LPNMeg06

Hi Everyone! I am an LPN, I have been one for two years now. For the past two years I have been working in a clinic with peds patients. It was great in the beginning, but I am looking for something new and something I can really put my heart into. For the past couple of years I have been quite confused about nursing, what specialty to enter into, etc. Well, finally, I have decided to continue on for my BSN through ISU and to look for a different job. I have been interested in hospice from the beginning of my nursing classes, however I was nervous that it would be emotionally too much to handle. Being very sensitive and compassionate are great assets, but I knew that there were pitfalls with this when dealing with death. However...I have been reading alot of information on hospice and death and the dying process, and I feel that my love for one on one care and psychology would make me a great hospice nurse, and I know this is what I want to do. The only problem here is that I have zero hospice experience. Will I still be able to get a job? (I live in IL by the way) Also, any tips for new hospice nurses? Thanks so much to all of you for any advice you can give me! :heartbeat Megan

mrsdiddy, thanks so much for your reply! I actually do have a question for you if you dont mind answering. After finishing all your tests was it easy to transition into the nursing program? What did you have to do to get in after all the tests were done? Also, did you have to take the Ethics test? What did you think? I will be testing out of that next Friday. Thanks!! Megan

Hi Natalio, I am interested in Excelsior, but is it accepted in Illinois? Thanks for any information! Oh, and if you have any questions about ISU let me know! Megan

Hi Everyone! I am an LPN who signed up for TCN a year ago. Due to many obligations I have been unable to start my modules until now. It is so encouraging to see all of you on here that are making such great headway with the program! I have a few questions if there is anyone out there willing to answer them. 1) I know I should probably contact TCN about this, but can anyone tell me what is going on with the upper level classes requirement of 18 hours changing to 12 hours? How is this affecting what classes you have to test out of? 2) Anyone in Illinois out there that has done their clinicals, or is doing their clinicals right now? Can you tell me how that is going? 3) Anyone tested out of Ethics yet? How did it go? I know I am asking for alot of info, thanks so much for your time! I am super excited to be joining all of you in the quest of obtaining that BSN! Megan

Hi Everyone! I am an LPN who signed up for TCN a year ago. Due to many obligations I have been unable to start my modules until now. It is so encouraging to see all of you on here that are making such great headway with the program! I have a few questions if there is anyone out there willing to answer them. 1) I know I should probably contact TCN about this, but can anyone tell me what is going on with the upper level classes requirement of 18 hours changing to 12 hours? How is this affecting what classes you have to test out of? 2) Anyone in Illinois out there that has done their clinicals, or is doing their clinicals right now? Can you tell me how that is going? 3) Anyone tested out of Ethics yet? How did it go? I know I am asking for alot of info, thanks so much for your time! :heartbeat I am super excited to be joining all of you in the quest of obtaining that BSN! Megan

Hello! I am an LPN who wants to pursue a career in alternative health. I have been looking in to holistic nursing, and I am very interested....I am just confused as to how I can get certified. I am willing to go on for my RN and or BSN. Any info would be great! Thanks! :heartbeat Megan

Hello everyone, I just passed my LPN boards a few weeks ago, and I am enjoying my new career. However, I have been looking into schools around my area where I can bridge into an RN program. I did my LPN privately, and I know of a few community colleges in the area that offer the LPN to RN bridge. I have been contacting these schools via email in order to get a few of my questions answered, and all of the replies I have gotten back are incredibly negative. It disgusts me that these nursing instructors are so rude and cold. With a nursing shortage, you would think that fellow nurses would be more understanding. So basically I was told that it is very difficult to get in the program as an advanced standing student, to go elsewhere, and one school even told me that is would be a diservice to their current students to let LPNs into their ADN program for the second year. I feel so dissapointed right now....I feel like there is no where for me to go to complete my RN. Has anyone else experienced this???

I just found out I passed my boards! :biggringi So I am very happy with the way things turned out at JRenee. All of my fellow classmates have been passing their boards as well (with 85 questions I must add!) and we are all very excited. As far as the money you pay for the program, yeah that sucks. But remember, this is a PRIVATE school...they get no government funding. And as far as pre-reqs go, alot of us already had our RN pre-reqs done before hand. So basically we all just have to bridge in to a community college, which is much easier than waiting to get in for the two years to begin with. And this way, we get experience as LPNs while we are waiting to complete the second year. I say it is a win-win situation for most of us. Its also great for people who dont plan on going any further than the LPN. And Juanita is very nice. The school is grass-roots. It was the first private LPN program to approved in the state of IL for a VERY long time. And the state definitly needed one! Send me a private message if any of you prospective students have a question. -Megan

I got my results today,and I PASSED! I dont know how, but I did. What a relief! :biggringi Good luck to everyone else who is still waiting!

I just took my NCLEX PN this morning and I feel awful. :uhoh21: I know this a common feeling after taking the test, and I know that no number can tell you if you passed or not. I just feel like I had to guess on every question. I had a ton of select all that apply questions and all of my pharmacology questions were very difficult. I just have a horrible feeling that I failed. Is it common to fail with 85 questions? Did any of you feel that you had to guess the whole way through? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

I am currently an LPN who is taking classes to bridge into my RN while working as an LPN. My personal opinion is (and this is in no offense to people who go straight for their ADN or BSN) that working as a CNA or an LPN is a great experience when entering the nursing profession. I think it teaches nurses what it is like to be at the bottom rung, and that basic nursing care applies to all of us as caregivers...not just CNAs and LPNs as some like to think. So, if you need a job with decent pay, go for it. I have found that going from a CNA to an LPN, and now to an RN was the best route for me. It is always good to know how it feels to walk in someone elses shoes. And it also puts an end to that whole LPN vs RN debate. We are all caregivers with a common goal. To help those in need. And your BSN is always an option to consider when youre done....I dont necessarily think of it as something that needs to be rushed into. Do whatever is best for you. :wink2: Good luck, and congratulations on your accomplishments!

Hello all! I just graduated from an LPN program in July. I am currently awaiting to take my boards in a couple of weeks. I have been working in a pediatric clinic for the past four months as a CNA and I am currently working with my license pending. This is what I thought I wanted to do until I recieve my RN, but I am not so sure anymore. So, to get to the point, I have been talking to a friend of mine whose mom works with a home health care agency and loves it. They are hiring LPNs currently, and she was wondering if I would be interested once I get my license. It all sounds very appealing....much higher pay and alot of variety. I like the idea of not getting stuck in one specialty so early on in the game. Im only 20, and I dont have much nursing experience to date....that is what kind of scares me. My fear is that if I happen to pursue a job in home health that I wont know what Im doing, or that I wont get a proper orientation to the point that I will feel comfortable floating from case to case. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Hello, my name is Megan and I just graduated from J'Renee in July. I am currently waiting to get a response to take my boards and I am sooo nervous! Haha. If you have any specific questions about the program you can ask me. Our class had a a very bumpy year considering that it was their first class for the LPN program....but I would assume that it has gotten better. I know that they just hired some more teachers and stuff.... Well hit me up if you need any information. Good luck!

I was so relieved to find all of your posts on this topic....I have been diagnosed as having ADD since I was 12 years old, and am currently in my second semester or nursing school. Lately I have been having trouble with focusing and putting things off and it has been getting worse. I am currently on Strattera (80 mg a day) and I do notice that it helps, but I still have my ups and downs. I am currently looking in to seeing someone who may be able to help me develop good habits and routines that could increase my productivity. I am very happy to see that there are nurses out there that have the same diagnosis and do well...it really gives me hope that I will be a great nurse. I know I have the capacity for great empathy and care, as well as a great work ethic, but I just need an extra boost. I was wondering if any of you could give me some tips on what helps you get through your days as a nurse or a nursing student. Any insight will be greatly appreciated. Thanks a bunch. -Megan

Hi everyone, I am new to the boards and starting LPN school in one week. :) Before deciding on a career in nursing, I was extremely interested in psychology. I was wondering if any of you could give me some different career ideas for a psych nurse, and what the job description tends to be. Thanks a bunch!!!