LizMorris

I'm terrified of CPNE! Ugh!

I would take a test by itself first just so you know what to expect and how motivated you'll actually be when it comes down to it. After that, you'll have a better idea what the work load is and how much you can handle.

Thank you! Good luck on FCCA. If you study the stuff they give you, you'll do fine!!

I used an NCLEX prep book - the Saunders version. I actually used it for all of the theory exams too. It's a little more straight to the point for me and easier to understand. I do recommend getting all of the books they tell you to though. I used all of them at least a little. You can always just rent them from Amazon to save money. They have helpful resources I recommend doing that are included. I'm afraid to say more than that - but definitely practice with everything they make available. You find out immediately at the end of the exams if you passed.

Just passed the 2nd FCCA! All I have left is CPNE (gulp!) I signed up for the Sherri Taylor review in Atlanta for January. Anyone have any other advice?

I twist my ankles all the time in Danskos! Lol. I like new balance tennis shoes. They have the best arch support. It depends if you can have tennis shoes though or if you need something more fluid resistant.

I did them together. It is very do-able. Plus if you fail one, you are not further behind than if you took them separately. I would study one for a few days, then the other for a few and switch back and forth. I also took one final test early in the week so I can take the other later and have them spaced out.

Read over the material and then try to teach it to someone/something. I had a plant "Planty" that I would teach all kinds of things. It helps to think through it out loud. I used flash cards for some things - medications, lab values etc. Finding a way to study that works for you is half the battle!

Great job! I'm doing FCCA now. LS 3 was one of my toughest exams. Next FCCA starts in Jan! Good luck!

Congrats!!!!

How would you be functioning as and LPN there? Do you have both licenses and they are hiring you based on the LPN? A lot of hospitals want someone with direct care experience so a lot of RNs end up working LTC or transitional care for 6 months to a year and then moving on.

I wanted to be either a Nurse, a Social Worker, or a Teacher. Nursing paid the best with the least amount of school (associates degree here) so I went with nursing. Lucky for me, it turns out I get to do all 3 of those jobs as a nurse.

It would really depend on the patients you had that day. Just kind of explaining what you were doing as you went along. Discussing privacy laws or cultural norms could be interesting too if the student is from a very different background.

You have to do what is right for you. If you want to work in a hospital - an RN or BSN is the most realistic game plan. That said, so much of health care is done outside of the hospital now - clinics, home health, rehab and transitional units etc. There are plenty of options for LPNs. There's always that push in this industry - well why aren't you an RN, oh.. an RN, you should really get your BSN.... BSN, well why don't you just get your masters?? You got a masters? Well why not go for your NP? Oh.. You're an NP, you should have just gone to Med School... Ack!! If you are happy being an LPN, be an LPN. Keeping up with the Jones's or worrying about other people's expectations will just make you miserable.

One thing to keep in mind is that healthcare as a whole is trying to cut back on hospital use. Only really acute patients are ideally hospitalized - this has a lot to do with nosocomial infections and high costs. Hospital stays are shorter and more is being done at home or in TCU's - transitional care units. I think the future of nursing as a whole will be more outpatient - and there will always be a place for LPN/LVNs in outpatient settings.