Thank you both for your responses. Guess I'm getting a little panicked. Some of my classmates have already applied and kind of freaked when I said I hadn't yet. Hope I'm not missing anything.
Bumblebee, Glad to hear your doing well with the BSN program. You must be so proud. Also, do you mind sharing what department (s) you've worked in so far?
And Sunray--I'm also glad to read you are progressing well in the program too! A lot of work I'm sure, but you're on your way. I'll be happy to actually start the program and get things going. If you don't mind me asking--are you actually working at all--I mean a job? And if so, how's it working out? I'd like to work a little but don't want to overextend myself either.
I am not working per se, however I am a stay-at-home mom to 2 kids- 7 and 4 years old. My 7 year old goes to school and the 4 year old is with me when I am not in school/clinicals and is with grandma when I am. I know people who do work, people with kids and work, and people with kids and no work, and people with no kids and no work. It can be done. However, I would honestly say that if you start the program in May, its going to be tough no matter which way you look at it. I would suggest that if its at all possible, not to work that first semester. It takes some time to adjust to how things are in nursing school- the study time especially. But when you take 2 weeks away on top of it, its really going to take all the free time you have to study. I know life doesn't always work out the way we plan, so I know that some people absolutely must work. But if its at all possible, don't work the first semester when starting the May program. Just my 2 cents. If you have to work, just work on managing what time you have left and don't fall behind on the reading, which is very easy to do. Also for starting in may, I would recommend reading ahead before the semester begins. The first test covers almost 700 pages of reading!
no prob. I work in post-op, & also when census is down I work in other areas of the hospital, like step down- NICU& PICU, oncology, respiratory, cardiac etc.
I've been all over the hospital now because they just tell us where to go, and we don't have a choice even if we never been to the unit before.
I guess you can say that "nursing is nursing" and as long as you have your basic skills covered, you look up policies if you don't know how to do something, you will be alright.
Thank you for the well wishes, I hope to be done with the BSN God-willing in august of 2010 (crossing my fingers!).
I am not working per se, however I am a stay-at-home mom to 2 kids- 7 and 4 years old. My 7 year old goes to school and the 4 year old is with me when I am not in school/clinicals and is with grandma when I am. I know people who do work, people with kids and work, and people with kids and no work, and people with no kids and no work. It can be done. However, I would honestly say that if you start the program in May, its going to be tough no matter which way you look at it. I would suggest that if its at all possible, not to work that first semester. It takes some time to adjust to how things are in nursing school- the study time especially. But when you take 2 weeks away on top of it, its really going to take all the free time you have to study. I know life doesn't always work out the way we plan, so I know that some people absolutely must work. But if its at all possible, don't work the first semester when starting the May program. Just my 2 cents. If you have to work, just work on managing what time you have left and don't fall behind on the reading, which is very easy to do. Also for starting in may, I would recommend reading ahead before the semester begins. The first test covers almost 700 pages of reading!
that's so true! may semester is only 6 weeks long, and it is tons of reading, and you must read every word, and go over everything because the test is that hard. So many people who had A's previous to the program were getting C's in my class when I started.
I don't know how people read ahead before the semester begins without a syllabus??? I guess if you know someone that started the semester before you, can give you a copy of their syllabus. or if you start in the north campus you can do a search on the school website and I think there is a guide there for that specific teacher of course.... I dont know if north central & south have the same reading guide.
I worked when I started the program, per-diem, so it wasn't too bad for me, during the second term right during psych I had a baby, so totally stopped working, and just had the baby... buy you so right, If you can afford not to work, then dont!
Ha ha, I don't know why I automatically think everyone is going to north campus, so thats why I say read ahead. But I don't think central and south are on the same topics at the same time, so that wouldn't work for them, unless of course someone at those campuses can give a heads up on the syllabus. My friend goes to central and had completely different topics then I had, plus I had only three exams and she had four. North (like you said Bumblebee) has the info on the professors webpage.
Must be a little hectic at times, but I guess they cross train and groom you very well that way. I wonder if this is common practice nowadays, that the hospitals do this. I found it funny that when I went for my yearly gyn visit my doc recommended working in peds. His thoughts were that working with children was certainly "less messy" than working with adults, lol. Sometimes people ask which dept. I'm most insterested in and to be completely honest my reply is always the same--I have no idea. I guess once we begin clincials we get a better idea.
I too have two children, 8 & 11, and agree that they are work, lots of fun, but work nonetheless. Trying to conform to their school schedules was a bit of an adjustment for me this year, as my 11 year old just transitioned into middle school and his day doesn't start until 9:15a and ends at 3:45, not to mention band and dance class. Thankfully my husband is always able to jump in a moments notice. I have a feeling he will be doing much more of this come May, lol.
As far as working in the program--well, we'll see. Guess I better start trimming my work schedule (and my spending, sigh) to take full advantage and hopefully make it through this crazy program. Jeez, all of the negative comments about central campus are a little daunting though--maybe I should head to north campus. I'm kinda between both campuses, but not sure what to do...
ps, can you tell me what book it is that I should read for the test that covers 700pgs. I will also try looking up the info at their website. Thanks!
Click on "Calendars" on the left hand side. Then under "calendars" click on the link next to Nursing Process 1. There you will see when the lectures are and which topics are covered on the first exam (as well as the second and third). Then you can scroll down to "reading list" on the same page as the calendar and click on "reading assignments" and you will be able to see what pages/chapters need to be read for each topic.
Now, this calendar is for the Jan class, so you won't have the exact dates for May, and it probably won't be updated for May until late April. However, based on the info you will at least get an idea of the time frame you are working with. It is going to be shorter than the Jan calendar, so keep that in mind. Lectures in the summer are 4 hrs each day instead of 3.
I would suggest going to Central's library and finding the nursing tutor there and asking them about the program @ Central. The tutors won't be back until the second week of Jan (I believe) but at least you can hear first hand about the program from someone @ that campus.
Must be a little hectic at times, but I guess they cross train and groom you very well that way. I wonder if this is common practice nowadays, that the hospitals do this. I found it funny that when I went for my yearly gyn visit my doc recommended working in peds. His thoughts were that working with children was certainly "less messy" than working with adults, lol. Sometimes people ask which dept. I'm most insterested in and to be completely honest my reply is always the same--I have no idea. I guess once we begin clincials we get a better idea.
very true! most hospitals will send you off to other units when your census is down. But it's not a big deal.
I remember starting the program, my classmate and I came accross a student ahead of us and we asked her what the key was to passing the semesters, and she said "you gotta do what you gotta do", and then my friend asked what that was, and she responded "read everything!"..... which is so true!
and even at work it is true also, if you give blood for the first time, you look up the policy... so you follow the right steps, if you change a dressing, the same, and so forth.
Thank you Sunray for the link to the north campus reading list. This will at least give me a heads up and occupy some of the next five months before the program.
I posted earlier, but for some reason my reply is not shown...not sure what I did wrong. Anyway, I just ordered two books that were mentioned earlier on another thread--Fundamentals Success and the other is Test Taking Tech. for Beginning Nursing Students. I think I'm going to check for the Perry & Potter books (from the reading list) this week at BC. Is it essential to purchase the "Study Guide & Clinical Companion" as well--like it says on the reading list? Not sure if this is one book or two.
Also, if you don't mind, how many classes are in the first semester of NS? I know about pharm & math, but how many classes/clinicals and/or labs are there. I'm hoping when I go to the Health Science Dept. this week they can answer some of my questions, but most of the time I leave shaking my head in disappiontment regarding questions I had that were actually answered. Probably common I suppose...
I did not purchase the study guide/companion, so I obviously didn't use it. I had friends who bought the bundle and that came in it, but I don't think any one of them used it either. From what I heard, its useless if you try to use it because the questions are nothing like what the tests are like. I suppose you can thumb thru a used copy and see if you think you'd like it. I hate to tell people not to use a book because I know some books help some people and some do not. But I can't think of one person who used it and I can't say I'd even had the time to use if I had it.
There are 2 nursing classes and 2 clinicals per semester. However, one summer, the second half of the summer is off, so that semester it would be 1 nursing class and 1 clinical. If you start summer, then its your second summer this occurs. Otherwise, its the first summer of the program.
GabbsRN
820 Posts
The application deadline is Jan 15, so you have plenty of time