Accelerated BSN at UNF and JU

NoleNurse08 · Mar 8, 2008

I can imagine that moving and such would be a stressful situation. I was planning to move to NC after getting accepted to a nursing program there but ended up getting cold feet and staying at home in Jacksonville, which is how I ended up at JU.

Have you ever lived in Florida before? Have you already figured out your living arrangements? Are you going to live on campus? FYI, JU is not in the best area of town and if you are looking for a place I would suggest it is worth a longer commute to say in a better area.

I'm sure questions will arise as the time gets closer. Registration should be no problem although I recall wondering when I would get info from the school about what classes to register for. Don't worry about this because they will e-mail you eventually! There are plenty of seats available and they will make sure you are registered for the right classes.

Congratulations on your accomplishment!

Sftbllgirlie08 · Mar 8, 2008

I am actually living in North Carolina right now and will be moving to Florida. No, I have never lived in Florida. Last year I lived in Connecticut so Florida will be different for sure.

Do you happen to know of anyone that needs a roommate? I have a college friend that lives down there and she lives at the beaches. She has also told me not to live right near the campus.

Thanks for all the advice!

Does the second degree program follow the traditional JU academic calendar?

NoleNurse08 · Mar 8, 2008

Actually I don't know anyone currently looking for a roommate but I'll let you know if I hear anything to the contrary. The beaches are great! I live out towards the beaches as well and I would recommend this area without a doubt.

The second degree program begins in May as well and follows the other accelerated/traditional students through the fall and spring. After the spring semester the other accelerated students get the summer off while the second degree students continue on (doing the entire senior year over the summer...26 credit hours!!!) and then graduate in September. The accelerated/traditional track students I was with throughout my program will be graduating in May this year. It is a little confusing the way they do it but it works out. It was the worst/best summer of my life in terms of stress and gratification.

Sftbllgirlie08 · Mar 8, 2008

Did you work while you were taking classes the first summer or during the fall or spring?

NoleNurse08 · Mar 8, 2008

No I was not able to work at all during school although I know people who did. I decided to concentrate on school and typically the professors will tell you it is best to work as little as possible or not at all. I can think of a few people who tried to work during the program and it negatively affected their grades. I would say at best you could work 1-2 days a week seeing as there is no class from Friday-Sunday. However I found those days filled with studying and school work.

Sftbllgirlie08 · Mar 8, 2008

Yeah, I have heard many people say not to work and if you have to, work as little as possible. When did you actually start your clinicals? Did you like your clinical sites?

NoleNurse08 · Mar 8, 2008

We started our clinicals during the second part of the summer semester so pretty much right away. The first clinical rotation was at a smaller facility such as Brooks Rehab or Specialty Hospital. I liked most of my clinical sites. There are so many opportunities available here in Jacksonville for nursing students to get a great clinical experience. Just to name the big ones, Baptist Downtown and Baptist South, St. Vincent's and St. Luke's, Memorial and Orange Park Hospital.

I am a firm believer that each student makes their clinical experience what it is. You will hear this from many of the professors as well. You will have to seek out opportunities for practicing skills and say "yes" when anyone offers you the opportunity to practice a skill.

I was so scared to do a lot of the things we practiced in the lab on REAL patients (NG tubes, foley catheters, IV's) but the fact is as a nurse these are the skills you need to be successful. I figured nursing school was my opportunity to practice these skills before being thrown out into the nursing world where I would be expected to know what I am doing.

Honestly one thing you should know is I never got to do an IV on a patient until I was in the Critical Care rotation during the few days I spent in the ER...and this was near the end of the curriculum. So don't be discouraged if you don't feel proficient with your skill level throughout the program.

I chose to do my synthesis (8 week internship) in the ER for a couple of reasons. But mainly it was because I felt that it would be the best way to practice the skills we learned and interact with patients.

Hope this answers your question and more...kinda long sorry!

NoleNurse08 · Mar 8, 2008

Oh yeah and I forgot to mention Shands Hospital which has a Level I Trauma Center and Wolfson Children's Hospital. You will do your pediatric rotation at Wolfson which is an amazing opportunity because most cities do not have a dedicated children's hospital. Our city is also home to the State Mental Hospital...which is a scary place but very interesting as well.

Sftbllgirlie08 · Mar 9, 2008

Are you still in the Jacksonville area? Where are you working? Do you have any desires to go back to school for Nurse Practitioner?

NoleNurse08 · Mar 9, 2008

I am still living in Jacksonville. I grew up here and I don't plan on leaving. I am currently working at St. Vincent's in the OR but will be transferring to St. Luke's soon. It is kind of complicated to explain but basically St. Vincent's owns the building that is currently St. Luke's/Mayo. It is leased out to the Mayo Clinic until April 12th when Mayo will leave and transfer to their new hospital just built. So on April 12th St. Vincent's will take the hospital back. It is going to be a CRAZY transition, something that has never been done before.

When I graduated from school I thought I would definitely go back eventually but at this point it isn't financially possible and I'm not sure that it ever will be. Nurses definitely don't make as much money as I thought they did! I plan on getting certified as an OR nurse but that is as far as my plan goes at this point.

JulieJaxBch · Mar 9, 2008

Thanks NoleNurse08.....I'm sure that I will want to get in touch with you. I will try to PM you to exchange numbers. I also live out at the beach....born and raised here. I have been a teacher for the last 13 years so this will be a second career for me. Congratulations on your graduation and starting your career. :yeah:

Sftbllgirlie08- Congradulations!!! You are the first person that I have heard of that has also been accepted to JU. Out of all the pre-req classes that I have taken I haven't found anyone who has applied to JU. There are a bunch of us that have interviews with UNF this coming Friday. I graduated from UNF with my first BA, but I think that JU is going to be my first choice. I am so excited to be starting a new career in May. Let me know if I can help you with anything as you make your way down to Jacksonville.

NoleNures08- Is there anything we need to be aware of about the JU program......maybe somehting that you would have like to have known before you started.....any down falls in their program, or such? Thanks again for offering your advise. :bowingpur

Sftbllgirlie08 · Mar 9, 2008

Julie-Jacksonville was also my first choice. I completed my Undergrad a year ago and I went to a small private school like Jacksonville. I loved the smaller classes and found that is the best learning environment for me. I live in North Carolina and I have never talked to anyone who has applied to JU or has gone there. Do you happen to know of anyone that needs a roommate? I would love to live somewhere near the beaches but at this point I am up for anywhere remotely close to school. I am sure we will be in touch over the next two months because classes will soon be starting! Again, Congratulations!