Four Strategies to Help LPNs Stay Motivated to Finish a RN Program

Are you a LPN studying to become a RN? Are you having a difficult time staying motivated? Here are four strategies to help you stay on track to complete your program.

1. Ask yourself, “Why do I want to become a RN?

Your “want to” has to be big enough to overcome any obstacles that get in your way. I know LPNs who want to become RNs, but never do because they don’t have a reason to finish a RN program that’s larger than the effort it takes to go back to school. I know. I went back to school to get my masters’ degree when my oldest son was three, and my second child was six months old. I worked 20 hours a week and traveled to school two hours away at least three times a week. My motivation was high. I wanted a nursing job where I did not have to work holidays and weekends, and I wanted the flexibility to do whatever I wanted career wise.

Notice how one of my reasons was to avoid pain (not working weekends or holidays) and the other was pleasurable(flexibility and choice). Try to find reasons to avoid pain (making less money, fewer career choices) and move towards pleasure (how great you will feel when you accomplish your goal, more money and job opportunities.)

Make a “Reasons I Want to Be a RN” poster. Have fun making it. Use different colored markers. Paste on pictures. Write words or phrases that motivate you. Keep it where you can see it every day to remind yourself of why you are pursuing this goal.

2.Take some time off from school

If you just got out of LPN school, give yourself a few months off before starting your RN program. You might need some time to savor your accomplishment and adapt to being a LPN. As you grow in confidence as a LPN, this may motivate you even more to do the work it takes to become a RN. Read more

2011
10/16
CATEGORY
Nursing
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Become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA): How Long Will It Take?

The current training programs to become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) are from 24 to 36 months in length. These programs are full-time, and except for short breaks, they will be continuous. This time is divided between academic classes as well as clinical experience.

The length of the nurse anesthesia training program is only one factor in determining the time that it will take to become a CRNA. Most schools require you to complete the prerequisites and submit your completed application as much as one year before the class start date. Depending on which of the prerequisites you have completed all ready, they may require five or more years to complete.

The three basic requirements that need to be completed to apply to a nurse anesthesia education program include; becoming licensed as a registered nurse, completing a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing (BSN) or other accepted field, and completion of at least one year of experience working as an RN in an acute care setting. After completing these prerequisites, there a several requirements that are specific to the anesthesia program that you plan to apply to.

If you have not completed any of the listed prerequisites, I would suggest completing a BSN program. The BSN will meet two of the requirements simultaneously. It will complete the baccalaureate requirement accepted at all the CRNA programs as well as prepare you to become an RN. This is a four year program that will prepare you to become a registered nurse. Make sure that the program that you choose is accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), and meets the licensing requirements of state that you will want to become an RN.

Many of the universities currently have a large number of applicants for each of the available positions in their program, which may extend the time required for completion beyond four years. To improve your chances for selection to the nursing program, you will need to have an excellent high school GPA, especially in the sciences. Contact the university that you plan to attend, determine what other criteria that the selection committee looks for and complete as many as you can. Volunteering at your local hospital is also a way to show your interest in the nursing field.

Upon graduating from the nursing program, you will need to successfully complete the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). To obtain authorization to take the examination, you will need to apply to the board of nursing in the state that you will be working. The university that you are graduating from will provide assistance in this process. In most states, you will be allowed to work as a graduate nurse for a limited time while awaiting the results of your initial NCLEX-RN.

The next time consuming prerequisite is gaining experience working in an acute care setting as an RN. Due to the skills needed to work in this setting, many hospitals will require you to gain initial experience in a less acute setting. If possible, working one year in a surgical, medical or step down unit may provide the need experience to gain a position in a critical care unit. Many of the CRNA programs will require one year of full-time experience within a critical care unit. These can include surgical, medical, coronary care, neurological, and pediatric critical care units. Read more

2011
10/15
CATEGORY
Nursing
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