Any Spring 2009 Linfield Cohorts?

schlifka · Sep 22, 2008

I'll be starting in February as well! I can't wait! Linfield was my first choice. I've been reading everything I can to prepare.

lilikoi · Sep 23, 2008

Hi Schlifka,

Thanks for responding to my post. Everyone I know has started Linfield this fall so its nice to meet someone who will be starting in February. I have been reading everything too to get ready. Well . . nice to meet you and I guess I'll see you in February:)

Lenamhawkins · Oct 15, 2008

Me too!! :yeah:

Are either of you attending the scholarship workshop they are holding?

I am so excited, time is dragging by.

lilikoi · Oct 15, 2008

I agree Lena, time is certainly dragging by. I will not be attending the workshop because I have already gotten a scholarship, which is the only reason I can go to Linfield in the first place:) But I have participated in similar workshops in the past that I certainly contribute to my success in receiving one.

2princesitas · Nov 2, 2008

Hi,

This is my first post, so I hope I am doing it right. I am also starting at Linfield in February. I am glad to have found other students in the same situation. Are you scared? I have to admitt that I am a little

What are you doing to get ready? Have you received any information on the orientation?

lilikoi · Nov 2, 2008

Hi 2princesitas,

Your post showed up just fine so you must be doing it right:nuke:

I am scared as well. It is the great unknown and it has been doing a number on me lately. I even keep second guessing my path even though I have worked so hard to get to this point. I am chalking all of it up to nerves.

Anyway, I just keep reminding myself that we will all be in the same boat and that it is normal to be afraid of new things. I think once we get to orientation (which I have heard nothing about as of yet) and have a better idea of what to expect we will feel alot better.

Well, nice to "meet" you and I am glad you found this thread. It's nice to have some moral support from those in the same boat.

2princesitas · Nov 2, 2008

Hi,

Thanks for your response!! Like you said it is nice to find people on the same boat.

I guess we all go through the same things, because I have also been second guessing myself lately (like in "what the heck did I get myself into?". Funny thing if we consider how hard we had to work to get here, and also the fact that we "made it", so we have to be good, right?

I am an old student (I am 41) and I have a daughter, so I wonder if I am going to be able to keep up, and how this is going to affect her, or if it is fair to have a mom that will barely be able to pay attention to her. Oh well, like you said, it is probably nerves. :bugeyes:

khazel2002 · Nov 2, 2008

Congrats for getting into Linfield! I know the post is intended for Spring '09 cohorts, but I had to reply anyway. I graduated from the accelerated 2nd degree program at Linfield a couple of years ago. I got my acceptance in Apr '05, and started that June...and for those 2 months I was nervous, apprehensive, terrified, and constantly second guessing myself. I kept telling myself that I would feel better and more at ease after orientation, because then I would at least have an idea of what to expect. The first day of Orientation was interesting and incredibly overwhelming at the same time. I can tell you, I didn't really feel any better....EXCEPT that there were 40 other people with me, all in the same boat. Once the term got going, I found myself settling into the routine. It wasn't a walk in the park. There were certainly times that I was incredibly frustrated. You probably will be too, but, hey, that's part of nursing school! Will it be easier than you expect? Quite possibly, it was for me...and for many of my classmates. I think that we all built up nursing school so much that we were pleasantly surprised. That's not to say I didn't work hard. But I was able to play hard too. I don't have kids, but classmates of mine did, and they made it work. Hey, I even had time to plan a wedding and get married during our short summer break!

As for Linfield. I liked it, despite some of my classmates arguments that there was more of a community health emphasis. I think I got plenty of med/surg knowledge. After graduation, I went to work on a med/onc floor, and felt I was adequately prepared. I will say this - there are some pretty amazing professors and instructors there - you will quickly learn who they are. The location is awesome. Lots of stuff going on around NW 21st and 23rd.

While you wait for the term to start: Just try to have some fun! Or, if you really want to get a start on your nursing career, I would just get into the groove of nursing...There are some great magazine/journals out there that have really good info. Read Nursing2009. Or, for some basic, fun, and very easy to read tips, Nursing Made Incredibly Easy is a good source. You could get a start on the required course reading, but you might as well just wait...there will be plenty of time.

Again, congratulations, and good luck at Linfield!

lilikoi · Nov 3, 2008

What a coincidence, I am an older student too (38) and I also have a daughter who will be 4 on Thursday. I have the same concerns and misgivings too. As a single parent it has been hard to even get this far but I am hoping that the effort will be worth the sacrifice down the line. I also find that she is great motivation to keep going!!

We'll be fine and I am sure we can keep up. We made it this far which was no easy task for us, or our fellow cohorts, or anyone who has gotten into a program for that matter given the competition.

We should meet up for coffee or something before classes start so we have a familiar face walking in?

Take care.

OregonBSN · Nov 3, 2008

Just of note, you guys will be grouped by your graduation date, not your start date. We (my cohort) were originally calling ourselves the "Summer 2009 Cohort" but we quickly found out that was incorrect. The correct designation was "December 2009 Cohort" - our graduation date. So I think you guys should be the "Fall 2010 Cohort" - just a tip so you don't look silly like we did.

Congrats by the way! Khazel's post is very accurate assessment. Oh get used to that word "assessment", you'll be using it a lot!

The community health is not that bad. I was concerned about it as well, but in the bigger picture, every client you have (regardless of what area you work) is part of a larger community. So knowing that community can help in the care of your client. You get your hospital rotations as well, so don't worry about getting "enough". If anything, the community health gives you more than other programs that don't cover it as in depth as Linfield. You'll just have a better grasp of community issues compared to other programs. Nursing has a broad history in the community, but you'll learn that your first semester...

Good Luck! Feeling excited then burned out is perfectly normal. It happens several times a semester.

lilikoi · Nov 3, 2008

Thanks for the update LinfieldNursingGuy. We actually graduate in the Spring of 2011 so I guess we are the May or June 2011 cohort. The spring starts do not attend school over the summer, which for me is a very good thing. I am looking forward to having some real time off with my little girl as she has endured 10 straight terms with no break so far!

I hope your journey is going well so far!