Brand new pre-nursing student, have some Q's:

grace8808 · Dec 5, 2007

Hi Sierra,
Welcome to the board!
Sounds like you are very focused. I wanted to first mention this is a pre-nursing board, so most of us are still either doinig our pre-reqs or going to be starting nursing soon. You might get more answers under the general discussion board.
Secondly I would say, and this is just my personal opinion, is you are so young, that going directly for your BSN would be smartest way to go. It will take a little bit longer but you will have a Bachelors in the end and more options in the long run.
As for your questions.
I am doing an ADN course I am 39 and looking to get back into the work force after being a stay at home mom. For me the ADN was the quickest route and the way I would mostly likely get in right away. I also took a pre AP course and so glad I did that! You should defenitely look at the schools you want to attend and make an appointment to talk to an advisor to see just exactly what you will need.
Good luck, I am sure you will do well, you sound very together.
Catherine

Thank you so much for the response Catherine!

Good luck in your ADN course, kudos to you for going back to school with kids, I'm sure it's hard! And as for the bolded part-I actually did have this originally in the general discussion board but a mod moved it here for me...

It's great to hear people's opinions and experiences. Thanks!

NurseJeanB · Dec 7, 2007

Hello, I am a nursing student at CSUEB and I am in a BSN program. In my area (Northern California), there are not a lot of options. The ADN programs in the community colleges are all impacted and have a lottery system. The BSN programs at the Cal State Universities are all impacted as well, but they mainly base their acceptance on grades and specifically grades in the prereqs. and CSUEB also requires the TEAS test. I don't know what kind of GPA you have, but I would go to the advisors/ counselor at your community college and get the information on what prereqs/ requirements are needed for each. I know one of the schools I applied to required you have some volunteer hours or actual work experience in a healthcare environment. Please feel free to write me if you have any questions and best of luck to you.

grace8808 · Dec 7, 2007

Hello, I am a nursing student at CSUEB and I am in a BSN program. In my area (Northern California), there are not a lot of options. The ADN programs in the community colleges are all impacted and have a lottery system. The BSN programs at the Cal State Universities are all impacted as well, but they mainly base their acceptance on grades and specifically grades in the prereqs. and CSUEB also requires the TEAS test. I don't know what kind of GPA you have, but I would go to the advisors/ counselor at your community college and get the information on what prereqs/ requirements are needed for each. I know one of the schools I applied to required you have some volunteer hours or actual work experience in a healthcare environment. Please feel free to write me if you have any questions and best of luck to you.

Thank you so much for that info. I'm in central CA, so in the same system as you. I'm at a community college with a very limited # of spots in the nursing school (50) so it's really hard to get in. I'm nervous! I'm working hard though and am going to try to get A's in all my pre-reqs...I'm also thinking about working as a CNA soon and before that as a home companion type of thing. Thanks for the advice! Feel free to give me more if you think of anything. I really appreciate it.

grace8808 · Dec 7, 2007

And another thing, BSN or ADN, everyone starts out as a staff nurse. The year or two you spend trying to get that experience under your belt, you could be already working, in an RN to BSN program (which takes a year full time, and with tuition reimbursement from your employer), and good and decent money, so that by the time you get done with your BSN you can move up into a position probably immediately. Instead of going 4 years to get your BSN, without already making an RN salary, and then having to work a couple of years as a staff nurse to get experience, and then moving up into a mangement position...just something to think about.

That is really good advice! Thank you. I didn't think about that too much. There is so much to think about for nursing! Eeeek.

grace8808 · Dec 7, 2007

Thank you SO much Nikki! That was very helpful to hear.
Unfortunately, the local nursing program/school doesn't allow people to get on the waiting list until they get all their pre-reqs done!
:angryfire
This is how most of the ADN programs are. I live in Socal, and all I have looked at required if not all finished then atleast in progress the last semester before even applying. My school you had to have not only the pre reqs complete but they had to be on your transcript which meant sitting out a semester before applying. Some schools have super long wait lists, which is good to just get your name in as a back up, however, in your case going the BSN route would be better you could work on all the general ed requirements while waiting to get into a program.
The nursing school here will let you be enrolled in PSYC25 and Pharmacology and not be done yet when you apply. But all your Anatomy, Physiology, Microbiology, and all the other classes have to be done already...ugh!

grace8808 · Dec 7, 2007

I guess it's just the area that you live in... it's different at 2 year programs in the midwest. You can be on a list and still do your prereq's. I do agree though. You are young, it would be nice to get a bachelors. However, if you have an associates and go back for your bachelors employers will usually pay for a portion or a good chunk of it

Someone else said that too, so I'll definitely be checking that out!

Thanks!

grace8808 · Dec 7, 2007

My name is Kyle and I am a first semester BSN student at the University of Tennessee at Martin.
It is a public college and they have a "plan" setup so you can graduate in 4 years, but you will be working your butt off! I didn't know what I wanted to do my first year so I managed to get all of my non-nursing classes done in my first two years of college and got accepted to the program last year. I'm not a junior in college and considered a sophomore in the nursing program (because of the way they have it setup).
The only tips I have will be to try to analyze questions more. In my program all of the tests are multiple choice or choose all that apply, but that doesn't mean it's easy! There is a book called Test for Success that is about nursing and how to break down test questions and it teaches you a new way to think. It has been helpful.
I've been in the military for 6 years so luckily I get enough from them and from scholarships to pay for my schooling and don't have to take out loans. I do work about 25-30 hours a week on campus at an IT computer helpdesk. I basically answer phones about computer problems and work through how to fix them, etc.
Hope that helps.

Thanks a lot Kyle! All of that is really helpful. It's just nice to know how people are doing it and what has helped them. I'll check out that Test for Success book-sounds like a good thing! Good luck in your nursing program!

Cosper123 · Dec 8, 2007

Do you have an associate's degree in nursing? If so, how long did it take to complete your pre-reqs and your nursing program?

I am going for my associate's degree and when I graduate in May it will be four years total. But I was working full time during my pre-reqs so I think that if I had a part time job and could really buckle down I could have gotten them done in a year (counting Summer school and taking AnP1 or 2 concurrently with Micro)...which would have made it three years all up.

I plan to go back for my BSN as noted by previous posters, I believe this to be the most productive way to go about it.

Any other tips on nursing school in general? (i.e. how to get through it, study tips, financial advice?)

What I did was research the pre-reqs needed to apply to various programs in my area. Firstly I completed the path of least resistance, being the program(s) that required the least amount of pre-reqs...the plan from there was to then take the additional courses required by the other programs while waiting to hear back from the first ones I applied to...And I applied to various programs in my area and some not-so-close as I was in a position to move if need be. I applied from Sierra College up by Sacramento to Los Medanos in the Bay Area.

As for how to get through it...you just have to want it bad enough. It is by far the hardest thing that I have ever done in my life. The amount of studying involved in insane, the expecations are high...and you will come out of it humbled and exausted.

The good news is, it's totally worth it. Just be as prepared as you can be, and if you get to the point where you have taken all the pre-req classes and have nothing else to take...take some pharmocology or medical terminology classes to make it easier on you. Any time you have a break...be it Christmas break or Spring break...take some time to go over medication flashcards. Basically do any and everything that you can to gain an edge.

For studying...get together a study group. I HATE study groups...and don't have much time for them as I have kids and I am the primary caregiver...but boy are they useful in the nursing program. Not only do they keep you on the ball, but other people will think of things that you don't...and that is very useful when you are drowning in information.

I know this is personal, so don't feel compelled to answer, but for those that don't mind sharing: did you take out loans to get through nursing school? And did you work during nursing school?

Nope didn't take out loans...I worked until our first child was born and then became a stay at home daddy. Thankfully my wife makes enough that this was possible for us...as daycare is so freaking expensive I'd basically be giving 3/4 of my paycheck to a babysitter.

There are plenty of people in my program that work though, some even do so full time (I wouldn't though). I would look into the various scholarships and grants that are out there....there are quite a few for nursing students.

IM me your e-mail and I will send you all my study sheets and brain sheets that are great for students.

Good luck and keep up the good work.