Vanderbilt Pre-specialty Fall 2011

Nursing Students Post Graduate

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Hi all!

I just wanted to get a thread started for those who plan on applying to Vanderbilt's prespecialty (for non-nurses) MSN program. I only recently discovered this program about 2 months ago and am absolutely enamored with it! I plan to apply to 8 schools for this cycle, but Vanderbilt is at the very top of my list. I am looking into FNP, which has the distance option. I am not sure whether or not I would prefer to stay at Vanderbilt for the whole program, but I do like that there is the option.

Aside from finishing up micro this summer and taking the GRE in a month, I am fully ready to apply. Just need the application for 2011 to open up!:lol2:

Anyone else?

Hi all,

I attended the open house this weekend, and while Vandy has a very impressive program, it's just not the right fit for me. I'll be turing down my spot for one at Seattle U's midwifery program, so hopefully someone on the waitlist gets my spot! Best of luck to all!

hey mef, were you in the 1:00 pm midwifery meeting?

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Mef, et al:

I was one of the panelists at the open house this weekend. Any further questions for me that you maybe didn't feel comfortable asking in person? :D Feel free to ask. I'm still here for yall if you need anything. Best of luck to those still waiting to hear from VU.

-M

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Mef, et al:

I was one of the panelists at the open house this weekend. Any further questions for me that you maybe didn't feel comfortable asking in person? :D Feel free to ask. I'm still here for yall if you need anything. Best of luck to those still waiting to hear from VU.

-M

hey meredith! i was at the open house and saw you!! haha :) i have a question... i'm going down there next week to look for an apartment, and i love the bellevue area. would you recommend it? do you have any buildings you would recommend?? (i think i remember you saying something about the lexington??) thanks so muchh

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Hi Guys!

I'm unfortunately waitlisted for FNP as well. Anyone heard anything else on numbers or how they decide?? They told me we could hear as late as orientation! That's a scary thought...

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Also, once the first person hears they've gotten off the waitlist, please post!! :)

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Mef, et al:

I was one of the panelists at the open house this weekend. Any further questions for me that you maybe didn't feel comfortable asking in person? :D Feel free to ask. I'm still here for yall if you need anything. Best of luck to those still waiting to hear from VU.

-M

Hi Meredith,

I was at the open house last Saturday. Thank you for being there to answer our questions! I have a couple of questions that I thought of later that I would like to ask you. As a graduate nursing student, would we have access to all of same things undergraduate students at do, such as libraries, gym, event/sports tickets, student services, etc?

Also, there is a lot of debate about how accelerated Vandy's program is. However, in comparing semesters and clinical hours, it doesn't seem to be that much shorter in length than other programs. How do you feel about the pace of the program? Do you feel prepared for the nclex after one year or prepared to begin working as an NP after two years total? Thanks for your help!

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hey meredith! i was at the open house and saw you!! haha :) i have a question... i'm going down there next week to look for an apartment, and i love the bellevue area. would you recommend it? do you have any buildings you would recommend?? (i think i remember you saying something about the lexington??) thanks so muchh

Kate,

Yes, I would definitely recommend the Bellevue area. Check out the Lexington, the Madison, Grande View, etc. If you cruise down Old Hickory and Highway 70 in the Bellevue area you'll find plenty of places to look at. I would probably stay away from the Mission Bellevue Ridge though (ick). You'll find rent to be in the $750 plus range, which might sound a bit high until you see what some of the lower rent places in Nashville look like :lol2: Let me know if I can help you out with anything else.

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Hi Meredith,

I was at the open house last Saturday. Thank you for being there to answer our questions! I have a couple of questions that I thought of later that I would like to ask you. As a graduate nursing student, would we have access to all of same things undergraduate students at Vandy do, such as libraries, gym, event/sports tickets, student services, etc?

Also, there is a lot of debate about how accelerated Vandy's program is. However, in comparing semesters and clinical hours, it doesn't seem to be that much shorter in length than other programs. How do you feel about the pace of the program? Do you feel prepared for the nclex after one year or prepared to begin working as an NP after two years total? Thanks for your help!

Molls,

You do have access to the same stuff that the undergrads do, but there are a few stipulations that come with it. The gym for instance limits you to four visits per week, above that I think they charge you a fee (?) Kind of silly, but I've always just gone walking/running around campus, which is a very popular activity around here. I believe you can get a season pass to football games for around $25-- could be wrong on the price but in any case it's cheaper than paying for tix game-to-game like an outsider would have to do. The counseling center is 100% free! We're told nursing students are their biggest client base, lol.

As far as the program goes, it is accelerated; you're essentially taking a full load of traditional-style nursing courses plus one extra each semester, and cramming in all the clinical hours (hospital and community health activities) that are required by the powers that be. We take the NCLEX in September or October, and I'm told has an excellent first-time pass rate, so statistically their students must be prepared for it quite well-- I have no concerns about passing it. It's a bit difficult to gauge the "readiness to practice" factor in terms of the specialty year since we haven't started that yet. I would imagine that all the specialties would be ready to practice upon graduation, however, in my specialty in particular (Acute Care) I think it would be difficult to get an NP position straight out of school with ZERO staff nursing experience; thus, I am planning to work as an RN for at least 1-2 years after I graduate to get more comfortable with the job, etc. I think you'll find that you are much more respected and trusted by your colleagues as an NP if you start out with some staff nursing experience. For some of the other specialties more focused on primary care, I don't think you'd have any trouble finding a starting position as an NP, as they are in high demand, and don't necessarily have to handle the higher-acuity patients. Make sense?? Hope this helps, but let me know if you have any further questions. Back to studying... :lol2:

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Hey, Meredith!

I haven't been on allnurses for evah, but I've got a Sunday afternoon to myself so here I am.

For anyone who's interested, I did my pre-specialty at VUSN last year and, yes, it's very challenging. I was very prepared for NCLEX at the end of that year, as were pretty much all of my cohorts from what I've heard.

This year is also very challenging and quite different from last. Living outside of Nashville has its ups and downs - great to be home with family but missing the support of clinical mates who became some of my very best friends during pre-specialty. Although I'm only 200 (or so) hours into my clinicals for ANP, I think I'll be prepared to practice in the Fall - in an environment that offers the support I will need as a newbie.

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Thank you for your answers to my questions and advice both Meredith and mammac5! Is there anything you wish you knew about Vanderbilt's nursing program going into it? Are you happy with your decision to go there?

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Hey, Meredith!

I haven't been on allnurses for evah, but I've got a Sunday afternoon to myself so here I am.

For anyone who's interested, I did my pre-specialty at VUSN last year and, yes, it's very challenging. I was very prepared for NCLEX at the end of that year, as were pretty much all of my cohorts from what I've heard.

This year is also very challenging and quite different from last. Living outside of Nashville has its ups and downs - great to be home with family but missing the support of clinical mates who became some of my very best friends during pre-specialty. Although I'm only 200 (or so) hours into my clinicals for ANP, I think I'll be prepared to practice in the Fall - in an environment that offers the support I will need as a newbie.

hey mammac, do they send you out far on your second semester? where do you usually stay when that happens? and also, where are you right now, if you don't mind me asking?

thank you so much!!

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I live in North Carolina and drive to NVL for blocks (4-5 days at a time) and I have a great place in Nashville where I stay, thanks to wonderful friends I met during pre-specialty. Lots of people stay in area hotels close to VUSN; we have people who fly in from all over the country. Some people just couch surf with people they know from last year who remain in Nashville.

In addition to "live" block classes, we also have online lectures in some of our classes. I am doing my clinical rotations in NC at sites that are very close to home.

If there was anything I wish I had known about the program ahead of time...hmm...I don't think so. If I'd known a lot more about how it was going to be, I might have just freaked myself out about it and missed the whole thing!

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