Need advice on becoming RN

QUESTION..NEED ADVICE (DOUBLE BIND)..SM [2008-11-04]
Question:Anyone know of state (will go to ANY in US) ... that will let me sit for the LPN boards with Equivalent Education, ie, an Associate Some 20-somthing years ago, I dropped out of an AS program (RN)... intending to return. At least, I get at least my LPN take it from there. But, as of last June, my state I was counting on being able to do that, work as an LPT while getting my RN in the meantime, probably online or so. PROBLEM: All programs I Can Even external degree programs like Excelsior College require LPN or Military, etc. to enter. (My neighbor, Connecticut, allows sitting for the LPN boards after 3 AS semesters provided 1,500 hours of actual clinical experience are met. My 1-1/2 years, or 3 semesters, fall about 250-300 hours of that requirement, so I can I can neither can I take the last semester of the AS program. Is there a state where I would qualifty to take the LPN boards with the 3 college-level AS semesters I have, which NY no longer allows? I Any knowledgeable advice would be appreciated. Isweat shop hog for pennies. I'd even return to school for a few months to get any required courses I might need. I am desperately search for an answer... any ideas? Need to get OUTTA HERE now.

RN advice [2007-04-16]
That's what I thought as well. I don't see what the point is in going for LPN and then RN. I have never worked with patients, but I bartended a few years back for 5 years and dealt with drunks who expected everything from me serving them drinks, being their entertainment, to being their psychologist. Does that count? LOL. I appreciate your input. I plan on talking to quite a few people.

Need advice on becoming RN [2007-04-15]
I am currently an MT who made $300 last week typing my butt off. I am seriously thinking about going to school to become an RN. My cousin got a job right out of school making $18/hr. As much as I love this job, I am tired of typing for peanuts. This company I am working for hired me 2 years ago and started me at 7.5 cpl. They just told me they would raise me to .08 cpl in 6 weeks if my accounts are all maintained within TAT. Thanks for the $20 more in my paycheck. That Enough of my griping. I just need to get different opinions on this. I understand it can take a litte longer getting into the actual program after your prerequisites are done, but my sister is going through our local community college and said I should do my LPN first, work until I get into the RN program. I really do not want to go through 10 months of schooling for one license and then have to do more later on. I Do I have a better chance of getting into the RN program if I was to be an LPN? I would like to hear as many opinions and advice on this as possible. Thanks!

QUESTION..NEED ADVICE (DOUBLE BIND)..SM [2008-11-04]
Question:Anyone know of state (will go to ANY in US) ... that will let me sit for the LPN boards with Equivalent Education, ie, an Associate Some 20-somthing years ago, I dropped out of an AS program (RN)... intending to return. At least, I get at least my LPN take it from there. But, as of last June, my state I was counting on being able to do that, work as an LPT while getting my RN in the meantime, probably online or so. PROBLEM: All programs I Can Even external degree programs like Excelsior College require LPN or Military, etc. to enter. (My neighbor, Connecticut, allows sitting for the LPN boards after 3 AS semesters provided 1,500 hours of actual clinical experience are met. My 1-1/2 years, or 3 semesters, fall about 250-300 hours of that requirement, so I can I can neither can I take the last semester of the AS program. Is there a state where I would qualifty to take the LPN boards with the 3 college-level AS semesters I have, which NY no longer allows? I Any knowledgeable advice would be appreciated. Isweat shop hog for pennies. I'd even return to school for a few months to get any required courses I might need. I am desperately search for an answer... any ideas? Need to get OUTTA HERE now.

Another MT to Nursing question... [2008-10-20]
Hi, I have been an MT for 16 years and have always wanted to get into nursing and now that my children are a little older, I am looking at it more seriously. Here is what I The 2-year RN program is filled until 2010 and even now, already over half full for the 2010 track. There is also an LPN 1-year program that I can test for starting in November, that begins next August. I am 40 years old and don I am thinking of doing the LPN next August, be out in a year and then doing the LPN-RN bridge program, which is offered either as a 1-year or 2-year program that you can do while also working. My thought is that I can get a job at the hospital where I have been MTing for 16 years as LPN (they do hire them), work there while completing my RN degree. Does this sound like a plan that would work and what advice or suggestions can anyone offer? I have spoke with the Dean of Nursing in the RN program and she said that a lot of people do that as the bridge program is easier to get into. Also, the hospital that I work for offers scholarships and also educational loans, so the financial part of it is not a real issue. Thanks for any help!

Torn between 2 professions [2008-10-08]
Right out of high school I went into nursing school but never finished b/c of personal reasons. I then went into medical transcription and have been doing it for the past 5 years. I have always regretted not finishing up my nursing degree and am thinking about going back but am very torn. On the one hand as an MT I work from home which is nice because I have a 2-year-old and a 1-year-old. But, with the way things are going in the MT field, it is hard to find a good company, and if you do it seems everyone is running out of work. As a nurse, I am worried about not having as much flexibility with hours, as I would miss the time away from my 2 children but know that I could provide for them better finanically. I have been accepted into a nursing program and in 2 years would be an RN. Any suggestions, tips, just overall feedback. I could really use anyone's advice as I am really really torn!

nursing [2007-04-16]
I was working as a CNA 32-hour weeks and going for my RN prereqs Mon through Fri. I too wanted to get my RN as fast as possible for the salary aspect of it as opposed to bridging over from LPN. In retrospect, I wouldn What I observed watching the RNs really surprised me. I saw paperwork taking precedence over patient care and the nurses were becoming madder and madder about it. We CNAs were doing more and more of what nurses used to do while they unhappily sat with the paperwork.We barely made a little more than minimum wage while they got the big bucks. We knew the patients better than they did. The patient load per nurse and CNA was too high because of nursing understaffing. What kept us going was the fantastic feeling you get when you help someone who is suffering. The job has to be done from the heart primarily if you want the best benefit of it. When I saw how frustrated and disillusioned the nurses were because of all the red tape for the slightest thinginstead of patient care, and how they were run ragged because of understaffing,I began to look intotranscription as my main job with CNA on the side because I truly do love hands-on care.On someaccounts, I make more per hour doing transcription than an LPN with a lot less hassle. RN might pay more at first as opposed to transcription, but the burn-out rate is high these days and the constantshift changes can do a real number on you. There-- I think itturning to transcription and she quotes their replieswhen asked why. You might want to check that out.I agree with what they told her. You might also want to try doing CNA for a hospitalbefore you make a major leap.Donyou your information -- get in there and try it youself for a while and see if it is what you want. You may thrive on itor you may hate it. I found that on the jobwas SO different than what I was being told in school.Talk to the nurses themselves. They aremore than happy to share their thoughts with you and give you advice when they have the time. As for the respect factor of LPN to RN -- where I worked the nurses were very supportive of anyone who did this, as that is how many of them became RNs.While there were some power-plays at times, all in all it was like a family. If there was real trouble in that regard, I never saw any. As a matter of fact, I was advised by the nurses to do the LPN first and bridge over because I The only nurses I saw who were not liked and respected were the lazy ones who just wanted to take breaks and leave as much of their patient care as they could to the CNAs. Good luck to you whatever you decide! We sure need more dedicated nurses!

Need advice on becoming RN [2007-04-15]
I am currently an MT who made $300 last week typing my butt off. I am seriously thinking about going to school to become an RN. My cousin got a job right out of school making $18/hr. As much as I love this job, I am tired of typing for peanuts. This company I am working for hired me 2 years ago and started me at 7.5 cpl. They just told me they would raise me to .08 cpl in 6 weeks if my accounts are all maintained within TAT. Thanks for the $20 more in my paycheck. That Enough of my griping. I just need to get different opinions on this. I understand it can take a litte longer getting into the actual program after your prerequisites are done, but my sister is going through our local community college and said I should do my LPN first, work until I get into the RN program. I really do not want to go through 10 months of schooling for one license and then have to do more later on. I Do I have a better chance of getting into the RN program if I was to be an LPN? I would like to hear as many opinions and advice on this as possible. Thanks!

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.

Is anyone taking the NLN exam this fall? [2006-08-22]
I am paid and set to take it in October and have been studying on my off time for it. I can't believe there is no medical on there at all. Is anyone else taking it this fall? Or have taken it and have any helpful advice? Am I correct in understanding that when the school states you need to be in the top 50th percentile that they grade on a curve country-wide. Any info would be great, or even to know if anyone else is going through it with me. :) Thanks.