OK, I am seriously considering going back to school for my LPN. I worked as a medic in the service, and was an NREMT-B while I was there, so I am familiar with the field. In the Army I did a lot of additional functions, such as blood draws and administering shots as well.
However, it has been well over a decade since that, and I haven't been in school for at least that long....and High School was even longer than that.
I know I can ace the reading comprehention test, and probably the grammar test as well, but to be honest the math section scares me.
The first hurdle is the TABE test, which measures general knowledge and assigns a grade level to 3 separate sections....grammar, reading comprehention, and math. I need to get an 11/11/11 to be considered for the LPN program....meaning I have at least an 11th grade knowledge of them.
Then I have to take the NET as well, and I have to get a 55 on verbal and a 60 on the math. When I asked what those scores represented, the teacher giving the talk had no clue. I don't know if that is a percent, or a specific number of questions I have to get correct. I think it is a percent, although that doesn't make a lot of sense, as 55% of something is NEVER a passing grade.
Has anyone taken these, or have any knowledge of them? Can anyone recommend a study guide for them?
After looking at the practice exam for the math section of the TABE, I am a little worried. I am not good at algebra at all, and I take the TABE in 2 days. Also, I don't know how many I can get wrong and still pass at an 11th grade level.....
If I fail any section of this, or don't get a qualifying grade, I can't apply for this January.....and due to financial reasons I probably won't be able to wait a full year, so I will have to pass on it yet again. This could be one of the most important tests I have ever taken.
[ December 20, 2008, 09:28 PM: Message edited by: Kwea ]
Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :
The most important thing to do is not to panic. Do NOT focus on how this is an important test. Instead, focus on each problem one at a time when you approach them.
Take all the practice tests and work through the practice problems.
I'm confident you will pass. And, once you do - for the love of Pete get your RN! You'll make ever so much more money and have many more job opportunities. Fortunately, LPN to RN programs are everywhere, and you can work as an LPN while earning your RN.
Good luck!
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
Thanks Belle.....I am very good at tests, and I don't think I will have a problem with this one. I was just wondering about the math section.
I spoke to one of the people in the testing center, and he said the TABE is the test people have to pass just to be able to take the GED. I looked over some test questions, and I was surprised how much math I remembered, particularly since I was never a good math student. The advisor said there is so little algebra in it that I could miss every single algebra questions and still pass. He also said that the nursing councilor was wrong....if you don't pass the TABE, you can rested with remedial training...which you can do in one day if necessary....and retest just the section you didn't pass right away.
I doubt I will need to do that, but it makes me happy that that is an option.
As far as the NET....it IS a percent. From what I found on-line last night, and my conversation with the advisor, there are 80 verbal/English questions, and 80 math questions. The scores I need....55 verbal and 60 math...ARE a percent score. I could probably pass that one today if necessary, but I will continue to study just in case.
I take the TABE tomorrow at 1pm.
I want my RN, but this way I can work as an LPN while I finish up my schooling. The community college (CFCC) I am attending has what they call a "bridge" program, which is just what you are talking about. Depending on how much financial aid I get (loans or otherwise) I may complete that right away, or I may work while doing it.
First things first though....tests, then acceptance, then financial aid....then schooling. Posted by orlox (Member # 2392) on :
So how did it go?
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
I aced it!
I got 12.9 in every section, even the math somehow. That is the highest possible score for this test.
So I went to the councilor and said I didn't think it was fair that I had to wait an entire week to take the NET test (Nursing Entrance Test) as the only reason there was a delay was the admissions office messed up my paperwork. He didn't agree, until he looked at my test scores, and asked me how long it took me to take the TABE. When I told him it only took 25 min for all 4 of the sections he got pretty worked up. He called the proctor to make sure I wasn't pulling his leg (I wasn't).
So he looked at his watch and said " Well, I guess you could take it today since you finished the TABE so early."
I nailed that too, getting some of the best test scores they have seen this year.
I turned in my essay and application today, and there are still slots open in the program....but admissions still can't find my application, or my student ID. I had the registrar in knots today, and almost walked into a board meeting to call out the Dean of Admissions. They ended up calling the School of Nursing and explaining that I had completed my requirements, and they got the Nursing program to accept my application despite my missing student number (and missing application).
The aid in the office was very happy about my scores, and said that if scores were the final consideration (they aren't....you either pass the standard or you don't) I would be the first person admitted. I laughed and said " I have no idea how, as I am not good at math.", and she replied " This math score on the NET says you are good at math, and this is the highest composite score I have seen this year.".
I should know for sure within a day of two. They aren't allowed to tell you officially how many seats are open, but I have a person I know (sort of) who works there, and she told me the seats are first come first serve, and over half of them are already gone. The woman in the office said " You should get your accepta...I mean your results....in about 2-3 days." as I was leaving, so that is a good sign.
I spent the rest of the day looking at houses and condo's, and a few apartments. My wife works right b the college, and right now we live about 35-40 min away from it, so I want to move closer. I found a 3 BR 2 BR house for rent within half a mile of her work, right across the street from the college, but it is about $75 more than I was looking to spend. It is HUGE, and more house than I need, really, but I was looking at other houses that were $50-75 less a month and they were kinda gross. Two of them didn't even have central air, which in FL is a must. One of them has been vacant so long that there was mold on all the doors.
If I get accepted I have to have a background check (no problem), and I have to sign up for a new CPR class (no problem).
I am still worried about financial aid, but I SHOULD qualify for loans, and I am willing to carry it all as loans if I have to. My FAFSA said I don't qualify for a Pell grant, but I am looking into vocational retraining funds and Adult Ed funds as well. I have a meeting set up for Thursday with the financial aid office to go over my options.
[ September 05, 2008, 07:27 PM: Message edited by: Kwea ]
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
Woot! Way to go Kwea!
Posted by AvidReader (Member # 6007) on :
Hooray!
Posted by orlox (Member # 2392) on :
Congrats!
Posted by Tatiana (Member # 6776) on :
That's awesome! Congratulations! Posted by steven (Member # 8099) on :
Was the outcome ever really in doubt? It's not like I was all "ONOZ, Kwea versus a standardized test! Will he WIN?!"
Posted by Xann. (Member # 11482) on :
Posted by Shan (Member # 4550) on :
Well, right on! Way to go! Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
quote:Originally posted by steven: Was the outcome ever really in doubt? It's not like I was all "ONOZ, Kwea versus a standardized test! Will he WIN?!"
Thanks, but it has been a long time since I have had to take ANY type of test regarding math, so I really was a little worried about it.
The funny thing is that the NET test scored me HIGHER on math than reading comprehention. How that happened I don't know, as reading is one area where I KNOW I excel. I have been tested over and over for that, and always scored in the top 5-10%.
For example....I had a really good ACT score.....25 or 26. But I got that with a 48% in math (I think the standard scoring for that was an 18). The ACT is scored different than most tests though.....the percent is where you rank among the other people who took the ACT that year.
I got a 94% (32)in science, a 89% in reading/verbal (a 31, mostly because of spelling errors), and a 98% (a 34 I think, one percent away from perfect) in social sciences. Math was obviously the weak link, and my math score, even when I was still in school and the math classes were fresh in my mind, were a huge problem.
I wouldn't say I was scared of the TABE or the NET tests, but the last thing I wanted to do was take passing them for granted. I have done that in the past, and there were a few unpleasant surprises along the way because if that.
I always do well on tests because unlike a lot of people I don't allow myself to think about tests the way a lot of people do. I like taking tests, actually, because I see them as a way of proving what I already know or have learned. also don't allow myself to worry about passing of failing during the test itself. A lot of people think "My God, this test could determine my entire life from this point on, because if I fail I can't get into school". So during the test they are worried about that, and what the test MEANS.
Here is MY secret....it doesn't mean anything other than how you processed specific knowledge. Passing it doesn't make you a genius, and failing it doesn't make you stupid, it just means you didn't understand it well enough and you need to go back to it to learn it right.
As you answer a question, you aren't determining your life's path...you are answering a question. No more, no less.
Thanks for the encouraging words, guys. It means a lot to me, and it helped me take this test seriously. If I hadn't looked over the study guide and looked up some basic math stuff I realized I didn't really remember I would not have passed. In particular I was rusty (as in I didn't remember it at ALL) on the order of operations, fractions (which I got 100% on somehow) and all things algebra.
Now I just have to figure out how to pay for this (if I get into the program).
[ September 06, 2008, 10:13 AM: Message edited by: Kwea ]
Posted by Eaquae Legit (Member # 3063) on :
CONGRATS!
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
Kwea, sounds very cool. Congrats on the tests and good luck with sorting out the fine details. Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
How awesome! Congratulations.
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
Thanks...I hate waiting though.
Grrrr.
Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :
quote:Thanks, but it has been a long time since I have had to take ANY type of test regarding math, so I really was a little worried about it.
Kwea that is exactly how I felt when I had to start taking standardized tests for school. The first, the Alabama Prospective Teachers Program test of basic skills, was just that - basic skills. They allow you to use a calculator on the math, but I didn't know so didn't bring one, and I still aced the math!
The second was the Praxis II in English Language Arts content knowledge - that one was much tougher, and I freaked a little because I didn't recognize some of the literary passages we were supposed to identify. When I got my scores, I had aced every section except the literature - my raw score in linguistics and writing was perfect -everything I missed was in the literature section, but I didn't miss many of those. I was very relieved! Everyone teased me about worrying over it, but like you - I hadn't taken any in so long, I was truly apprehensive.
The thing is, I attribute my high score on the Praxis to my college coursework which prepared me. Except for not knowing the lit passages (and honestly, who can read everything?) I felt like I had a fighting chance in every single question because I recognized something in it from my college courses.
Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :
Congratulations!
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
I got a D- in algebra I in Jr. High, and that was because the teacher saw how hard I was trying. I really only have a 59%, which was failing, but I let him tutor me, and I just didn't get it.
I failed College Algebra....twice....at night school. In my school, College Algebra is below Algebra I, and is the minimum math class you can take to fulfill the core course requirement for a degree.
I had a really, really cool teacher for two philosophy courses, and in my Jr. year they allowed Symbolic Logic to fulfill the math requirement as well, and he was teaching it. I signed up...and panicked the first class, because he went on and on about how it was similar to Algebra.
I got a D. Barely.
But for some reason when I looked at the study guide, I remembered some things I wasn't sure I had ever learned in the first place. I know this is a basic skills test, not graduate school, but still....I seem to have gotten over, at least a little bit. my math block.
[ September 06, 2008, 04:35 PM: Message edited by: Kwea ]
Posted by Wendybird (Member # 84) on :
My brother did the LPN bridge to RN program where we live and now is quite happily working as an RN. Congrats to you!!
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
Allow me to be the first to wish you a joyous Mazel Tov!
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
Yeah, the bridge programs are great, and usually they offer classes at night so you can take them after work.
I had to write an essay for the entrance review board as well, and one of the things I mentioned was my desire to become an RN eventually. I made my essay very personal, and I think it was a really good essay....one of the best I have ever written. My wife used to work in an HR department for her college, and she agreed that is was good.
Tante...thanks! Posted by BlackBlade (Member # 8376) on :
Congratulations Kwea!
I had to retake math in college and while it just didn't all click with me in high school, in college I got A's because the teacher flooded me with homework from the get go so that even the most fundamental stuff had to click before I could move on. I know how hard math can be, so again gratz!
Posted by Derrell (Member # 6062) on :
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Kwea, congrats! You are on your way to becoming a male nurse!
I say this because a friend of mine's son heard that all the time, and so did she.
"How is your son?" "Great, he is going to nursing school." "Oh, he's going to be a male nurse!" "Um, yeah."
Seriously, congrats.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Elizabeth, my mom (a nurse) says the nurses who are male get that all the time where she works, too-- and we're in "enlightened" CA! LOL!
Kwea, congratulations. If I needed a male nurse ( ), or a vocational nurse, I can't think of someone I'd like better for the job, you're going to make a great one. You've got the right mix of caring, compassion, get-it-done attitude, and toughness.
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
Thanks, I think this has been a long time coming, and I don't have anyone to blame for that but myself.
I will let you guys know as soon as I find out.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Kwea, just for kicks, keep a tally of "male nurse" comments. Also, see if you can find some Red Sox scrubs.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote:Originally posted by Kwea: I am still worried about financial aid, but I SHOULD qualify for loans, and I am willing to carry it all as loans if I have to. My FAFSA said I don't qualify for a Pell grant, but I am looking into vocational retraining funds and Adult Ed funds as well. I have a meeting set up for Thursday with the financial aid office to go over my options.
You're a US citizen, and you're going to be a full-time undergrad. You will qualify for loans. And not qualifying for Pell is really a good thing (although I know it sure doesn't feel like it!) -- it means you're making decent money.
A meeting with a FA counselor is an excellent idea. Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
I hope I do, rivka. My credit isn't god, but it isn't bad either, it is around the 680 mark most of the time.
The problem is that I am not making anything....I don't currently have a job. Last year I made good money, but right now we are living off of unemployment and my wife's job, which pays about 40% of what I made last year. She wasn't working last year, so her finding this job 3 months ago is a godsend, but in reality we won't make what my FAFSA says we should this year.
I should hear about the program this week, early....probably before Weed. I am going to see a FA this Wed., either way.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
If your financial situation is that different now from what it was last year, bring a letter explaining that, in detail, to your FA meeting, and request that they consider using professional judgment in your case. Any other documentation you can provide (such as proof of unemployment and of your wife's current salary) is also a good idea.
I don't know how much you would need in loans. But for Stafford loans credit history is absolutely irrelevant. I don't know what year your school considers you to be, or whether you qualify for subsidized loans, but at the very least you should qualify for $9500 in unsubsidized Stafford loans -- even if they consider you a freshman. (Assuming your school's tuition + other budgeted items doesn't total less than that.)
Private student loansdo take credit rating into account, but it more affects what your interest rate will be than whether you can get a loan (unless your history is really bad, and it sounds like yours is not).
Good luck!
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
Do I apply for the loans, or does the school do it on my behalf? Do I have to go though the school?
I believe the program costs about $5000 total.....is there a limit to what I can borrow, as I will not be working much while in school?
Posted by scholarette (Member # 11540) on :
You fill out a FAFSA and then the school comes back with a financial aid package. Some schools ask for other paperwork (like mine wants a copy of my 1040). I have never done private so I don't know how that works. The FAFSA will sometimes also sometimes apply you to other programs or be needed for other scholarships. I was offered like 16,000 in loans for the year, with tuition costing about 5000. Half were subsidized, half unsubsidized. Then we have to go through a class on borrowing student loans and select a bank (from a list) and fill out some pretty simple paperwork. The money then goes directly to the school, who takes out tuition and then supposedly sends you the rest. We also got a poor people grant- but not Pell since we are not undergrads.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Undergrads also don't qualify for anything close to what grad students do in government loans. Especially independents, who can't get either type of PLUS (Parent PLUS or GradPLUS).
The process scholarette describes is pretty standard. And if annual tuition is about $5000, my guess is that your annual COA (the maximum you borrow, essentially -- cost of attendance) is probably in the neighborhood of $10,000. But the FA counselor can tell you that. Or it may be information you can find on the school's website.
Stafford loans must be through the school. Private student loans (which I do not recommend unless you need to borrow more than your Stafford maximum) vary as to whether they are school certified or not. They are always at higher interest rates than Stafford loans though, and you have fewer borrower protections.
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
Thanks....I was not sure how it worked, and I will probably need to borrow at least a little bit more than the tuition for living expenses. I have my unemployment, but that will only take me about half way though the class, as the new LPN class doesn't start until January.
I haven't heard anything, so I am stopping in to school tomorrow. I need to see the FA, and I need to see if they ever found my application to the college. They had misplaced it, and were suppose to call me on Friday and update me, but they never did.
Posted by scholarette (Member # 11540) on :
Here is the link for filling out your fafsa.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Always a good link, but Kwea already filled his out. Posted by scholarette (Member # 11540) on :
Doh! I forgot about that part of the conversation.
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
It's OK, I appreciate the thought anyways. Posted by Artemisia Tridentata (Member # 8746) on :
You need to be careful how you tell the UI people that you are returning to school. The test for elegibility for Unemployment is "ready, willing, and activly seeking suitable employment". If you are in school full time, you might not hit the willing and activly seeking part.
Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :
Congrats on the wonderful test scores and the nursing college entrance! That is wonderful.
Heck, - why stop at being a nurse? Look into the P.A. program!
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
I will be meeting any and all requirements for the UI, I have already looked at it.
I made good money last year, and I doubt in this economy that I would be able to match what I made with a new offer. I have had job offers already, but for far less money that what I made before, or not in a related field. I am allowed to say no to a $20,000 per year pay cut, at least until the UI runs out.
And the FL requirement for "seeking" is 2 employer contacts per week after the two week waiting period. I do that every week before Tuesday.
School doesn't start until Jan, so a good chunk of time will have already passed by the time school starts. Almost 4 months of my 7 months of benefits. I am still looking for employment....I had an interview that went very well with a local bank a few days ago....so I am not just following the letter of the requirement, but the spirit as well. If I can I will work a full time job right away, and then just go part time when school starts.
Providing I get in, of course. If I don't get into this LPN program I will be just looking for work, or for another school to attend.
One of the plans I have seen is a career path to PA, with a starting point though the LPN program. I also know though my mom a woman who has been a CRNA (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist), and she LOVES her job. No nights, very rare weekends, and the place she works provides mainly elective surgeries so she is paid VERY well.
I would like to work with kids, I think, I just don't know if I can handle it. It takes a special type of person not to take that stuff home with you at the end of the day, and I may become too involved for that.
Hopefully we will see. Posted by Bokonon (Member # 480) on :
I just saw this thread. Congrats man! I hope it all works out in this new direction.
-Bok
Posted by Mama Squirrel (Member # 4155) on :
quote:Originally posted by Kwea: I would like to work with kids, I think, I just don't know if I can handle it. It takes a special type of person not to take that stuff home with you at the end of the day, and I may become too involved for that.
Working with kids is hard. I don't remember how many times I had to hold Mooselet down for the radiologist during one of his VCUGs (voiding cystourethrogram, if I remember the actual name of the test correctly). I wouldn't want that to be my job every day.
Congrats on all the tests going well!
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
quote:Heck, - why stop at being a nurse? Look into the P.A. program!
Does this mean something different where you live? AFAIK, around here that is about the same level of training/responsibility as a LVN, and would be a step down from being an RN, as far as duties. Now, a NP is a step up, they can diagnose, prescribe most medications and such. But it's possible that PA means different things in different states?
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
PA's make better money, and are usually half a step above a RN in most issues. It depends on what you want your focus to be, I guess.
LPN's are usually under the supervision of an RN, RN's under a DMD. PA's are a lateral move, but one that usually pays better, and in some cases would also be in charge of most RN's.
It isn't a clear chain of command, so to speak....a lot of it depends on what the RN's training has been. For example, a CRNA would pretty much be autonomous, and wouldn't work under a PA. They would work directly with the MD's, and in most cases be the expert the MD's would turn to regarding their area of expertise.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Huh, that's very different from the hospitals and offices I have acquaintance with here (meaning, where my dad works, my mom works, where I've been admitted...)
Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :
Yeah - here a P.A. can do most of what you are describing for your NP. (Prescribe meds, make diagnosis - basically everything a doctor can do, except 1) not have to deal with the paperwork, because they work under a doctor, and it falls under him, and 2) not prescribe narcotics, I think.)
So basically, like being a doctor, with half the hassle Here they make much better money than RNs do.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
There you are, Kwea!
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Okay, FG, it must be an issue of different names for certain jobs in different states.
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
It shouldn't be a name thing, as a Physician's Assistant (P.A.) is an actual course of study recognized nation wide. I know when I first heard of it, somewhere in the early 90's, there was a lot of confusion regarding the job description of P.A's.
A PA will start at about$60,000 per year at the low end, and can make up to about $85,000 in most places. Their malpractice insurance is a lot lower than most MD's as well, making it a very popular degree these days.
Most LPN's start a little over $30,000, which would be a significant wage cut for me, but there are a lot fo career paths that can start wiht an LPN certification. You have a great range of options.
Also, depending on what direction you want to take, you can actually travel the world on someone else's dime, and get paid for it. I know someone who did that for 4 years, and loved every place she worked.
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
I just checked out a web site for Red Sox scrubs, and I now know why there is a math requirement to be an LPN.
On the most frusterating side of things....I was suppose to have a decision by today. However, right after I left the nursing building, where the nursing admissions committee was actually meeting to discuss my application, the entire college lost power.
For the day.
They didn't make a decision as teh entire student body as well as all faculty and staff were released early.
Grrr.
I should know by 11:30 am tomorrow, they said.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
That stinks!
And while the certification might be teh same, that does not mean the duties are the same. For instance, at the hospital where I have my babies, they don't hire PAs or LVNs at all... I was thinking that it probably has to do more with regional hiring practices what the duties/pay are, not the training, if that makes sense.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Oh, and I have often thought of becoming a lactation consultant. If I do I have considered training as an LVN first because so many requirements could be met really easily that way, and I'd have a fall-back as well. (My other option is to get an AA or BA in just about anything and take additional courses in anatomy, physiology, medical terminology, etc.)
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
Most hospitals don't have a lot of PA's, that is more of a local clinic thing in my experience. A lot of health care providers like PA's because they help keep costs down.
In a hospital setting there are higher risks, so MD's seem to be the standard.
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
So, I was accepted, and will start this January, providing I can figure out the finances. It will be tough, but I am sure we can make it work. I will have my transcripts at the school by Tuesday at the latest, and will be able to meet with a FA at that point. At the least I hope to qualify for loans.
I have to get a background check on Monday and get fingerprinted, then I have to take a CPR class and keep that valid for the time I am in school. I have to have a health checkup, and have my immunizations.
After all of that I have to turn in my acceptance letter stating my intent on attending next year.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Congrats!
(FYI: FA = Financial Aid; FAA = Financial Aid Administrator; FAO = Financial Aid Officer (or Office); FAC = Financial Aid Counselor)
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
FRAK...what I think of acronyms.
Posted by AvidReader (Member # 6007) on :
Congrats, Kwea! I'm sure you'll be able to make this work. I hope you end up with a job you love.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Awesomeness! Good luck!
Now that you're officially on your way to being a health care professional, wanna look at my freaky bug bite?
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
quote:Originally posted by ketchupqueen: Awesomeness! Good luck!
Now that you're officially on your way to being a health care professional, wanna look at my freaky bug bite?
So many potential comments, and none of them professional....
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
C'mon, I wanna hear them. Posted by Derrell (Member # 6062) on :
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
Congrats, Kwea!
Posted by pooka (Member # 5003) on :
So I'm a little fuzzy on what's involved in becoming an LPN. Did you get any special consideration with your medic background? I have been looking at the BSN route and I have to take about 7 classes before I can even apply. The community college here has a 3 year waiting list for people after they have completed their prerequisites to start the BSN program. But maybe it's a Utah thing.
Posted by steven (Member # 8099) on :
"But maybe it's a Utah thing."
I think it's everywhere in the US. Training programs can't grow fast enough to meet the demand, nor are there enough people to actually be nurses. It's fairly simple:
1. The Boomers are getting older and sicker fast. They used a lot of drugs coming up, many have lived hard, generally speaking, and many really do not eat well, or take good care of themselves. All of that together equals big problems fast when you get older.
2. More than 12 million people were born in 1957, and nearly that number every year from the late forties to the early sixties. In contrast, only 3.4 million people were born in my year, 1975, and that is about right for all of the years around that. As the Boomers retire and/or get too sick to work, or work full-time, they are simultaneously vacating jobs that younger people sooner or later have to fill, and requiring other younger people as medical care providers. Every Boomer that gets too sick to work creates 2 jobs, roughly speaking, one for his/her replacement, and one for his medical care provider.
This is why we are having to import nurses from the Phillipines, etc., and why we will probably have to continue doing that for years.
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
LPN is a one year program wiht ni prerequisite classes. You do have to have qualifying test scores, and those may vary state to state, but usually you can be done and working in a year. There are also "bridge programs" that bridge the gap between the LPN and RN programs.
Keep in mind that a BS is 4 years, and a lot of RN's only have their associate degrees.
A BSN is nice, and a goal to work towards, but there are very few slots at most training schools, and not everyone agrees that the BSN is the best option. A lot of people prefer someone with hands-on experience in an actual nursing setting to someone who just has their BSN.
Posted by Eaquae Legit (Member # 3063) on :
CONGRATS!
Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :
The local junior college here has a two year RN program. Then, once you're working as an RN, there are lots of programs that allow you to move on and get a BSN online on top of that.
That is the route my daughter wants to take - RN, then BSN online. She's hoping to get a job at one of the university hospitals and therefore get her degree free or at a reduced price.
The advantage of a BSN, and then later MSN is to be able to teach, which is a nice option to have in your back pocket. Or, move into administration. Either way, I'm a firm believer that school is never a bad thing. Although it is possible to educate yourself out of a job, most of the time that same education opens up new doors.
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
I hope to work quickly up to an ADN though the bridge program, and then I would like to eventually get any BSN while working. That way I have the degrees AND the practical experience working as a nurse.
The best part of that is of course the fact that I can work while I go to school for the rest of it if I need to. I may go right into the bridge program after the LPN certification, depending on the level of aid I qualify for and my family's needs at the time.
I go in tomorrow for my fingerprinting and background check, and while I am there I will see if they got my transcripts yet. If not they should have them by Wed. at the latest.
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
Congratulations, Kwea!
Where in the background check to you have to confess to an unspoken desire to pummel a pool cue thief? Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote:Originally posted by Dagonee: Where in the background check to you have to confess to an unspoken desire to pummel a pool cue thief?
*hiss* Nowhere, now that you opened your big mouth!
Nothin' to see here, background check folks. Nope, not a thing. *whistle*
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
quote:Originally posted by Dagonee: Congratulations, Kwea!
Where in the background check to you have to confess to an unspoken desire to pummel a pool cue thief?
Unspoken my butt! Although after seeing him in court, I realize that being who he is for the rest of his life is punishment enough.
Not that I wouldn't Tazer his butt a few times just for kicks.
To be honest, I would have liked to smacked the intern I got as a prosecutor just as much by the time it was all over and done with....I hope she changed her major, because she sucked.
I still miss that cue. Posted by Mrs.M (Member # 2943) on :
I'm so happy for you, Kwea. I think you will make an excellent nurse!
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
Thanks!
I wish I had left Penney's a little sooner so I could have taken classes this semester, making my first "official" semester a little bit easier.
I am shooting for class Valedictorian. Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
I have a question regarding financial aid, but because of the nature of it I hesitate to put it (and the relevant info) up on a public forum.
rivka, is there a way to contact you? I know you probably won't be able to be too specific because you work for a different school/state, but it is a fairly serious question, and could potentially determine IF I attend school at all.
I just sent you an email explaining the situation to the email you have linked here at hatrack. Hope you don't mind.
[ October 04, 2008, 11:03 PM: Message edited by: Kwea ]
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Given that I saw the email and replied long before I saw the post, I guess not. Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
Thanks!
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
This has been a horrible 4 days. On Friday I found out my financial aid had been denied based on my last semester's grades....17 years ago. I now have to go though an entire appeals process, which takes a minimum of 14 days even if they decide in your favor.
Today I got notice that JCPenney has decided to take me to court regarding my unemployment claim. I initially won, and have been collecting for about 8 weeks, but this could really screw me. I called and asked a few former employees to write something refuting their false claims, and they told me that the store manager had already warned them not to. They feel that their jobs have been threatened, and with the economy being the way it is they can't afford to piss him off. Specifically one of them said " Look at what he did to you....I can't afford to be out of work like you are, even though I know you didn't deserve what happened.".
I have a phone-in meeting to adjudicate this, and if they decide on Penney's side I believe I have to pay back all the money I have received. I can't pay it....but since I have direct deposit they will just charge the account, leaving me with a negative balance and no ability to pay my bills. We are talking somewhere in the neighborhood of $2500, which is about what I have in my account right now.....saved for school
I just moved as well, to facilitate schooling.....and now I may not be able to afford to attend, even if I get a loan, which is still in doubt. Moving wasn't cheap, either, but I was renting from the spouse of the lady who complained about me, one of my employees. I'll be damed if I continue to pay her a dime after that crap.
I don't usually ask for prayers/good thoughts, but as of today I could really use some .
Rob
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Make sure you document and report that their jobs have been threatened if they tell the truth. Shouldn't they be protected under whistleblower laws?
You've got my prayers.
Posted by Xann. (Member # 11482) on :
They have things where they can give statements without officially saying who they are to one party so that they won't get in trouble from their employer, also a much larger lawsuit could come from getting fired over a former employers lawsuit.
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
The problem is tha it is a very small...as in 6 employees...department, and only two fo them were working during the incident in questions.
The only saving grace in this is that under FL law tehy have to prove I WILLFULLY was rude to a customer. Since the original complaint was how I spoke to an associate....one with many problems in the past.....I don't see how this translates to being deliberately rude to a customer. They have basically changed the reason given for terminating me to a complete bullshit reason.
They have documentation, but all of it boils down to he said/she said, so I don't know how any of it can be called "proof". Just because they write something down doesn't make it true, nor does it mean I agreed to that interpretation of the events in question.
I haven't even told them about the fact that some of this stems from problems I was having with her as a landlord....I will drop that on them as a surprise during the hearing. As she has not informed them of it yet it places all of her claims about me in question. Posted by anti_maven (Member # 9789) on :
This is a bit of a rollercoaster thread. I hope everything works out for the best Kwea.
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
quote:I haven't even told them about the fact that some of this stems from problems I was having with her as a landlord....I will drop that on them as a surprise during the hearing.
Have you discussed this with your lawyer?
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
quote:Originally posted by TomDavidson:
quote:I haven't even told them about the fact that some of this stems from problems I was having with her as a landlord....I will drop that on them as a surprise during the hearing.
Have you discussed this with your lawyer?
I don't currently have a lawyer, although I am looking into postponing the hearing until I can get one, and until I can get a witness as well. I don't believe that 1 days notice is time to fully prepare for this.
Of course I can't afford a lawyer either. Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Have you tried Legal Aid?
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
(Here is a pamphlet on Legal Aid from the Florida Bar Assn. that lists Legal Aid agencies by county.)
Posted by pH (Member # 1350) on :
Kwea, check your email (the one listed in your profile), if you check this thread first.
-pH
Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :
I find this very odd. My mom did unemployment for years in her capacity as an HR director and now as a consultant, and she said it's very unusual for a company to protest after a judgment has already been made and an award been given to the employee.
She said, if it will make you feel better, that rarely will the unemployment commission take money back from someone. So, you probably are in good shape. But she tempers that with the comment that she finds it hard to believe they would come after you like this, considering the time and expense, if they didn't think they'd win. So in other words, good news/bad news from Mom.
Though she wants you to know that it could very well work differently in your state, all her experience is with the commission here in Alabama, which is a right-to-work state.
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
Yeah, it turns out that the reason the first finding was in my favor was that the company didn't send in any documents. There is really no expense at this point because FL law works a little different.
I also misread the date....the hearing isn't until the 16th. I also have a right to challenge the dates, as I was not notified my the employment office within 20 days of the original finding that there was a challenge, something that is required by law. It may be that even if they decide to find in Penney's favor, I can still collect because of that. The State would be responsible for paying me, not Penney's, because Penney's filed on the very last date allowed.
In FL, the only documents allowed have to be sent to all parties involved, and all documents are considered hearsay. That is not to say they aren't effective....they can (and often are) used to support witness statements. Hearsay is not inadmissible, it just isn't conclusive in and of itself. I also have time to contact other previous managers to see if they can testify to Robert's intent...he told several of them that he was just waiting to get rid of me 6 months previously, and they were witness to numerous comments made regarding me, so their testimony will not help wiht this specific incident, but they can help show that Robert had an agenda dating back at least 6 months.
There are a couple of things in my favor. So far the company still has not submitted any supporting documents, although I know they claim to have some. However, if I don't get a copy of them within a reasonable time frame, they are not admissible. All of their documentation is indirect...someone told someone else something happened. I was not allowed to see specific allegations, nor was I able to refute them.
The only big blunder I had was not filing a retaliation complaint 5 months ago. I had written a 4 page rebuttal of a corrective I had been given right after Christmas, and the day my rebuttal posted, Robert pulled me in and wrte me up for 2 cutomer complaints. I had already covered those complaints with him the previous week, and they were completely false. One of them claimed to involve my wife, but what Robert didn't know was my wife had been sick at home. When I asked to see the video on the day the complaint was alleged to have happened, they kept changing the date. First it was Wed, then Fri, then Sunday...Christmas Eve.
My wife was never even in the store any of those days....we had one car and lived 13 miles away, and I had driven to work myself all of those days but Sunday. On Christmas Eve, my wife waited in the parking lot, as she got there AFTER the store closed.
I offered to quit if they could show me one single frame of video showing my wife in the store...and they told me to be more careful, and that it was over and done with.
Within half and hour of meeting with me, yelling at me for my rebuttal of the corrective, Robert had me in the office signing a corrective regarding the previous complaints. I don't remember exactly what I wrote, but I didn't admit guilt.
I was hoping to transfer out of there, so I didn't file a retaliation complaint. Regardless of company policies, if you do that you are kissing your career away. No one will transfer you, promote you, and within 2 years you will be fired/downsized.
I should have realized that I was humped either way and filed. At least now I would have proof that there was a problem 5 months ago regarding false customer complaints.
I will let you know one way or another, but to be honest I don't think I have a case for an==anything other than unemployment compensation. While Robert is not good person, and it was a fairly hostile work environment, he was very careful to document his opinions as fact whenever possible. He also stole all my supporting documents out of my desk, so any documentation I did have is gone now.
Pretty freaking convenient, but I can't prove it was him. Even though he did the same thing to the previous shoe manager. Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
I talked to the UC office, and I was half right. If they find against me, I have to pay all of the cash back and I stop receiving UC. However, they can't just take it out of my account, so I can work out a payment plan.
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
Updates galore...and all of them in my favor!!!
I won my appeal for Unemployment Compensation handily, even trapping the store manager in several errors while he was giving testimony. The final ruling was that I was fired "Due to reasons not associated with job performance" and that Penney's WILL be charged for it. Basically they DID have the right to terminate me for whatever reason as FL is a right to work state (which isn't a good thing despite sounding like it should be), but I DO have the right to collect.
I went around and around regarding my FA appeal, and finaally I got fed up and demanded to see the Director of FInancial Aid. I was getting the run around, as I had been there 18 times but had never been allowed to meet wiht an actual FAO.The Director was pissed, and called a meeting as my interview iwth him ending...he called teh Head of Admissions, Student Services, and the Assistant Director fo teh school to a meeting. I was able to provide dates and times, and if they want to they can verify least 12 of those visits as the person I talked to had to access my records via computer, and that is all logged.
(See? I DID learn something working for that asshole at Penney's! DOCUMENT, DOCUMENT DOCUMENT! )
I was granted FA for this year, and have applied for Stafford Loans at the least. I meet with a FAO on the 29th, and can charge all my materials for school to my aid starting right after the meeting.
Looks like LPN school is a go! (Yeah me!)
Posted by Derrell (Member # 6062) on :
Congratulations, Kwea.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Good for you. Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
Yeah.....the FA Director was amazed that people were telling me I wasn't ALLOWED to meet with a FAO until AFTER I had a package awarded to me. I was upset because all MY questions were about how to BECOME eligible, so according to their rules (which were NOT school policy, just excuses to not do any work) I would have never been able talk to one at all.
Ever.
Idiots. I KNEW that wasn't right. Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
I wish it was the 29th already. Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote:Originally posted by Kwea: Yeah.....the FA Director was amazed that people were telling me I wasn't ALLOWED to meet with a FAO until AFTER I had a package awarded to me.
I'm glad she agreed that was wrong. But were I she, I'd be very concerned that my people were saying stuff like that. Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Yeah. Hopefully that changes. I'm glad you figured out how to make it work and everything went in your favor, though!
Posted by Mrs.M (Member # 2943) on :
That's great news! What a nice way to start the new year. I'm so happy for you.
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
quote:Originally posted by rivka:
quote:Originally posted by Kwea: Yeah.....the FA Director was amazed that people were telling me I wasn't ALLOWED to meet with a FAO until AFTER I had a package awarded to me.
I'm glad she agreed that was wrong. But were I she, I'd be very concerned that my people were saying stuff like that.
Yeah....he called an emergency meeting with the heads of Admissions, Enrollment and Student Services with me in the room, and walked part of the way downstairs with me on his way to the meeting where they were all waiting for him because of this. I'd say he took it seriously....and I wasn't the first person who had said this was happening.
I was just the first person with dates and times, as well as a computer file that verified my story. Posted by AvidReader (Member # 6007) on :
Hooray, Kwea!
Posted by Tante Shvester (Member # 8202) on :
Good luck in nursing school. We need more good nurses.
And PM me if you have any coursework questions. I went through nursing school myself, and I remember how challenging it was.
Posted by Ela (Member # 1365) on :
What Tante said. Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
Thanks guys, I'll be sure to remember that. I have done some of these things before, so I have a leg up n my classmates, but a whole lot of it will be completely new to me as well. I am really looking forward to it though.
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