University of Washington SoN Fall 2013

U.S.A. Washington

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  • Specializes in mental health.

You are reading page 3 of University of Washington SoN Fall 2013

tedkim

22 Posts

Thank you JLoya, can I ask one more question?

In the online info-session slide, it says don't write about personal family in your personal statement. But I can't find this tips anywhere other than this info-session slide.

I included my experience taking care of my grandfather while he was at ICU for letter B.

Should I chose a different topic for letter B?

I work with them. One of them was rejected the first time and got to sit down with someone from the SoN and they laid out what they are looking for. She applied a second time and got in using their recommendations. She has now been a nurse for a couple years and shared the insight, which I am now sharing with you. Take it for what its worth... Let the anxiety and anticipation begin!!! Enjoy...

OBrienMP

60 Posts

Specializes in mental health.
Thank you JLoya, can I ask one more question?

In the online info-session slide, it says don't write about personal family in your personal statement. But I can't find this tips anywhere other than this info-session slide.

I included my experience taking care of my grandfather while he was at ICU for letter B.

Should I chose a different topic for letter B?

If it shows you have hands on experience and it delineates your abilities I wouldn't change it.

I'm not so much worried about my essay, more my resume. I'm not especially sure what they are looking for...Uhg. Such a stressful process.

JLoya, would you be willing to take a look at my essay and my resume? Let me know if it's what they're looking for?

abalone

98 Posts

Specializes in CVSICU.

The first thing you learn in nursing school (at orientation, no joke!) is "DEEP BREATHS"!!! Remember this guys. Anyway, I got into UW's BSN program last year, JLoya and I are classmates. I noticed some people had questions so here are some ideas I had. Sorry this is so darn long.

***DON'T COPY PASTE, PLEASE*** Parts of the below writing were used in my admission's essay, so UW's got a copy. I've provided it here so you can see some ideas if you are really stuck.

Additional thoughts: Time New Roman is the font I used for everything. It's standard and takes up the least page space. So, if you tend to be a little "long winded", like me, this might help you out. Don't forget you can print in font size 10 but you need to double space and DON'T print double-sided or staple anything!!!!

RESUME:

What did you learn about nurses and nursing? Here is one thing I wrote that you might be able to relate to even if you don't work as a CNA, MA, LPN, etc...

"Each RN shared in the duties of ---, monitoring/documenting, and circulated with the - techs/CNAs/etc working as a TEAM. Noticing this, I realized a nurse is not just an individual but also part of a team, who is, with the support of doctors, other nurses & techs, able to give the best care. Most interesting, was the incredible amount of patient and family education the nurses performed; with each patient, the RNs discussed the procedure they would undergo, what they would feel, instructions pre, intra and post procedure, and addressed any concerns the patient might have"
I just really think patient education is important...:up:

Community Involvement: I see that some ppl are having a hard time bc they don't volunteer. While I did have plenty of that, don't be afraid to use Micro or O-Chem or whatever Study Groups or Hiking groups (a group could be just 2 ppl! I named my "group" Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie Pass Hikers of "City name") or exercise groups (maybe your group is you and your dog, I don't know lol). If you've got kids do you ever volunteer at their school, do you do something with church? ANYTHING in the community counts, they just want to know what you do with your time when you aren't studying like mad!

Teaching Experience: If you've got kids you've got this covered ;)

ESSAY:

A.Key words I used:

  • Setting: medical emergencies function in high stress events! Be honest (they do want to hear some weaknesses) ie. "[because I got bored seeing UTI after UTI]...learned a lot in this setting, but I might find greater career satisfaction in a field where patients have more varied & complicated health problems, like geriatrics or ICU" I know you are thinking geriatrics?? YES, not only do almost all of your pts in geriatrics have a bazillion comorbidities but I knew for certain that some of the ppl on the admissions board were on a geriatrics committee or specialized in this. ^_^ Just wanted to explain.
  • Duration: long shift (8-12h)= build a relationship with the nurses AND struggle to find balance but that it's important to take care of yourself (Short shifts, 3-4h, could be ok if they were often thus = varied and numerous experiences... maybe). Just for funnies I added a line about learning that "spider bite" = code for MRSA.:eek:
  • Skills: For ppl struggling: CNA skills, CPR, HIV, blood borne pathogen & APPLY them! ^_^ COMMUNICATION! (Very important skill) also "acknowledgment that I don't know everything" asking for help is a skill!
  • Health professionals: team-work, interdisciplinary team. If you were able to interact with RNs, LPNs, MAs, rad techs, repertory therapists, MDs, PAs, ARNPs etc. à you know the basics of a nurse's relationship with each... mention that you've seen this.
  • Patients: REALLY diverse pts = cultural competency. diverse cultural & socioeconomic backgrounds. Weakness, maybe you wish you spoke another language... but you have knowledge of other countries and their cultures!

B.

Use your health-care experience, if you've got it. You can mention personal/family experience but that is really not what they want to hear about. I suggest using family experiences ONLY if it entailed hands-on experience but then also use healthcare experience. They want to hear about what you've learned working with nurses, what it means to be a nurse, surprises, complications.... really the most important thing they want you to think about is HOW this will impact your future work as a nurse.

I talked about the "shocking" experience of being yelled at by a pt's husband (mind you I was a volunteer and the pt had a MINOR laceration but husband thought she was "going into SHOCK!" hehe) and the "thought process" I went through in understanding his emotions and behavior.

Blah blah blah "Temporarily, I doubted my desire to become a nurse" Why would I want to care for someone so unappreciative? (Hehe, I might have exaggerated, I'm made of tougher stuff than this section of my essay might lead you to believe)... ... ... "... remind myself that many patients are seeing us on one of the scariest days of their lives... easy to label as ..., but his behavior probably stemmed from .... His anger wasn't directed at me, but instead, at the situation... In effect, this incident taught me.... By taking a second to empathize with his circumstances, I saw why he may have reacted the way he did. Applying this knowledge as a nurse will help me...."
I focused on one incident and talked about learning several things and what this would help with in the future.

C.

Explain situation/example (BRIEFLY!!!). Explain WHAT you learned and WHY this is important to your future work as a nurse (MOST of the writing should be explaining these ideas!)

As U.S. immigration continues, diversity will only increase..... blah blah blah (keep the first part SHORT, don't actually experience verbal diarrhea in your essay!)... "Nurses labor alongside and care for people who may have very different beliefs from their own. These differences impact our values, communication style, and our expectations and feelings about healthcare..... blah blah blah CULTURALLY COMPETENT CARE." The --- where I volunteered/worked is located in a city whose residents speak at least 110 languages. As a result, ... [[[iNSERT EXAMPLE: explain what happened (briefly), WHAT you learned, & WHY it's important!!! This is the "LONG" part]]]. Conclusion: "As a result of this experience, I became aware that my own background impacts my interpretation of events .... and behavior towards .... When I provide care, I need to be aware of ...., while respecting and addressing my patient's culturally specific needs."

Damn this is long! SORRY! If you've made it to the end of this and you've got more questions let them fly! I'm sure a ton of ppl are wondering the same thing. I remember wishing there were more people I could talk to so we are here for ya!

OBrienMP

60 Posts

Specializes in mental health.

Great information, abalone! Thanks! it gives me some hope! I used one specific example, opened up with it and then built my essay from there, making sure to touch on each question in the essay. I did talk about cultural competencies and the lack thereof causes discrepancies in care, and I did talk about practical things too...time management, adaptability, knowing to ask questions and set limits. I also expressed that nursing isn't just about knowing all the right answers, it's about knowing how to find the right answers. I think my essay is pretty solid...

My resume is a lot different than yours. It sounds more resume-ish (if that is even a word..haha!) However, I did indicate that I work with a multidisciplinary team, patient education and being a patient advocate. Hopefully, my 4 thousand something hours will help.... I also let it be known that the population I worked with was mainly medically underserved Native Americans and Hispanic. I also work as a unit coordinator as get to see the other side of nursing...Paperwork, admitting, discharge, verifying MD orders, room delegation etc. However, I didn't even think about including my experience as a parent as "teaching". For leadership and teaching I included that I am an Officer of Phi Theta Kappa, why role as an officer and the projects I organized and assisted with (coats for kids, book drive.) I didn't find anywhere to work in that I had a little guy...

I'm mainly concerned about my past 22-24 year old, i just want to party and it shows academic history doesn't come back to haunt me. I ended up repeating an entire year of classes because I just did poorly and partied. I hope it doesn't make me look like a risk or depict the person I am today...

Anyways, thanks so much for the info...Uhg.....so nervous!

abalone

98 Posts

Specializes in CVSICU.

I wrote my answers for the essay out in A,B,C format making them very clear but I'm sure it doesn't matter. Sounds like you are set! I wouldn't worry too much about those few years as long as you've had 1-2 solid years afterward. They are always saying they want to see improvement. ^_^

OBrienMP

60 Posts

Specializes in mental health.

When I complete my DTA I will have 2 solid years of academic success...Now I'm nervous that I didn't include the fact that I have a son as my leadership and education experience. UHG! I am so neurotic about this...I suppose the only thing I can do at this point is just sit and wait to hear back. As far as the program goes, how do you like it so far? Is it what you expected in terms of curriculum, faculty and peers?

tedkim

22 Posts

Thank you abalone for a great tip!!

abalone and and JLoya can I ask you guys a favor for ...? Do you still have a letter of acceptance from UW Nursing?

I would like to see the actual letter.. could take a picture of it.. and send it to [email protected] please?

I just want to read it and try to feel how it feels(?) if I receive that letter :unsure:...

I somehow found a Seattle University Acceptance Letter but I couldn't find the UW nursing letter

Thank you and Happy New Year Everyone!!

JLoya

149 Posts

Specializes in IR, Cardiac Tele,Burns, Peds Trauma & ER.
I wrote my answers for the essay out in A,B,C format making them very clear but I'm sure it doesn't matter. Sounds like you are set! I wouldn't worry too much about those few years as long as you've had 1-2 solid years afterward. They are always saying they want to see improvement. ^_^

I too wrote mine out in an A,B & C format. that way they can "briefly" go through your statement and checkoff as they go down in a list.

If they say dont include something, heed their warnings. You wouldn't believe how many people made it to the proctored essay, just to be dropped for not following directions.

If there is ONE THING YOU MUST DO.... FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS, TRIPLE AND QUADRUPLE check everything.

Right before I went to submit my packet I went through it for a fifth time in two hours with a comb only fit for a louse. That fifth and final comb through did I find a bug that would have disqualified my application.

They simply want to see who follows the directions and who does not.

OBrienMP

60 Posts

Specializes in mental health.

Thanks again for the advice! I made sure to quadruple check and make sure everything was in perfect order. I'm just nervous about this whole process. It's like a moment of truth for me, and I've worked really hard for it. It's like an emotional investment too.

Anywho, thanks again! I guess all i can do at this point is sit and wait. But My essay wasn't in A, B,C format...and my resume sounded more resume-ish than abalone's. But I did touch on keywords that she mentioned...multidisciplinary, cultural competencies, patient education, etc.

JLoya

149 Posts

Specializes in IR, Cardiac Tele,Burns, Peds Trauma & ER.
As far as the program goes, how do you like it so far? Is it what you expected in terms of curriculum, faculty and peers?

First Quarter SUCKS!!!! If you have the money, I would take the couple summer classes that they offer and pay for them out of pocket. Otherwise you will have 5 classes, two labs a week and a clinical with ALOT of writing. You will be suicidal every morning...JK

Pathophysiology sucks, period. It is hard, unorganized and hard. It is taught by two tenured professors who are set in their way of teaching. It is the lowest credit class, but the most work and reading. Be prepared, it SUCKS!!!

The other classes are fun. The Anatomy refresher has an awesome teacher and you get a cadaver lab three times in the quarter. The skills and head to toe assessment labs are boring but you have to do them. DO NOT MISS A DAY!!! The Assessment lecture is alright, a young professor teaching it. Good information.

By far the most fun class is Pharmacology!!! The teacher KICKS ASS, she is so fun and is a true advocate for the students.

Know this, if you make it in, they do not try to weed out anyone. They want you to succeed, but you have to get the grades on your own. I was able to have one on one hours with professors when needed. TA sessions are available, but they are often overloaded with too many people and too many questions. The TAs are sometimes available for one on one sessions. Go there with a direct plan though.

I really do enjoy the program, it is fun, but it is DIFFICULT. If you can avoid it, DO NOT WORK. I have to work as I am a single father raising a teenage daughter. I am in class 5 days a week and work weekends for 12 hours a shift. It was the hardest 12 weeks of my life...

tedkim

22 Posts

1 week until the deadline!! Hope everyone is ready to submit your application on time!

PBJBanana88

47 Posts

Hi All,

I just recently turned in my application to UW SoN also and hoping to get through these next couple of months until April with all of you! It's gonna be rough, but I'm glad I'm not alone =]] ++ I also applied to SU.

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