Crunchy Nurses '08 - Page 11

[Bella Luna]

I just found that I was accepted for the evening nursing program, starting this fall.
This is the first step on the road to midwifery for me.
I'm really excited.

[Maiasaura]

Originally Posted by monkaha

Congrats to you both! I didn't get in to the LPN-RN program where I applied. On to the next program!

you'll make it. this was my 3rd time around. of course the 1st was 11 years ago...but last year i was 31 on the alternate list for LPN. then i boned up on math and really spiked my grade on the accuplacer, and also took 4 classes that were prereqs and got all A's-- so i made it this year.

Originally Posted by Bella Luna

I just found that I was accepted for the evening nursing program, starting this fall.
This is the first step on the road to midwifery for me.
I'm really excited.

i can choose evening or day, when it's time to register. hopefully i'm in the beginning of the registration process, so i get my choice!
congrats! where in NC are you? i'm in Asheville.

[lorijds]

Originally Posted by monkaha

Congrats to you both! I didn't get in to the LPN-RN program where I applied. On to the next program!

You used to be near me; I don't know if you still are or not. What program did you apply to? I ended up doing Pratt CC online. A lot of work, but worth it. At the time there weren't any online programs in the state. Since then, Neosho CCC has started one, too. A couple of nurses I work with went there and were satisfied.

I'm currently doing my RN-BSN through Fort Hays. I'm not terribly impressed, but I'm so cynical, particularly about the theory and managerial aspects of a BSN curriculum, that I'm not sure it's POSSIBLE to impress me.

Keep at it; good luck! Respond or PM me if you want to discuss NE Kansas LPN to RN completion programs!

Lori

[monkaha]

Originally Posted by lorijds

You used to be near me; I don't know if you still are or not. What program did you apply to? I ended up doing Pratt CC online. A lot of work, but worth it. At the time there weren't any online programs in the state. Since then, Neosho CCC has started one, too. A couple of nurses I work with went there and were satisfied.

I'm currently doing my RN-BSN through Fort Hays. I'm not terribly impressed, but I'm so cynical, particularly about the theory and managerial aspects of a BSN curriculum, that I'm not sure it's POSSIBLE to impress me.

Keep at it; good luck! Respond or PM me if you want to discuss NE Kansas LPN to RN completion programs!

Lori

Yup, still in the same area. I applied to JCCC; turns out they give preference to LPN's who went thru their program. So, despite very good ACT scores and GPA, I'll probably never get in there. Working on prereqs at KCK now-they have a spring start program. If I don't get in there, I'll try again (what the hell-doesn't hurt to try) at JCCC and KCK and check out Neosho's program. Hadn't heard of the Pratt one. Could you post or PM me links to that one and any other programs you know of? Thanks!

[Bella Luna]

Originally Posted by Maiasaura

i can choose evening or day, when it's time to register. hopefully i'm in the beginning of the registration process, so i get my choice!
congrats! where in NC are you? i'm in Asheville.

Thanks! I'm in the Triangle area, but my school is in the Triad. It's the only evening program that is close enough to drive to, so I'm really happy I could get in. I'd prefer to do the day program, but need to keep my current job until I can get a job as a nurse.

[Mirichka]

Need advice about choosing nursing/doula route

I am currently a SAHM and loving it. I have for a long time felt the calling to attend women in birth and possibly become a midwife. I am looking for some advice as to what route to take? I have a bachelor's degree in liberal arts (communications and philosophy). I have very little in the way of an extended support of people who could watch my baby (nine months old) while I would be in school or attending births.

There is a local soon-to-be retiring doula in my community who is wanting to train someone to continue the work that she has been doing for over 20 years. What are some ideas you might have for how I could commit to this logistically, hours attending birth. My husband can watch baby at night--but practically he will need sleep for work the next day. DS gets through the nights with one or two nursings a night, but he always goes to sleep with the breast.

Is this even possible with little ones? It would be something I would love to do, but I am torn on the issue of leaving my baby....Bring on the suggestions, ideas and support!

[lorijds]

Monkaha, definitely check out Neosho's online LPN to RN program.

Here's at link to Pratt's program:

http://www.pcc.cc.ks.us/programs/nur.../lpn_rn_online

Other than those two, I don't know any more than you do, it sounds like.

Good luck!

And you know about Edukan.org for your prereqs, right? Totally online, out of a couple of community colleges in Ks. Cheap and flexible.

Lori

[indigolilybear]

Hi all. I've been home for over 10 yrs now with my babes and am thinking about going to get my Associates. I'm pretty nervous but am thinking about what it would offer my family and feeling fairly good about it.

I plan to go visit campuses soon, but I have the option of going to the local comm. college. (seems there is a waiting list of sorts....lots of hoops to jump thru too) and that my BA in Literature from almost *gulp* 15 yrs ago wouldn't count. I don't mind retaking the bio stuff but really don't want to take like freshman composition again or psych 100 : anyway.

There is also the option of colleges here like Apollo college, ITT tech, Pima (and the big university here, but they only offer BSN)....it looks more simple and I am assuming more expensive

I am wondering if anyone has an idea on the difference it would make tuition/fees-wise and also in other ways. I'm sure it varies somewhat from state to state but hoping someone has some input on the comm. college route vs. the private institute thing.


thanks to all the lovely women here too. It helped me a lot to process what this decision might mean for us/me.

[lorijds]

I have my BA in a completely unrelated field, and I didn't have to retake anything but my sciences (and even then, I didn't have to retake algebra or chemistry, just bio, micro, and A&P).

The community college will be much less expensive--probably 3x less expensive. CCs around her have tuition for between 70-100/hr. Most of the private institutes in the area charge 280-350/hr. Huge difference.

I went to a community college for my LPN and RN. I paid cash and graduated with no loans. I'm slowly getting my BSN, again paying cash. I have coworkers who have 40K or more in student loads--that's more than we owe on our house and car combined. I wouldn't want to start out in that hole unless I had absolutely no other option.

[cville-rn]

Just wanted to jump in and say hello. I know I am very late to this thread, but am excited to see so many nurses on here.

I am a Peds RN and work part time nights. 40 hours in 2 weeks. It is just enough to keep me current in nursing and give me a break from almost full time mommy duty. I love pediatrics although it is so much harder now that I have a little one of my own.

Nice to meet everyone!

[stephck]

Excited to see this thread!!!

Currently an ER nurse but have done ICU and maternal child home visiting as well. I'm leaving my job in a few weeks to work in a pediatric clinic. I'm excited about influencing pediatrics with my crunchy, evidence-based practice, lactation consultant ways!

[RN-Mommy]

Hi fellow nurses and students! How is everyone? The last time I posted I was about to graduate. I've since passed boards last June, and have been working in behavioral health since October (yes it took me that long to find a position ). And behavioral health is probably last on my list of areas I'd like to be in, but its experience for now...

[karenh]

Crunchy RNs revival

I see it's been a long time since anyone posted here, but I thought I might try to revive the thread! I am a moderately crunchy RN, more so than anybody I work with, though. I am a geriatric nurse mostly because they are no other jobs available in my area. I am envious of all you nurses who get to work with moms and babies! I'm wondering if in the past year and a half since the last post if anyone has had to deal with layoffs, hospital downsizing, shift cuts, etc, and if you found another job or decided to try to stay home? My nursing home is having budget cuts and I'm worried about my position being cut. Part of me is hoping it happens so I could stay home and collect unemployment, but I'm also worried about being bored and restless at home after working for so many years. I think we could make it financially with some lifestyle changes, but we're trying to save money to move to Vermont, so I wouldn't want that to be derailed. As for nursing in general, has anyone else found that it's just not as fulfilling as you'd hoped it would be?

[bluedaaria]

Karenh, Where I work in Canada, I haven't felt the economic effects within the nursing field yet. There are cuts happening in the hospital, but the jobs being let go are support staff positions, such as housecleaning, maintenance and orderly positions. I don't think they would dare touch the nursing positions, the opposition from the public would be very strong. That doesn't mean I don't question the future, I certainly do. In general, I have to say I have become pretty dissatisfied with my career in nursing. In my current position, I receive a lot of verbal abuse on a weekly basis. I am still fairly new to the field of nursing (I'm going on my 4th year) and I have worked in 4 different areas, none of which has felt like the right fit for me. I have also found that the "Lifestyle" of a nurse, with evening, nights and weekends, crazy schedules, etc has become much more of a deterent then I thought it would be. I would just love a job like "normal" people have; go to work at "normal" hours, have my weekends off like my family and friends, and not have to keep my fingers crossed that I get christmas or other holidays off. In my experience, I found only one job that fit this bill, and it was a community health job, which I actually enjoyed very much. I worked casually for a short while, but because they could not offer me full-time, I had to move on and return to the hospital setting. There just aren't that many community nursing positions, and when people get in, they seem to stay until they retire! There is very little turn over, unlike in the hospitals.
So, I have decided to return to school and get my masters. I am hoping that this will provide me security for the future, as changes may happen to the nursing landscape. I will be specializing in community and public health. My hope is to land a job in the government or in the non profit sector in policy and research. I feel as though I have had my fill of front line nursing, and would like to work "behind the scenes". I am really passionate about public health, and my dream job would tie in my interest in maternal infant health, and allow me to be able to influence policy and public health programing within this area.

[karenh]

I've thought about going back and getting my Master's degree, too, but worried that it would just be more of the same. I waitressed for years before going into nursing and thought my days of verbal abuse were behind me, but I was wrong! I'm tired of dealing with doctors who treat you like you're an idiot because you're "just a nurse"! I also feel like we don't get paid nearly enough for the amount of responsibility we have. Hopefully you get paid better in Canada than we do here. It seems like you have a better health system in general, so maybe you get more respect as a nurse. I work the PM shift, so get home at 11:30, plus working weekends, so I also feel like I am missing out on a lot of stuff that my kids are doing and would love to have "normal" hours. Maybe getting my Master's would help get me into an administrative position with day hours. Then again, around here it seems like you are more likely to get hired if you are less experienced and therefore cheaper to employ.

[Bluebird9]

v

Edited by Bluebird9 - 11/27/11 at 10:09am

[Peony]

Another one that is seriously considering going back for her masters. I do community health nursing right now, my specialty is lactation which I adore. My position is part time which is ok for now but someday I will want more then that. I am sitting for my IBCLC this summer but I do not want to do the whole hospital IBCLC thing, I love working regular hours. Currently a good portion of my work is actually from home which is a dream job with young children. I just can not imagine returning to nights and weekends at this point. Since I am ok with working part time for years to come I keep thinking maybe I should use this time, get my masters, and then eventually when I want more maybe I can transition into a position with more hours in my health dept. they have so many other programs that I could work for and enjoy in addition to keeping my current position.