UMB FALL 2011

U.S.A. Maryland

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I will be applying for the Fall 2011 program at UMB really really soon. I was wondering if anyone else was doing the same...? I'm really nervous about applying because Anatomy really kicked my butt last semester and I ended up getting a C (even though I ended up doing really well on my other science courses). Now, I'm losing hope. Anyone feeling the same?

Hi Grey Lady; thanks for the info! Are you at the Shady Grove campus (and do you like it)? Another random question, when do you start doing IVs? I work in a dental clinic and the periodontist has let me do one, but he basically guided me with his hands on mine so I only did it half myself. I started pulling the needle out before I put the catheter in all the way (but luckily he caught it). This is my biggest fear about nursing school...doing IVs! I practice on an orange a lot but I am always afraid that I will either go out the underside of the vein or not go deep enough. Even googled how to do it and watched a few videos as well; thought about trying on myself but I hate needles! :I Random tangent I know, but any tips? :) It is awesome that you on this site to guide all of us hopefuls! :)

IV's will be covered in the first semester of fundamentals of nursing. We learn how to set them up, maintain them but do not do any actual venous punctures while in school - so you can relax! There are phlebotomy courses out there (at different places) if YOU want to learn them but you will not be doing it while in school.

FYI - oranges are good for injection practice, not so sure about for IV's IMHE. But when do things like injections for validations (testing on how a skill is done) they must be done according to the instructions that we are given and there is tons of time to actually practice (with help if you want it) in lab once you are enrolled. The profs are not expecting someone to be well versed in all info and skills - we are going to school to learn all of this!

I am on the Shady Grove campus (as a student) and I love it! Feel free to ask any questions that you may have!

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Specializes in Obstetrics.

Hi sandi1743...thanks so much for the info; I can't tell you how scary IVs are to me. My boss (a prosthodontist) told me they had to practice on each other and I have a friend who is now an RN who told me the same (she went to school in CO)...the only thing more scary to me than IVs is having another student do them on me. :I Thanks for putting me at ease, and thanks for popping in to talk to us hopefuls. Hopefully I will see you at the Shady Grove campus in the fall! :)

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Yeah, I will agree and say that it is a little disappointing to hear that we most likely will not hear back until april... although that probably won't stop me from checking my app status anyway. ( I can't possibly just sit around and be patient until april) Even with my classes it will still be on my mind.

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Hi sandi1743...thanks so much for the info; I can't tell you how scary IVs are to me. My boss (a prosthodontist) told me they had to practice on each other and I have a friend who is now an RN who told me the same (she went to school in CO)...the only thing more scary to me than IVs is having another student do them on me. :I :)

I too had heard all kinds of stories from friends that were medics or nurses about practicing on one another when it comes to skills. Honestly - mostly the practice on one another is limited to very basic things such as skin exams, checking ears and eyes, heart sounds, pulses etc - THERE ARE NO INJECTIONS/IVs ON ONE ANOTHER! UMB has very high tech models for all of this. if you have not had a chance to come to an open house to tour the labs i would highly rec it. When touring ask questions!

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Specializes in Obstetrics.

I have heard that the labs are very high tech/state of the art, but I am afraid I won't be able to get there until orientation at the earliest if accepted...I am military stationed in Germany, so I won't be able to get there until/if I am accepted to both UMB and a commissioning program through the military. Have heard great things about it though! :)

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Specializes in Emergency Department.

Don't worry, we are not taught how to insert IV's during our training at UMB. That is a good thing or a bad thing, depending on how you look at it. :) Like another user mentioned, you can take a phlebotomy course if you are excited about learning the skill now, or you can wait until your first RN orientation and the agency will teach you. There are lots of skills to master before that one.

Rest assured, the only things you practice on each other are: vitals including blood pressures, temp, etc., head-to-toe assessments, and ONCE as part of Adult Health clinical competencies your second semester, a finger stick (blood glucose test). It's a non-invasive program, although you will get to know your Health Assessment lab partners quite well when it comes time to find apical pulses. :)

Good luck everyone!

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Continued from above...

Anyone (Grey Lady) know how competitive is the Acute Care NP program and/or the "stats" of all the applicants? I worked on a busy cardiac floor in New York City for almost 2 years, but it wasn't ICU or ED. Although working in critical care isn't a requirement for this program, do you think that will be a disadvantage?

Thanks for all your input. I just discovered this thread and have read all 11 pages...

I am really sorry but I have no idea how the graduate admissions process works - I can only help out with the undergrad program. Best of luck.

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Hey guys,

Just wondering if anyone knows whether or not it's possible to complete the program in less than 2 years (i.e. taking summer courses, etc). Thanks for your input :)

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as far as I know, UMB doesn't have an accelerated BSN program

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Yeah, you're right, they don't have an accelerated program, but I just wanted to know if it was possible to graduate in less than 2 years.

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Yeah, you're right, they don't have an accelerated program, but I just wanted to know if it was possible to graduate in less than 2 years.

I am afraid it is not possible to speed up graduation. Even if you take a class or two in the summer, all it will do is lighten your load for the remaining semesters. The program is pretty lock step - the majority of the courses are prerequisites for required classes the next semester and those will be prerequisites for required classes the next semester and so on. No matter what, you will be doing to fall and two spring semesters. I do know that there are accelerated BSN programs for people who already have a bachelor's degree - UMD doesn't offer that. Instead, the Clinical Nurse Leader masters' program is available on main campus.

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3 more weeks is going to go by painfully slowly...

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