sconoli

It has finally happened, I am officially a nursing student at Fairmont State! I'm doing the LPN to RN fast track w/ fairmont state. The courses are online twice weelky for now, with clinicals on site. My classes are all going to be online, but have to do the clinicals on site. It's finally happened and I am so excited, I went wednesday morning and ordered my uniforms! I am so excited b/c the program is only a year, we will graduate in May 2010! I have always wanted to get into fairmont and my dream has come true! Fairmont turns out good nurses and we get a Kaplan review before we graduate! This is soooo exciting and I get to stay at my job, which I love! Woohooo!!!!

If my employer will let me keep my current job and salary as an RN, yeah: I LOVE my job. I mean, my bosses are the BEST to work for. They are so laid back, so nice and will do anything for us. I just want to finish my degree just for myself, for the accomplishment of it. I don't want to be rich or have a power job like DON or anything. I want time for my family. My hubby has a good job, he makes almost twice what I make so My paycheck isn't the primary breadwinner. I love where I work, I like my pay rate, I just want to be done with school. To finish what I started basically, if you know what I mean. Thanks to everyone who posts your opinons, this WV site is so stagnant and not very many posters or variety of topics started.

Thanks for the advice, the only problem is I already have so much done, Eng. I & II, Psych, Sociology, A&P, Nutrition, and Pharm I. The only actual courses I NEED are acutal nursing courses and bio 2205, which is taken while IN the program! That's the thing, I love my job, but am so close to getting my RN, I feel it would be stupid not to....

I have posted a few times before about going on to the RN program @ fairmont, currently I'm awaiting a yay/nay decision from them. In the meantime, I have found a dream job, I looooove where I work now. I still work 12's but only 8-8, no OT, nothing. I work 10-6 on weekends and I make more than I did at the local veterans nursing home! It's an urgent care and my bosses are so cool about everything. We are closed on thanksgiving day, christmas eve, christmas day, Easter sunday and 4h of july! I get all those holidays w/ my family! So my question, is it worth continuing my degree if I love my job and love the hours or do I continue my degree and make more $$$ but will probably end up having to start out on night shift at a local hospital and working holidays?? I know if I become an RN, an urgent care doesn't need an RN so I'm not sure my bosses will let me stay, I'd love to. They know i'm going to school and support that so it's ok right now. Anyway, give me your opinions please! Thanks everyone!

I don't know about other states but WV requires school nurses to have a BSN and school nurse certification. Our schools hire LPN aide's to work as like a "teacher's aide" but I'm sure every state would require something different.

Please don't think your shot at nursing is over, no pun intended When I went to their program, there were several "older" ladies in the program, some in their 50's and one of them actually was the TENTH alternate. She became one of my closes friends and did well in the program. She had to study a little harder but did very well and overcame the obstacles she faced. If it's meant for you to be in the program, you'll be there. If you're not meant for it this year, there may be a better way for you. Don't give up just yet, you may get that call from the school, there are several that leave the first week. Things have a way of working out the way they are meant to.

This issue really burns me, I can't stand when anyone does anything they shouldn't while their pregnant and of all things to think that smoking would be beneficial to a person, let alone a fetus is ridiculous! I know several women who smoked while they were pregnant and their babies all weighled less than 4 pounds! To me it should be something punishable by law! And one of the women is an RN, tell me she doesn't know better!:angryfire

You're 19, from my personal experience, your husband is not ready for the responsibility of being a MAN. I went through this with my ex, we didn't have kids together, thank god, but I learned a huge lesson. Your education and your child is your number one priority. It has to be. You need to provide for your child for at least the next 18 years, probably even the next 21. You have to give that child love and a home environment that is best for your child. An environment where fighting is a constant is not what's best. Move on with your education and away from the man. He's obviously not ready for the family responsibility. My husband has helped with our baby from day one, nightly feedings every 3 hours, diaper changes, bathes, dr. appts, everything. She's two now and he still does everything to help. You need a degree that no one can take away from you and you need it for your child and yourself. I put off getting a degree for 5 years when I was with my ex, i regret that every day now. By now I could have a bachelors degree in nursing, now I'm trying to get my RN. I know you say you love him but he obviously isn't treating you and the child the way he should be. That's not love on his part. Taking you out to eat and buying you things, well, that's not love either. Real love is being a father and husband. That is REAL LOVE.

I went to their LPN program. It was demanding, stressful but in the end, it was worth it. At the interview there will be about 4 people, I think, if not 5 in the room with you. The director of the school itself, the director of financial aid, the director of the LPN program and another teacher in there. They will all ask you questions such as why LPN school, why nursing, do you plan to work, do you have familly support since this is a very demanding program, etc. Don't say I want to be a nurse b/c I want to help people and yada yada. Everyone says they want to be a nurse to help people. Don't plan on working, do plan on studying endlessly and being reallly stressed. Do plan on being singled out by a teacher b/c you're an older student and be very prepared for clinicals. Do plan on this being very cliquey. It will be much like high school, favoritism, gossipping, etc.. Don't miss, do your homework. I'm not trying to make it sound terrible, i'm trying to be honest. I was very disappointed in the immature behavior of some of the people in this program that was tolerated the whole year just b/c they were a "favorite" If you really want to succeed, go to school and clinical every day and do your work, know your stuff top to bottom, be prepared to be questioned in clinicals and DO NOT get caught up in the immature behaviors of classmates. It will happen. Older students are singled out in this program and be prepared for it. don't take it personal, it happens every year. Good luck, if you need anything once you get in let me know.

Thanks for the advice edchunt, yes, it is the nursing home and it is a state job. It's FT and i really couldn't turn it down. I'm just trying to figure out what to do about my RN. I really want to progress and better things for my family so i feel bad about not getting it right away. but bills need paid and things happen so i'm hoping it all works out.

I am wondering if the WV RN board honor RN degrees from excelsior?? I am contemplating what to do b/c i was attending fairmont state to apply to their RN program but I was offered a position at the VA nursing home in clarksburg and am taking it. I still want to get my RN but really can't quit working to do it. I'm upset about putting off my education, I'm actually wondering if i'll ever get my RN, i'm beginning to think not. I'm beginning to think I should just give up on my dream of getting my RN. I need advice on whether to use a traditional college like fairmont and take a class at a time or do it online through excelsior?? Is anyone here a WV RN that got their degree from excelsior?? ANy advice is greatly appreciated.

I'm an LPN currently attending fairmont state. I'm taking the prereqs for the RN program and plan on applying in december. Well I just got called for an interview at the VA nursing in in clarksburg WV. This came out of the blue, I wasn't expecting this at all! So now I'm going to the interview and I don't know what to do if they offer me a position. The interview is for a FT permanet position, so I'd hate to turn down an opportunity to get on at the VA, but I really want to get my RN so bad. I'm not going to be satisfied with stopping my career at an LPN level, I want those initials RN behind my name. I really am at a loss, if i turn down a position but don't get into the RN program, I'll kick myself for turning it down, but If I accept a position and get into the program, I'll have to leave the position, I'm not turning down an invite into fairmont's RN program, no way! So any advice on this situation???? I really don't know if there is a solution, I think I'm just going to have to see what life hands me. But Im praying for the right path.

I am doing my prereqs for the FSU RN program, but am wondering , IF, I wanted to continue and become a FNP, where in WV offers that? I'm only tossing around the idea, nothing concrete yet, but have looked at colleges close by and can't seem to find any that have nurse practitioner programs in WV. Also, do nurse practitioners really make that much more than RN's in WV? Considering the liability, is it really that much better than being a staff nurse? Anyone's thoughts are welcome, I just want other nurses opinion on this one.

I'm a new grad, graduated in december and I started in LTC and they paid me $14.50/Hr. but since went on to hospital nursing and took a pay cut. I now make only $13/hr and that's with a PM shift differential. So I don't know what you'd expect. I think it also differs with the area you work in. I work in clarksburg and around here, starting wage for hospital LPN is $12/hr. LTC pays more but is so much more demanding and I'll never work that again. It's not worth the headaches and risk losing your license everyday for what goes on in LTC.

I'm an LPN starting pre-reqs in august for the LPN articulation program at fairmont state university. Can anyone here tell me how to increase my chances of getting in? I'm 26, married and have a two year old, I work part time and I'm really wondering if it's worth it to take these classes and go into more financial aid debt when it's so hard to get into the program. Can anyone that's been through it successfully give me some advice? I really have to get through this and get my RN, my family needs this and personally for myself, I really need to accomplish this. It's too far to drive to AB or D&E, I live so close to fairmont it's really my only option.Thoughts and advice are really needed, thank you.