Certification (EMT or phlebotomy) before applying to ABSN programs

[ElizabethH736]

In Fall 2014 I will be applying to several ABSN programs, one of which is CSUN's ABSN program. I'm currently a student at CSUN finishing my BA in Psychology. I found some information on CSUN's ABSN program website which states that competitive applicants are those who have either an EMT or phlebotomy certification. Any advice on which certification would be best and most useful? I found a pretty good EMT certification program at College of the Canyons. However, I'm having difficulty finding a good, reputable phlebotomy certification program. Any tips would be greatly appreciated! :)

[jennifergrant034]

Nursing schools are different today than they were 5 or 10 years ago. Seven years ago, one of our local nursing schools was offering a $5000 cash bonus to new students.

Today, however, the list of applicants is so long, you feel like you need to hand them $5000 in cash just to get two minutes of their time. In the past they were begging for people to enroll in their nursing schools, and today it is common to have 900 to 1200 applicants each year.

So, yes, you can enjoy benefits in getting certifications prior to applying to nursing school. The decision makers will see you as a student with a higher chance of being a successful student.

Additionally, I definitely saw that those with any prior experience had a bit of an easier time adapting to nursing school.

I had absolutely no medical experience, and I flunked out of the first semester of the RN program. In fact, 14 out of 60 of us flunked out. And all 14 of us had no prior experience at all. (That does not mean you cannot make it without any prior experience, it just means that you have a much more difficult time at some schools).

So after flunking out, I went and took a few classes at the local votech. I took a medical assistant class, a CNA class, and an EKG class. Then I went and enrolled at an LPN program, and graduated as the #2 student. I was very proud of that, because I had come such a long, long way in my nursing education.

But, now that I have the LPN, I am having trouble finding a job. The places I have gone to say they only hire nurses who have 1 to 3 years of experience. They dont want to hire a graduate without any prior experience. So I have to hunt around for a nursing home or a hospital willing to give me a chance and get that first break.