UFV 2012 Fall Intake - Insights and Meetings

invictus, BSN · Mar 13, 2012

I am so thankful for the essay questions! Thank you so much, I have already pre written my responses, although I know that it is entirely possible that they have two sets of questions, and the ones on thursday will be different. oh well, I have done what I can.

I actually wanted to be a journalist or make documentarys loong before nursing was on my radar. Then I discoved two things 1) although I LOVE to write, I strongly resent having to write and produce on a deadline. Yeah, that could be a problem as a journalist and 2) I want a career that I can use to help people who need it the most. People tell me all the time that nursing is a burn out career, and while I don't doubt that it can be, I see it as a career with endless possibilities, and for me, someone with nothing really holding me down to a particular place, I want to use it eventually to do international aid with Doctors Without Borders, or work on the mercy ships, or work in downtown Vancover at INsite, or a million other things. I have spent numerous months abroad living in Haiti, and on the US/Mexico border, and I think how awesome it is that I will be trained and fully able to provide healthcare, a universal right, to some of the most forgotten and in need people in our world. I have always loved the time I have spent volunteering in Haiti, and the US, but have felt so frustrated with my limits, and educational lacking. Once I am a RN, and have some experience under my belt, the aid and work I will be able to do in Haiti, and places like it, swells me with passion.

And THAT is why I want to be a nurse!! It is a amazing profession, one that I will eventually be a proud certified member of :)

Seeya on Thursday and good luck to all!

camp11 · Mar 14, 2012

Hello,

Invictus, thank you so much for your insight =) Everything that you have spoke about - sounds just like my future plans! I just really want to get started!! I will be attending this weeks info session and I hope that I have come up with most questions that could be asked - I have a feeling that the questions will be different from last weeks! I am more nervous for the essay that I am for the interview. My interview is on March 19th. My friend got in last semester and she said that in the interview they make you feel very welcome and at ease. I have heard this from a lot of people. Other things I have heard is just to be yourself and dress professional - also no perfume! Other than that - All questions asked in the interview were all about how you handle stress, how you will afford the four years, and who is your biggest support system. They will also give you a "what if" scenario.

I will give more info after my interview on the 19th!!

Good luck to you all=)

Alka_Selse BSc · Mar 14, 2012

Wow, thank you KimS, invictus, and camp11. That's an incredible amount of insight, and I feel confident that I will be well prepared on friday! Still nervous, but no longer anxious, hehe. Invictus, I'm inspired. You really seem to have that holistic passion required for nursing.

Admittedly, my desire to be a nurse is not quite settling, but more like a stepping stone. While I was going through high school, I was determined to be a vet - hence why I went to U of Calgary. I worked at a vet clinic for 2 years and went through the application process at the same time (I even had to take a year off school to gain my residency of Alberta status). In the end, I was faced with a difficult decision. In animal medicine, you're always juggling practising medicine with running a business, and clients often don't appreciate how much treatments actually cost because we are so accustomed to free health care. I decided that I didn't want to deal with famlies either not being able to, or choosing not to go through with required treatments because of the price point. Life shouldn't come to money.

I explored a few options from there: programming or software design, research, human medicine, and nursing. My family has a history in healthcare. My grandma was a lab tech, my mom has been a unit coordinator on in the hemodialysis unit at St. Paul's for over 12 years (and actually just got a job in admitting in the ER at ARH, yay!), my aunt and uncle are both nurses, and we have all been involved with St. John's to varying degrees over the last decade or two.

I like hands-on work and being on my feet; I like night shifts (naturally nocturnal); I love seeing hope in a family's eyes, and it would mean the world to be a part of that. I chose nursing over medicine because the hours are a little more forgiving, and it's much easier to jump between specialties to find the niche that fits you. Ultimately, I'd like to become a Nurse Practitioner. I would enjoy the expanded research opportunities and diagnostics. Plus, the pay is good, the job opportunities are there, and it gives you virtually unlimited potential. My partner is going into the navy, and it will be important for me to have a job that travels well. What better than as a nurse?

The more I looked into it, the more it seemed to fit. And now, it's no longer "the career that seemed to fit best", but one that I'm really excited to jump into, and I don't know why I didn't persue it from the start.

invictus, BSN · Mar 15, 2012

Its today!! I love days where it feels like progress is being made with my application! Most of the time its just wait wait wait wait wait. Today I can write a killer essay and be PROACTIVE!!

KimS · Mar 15, 2012

Today we cross off another thing from our 'waiting game' list! I'm so excited! Incivtus, keep your eye out for me at the orientation today - I'm short, blonde, and am wearing a coral shirt. It'd be cool to meet you and anyone else who is attending today's session! Could may 4th come a little sooner...? :lol2:

KimS · Mar 15, 2012

One of the more senior nurses I work with at the CGH ER gave me a ton of advice for the interview/essay, one of which being research some interview advice - I just wanted to share this link with you guys I think its got a few really good, and entirely possible questions :) https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-student/interview-questions-88629.html

camp11 · Mar 15, 2012

Thank you KimS! - Leaving soon for the info session - yikes! Interview on Monday - It will feel good to get everything done!

I agree - I would like May 4th to come sooner also:yeah: See you all there!

Alka_Selse BSc · Mar 16, 2012

How did last night's info session go? Did you have the same questions?

Thanks KimS for posting the interview tips link. I found that thread yesterday and have read it more than a few times! I'm reading it again now. I found it very useful, though it hasn't helped my stress levels, hehe. Only a few hours 'til interview time. I can't wait to get it over with. And I'm actually pretty excited to meet the interviewers. *fingers crossed*

camp11 · Mar 16, 2012

Good luck to you!! The essay were the same questions - I had gone over them but for sure thought they would be different ones so went over a TON of other questions they could ask. I should've just focused on the three:( Anyway I got all my points down but my third question (with all the erasing) became a little messy so left feeling a little discouraged:icon_roll BUT, glad its out of the way. My interview is Monday at two so after Monday I'm hoping I will feel very good about everything!! Then, like everyone else I will be going crazy until May 4th gets here!!

GOOD LUCKKK!!! :lol2:

invictus, BSN · Mar 16, 2012

They were the same questions, which I was really happy about. Although I kinda forgot about the lack of space. I had these huge anwers prepared, with all this perspective, background stories, ect. then I saw the space we got to write our answers and I was like crap. Really had to try and cut down what I wanted to say to fit in that tiny little space the best I could so Im kinda worried about how good I did that :icon_roll

But all in all I think I did pretty good. Seemed like I was SURROUNDED by grade 12 students!! Not knocking or anything, but holy cow did they seem soo young!! Was that really me only a few years ago?? Time flys.

Hopefully it zooms straight to May 4th!!

Alka_Selse BSc · Mar 17, 2012

*cheers* Glad to hear the evening went well for you guys. And really, I'm sure your answers are fine, even if you had to shorten them That being said, admissions may want to look into that and prepare 6 questions next year instead. Just to make it an even playing field for everyone.

Well, I had my interview today! o.o Now begins the wait. And holy smokes does 6 weeks ever seem like forever right now. I can't for the life of me remember the name of my interviewee (which is okay since it's not allowed to be posted anyway), but she was such a nice lady. He was the basic breakdown of the interview:

She started out by outlining and clarifying the acceptance process, explaining the point system, how the sections were divided (grades, volunteer, written questions, and interview), and the breakdown of each one. She showed me my score for the grades part. *cries* Since my highschool biology and chemistry were 6 years old and thus not within the 5-year limit, they had to take my first year bio and chem marks, so I got a 14/16 on the grades instead of 16. But she said that was still really good and put me in good standing as it was. For the volunteer, the number of hours only accounts for 2 of 6 points. Since I had 40 (right on the border! I should have done one more shift, lol!) I got 1/2. If you had over 50, if I read correctly, you get 2/2. And I think you'd get a bonus mark for over 100, but I could be wrong on that. Total, I got 5/6 for the volunteer section. Written points aren't available yet, since they obviously haven't all been marked. And then she let me know of any extra bonus points. For my case, I got an extra point for having post-secondary experience already.

So, then we went onto the questions. Starting questions (and I'm writing this off the top of my head, so I've definitely forgotten some of them):

1. Are you taking any medications?

2. Have you ever injured your back?

3. Have you had any serious injuries or surgeries in the last year?

4. I can't remember the other couple (sorry >.

5. Are you working?

6. I think she asked about transportation, but I could be off my rockers.

But, obviously easy to answer - basic yes/no.

Next were the more indepth questions:

1. What do you find stressful?

2. How do you cope with stress?

3. Have you ever held a position of leadership? Elaborate.

4. In which areas do you need to improve?

5. What do you have by means of financial support?

6. Where do you turn for emotional support?

7. What would be your commitments during school?

8. What is the role of a nurse, in your eyes?

9. Describe a time where you used problem solving skills.

Mmn...I think there might have been a couple others, but we talked so much (my interview was almost an hour, lol), that I can't remember what was scripted and what was natural conversation. And I may have answered some questions without realizing it, too, but I'm pretty sure that about sums it up. The interview concluded with her asking if I had any questions. There are three interviewers, though, and you don't know which one you get until you check in. Like everyone else has said before, though, she really made it a comfortable experience. I walked in anxious as all heck, but calmed down really quickly. It was nice not to jump right into questions, too.

I'm so excited, though. She told me that she couldn't think of anywhere that I'd lose a point for the interview (*dances*), so I'm sitting at 33/39 pre-written, with a potential 37/39. She said she hopes to see me in september and that it's highly unlikely that I wouldn't be in the top bracket. *fingers crossed* This is going to be a long 6 weeks, lol, and I'm trying SO hard not to get my hopes up, just in case.

invictus, BSN · Mar 19, 2012

Thats awesome! Im so glad that your interview went so well, I wish my was just over with, but its not until next week. Thats ok though, I now can spend lots of time trying to calculate what my final number will be (worst case scenerio, best case scenerio, etc) Lol. May 6th couldnt seen farther away! Oh well, in the meantime I got a new job! Hopefully that will keep me somewhat distracted. Hey, I was also wonder what your guys Decision Statues under your application says currently. I still check mine like 4 times a week (I know sad, considering that there is no way it could change yet.) Im sure that online stautues will change before we get letters in the mail. Ok, gotta get off AN for a while and deal with life