Brookhaven Fall 2012

queenofangels · Apr 16, 2012

I guess I am signing out in my iPhone mail :/ and then not logging in until I read it here. (

Stephanienell · Apr 16, 2012

R u freakin kidding me? If thats the case then they should have let everyone know

Sweetpea1301 · Apr 17, 2012

First of all, please forgive any typos- I am exhausted and figure you all won't judge me too harshly

Most BSN programs after you earn your RN license are aprx 12 months, and many are completely online! Some incorporate a few campus-based classes, and some offer a hybrid of both. The key to completing your BSN in a timely manner is applying early. Stay on top of your application deadlines- some schools will allow you to apply for their program before you have passed NCLEX, assuming that you will have your license before you begin their program, and some will not. Also, some schools require different pre-requisites, and you can be working on those now. Lets say you are going to graduate from BHC in May like I am; Some schools have early application deadlines like February or March, others are May-July. I missed some deadlines so I will have to wait to apply for next Spring, if I choose to. I definitely want to get my BSN, though I am in more of a rush now than I would like to be. Initially I wanted to get my ADN, work for 6 months to a year, then start my BSN. The local economy and hospital demands are pushing me to start my BSN right after the summer is over. I do not have a job lined up right now. In your final semester of school you will be able to apply for "Graduate Nurse Internships/Residencies/etc"- these are positions SPECIFICALLY for brand new nurses to be guided and precepted after being hired at a hospital. The positions are also for current RNs who are looking to change specialties. These spots are coveted, and highly competetive. Without a graduate nurse internship like this, it is VERY rare to be hired straight out of school. Each GN Internship at any given hospital receives between 200-600 applications, depending on the position and hospital. For example, a friend of mine who works at Children's Medical Center said that 438 people applied for their internship in the ER. Parkland's ER has around 600 applicants. The NICU and Labor/Delivery programs are very highly sought after also. Each department only has a handful of spots open, between 2-25 ish, depending on the place.Even the dreaded med-surg is a dream job to some. Aprx 5 of my classmates have secured jobs, and all of them are currently techs in the hospital. 4/5 were hired at their own hospital, and the last was hired at the hospital she is doing clinical at. Obviously, it helps to know people, and it helps to work in the hospital during school to get experience. Out of the hundreds of applications, some hiring managers have admitted to me that they flat out disregard ADN applicants, then only pull from them if they don't find quality BSNs. This is the reality of the market today. DFW hospitals are all trying to gain and maintain Magnet Status, which is an elite certification that makes the hospitals "better and more desirable to patients". One of the requirements to earn Magnet Status is that they have to have a certain percentage of RNs employed with a BSN or higher. I have applied to 26 internships, been turned down for half, and not had one interview. I am a licensed EMT, do home health, have good grades, and have had great clinical experiences. I'm sure that if I can network a bit more, I would have a fighting chance. Otherwise, I am one of 400 resumes. I am not trying to depress, deter, or bother anyone- I am just being realistic and the staff will tell you once you get into the program that it is HARD to get a job as an ADN these days. In fact, hospitals are kicking BHC out of their clinical facilities because they want to focus on training BSN students. I fear that you who are excepted will suffer through this.

It is not impossible to get a job as an ADN. In fact, one of my classmates who DOES have a job lined up interviewed with the hospital she is a tech at, and was hired for a job that is NOT an internship! They like her as an employee and have agreed to take her on and train and guide her. AND most shocking of all, this hospital was the first to say the wouldn't hire ADNs anymore! My advice in a nutshell is this:

1.Expect to get your BSN very quickly after ADN

2.Start working in a hospital ASAP as a patient care tech, secretary, whatever. You should qualify for "nurse externships" in second semester.

3. NETWORK: Get to know people who work in the hospital and always be on your best behavior at clinical. You can make or break that "foot in the door". Always be gracious, even if you have a crappy clinical assignment. (Here's another story for ya: When I started at BHC I had no interest in adult care. I wanted and still want to do pediatric nursing. I was gracious at my adult med-surg clinicals, but didn't make myself stand out because I didn't think I would be applying for adult jobs. I figured that there would be plentiful pedi jobs, and I would be competetive. I now wish I had stood out more and networked more, because I am BEGGING for a job just about ANYWHERE).

If I don't get accepted to a BSN program for fall, I will continue my paramedic degree, then try again for spring, and hopefully work in the mean time. Hospice, home health, and nursing homes are hiring ADNs- it's not desirable to me, but a job is a job when it comes down to it.

Sweetpea1301 · Apr 17, 2012

Sure:

Be flexible. Let work and family know ahead of time that you will need them to be flexible too. There are quite a few extra days you will need to come in throughout the program to the lab, because there just isnt enough time in the academic schedule to get everything in. most of the labs are between 4-8 hours.

Sometimes there will be clinical makeups for various reasons.

Your clinical assignment and class schedule could say "every Monday", but some instructors like to add extra days in to get done early, so you would go "every Monday and Tuesday", and not find out until you get your clinical assignment.

Clinical evaluations (mid-term and final) are between you and your instructor to assess your clinical skill and progress. At least HALF of mine have been scheduled on days other than class or clinical.

There will be some days when lecture is held on a different weekday than normal due to holiday makeup, instructor conflict, etc.

Your HESI tests (each semester) will be held on off days.

Your curriculum tests are on off days in the testing center(no tests are given in class, though this may be changing), but you usually have a few days of flexibility to go in at your convenience.

You will not be given much direction about graduation (and there is a lot to do and pay for to prepare). You have some time before you worry about that though

Money will be an issue- there will be new text books and skills kits to buy with each semester. Other things come up like testing fees (your HESI tests) added onto your tuition, then the whopping $250 your last semester for HESI/NCLEX review and HESI test. Yikes!

there has been a turnover of staff/faculty, and people have not been on the same page about schedules and who teaches what, and how. Different clinical instructors will grade differently, and teach differently.

I have had to call out of work numerous times, or find coverage. Very frustrating.

brookhaven · Apr 17, 2012

I guess the good thing is is I will be working nights, so while it'll be a pain staying up long hours, I most likely won't have to work too much around my schedule. And I think networking comes with any job line. You can't go to TCU, get good grades and be a hermit, and then expect to come out with a job lined up. Everyone before you has already been introducing themselves to people and making connections. I am so thankful I got offered a med/surg PCT job recently, so I will be getting coveted experience that I know will be extremely worth the long hours and major headaches. your post is really enlightening though, hopefully we will get lucky and not have too much hiccup in our school schedules, I just wish people would realize that we are human and have jobs and kids too.

Preemie 2 RN, ASN, RN · Apr 17, 2012

Thanks so much for you input Sweetpea!! Ahh I am so nervous!

I really hope we find out tomorrow. I am a little bummed we weren't notified today like the website says. I refuse to be a prisoner to my computer/email tomorrow though. Today I pretty much sat here all day waiting for that one email and it never came Going to try to keep myself busier tomorrow!

Stephanienell · Apr 17, 2012

@sweetpea1301, that was very insightful. I appreciate you taking the time to give us a heads up. Are you finding it hard to get a job in Hosptials? Or other medical facilities as well? And when you mentioned that BHC was getting kicked out of some hospitals did this info come from someone in the hospital or BHC?

brookhaven · Apr 17, 2012

6 spots open for end of life issues....I think the instructors have issues.

Stephanienell · Apr 17, 2012

6 spots open for end of life issues....I think the instructors have issues.

HAHAHA

mmaxfield07 · Apr 17, 2012

I'm in!!!!

queenofangels · Apr 17, 2012

End of life issues is one of the worst class. I slept all the time during the class but the assignments were interesting. Infact half of the people disnt even show up most of the time.

Preemie 2 RN, ASN, RN · Apr 17, 2012

I made it!!!! *does happy dance*