BSu nursing student-to-be with questions

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Specializes in I'm interested in Med-surg/ER.

Hey everybody!

I've just gotten my acceptance letter to BSU's Fall 2009 Bachelor's Program and I'm pretty darned stoked!

However, I've never even been to Boise; and I've been hearing GOOD and BAD things about the place. It's a bit confusing.

I'd be grateful to any info you could share regarding housing, life-style, dating, the program, things-to-do/not-do, etc.

A little background: I've been in CA for the last 15yrs, am pretty progressive, straight, 39yr male, a non-boozer, healthy, single, and sane.

What sort of cost of living am I looking at? $$$ for rent and day-to-day expenses.

Ideally, I'd live alone. But is it advisable that I get a nursing student as a roommate?

I'd want to live close to campus. Anybody know cute & safe & affordable apartment near-by?

What's it like dating in Boise? (I dont drink, am not looking to get married for a while, and think it'd be a bad idea to date a classmate, assuming one would want to date a guy my age.)

With clinicals I'd have to have a car, yes?

I dont mean to come off as smug/snobby, but I've gotten spoiled by the life-style and cuisine options here in SF. Are there good/cheap/tasty ethnic (non-burrito joints) in town and cheap yoga studios?

Again, thanks for any info you guys can give!

(and for some reason, I'm not allowed to private message on here)

-Russ

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Specializes in ICU.

Welcome to Boise... you'll now and forever be a BRONCO!!

Boise is great, bring a bike, hiking shoes and camping gear. There are quite a few yoga studio's, several near campus. We are not all back woods... there's quite a variety of great restaurants from the standard steak, mexican, italian and burger places to great Thai, Ethiopian, Vietnamese, Japanese (Shige's is the BEST sushi... seriously.), Brazilian, the list goes on. There's fun things to do down town and great local coffee shops. Check out the Flying M and Java. Bogus Basin is about 40 minutes from town, skiing, snow shoeing, biking, and great outdoor activities. Farmer's market, Art in the Park, Alive after 5 (wednesday's music and stuff down town)... the list goes on. google Boise Chamber of Commerce for more activities and info.

Welcome to Boise and good luck in school!

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Specializes in I'm interested in Med-surg/ER.

Hey hey Charmander! Super thanks for the warm welcome and chamber of commerce-like plug for your home and alma mater. I appreciate it a lot.

Near-by yoga, farmer's markets, great coffee shops, and the ethnic cuisines are just what I'm hoping for. I dont know how to spell "skiing" but I think I'm gonna have to learn a winter sport.

If you're around Boise in late August, it'd be fun to get an introduction.

again, thanks!

-Rwh

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Specializes in Neuro.

I don't know if you are still checking allnurses still but...

Check out the Boise Weekly when you get to town. They have alot of information about progressive/alternative culture/restaurants/community events in the valley. You can also look at their website if you haven't moved to Idaho yet.

And for clinicals, a car might be a good idea, but I only say that because biking is difficult when it's freezing at 5:30am (My LTC clinicals started at 5:50am).

Good luck! And feel free to message me if you have any questions. I am going into my 5th semester fall 2009.

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Specializes in I'm interested in Med-surg/ER.

Hey there Erin Jane!

Super thanks for the info and suggestions. I've peeked at Boise Weekly from your suggestion; and it does look like a good resource, for sure.

Thanks for the tip about the car too. I'm pretty concerned about getting used to the snow/frost of the Boise Winters.

I'm actually headed to Boise with my big brother this weekend (11-14 July) to find a place to live and to drop in on the department.

I cant private message on this site for some reason; but if I could I'd send you my contact info.

HEY! I understand I have to get health insurance. Can you recommend one (or two)?

Super thanks!!!

-Russ

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Specializes in Neuro.

I wouldn't know about health insurance (I'm still covered under my dads insurance).

If you want to get a hold of me for anything feel free to email ([email protected]).

I hope you enjoy your trip to the valley!

EJ

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Specializes in ICU.

BSU has student health insurance which if you don't have any chronic problems is great. On-campus clinic staffed with NP's, PA's and MD's. for the price compared to private insurance it's totally worth it. Good luck!

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Specializes in ER, ICU, med/surg.

The cost of living really isn't bad here, you can make it pretty good on 40K (and I mean like have a mortgage and everything). I wouldn't move here for the BSU nursing program tho. Seriously. Not bashing you guys, but I have seen the BSU RN students in action, and not only do they have NO idea what to do, they are pretty snobbish because they are "Broncos", and they have a reputation with the area facilities for being as such. I worked with a SENIOR BSU nursing student who didn't know the difference between a PICC and a Hickman; it was ridiculous. And when they chart using "ur" and "lol" (I have seen this) it really give the program a bad name. Now they MSN program is totally different, and I have seen some great people come out of that. Their BSN is funny because you go two years with straight nursing and get the RN, but then have to go another two to get the BSN. Most just stop after the first round because now they have the RN and don't see the need for the bachelors (and how the heck are you supposed to work full time as an RN and finish up with a bachelors???).

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Specializes in Neuro.

I wouldn't start out a post with "not bashing you guys" and proceed to do just that. I'm so sorry you've had bad experiences with BSU nursing students, however, that was incredibly rude.

I hope you get to meet my classmates. Some might be snobby, but thats a personality defect, not a product of the program. If someone is incompetent, maybe it should be attributed to their character, because BSU provides you with the tools you need to succeed, you simply have to make good use of them.

Erin Jane

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Specializes in ER, ICU.

Lilia...

That is a pretty broad brush you used to describe all of the graduates coming out of a program. There will always be students who fail to impress but they cant be described as representative of every classmate. I have inadequate students in my program as I am sure you had in yours. We would both take issue if someone tried to describe us as inept or "snobbish" based on an experience with other classmates. Any school or any program is what you make of it. I hope you can proctor a student who changes your mind.

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Specializes in Psych.

hi, I applied the nursing school in Spring 2010, can anyone here tell me more about the school? Is it hard to get in? How long am I have to wait?

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Specializes in I'm interested in Med-surg/ER.

Hey Winnie!

Good luck on your application to BSU! I trust that your GPA is a good one and that you have everything correct on your application.

I've just been in the program for a couple of months and I have no complaints. Boise is a nice town, BSU is a nice school (it's friendly, clean, and everything in the labs work like they should) and the nursing faculty seems to know their stuff well.

Sorry I really cant answer your questions about when you can expect to hear back and if it hard to get in or not --I do know they get a few hundred applications.

I'd expect that the nursing school homepage should have info up in a few weeks as to when you can expect to know something. BUT I will suggest that you apply to as MANY SCHOOLS as you can -- do NOT put all your eggs in one (or a couple) of basket(s). If you're young, then maybe you can keep waiting to get into a school; if you're older, you need to get in somewhere/anywhere soon.

Best of luck! I know how nerve wracking this waiting is.

-RWH

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