Anyone starting RN at Miami Dade College Fall 2009?

Hey guys, I just wanted to give you all an update on my situation. Upon hours of due diligence, I have decided to defer my seat until Spring of 09. I'm happy for myself and that lucky individual who will get that late approval for the Full-Time Generic option.

Since I have most of my nursing books already, I have started studying 5 months in advance subjects like: Pharm, Physical Examinations, Fundamentals of Nursing, Nursing Math, Pathology, fluids & electrolytes, medical terminology, critical thinking and A&P. This may sound crazy to current Nursing students, but I want to get only A's in all my nursing classes. It's the only grade i've seen in College and I don't plan on anything less. Truthfully, if all I wanted was a RN Degree, I would not care and get C's with pleasure. However, I plan on going on to Grad School and with such stiff competition I'm not sure C's would get me in to a school like UF or the like.

Also, the Baptist Scholars program will be back in January and I will apply for that as well. For there are threads on this forum like Can't get a job as new RN in Florida. Most hospitals want 1 or 2 years experience in order to be hired. Apparently the demand is still there for nurses just not New Grads like they were in the past. With a program like Baptist Scholars a job is there for you upon graduation, at least that is my understanding. And, even with that they make you apply for the position.

Last, I will be attempting to spearhead the Nursing Honor Society which MDC currently does not have in addition to taking Micro in the Fall.

Thanx for your vote of confidence and you are correct about timing on the market/recession. Perhaps, if I would have had my Micro completed I would have started with you guys.

I know you guys will be so busy, and your lives will change but please if you get a few minutes here and there throughout the semester, stop by.

I would love to read about everyones' progress and the challenges that lay ahead. I'm super happy for you guys. Congrats! You all should be so proud of yourselves for entering MDC with the highest GPA's known to date. I say this cause I read several years (3-5 years ago) of MDC acceptance posts and was surprised some got accepted with 2.6gpa and above.

I would have loved to been in room with so many bright minds.

On the contrary, I'm grateful that a current nursing student would take their time to reply to someone yet in NS. It's an Honor. Please, I welcome yourself and others to correct me or guide me in the right direction.

I agree with you. However, studying 5 months in advance in said nursing courses where more of a secondary or a bonus reason if you will for my deferral. In addition I'm trying to become an expert in A&P and other courses of the like which should will be expected and perhaps not covered in detail in NS.

My primary reason for deferring 1 semester is threefold:

1st, I realized that it was not a wise idea to take microbiology and full time nursing courses at the same time, which could impact my grades and add undue stress. And, though I have read and spoken to others who did just that, it was not a pleasant experience to say the least. In addition their grades took a hit.

2nd, by holding off until the Spring semester i'm eligible to apply for the Baptist Scholars program, which is not being offered for the new incoming Fall class. And while in the past, others have said this program is no big deal, it could and may help me get a job as soon I graduate/pass nclex. For what good is it to have a RN next to your name if one can't get hired upon graduation because the economy crisis, only demands experienced RN's and not new grads. Jackson/Baptist Scholars grads pretty much have a job in the bag since they signed a contract saying they would work 2 years for said hospital upon graduation.

3rd, MDC currently does not currently have a Honor Society of Nursing. Actually, out of the 17 four year Colleges MDC is the only one that does not have a Sigma Theta Tau Chapter. For the last several months, I have been in touch with the administrators at MDC and it appears that they would like to establish a STT or Sigma Chapter. And, it would be my pleasure to help pioneer it. Thus, I came to the conclusion, that I not only wanted to avoid taking Micro with full-time Nursing classes, but I could not imagine trying to do all the preliminary footwork to get this Honor Society of the ground and at the end of it all not even have a job lined up.

I'm a mover and shaker. And while I agree that NS is not all about getting A's, my desire for those grades are twofold:

1st, if all I wanted was a RN degree I would not care nor sweat getting C's=continue. However, I want upper education, imagine when I apply to a Grad school, who will they take first? the C student or the A? Just look at how the last several years the MDC GPA min. entrance has evolved, from ~2.6 to 3.80~. And, while schools like Barry will take just about anyone willing to pay $10K a semester, I would rather bank on better grades than tons of financial aid to get me trough each semester.

In addition, I plan to come back to MDC and get my BSN and if Sigma is established I would like to be invited, and with all due respect to the c student, they don't get to join nor are they invited to join. It would be pretty sad if I could not join a club I helped get of the ground.

In conclusion, will I be able to accomplish all of this? I will give all my effort. I will find out and gladly accept the results. Will Sigma Theta Tau eventually have a chapter in MDC nursing? Yes, sooner or later it will come. I just wish I could have a hand in it.

More bad news: according to this Miami Herald article, Jackson Memorial Hospital 'may not make payroll by 2011' if something is not done in a hurry. They are in the hole in the $Millions.

I guess I have my answer for the near future of the Jackson Scholars program. In addition, it's not looking so hot to even work there, if a new nurse could land a job there. According to the article, cuts have been made to the nursing staff where "nine nurses are doing the job of 10 in the past". I have a feeling current JMH nurses will say those ratios could even be worse.

In a more positive note, private Hospitals are doing much better. Broward Hospitals seem to doing better, including the public ones.