Nursing School?

Question

I am going to apply for nursing school this fall at a local community college. I know that I am going to have to take refreshing courses this summer because I have been out of school since 1998. I am very nerous about the whole experience since I always hated school. I know that I will have to pass the NET before being accepted to the school. I was wondering if anyone can give me information about things that I can start studing for now. Things that will help me with the NET and also classes. I also was wondering if you think it would be better (easier) to take the required CNA1 class and then get my LPN and work for awhile or go straight for the associates degree to become a RN? I know in my area there is a big difference in pay ($10-$15hr.) but I am worry about the class work load. I need to also be able to work a part time job. Any advise would be helpful! (P.S. I have already talked to someone at the college and they really did guide me very well about what to do.)
Thanks

Answer 1

I do not know about the NET test, but I would suggest studying math most of those placement tests are relatively easy. Regarding whether you should go through LPN and then RN that really depends on your personal situation if money is a concern then go the LPN route if not go straight through. Being an LPN will help with your RN when you do get there.

Answer 2

I went back to school for Nursing after having been out of college for over 20 years, so 8 years is not too bad. I would look for review books for the NET...don't think you need a course to do it. You can go into an LPN program and then work as an LPN while you pursue the RN, if you need to work. If you can go full blast on getting the RN that may be better...then you can work and not worry about school. I worked FT and went to school FT, but that consumed every waking minute of the day. You might try to become and EMT or an aide/tech in a hospital just to get some preliminary hands on experience before and during the time you go to school. It is helpful to have a little knowledge going into it...things like vital signs, terminology, etc. Good luck and dont give up. Nursing jobs are plentiful and varied and you can make changes usually with salary increases as you finalize just what kind of nurse you want to be.

Answer 3

As an RN my advice is to go straight thru to the RN tract. Not only are there more $ but there are many more job possibility's. I have never worked in a hospital with an LPN. That may be because LPN's can't push meds IV and I have always worked ER or ICU. I am now in long term care and working with some really great LPN's. Several are going back to school for their RN's and have flunked out at the end of the last semester. They have changed schools as a result.

What ever job track you decide on, Good Luck.

Answer 4

I am also enrolling in a community college to get my nursing degree. I know nothing about the NET exam but I do know that it is a wise decision to get your LPN first. Let me explain how my counselor advised me: These days nursing is a wanted career and EVERYBODY is applying for the RN program at colleges. This creates a long waiting list that you must be stuck in to even get accepted into the program which makes the 2-year associates degree take around 4 years by the time you get off the waiting list and finish up your basic refresher courses. I don't know how your college works but at the one I'm attending if you have your LPN already it puts your name ahead of other people on the waiting list because you have an existing degree, AND you get to skip a whole year of RN classes because it's stuff you've already learned in school for the LPN degree. If you get your LPN it usually only takes a year to complete and then you could have a job as an LPN part-time making more money than a usual part-time job (waitressing, fast food, retail stores) and some hospitals will even pay for some of your school if you're going for your RN degree as long as you agree to work for them exclusively for a while after. Not to mention that being an LPN while you're working on your other degree will give you a "leg up" on the competition because you have experience.
A word of caution: We all know that you need to work through college while you're doing nursing to make money for bills and such, but some teachers simply don't care. You are required to accomplish a set amount of clinical hours for both the LPN and RN degree and you are not paid for those hours of standing around in a hospital even though you have to take time off work to do so. Be advised that the course load is often stressful even for those who do not have jobs, so it's going to be hard to balance school, clinical hours, and work. If you work as an LPN at least you have the possibility that the hospital you're working at will help foot some of your tuition bill because they understand you don't have much time to work while trying to become a nurse and often offer scholarships.