LPN after 3 semesters..what state do you live in...SM

Check with the Ca state board of nursing. Doesn't look good, though. nm [2008-06-27]
dd

LPN after 3 semesters..what state do you live in?...SM [2008-01-05]
I did finish my 3 semesters in the early 80s but stayed in the health field since then (obviously, I I checked out Connecticut, which is my nearest to NY, but they specifically stated 1,500 clinic hours to sit for the LPN from an A.S. program...which just cuts my 3 semesters by about 200 hours, since the first semester was only 4 credits/4 hours. Thanks for the info.

...d'oh!! ...hands-on and live. Quite a few stories out there on the nursing boards [2007-08-06]
s

Where I live, there are plenty of LPN jobs in nursing homes. nm [2006-12-06]
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If you are thinking about LPN . . . [2008-05-27]
Maybe you should think about an associates degree in RN? It is only 1 semester more of schooling than LPN (LPN course 18 months RN course 24 months), and you have a lot more opportunity for RN (as well as a lot more job openings). As an RN you can work hospital, clinic, and nursing home. As an LPN, you are lucky to get anything outside of clinic, thus less work opportunity. I have done a lot of research on these courses, so let me know if you have any questions. Also . . . it may be different per state, but as of right now, the only difference between an associates versus bachelors in nursing is $1/hr pay. Good luck. It is never too late to change your profession.

One more [2008-05-11]
There is a nursing program from Indiana State University that is a distance LPN-BSN that is recognized in many states. It has supervised clinicals that you set up in your own community, I believe. You can take your NCLEX-RN after you graduate, of course. As far as specific states that have their own nursing programs that are distance programs, I don't know for sure about that.

Rn not MT [2008-03-11]
I would go with RN. That said I was pursing RN at 40 but decided to go into business related field. The reason is you do have to have a lot of strong famliy support. Pursuing RN as a more mature adult can be done but it is VERY difficult for a single parent like myself who not only has to work full-time to pay the mortage, but also there is no other adult to help pull the weight. Ultimately that is why I decided against RN even though Iknow the job opportunities and pay are better. You have to look at your own lifestyle situation. Saying go for RN across the board without considerations to other aspects of your life -- how will you live while you pursue full-time school? Do you have a spouse to help pay bills and watch children? Is nursing your passion or do you prefer more solitary work? Looking at just the job security and pay RN beats MT However, I went into MT because it gave me the ability to work from home. As a young single Mother this was vitally important. I had paid sitters for daycare when I worked outside the home and I didn So for me the lower pay etc was a tradeoff for perks of working athome. Now my kids are getting older I would like to get out of MT. Working on production pay can be great or it can be difficult. There is no security of making the same paycheck, which I am looking for as I get older. So truly assess your own particular lifestyle, personality and what would suit you best. I have seen some really negative changes in MT. I loved it 10 years ago when I started out. The money wasn't bad and you readily could find in-house or at-home work with great benefits. It's much more difficult these days.

LPN after 3 semesters..what state do you live in?...SM [2008-01-05]
I did finish my 3 semesters in the early 80s but stayed in the health field since then (obviously, I I checked out Connecticut, which is my nearest to NY, but they specifically stated 1,500 clinic hours to sit for the LPN from an A.S. program...which just cuts my 3 semesters by about 200 hours, since the first semester was only 4 credits/4 hours. Thanks for the info.

Nursing homes have office jobs [2008-01-04]
That will keep you hands off but will allow you to have contact with the elderly. You wouldn't have as much as the nurses and CNAs especially. Some nursing homes also use environmental aides who make the resident's beds, pass the ice and water, and are basically the rovers but not hands-on caregivers. THere are also laundry people and dietary personnel. No matter what department you work in, you learn every resident and what they are like. I certainly wouldn't laugh at someone wanting to work in nursing homes who don't want to get their hands dirty. I respect anyone who goes into that area of healthcare. I worked in nursing homes myself and had a good time with it. (That could also be because I met a coworker nurse who later became my husband.) This is what you do--first you go to the Medicare.gov website and see the results of state surveys of local nursing homes. If there are too many deficiencies, stay away. Then you go to some nursing homes and immediately smell the home. If it is heavily perfumed or smells strongly of urine, walk out. Then you look briefly for the annual state survey. By law, it has to be prominently displayed. If you can't see it and no one will tell you where it is, you walk out. I've done that with every nursing home job I've had, and it works well for me. Then you go from there and get yourself a job. Good luck!

Correct--not all will, but [2007-12-07]
depending on the state, you can sit for the test in another state and apply for reciprocity in your own and be okay. Definitely ask your BON. My BON does not specifically address this on their website, so a call took care of that question for me.

not all states recognize Excelsior......sm [2007-12-06]
In the state where I live, three semesters of an approved program will allow you to sit the LPN boards. There may be, however, some time frame involved. The best place to look would be the websites of the state boards of nursing in the particular states you are interested in taking the boards.

CHANGE IN LICENSE REQUIREMENTS?? pls. advise [2007-11-21]
I attended AAS (RN) program quite some years back couldn always wanted to got back. But you were still able to sit for the LPN exam if you had completed 3 out of the 4 required AAS (2-year program) semesters. I always intended to do that, at least I figured I could always sit for the LPN boards. Now it seems, as of 6/1/07, in my state (NY) you could no longer do that...you had to graduate from an LPN program. DOES ANYONE KNOW IF THIS IS TRUE IN THE OTHER STATES? I could take the exam in another state. As it stands now, I Anyone know? Pls. advise. Thx.

Unclear Post [2007-11-21]
Better and simpler said: Would anyone know if a (RN program) nursing or former nursing student can still take the LPN exam after 3 semesters, like was always the case, or did they change it in all the states? I know in NY you can

If you're doing this for a better salary.......sm [2007-05-08]
please direct your efforts in another direction. Nursing is not a field to get into just for the money. You have to want to be a caretaker, or you will be miserable inside of 2 months of taking the boards. I transcribed my way through nursing school. I had wanted to be a nurse for my whole life but fell into transcription and it was a good job for many years. When transcription started going bed, I took the opportunity and ran with it. Many in my RN class (including me) took the LPN exam after 3 semesters, then worked as LPNs while we finished the RN courses. This may vary state to state, but where I live you can do this. You can get a Baylor shift job at a nursing home (work 24 hrs per weekend, two 12 hour shifts, and get paid for 36 hrs) and this really helps -- both with expenses and with clinical experience -- as you continue with your schooling.. Good luck -- just make sure you're doing it for the right reasons.

I wonder if you can test for the RN program sm [2007-04-15]
In my state, there are RN programs that I believe allow you to test to see what you If I were you, I would contact that local community college and ask questions. The other thing is you must do clinicals, but I wonder if you could do like part-time transcription and go to school at the same time? I would look into it if I were you. I think you Good luck to you!

MT to nursing [2006-12-05]
Thanks! Yes, she could, but stepfather is very bad; she only leaves for brief periods to go grocery shopping. I believe that instead of going back to the hospital, she will becoming a visiting nurse for the state, they have contacted her frequently.

I hope things are picking up for you [2006-09-27]
My best friend and I have returned to school for the RN-AD program, we have both been MTs for 10 years now. I have 2 prior AAS degrees that are 12+ years old from a school in another state, my friend however has prior credits from this same school we are now attending. They transferred all of her credits even though they were older than mine, but only transferred credits in place of my needing to take any electives. I think if you return to a school you went to previously you have a better chance of having your prior credits transfer in. Best of luck to you!!! :)

Did you have to take the CNA/SNA course as a [2006-09-21]
I am taking it now, but was wondering if this is going to be a new thing. In my area you cannot be a nurse intern unless you are on the state registry of CNAs (or SNAs depending on where you are I guess). The pay is less than I make doing transcription, but I am wondering if it would look better for me on my resume years down the road once I graduate to maybe make a switch and work as a CNA instead of a Transcriptionist while I finish school? Any input? Thanks in advance.

scholarships. [2006-09-01]
Not all scholarships are based on income I had four of them when I went to college before. Most of them we either based on an essay or my grades. I have seen a few for older women returning to college. I know it would have my hands full but since I have already completed all of the general education requirements there is the possibility I would only be attending parttime. I also worked three jobs while I went for premed so I am pretty sure I know what is coming. Thank you for the advice. I will definitely check with the local hospitals. I live 2 hours from Pittsburgh PA but I really don't want to have to drive that far to go to work. Hopefully I can find something much closer.

becoming a pa [2006-08-29]
Not really sure i want to do that and the schools for that are really far from where I live in PA. I would rather do the nursing thing. We are just thinking of jobs that I could do that would provide a second income and that i could work parttime at and still have my family time etc.

so true. except for the men in nursing who [2006-08-26]
statistically make more than women already. Pi**es me off. One was quoted as saying something to the effect that nursing salaries will go up when women get serious about the job and stop taking time off to raise babies. Anyway, my plan is to get my BSN, then work two years (or less) while saving up some money to live on while I go for my Nurse-Practitioner degree...Now that's something I think I could enjoy!

You need to check with your school, though, or the [2006-08-25]
I went back to school after THIRTY years, a state university, and every single class I took 30 years ago still counts. The only thing they wanted me to do is retake a math class that I took and got an A in before I went on to the next math class. They thought after 30 years of no algebra I may have trouble going right into the next math class with no preparation, and they are probably right. I don't think you would have to start all over at all. Do you have a nursing school in mind? Talk to them and ask them specifically.

the PA program here was 27 months. [2006-08-04]
this is on a full time schedule, with 1-2 weeks off between 8-12 week sessions. It's a master's degree. The Nurse-Practitioner degree, on the other hand, is 5 semesters, with some on line courses, and can be attended full time or part time. It's made for people who work. One thing of note, the NP program has a government grant, if you go at least 9 semester hours and 6 semester hours in the summer, they will pay your tuition for you-- we need more nurses, ya know.

The only thing . . . [2006-07-10]
I am worried about in making this change is my age. I am currently 43 and I have three to four years to go depending on the waiting list. I never thought I would be looking for a new career at this age, but with the way transcription is going I don't trust it to be around as long as I need it. Also, since my husband died last August, working at home alone is not a good thing. The last few days I have been seriously thinking about bagging school and getting another medical secretary job in house, but I just don't know. I think part of my problem is that I am currently taking Anatomy and Physiology II in a five week summer session back to back with AP I in the first five week session. That basically equals one year's worth of work in 10 weeks! My brain is fried. Do you think that the physical aspects ofnursing will be too much for me to start at48 or49? I haveto decide before I use up my life savings to pay for school. I could live on 30-35,000 a year with benefits if I really wanted to.