I'm on my way to beginning LPN school at my local vo-tech. I was excited about it and confident in myself because I grew up with a terminal illness that familiarized me with the medical field. I'm great at terminology, familar with procedures, know where organs are located, etc. because of growing up with several medical conditions.
Then I talked to a good friend whose mother and father is an LPN and she turned my whole world upside down!!!!! She warned me that it's TERRIBLY, dreadfully difficult and that I will be "weeded out." She said the soursework is heavy, intricate and difficult.
I realize the instructors will be unsupportive probably because they aren't "regular" teachers; they themselves are nurses. I also realize that no school is going to be easy!
I guess my weak points are algebra and chemistry..... which is ultimately why I didn't opt for a nursing major in college. It's just too much math and science - so I heard that LPN school is more hands-on and more "practical" procedures...I felt so happy to hear that!
I graduated from high school last year, and I have no interest in liberal arts education from colleges. I want a skill, a profession, and since I'm already semi-familiar with the medical field....I thought LPN was perfect for me. Now I am scared to death.
I agree. She made me feel terrible. She also told me that most of the math will be fractions - fractions are my weakest area of math. I'm just so insecure now.
Any advice from anyone is really appreciated....
Becareful who you talk to about your future!!
Some people dont want you to succeed. If anyone can do it, so can you. If you weak on fractions, start going over some math problems before you start. You seem determine to me. You can make it!
Just remember do not fall behind, seek help early, read before class, tape the lecture, rewrite you notes, ask questions and stay positive. Good luck to you. I hope you do well.
You're already applying critical thinking skills - "I almost felt as if she were jealous that I was considering such a profession.". Your "friend" isn't in nursing, but she "heard" bad things from her parents. Consider the sources, are they unhappy? Could be, and that would color their responses. If your gut instinct tells you to be a nurse, follow that instinct.
Don't sweat the math, I'm not comfortable with math or chemistry and have to take chem this fall along with medical math. What I've done is gotten a copy of "Chemistry for Dummies" and "Dosage Calculations" by Pickar. As I've gone through them, I've found that the math needed and chem are nowhere as scary as I thought they would be. It's really just fear of the unknown.
Specializes in Education, Acute, Med/Surg, Tele, etc.
Although Nursing school was tough, I expected anything with a professional degree, especially one dealing with lives, would be for the good of Nursing!
I made it, and actually was second in my class! What I did was to take the time to find out how I LEARN, and many times I had to take my books and teach myself what was going on the way I needed to learn it! I got some great books which helped me a great deal (far better then the ones the college had me get)...and I made learning fun! I didn't know I had it in me!!!! LOL!
As far as math...OUCH! I don't like or do math well. So, I knew this was going to be a trouble spot big time! So I brushed up on my math before testing for placement (especially fractions, which actually weren't so bad when I had a desire to learn it so badly!), and I actually had the opportunity to take a distance learning math...which meant, it was on the colleges TV channel on cable...I taped it (or I could rent the tapes from school, or even buy them) and it was GREAT!!!!!!!!!
Something about being able to rewind a teacher when you don't understand that was great!!! LOL. And I was able to study when I wanted or could! Sometimes 0100 or 0300 when I needed (I had an infant...so I was up at that time..LOL!). Best choice I ever made, and I actually ACED math!
Chemistry I just looked hard for a good teacher and took recomendations from other students. Found a great one that had a class full of folks that didn't do well in high school chem. He was awesome and made learning fun!
There are all sorts of ways to teach yourself how to learn and make it fun! Look at the available classes and see if any are distance learning (like internet and such...makes it easier and fits into any schedule).
I graduated from LPN school this past May. No, it wasn't easy, but it wasn't boot camp either. I have always had a mental block when it came to math. Nursing math is not difficult as long as you pay close attention to what you're doing. I could not learn the math with a teacher standing in front of the class teaching it to us. I bought drug calculations made incredibly easy and tought myself how to do it. Now, I have no problem with any of it. The hardest part about nursing school, LPN, ADN, whatever, is comitting yourself to plugging on day after day no matter how hard it gets. I found myself a good friend in class and she and I kept each other going. We tried to beat each other's test scores, we studied together, when one of us wanted to quit, the other wouldn't allow it. If I had trouble grasping a concept, she helped me understand and vise versa. The point is, you can do it if you want it bad enough. Ignore you "friend" get your head in the game and become and LPN.
by the way, the nursing student forums on here are also very helpful as well as the LPN/LVN forums. I'm looking forward to hearing that you HAVE decided to do it and and how well you make out. Good luck!
i say...don't listen to what anyone tells you. nursing school is a personal experience. i enjoy nursing school (well, i am ready for it to be over though). as far as LPN vs ADN vs BSN....don't worry about all that..just find YOUR place in nursing. where are YOU comfortable at. personally, i had to go the ADN route because i am the sole source of income in a family of four...so i have to get my degree quiker than i could going straight for a BSN; however, i plan on achieving that right after i graduate. i also plan on going to graduate school to become a NP. Yes, there is room for us all in nursing...just find YOUR SPOT!
If it was truly that terrible, no one could do it. :)
you will be fine, just dont start out by thinking that you are sunk, because then you will be. Square your shoulders, take a deep breath and say ' This is what I was meant to do".
Thank you all for the comments, I need all the help I can get....
I'm still going through with it. I have heard so many great things about it that all these bad things I'm hearing aren't making any sense to me. I'm completely confused.
The LPN that works at my doctor's offices are like friends to me... and I can see myself doing what they do. I was just really surprised when I heard that it was "soooo hard," because the LPNs at my doctor's offices made it sound very comprehensible.
Another question - I looked at the curriculum for LPN and I didn't see any chemisty or biology - it was mostly practical stuff like "skills for nursing." I'm supposing this would mean there is no chemistry or biology for the LPN school I chose?
I realize that if I was to give a patien 250mg of a medication and was handed pills that were 100mg each, I would give two pills plus a half pill. I am good at common sense stuff like that. I also give my dog insulin with a certain amount of CCs I'm good with that too. Does it go much deeper than that?
At my college, Chemistry is not a req. for the RN program, it is however, for the LPN- go figure.
Yes, it will be hard and challenging, certainly not a cake walk- you have peoples lives in your hands. But it can be done.
and yes, that is basically the math, only a bit more to it, amount ordered over amount on hand ( divided) x the vehicle. I was not good in math my whole life, but get 100% on the dosage math- it is required at my school to get 100 percent, you get 2 tries, then you are given the boot. but they are really good at giving you weekly math homework, so you can practice and see what you need help in.
You will need to see what pre req. classes you will need to take before you can apply to your area LPN program. Here the competition is HUGe to get into the LPN or RN program, all your pre req must be done before you even think of applying
Dont let anyone discourage you from your dream !!!!!!!!!
I start LPN school in 14 days I think that school is all what you make it Sometimes you don't appreciate things unless you have to work hard at it I don't think that your friend is very supportive but I hope that what the info she has given you doesn't discourage you from going to nursing school I am nervous as Hell but I know that this is what I want and I am going to do this Good luck
Hmm....maybe your program has pre reqs because it's at a college? the LPN school I chose is at a vocational school, and the only pre requisites is an entrance exam, a background checm and a drug test.
for the forumula you gave as an example...can you use a calculator for assistance?
NaomieRN
1,853 Posts
Becareful who you talk to about your future!!
Some people dont want you to succeed. If anyone can do it, so can you. If you weak on fractions, start going over some math problems before you start. You seem determine to me. You can make it!
Just remember do not fall behind, seek help early, read before class, tape the lecture, rewrite you notes, ask questions and stay positive. Good luck to you. I hope you do well.