now, perhaps you are asking this question because the nursing program requires you to maintain a specific overall gpa or something of that nature? I wouldn't expect they would admit you If you didn't already meet that qualification because that wouldn't make any sense. Their rule may only apply to certain courses such as math/science prerequisites or the rule may apply only to the courses within the program itself. Things vary so much from one program/school to another. If this is part of your concern I think your best bet is it meet with an academic advisor who is familiar with all of your school's policies and can either give you direction on what you need to do or put your mind at ease that the path you're on is fine. Sorry, I can't be of more specific help. Good luck in the nursing program!

1. I agree with the previous poster that if you had no feedback regarding this issue at any point in the semester until the last week that you should begin with your classroom instructor and work your way up the chain of command to ensure that there isn't an issue with improper protocol here. It is the responsibilIty of your clinical instructor not only to ensure you are training safely, but to provide you with regular feedback so that you can improve where necessary. 2. I did not personally fail a clinical, but three people in my class did at different points in the program. The rule at my school was you could fail one class or clinical one time and retake it, but a second fail whether in the retake or any other portion of the program meant dismissal. Two of the three students successfully repeated the failed clinical and graduated one semester later with the next graduating class. 3. It varies by school, but again at my school a successful repeat meant that although the fail stayed on your transcript, only the passing grade would then be part of your GPA. Yes, in general the last semester is the hardest for some, but remember at this point you have learned many things that you are building upon. Regardless of the improper way you were made aware, you now know what you need to focus on and you can reach out to faculty and your guidance department to help find ways to overcome. Your professors will respect you for coming to them for advice and showing that you're working towards improvement. I say do not give up! I know it feels like the end of the world right now, but truly it's a minor setback that will not preclude you from graduating, continuing your education towards a higher degree later, or from gaining employment. Good luck and I'm rooting for you :-)

You are very welcome! I wish you all the best and I'm sure you will make a great nurse!

Thanks Tasha92337! I look forward to hearing about your success!

There is an association with a website dedicated to nurses that work primarily with HIV patients, but they also dedicate their time to nurses with HIV. There is absolutely no reason why your status would preclude you from nursing school or the profession. As the other poster states, it may come up on the physical you would need after acceptance into the program, but again as long as your medically cleared that does not matter. You're also protected by the ADA from having to disclose any further, so it is a very limited need to know situation. Some state boards of nursing require you disclose to them, while most do not. This link to the nursing organization I spoke of includes a link to frequently asked questions of those with HIV desiring to enter the profession. It also includes contact information to get more assistance if you have further questions. With hospitals I believe again it would only be part of the questionnaire associated with employee health clearing you as fit for duty after a preliminary offer of employment and you are protected by the ADA from having to disclose to anyone else at your employer. Here's that link: HIV+ Nurse Specialty Committee - Association of Nurses in AIDS Care My brother has been HIV positive for just over ten years and is just fine. You're right that some people are not educated, or refuse to understand, that this is not the 80s and that this is a manageable disease like any other. If you are passionate about becoming a nurse I say go for it! Do not let the possibility of a few select small minded people finding out along the way and having a negative response deter you. Instead, think about how much you can do to help others in a profession that you have a calling for. Best of luck on your endeavors!

You're very welcome. I think it's great that you are so excited to get into the program and am happy to help you! I've been in the medical field for ten years and a RN for four years. I worked in home health for more than half of that time including a year as a Clinical Care Manager at a company that did primarily private duty nursing and some skilled nursing visits. Most of our PDN cases were staffed by LPNs and they were really great. I taught several nursing education classes during my time in that position as well as training of nurses when they first started their cases. It was my favorite part of the job. Another nice thing in private duty is one on one patient care, but depending on the area of the country the pay isn't always as good as other options. I've since moved on to the hospital, but I still work a PDN shift here and there to fill in on my very first case that I had worked over a year. It's nice to see how the kiddo and family are doing when I get the chance to cover a shift. They say there is at least one patient you will always remember and he is definitely mine :-)

For letters the rule is you use a comma after the salutation in personal correspondence and a colon in businesses or professional correspondence. Dear Uncle John, Dear Sir or Madam: Professor Smith: Dear Mr. Smith, (if a personal letter) Dear Mr. Smith: (if to your boss or a business contact, etc.) I think I have a better understanding of your triangular distance problems. You would use the pythagorean theorem which is a squared equals b squared plus c squared. The distance between the two points will be the hypotonuse (which is a in the formula and the longest side of the triangle). SO, if they show you the distance on one side to be 3 miles and the other side to be 4 miles then your calculation would be a squared = 3 squared + 4 squared. So now you have a square = 9 +16 Then a squared = 25 So, to get the distance and solve for a you take the square root of 25 a = 5 So, the distance between the two points is 5 miles. IF the provide coordinates such as longitude and latitude the same principal applies, but you would have to follow the following in order to get your answer: The Distance Formula: How to calculate the distance between two points. YouTube Lesson, interactive demonstration, with practice worksheet :-):-):-):-):-):-):-):-)

You are very welcome! Good luck!

Also, I realized I don't read your first response. ...for the area maps shaped like a triangle without knowing what x they wanted you to solve for I would assume you would need to apply the formula A= 1/2bh (area equals one half times base times height) and insert the x for whichever number in that formula you need to resolve. For graphs, is it just graphs in general that you don't understand how to interpret the information. Or is it more algebraic graphing and formulas you don't know/understand? There's such a wide array so I'm not really sure which direction to point you in for help. But, here is some basic information regarding algebraic graphs, x and y intercepts, etc. Lines - Cool math Algebra Help Lessons - Graphing Lines Using Intercepts User PROFROBBOB on you tube has many videos on algebra and on graphing. The following link helps with linear equations with x and y intercept he also has a good one on slopes. :-):-):-)

Glad you are having some success with your practice tests. I know the time issue adds extra pressure, but try to focus on the problems instead of the time. ... easier said then done lol. Here are a few things that may help refresh your memory on some of the rules that we tend to forget over the years. ... Area Area of Circle, Triangle, Square, Rectangle, Parallelogram, Trapezium, Ellipse and Sector Associative Property (remember when comparing to use PEMDAS to calculate on each side of the problem) Definition of Associative Property with examples and non examples Proportions (I find it easiest to convert the problem into fractions if they are not already set up that way and placing a X for the number I'm looking for then cross multiplying.) Proportions Basic rules for commas and semicolons Using Commas, Semicolons, and Colons Within Sentences - Grammar & Punctuation | The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation Hope that helps some. And like I said before If there is a specific problem or type of problem in math you're stuck on include it I'm your post and I'll be happy to talk you thru it. Make sure you let us know how it goes. I'm sure you'll do fine!

I know the LPN school in our area uses the TABE test for the general education testing. Whatever your test is Google free practice tests for that test name and do as many practice questions as you can. Math problems you don't understand try looking up at coolmath and mathplanet (both are .com) as they have some tutorials that explain things in a straight forward manner. I haven't used them personally, but my high school niece has learned a lot from them. Since your lowest scores were reading comprehension and your having trouble with math word problems it would seem that you are not keying out the important information in what you are reading in these situations. I realize the tests are timed, but try to focus and look for key words that give the most meaning to the statement. Also, try not to let comprehension questions throw you off by reading too much in to what they are asking. When you are unsure eliminate the answers you know are incorrect and make an educated guess from the remaining choices. Same goes with your math problems. If your answer isn't matching any of the choices then try plugging the answers into the problem and seeing which ones work out. Keep in mind they usually list answers that will work out if you are making a common error so this definitely doesn't always work. However, it is better than a blind guess. Since you are short on time based on your list I would not even bother with functions. I would focus on the rest. Use the math sites to review graphs and some algebra. Don't forget your order of operations. Does please excuse my dear aunt Sally ring a bell? In a problem with multiple calculations it's always (PEMDAS) anything in parentheses is first, then exponents, than multiplication/division and last addition/subtraction. The problem may not contain all of these, but the order still applies skipping those parts that don't apply. For example if the problem was 44-40/10 there are no parentheses or exponents so your first step would be the division, 40/10 equals 4 so then you have 44-4 and your answer is 40. Many people make the mistake of just going left to right, but you have to use the order of operations (PEMDAS). I can't emphasize enough to find as many free practice tests as you can and just keep doing them. If you have any specific questions regarding math please let me know and I will do my best to explain it for you. Having been out of school ten years your math and language really were not that bad for your first shot. A few days of practice tests and studying should go a long way. The reading comprehension you ready need to focus on. If the test is on paper try to underline the words that you feel are most important in each statement. If there was an issue of just not understanding some of the context, try to review high school level vocabulary words and definitions. How this helps some. Please let me know if you have any specific questions that I can help you with.

I'm sorry to hear that, I wasn't really thinking about how much things vary from one area to another. Where I am in FL home health, private duty, and case management jobs are always hiring and hospitals are hard to get in to. In any event, companies I'm familiar with that offer PDN positions are Maxim, PSA, and Healthforce. PSA probably has the best website for information If you wanted to see more about it or if there any in your area/hiring, etc. Nursecore is an agency that has all types of positions across the board depending on their clients at the time. That being said, I even further understand your frustration at this point. I went nearly a year when I first graduated before getting any call backs because of the surplus of new grads here. Then I found out about the PDN and it was 1, 2, 3! The Job market it's garbage and the nursing shortage they claim still exists is long gone in the majority of the country. At the end of the day you have to make the best decision for you because you deserve to be happy. What ever path you choose, I wish you the best!

I fully understand where you and the other posters are coming from. The one thing I would like to add is the one thing that is great about nursing are the diverse options in how or where to use our skills. I've worked in private duty nursing as well as acute care. Unfortunately, private duty as a staff nurse did not pay well enough for me, but the experience was for more rewarding. Sometimes it takes trialing a few patients before you find the family you best fit in with, but when you do it can be great. I found one quickly and stayed with them for about 18 months. Our cases were pediatric with varying levels of acuity. One on one patient care. I worked 3-12s in the home and could provide all of my attention to the patient as well as educate the family and participate in treatment options with the physicians at appointments. Plenty of down time throughout the day for charting, etc. The stress level was non existent. The pay varies greatly by state and ir is hourly pay based on mostly Medicaid reimbursement rates so it's definitely a pay cut, but if you can afford that it's far worth it for the sanity and the opportunity to provide the type of care that drove us to become nurses. With the right companies there are also salaried positions more similar to hospital pay in which you work half in the field and half at home doing case management visits. You see 25-30 patients a week (5-6 per day) for an average of 45 minutes each and an hour or two compcompleting the rest of your documentation at home. Your time is devoted to educating the patients and ensuring they are referred for any services they may need. Senior Bridge is a Humana company that is one of the best examples. They pay well, reimburse mileage, reimburse a cell phone allotment and provide laptops or ipads for charting. I have a friend that works for them and loved it. Obviously, there are several other environments as well. My opinion is do not allow this situation to destroy what you once had a passion for. You are definitely not alone in how you feel. Take a look at other options in nursing and see if you can't find one that will be a better fit for you. No matter what you choose to do I wish you happiness and just remember you're not alone, there are many that have the same concerns and understand exactly where you are coming from!

Most of the students from my program tested between 2-6 weeks after graduation. The last poster explained it perfectly. Regarding applying for jobs most new grad positions these days require you to have already completed this process before they will consider you, but I would call the HR departments at the hospitals or companies you are interested in and ask what opportunities they have for new grads and what their requirements are. A few hospitals have special programs for new grads and they may hire you as a graduate nurse. However, in my area of FL there is a surplus of nursing schools and new grads so none of the facilities do this anymore. Also, employers take a risk in devoting time and money to training graduate nurses who then do not pass the NCLEX on their first attempt and since there is not a shortage in my area any more they consider it an unnecessary risk. Good luck to you and congratulations on your upcoming graduation!

I agree that persistence is key, but I would also keep in mind that human resources doesn't always go the speed we do. Have they even posted the position yet? If not I would wait until mid next week and then give a call to follow up again if you still haven't heard anything. Sometimes it can take a couple months to move from the point of anticipated position to actual listing and interviews, etc. It sounds like your instructor has a good rapport with her recruiter and she recommended you so that is in your favor. Try not to get discouraged in my experience hospital HR departments move very slowly, especially if it's not something they already have an urgent need for.

Your very welcome. When I was in a position to hire those are the things I would consider when deciding on someone without specific experience. Also, discuss any specific clinical skills that you are comfortable with that willl cross over. Many of the kiddos in PPEC will have g-tubes or j-tubes, etc. Draw from any education you received in school about developmental delays, etc. Sell yourself to them. Offer to come and shadow someone for the day so they can see you interact there and hopefully see that you would be a good fit. Hopefully, someone else will chime in with their perspective as well. I hope it all works out!

Do you have any personal experience with a special needs child such as a family member or friend? Or any personal experience with children at all, maybe with younger siblings at some point? If so, I would suggest you draw from your personal relationships to tell them what you could carry over professionally. If this does not apply, I would give professional examples that could be considered similar. Perhaps when you started in your current unit you didn't have experience with that particular specialty or population, but you learn quickly and adapted and completed your training sooner than anticipated or within three months you were training others. Find life experiences, both personal and professional, that showcase why they should take a chance on you. Good luck!

I realize this is an old thread, but asopko if you are still around and working for corporate I would really like to connect with you.