University of Houston-Victoria second degree BSN spring 2013

U.S.A. Texas

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Is anyone applying to UHV second degree BSN spring 2013?

I'm applying to UHV and UTMB. Downside being UTMB doesn't start until Summer 2013. I'm so ready for it to be October 1st already so they can start processing stuff and we can be notified about interviews lol.

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I finally have everything turned in. Now the waiting game begins. Good luck everyone!

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Sending in my immunizations today which is the LAST thing I need to do. FINALLY! Does UHV do a supplemental application?

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Oh, agreed! But the BON website states that the consequences of a "conditional" status is that the program cannot accept a new cohort of students until the "conditional" status is removed.

Since UH-V is "conditional," it would mean they cannot accept any new students. I think I will go ahead and apply and hope --as they are, I'm sure! -- that the BON will remove the "conditional" status in time for the new class year to start. It's all depending on how the most recent group of graduates do on the NCLEX. If they do well, the "conditional" would most likely be removed.

Fingers crossed! The individual who runs the program totally rocks, so I'm thinking things will eventuall work out in their favor.

I am one of the graduates from the 2011 class. I can with 100% certainty tell you that the school is still accepting new students. The conditional status will most likely be lifted in the fall of 2012, as the 2011 (most recent group of grads to take the NCLEX) cohort had a 90-93% pass rate on NCLEX! Yay! From reading threads on the 2012 class, I'm certain they will do just as good, if not better! :)

I keep in contact with many of the professors, and they are always asking for feedback from past and current students regarding what works, what doesn't, and what could better prepare new grads for NCLEX, and a career in nursing. For instance, I recently told one of the professors that mock interviews would be very benifical for students in the last semester. Job interviews are stressful and can make or break your chances for a job. If you're like me, I hadn't been on many job interviews in my life, and would have found the practice and professional feedback very helpful. That professor LOVED my idea of mock interviews, and I think they were going to try to add that into the program for this year's class of cohorts.

Best of luck to all who apply! There are quite a few threads from over the years about the interview process, so I urge you to check those out too. ;) Very helpful info from those of us who have been there, done that, and now own the RN t-shirt.

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Applejacks36 -- THANK YOU! I know the conditional status can't be changed until October because the BON's next meeting is not until then, so I was concerned the timing might not work out. But with the current cohort doing so well on the NCLEX (hooray!), the BON would have no valid reason not to change the status in October.

May I ask you a question? Did any of the employers you interviewed with have any concerns about hiring a grad from an accelerated BSN program, as opposed to one from a regular 2-yr BSN program? I sometimes worry that employers may silently question the validity of a "speed program" degree. I certainly don't question it -- I only wonder if potential employers may. The accelerated programs came out when there was an actual nursing shortage and speed was a favorable factor -- but has speed become an unfavorable factor given the current market conditions?

BTW -- personally, I don't see the current market conditions lasting much longer, and the glut of unemployed GNs is going to evaporate. The pendulum always swings back, given time.

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Sueall, None of the employers I interviewed with had a problem with me graduating from an accelerated BSN program. I actually was told by each of them, that I must be very ambishous and dedicated to becoming a nurse.

I ended up being hired by a pregnancy medical/women's reproductive health and couseling services clinic here in Houston. My manager and CEO both LOVED that I had a second degree in psychology. The CEO has told me on numerous occasions that I bring so much more to the job than the traditional BSN graduate. I bring my maturity, my educational knowledge, my passion and talent to the organization that really enriches the profession as a whole. She told me that type of education and training are invaluable, and she had wondered why employers in the hospital setting had passed me over. Her exact words, "Their loss, our incredible gain!"

That being said, there are those who feel that the accelerated BSN's could not possibly learn everything the traditional BSN student does due to the fast paced nature and time constraints. You will never be able to change those people's opinions. In my personal and professional opinion, both types of programs have their pro's and cons's. You really just have to know what type of student you are. The UHV program is not for the faint-of-heart. It is VERY fast paced. Not all accelerated programs will be for every student. Some students will really require a slower paced program, and there is nothing wrong with that. The end result is the same.

While attending the program, I felt just as knowledgable as others from traditional BSN programs. At the end I felt 100% ready and prepared to take NCLEX. I took NCLEX and passed on the first attempt, and in 75 questions with no problems what-so-ever. So I find no difference between myself and a traditional BSN student. In the end we are both licensed RN's.

I found it challenging to find my first job, but it didn't have anything to do with the fact that I graduated from an accelerated BSN program. Other student's from my cohort were less picky about where they wanted to start out, and were quickly hired. I knew going into nursing school I ONLY wanted to find a job in L&D, Women's Health, Neonatal Nursing (NICU), or Pediatrics. Those speciality areas are EXTREMLY challenging for a new grad with no experience to land. They do have some GN internship spots open up in speciality areas such as L&D and NICU in the hospitals, but not very often. If you do land an interview like I did, competition is TIGHT. I was contacted by Methodist, Memorial Hermann, and Texas Children's for either L&D or Pediatrics. I went on 3 interviews total. Each time I was competing with 700+ applicants for 2-10 open spots. At Texas Children's, I was competing with just over 1,000 BSN and ADN candidates for 2 NICU spots. That's right, just 2 open jobs! I made their first cut, but never got an interview. I was just honored to make the first round honestly. Therefore, I figured if I really wanted to stay in my chosen specialty area maybe non-hospital work would earn me my experience. Once I began to think that way, I found a job very easily. In fact, my job kind of found me. :) I am earning wonderful experience I can eventually take with me into a hospital setting when hospitals decide to stop with the budget cuts, which is what makes the competition so tight since they claim they can only hire a few GN's at a time due to our large cost. It takes $10,000 or more to train a new grad. Due to the large cost, and tight budgets, employment for new grads can get tricky. I do agree with you that the glut of unemployed GN's will evaporate in due time, but in the mean time GN's may need to be flexible.

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applejacks36 -- thank you so much for such an enlightening and cogent post! And congratulations to you for landing up in what sounds like the perfect job for you, whether it remains short term or evolves into something more. You're right -- focusing on the skills we honed in prior careers does bring elements to the employment table that traditional BSN GNs simply cannot offer. How encouraging to have that fact acknowedged during the course of an interview!

On the other hand, those statistics you cited are utterly bone chilling. A thousand applicants for two open positions! Rather than racing through a one-year BSN program, perhaps we should all be looking for a nice, leisurely five-year BSN program while hiring conditions improve a bit!

Just kidding. Your posts have convinced me that (1) having a prior career can enhance a GN's application under current pro-employer hiring conditions; (2) an accelerated BSN degree will not be a handicap to GN employment; and (3) waiting for the UH-V accelerated BSN program conditional status to be lifted would be worth the wait.

Again, thank you! Best wishes in that new job!

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I emailed the advisor,*******, and she said we will not need to apply until you find out that you were accepted....Good luck! :)

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Can someone recommend somewhere to receive my CPR certification in Houston? Thanks!

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You can go onto the American Heart Association website heart.org and search for BLS for healthcare providers.

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I took mine at the I10 West Fire House. I think it is always the third Saturday of the Month.

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Found one! Thanks guys!

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