ECU MSN-AE Program 2008

kaystho · Feb 24, 2009

Hi,

I just got accepted as well for the fall of 2009. Just wondering how your year is going........I have a lot of anxiety, but I'm prepared for the program.

Aneroo, LPN · Feb 24, 2009

I don't have any info on that part- I'm in the RN/BSN portion though.

VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN · Mar 4, 2009

It's a great program. You can send me a PM for further details.

kaystho · Mar 5, 2009

Hi Vicky RN,

Any advice you can give me and others? I am 47 years old, and I feel like I'm going to be the oldest student in class.

Thanks,

Kim

VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN · Mar 6, 2009

You should do fine @ 47 years. Many of the students entering this program are second or third career. If you have any specific questions, please send me a PM (private message) and I'd be glad to answer.

medic97RN09 · Mar 7, 2009

Kaystho,

It sounds like you are very anxious about starting this program. First of all, it’s nursing school and if you peruse the forums on this site, you will hear everything from horror stories to success stories from fellow students about their experiences in nursing school. Second, your age will not make as much a difference as your motivational level (to study) and your ability to rapidly retain the covered material.

I believe your success in nursing school will all depend on YOU. Are you willing to make the necessary sacrifices to be successful in this program? Do you have good time management skills? Are you able to retain the information covered in class? Are you able to retain the information that you read? Do you have good study habits? All of these things determine whether or not you will succeed in this program, not necessarily your age.

This program is hard but you can make it through it. You will find yourself studying more than you’ve ever studied before in your life, and then you will study some more. Nursing school prepares you to take NCLEX style questions which are probably different from what you are used to. For example, in Anatomy & Physiology, you would get a question like how many ribs do you have or what are the layers of the heart? These “trivia” type questions were very easy and you either knew the answer or you can take a good guess and answer it correctly. NCLEX style questions give you 4-5 right answers and you have to pick the most correct one. There are also NCLEX style questions where you have to “choose all that apply” so you could have all 5 right or any combination of right & wrong answers. Yes, both of these NCLEX type questions are hard BUT the more you practice, the better you will get.

The instructors for this program are VERY supportive and they want you to succeed. They are not going to give you any short-cuts but they will help you to find a way to succeed in this program. Don’t psych yourself out! Enjoy your summer. Take a vacation. Read plenty of books. BUT, be prepared to put your BEST effort for class starting in August.

CarolinaHurricaneFan · Mar 11, 2009

Hi,
I just got accepted as well for the fall of 2009. Just wondering how your year is going........I have a lot of anxiety, but I'm prepared for the program.

Kaystho-

Awesome to hear of another person admitted into the AE-MSN program! I've been blessed enough to be admitted as well and am changing careers (currently a practicing Marriage/Family Therapist in Eastern NC). 28 y/o, married and we have a young child as well so it will also be hectic on this end BUT, we can do this. Keep your eye focused on the end prize Kaystho, and all the hard work will be worth it.

Please feel free to send me a PM on here so we can touch base about the program and begin to get to know one another. Again, so pumped to hear about another Pirate in the program!!

GoECU · Mar 21, 2009

I am currently in the program 2nd semester of phase 1. This program is A LOT of work, but it can be done. It takes a tremendous amount of studying time outside of class. The instructors are awesome and very supportive. It's amazing what I have learned already! You can do it! I'm doing it with a 2 year old! I can see the light at the end of the tunnel! :) Good luck and feel free to ask me any questions! :nurse:

CarolinaHurricaneFan · Mar 21, 2009

Kaystho,
It sounds like you are very anxious about starting this program. First of all, it's nursing school and if you peruse the forums on this site, you will hear everything from horror stories to success stories from fellow students about their experiences in nursing school. Second, your age will not make as much a difference as your motivational level (to study) and your ability to rapidly retain the covered material.
I believe your success in nursing school will all depend on YOU. Are you willing to make the necessary sacrifices to be successful in this program? Do you have good time management skills? Are you able to retain the information covered in class? Are you able to retain the information that you read? Do you have good study habits? All of these things determine whether or not you will succeed in this program, not necessarily your age.
This program is hard but you can make it through it. You will find yourself studying more than you've ever studied before in your life, and then you will study some more. Nursing school prepares you to take NCLEX style questions which are probably different from what you are used to. For example, in Anatomy & Physiology, you would get a question like how many ribs do you have or what are the layers of the heart? These "trivia" type questions were very easy and you either knew the answer or you can take a good guess and answer it correctly. NCLEX style questions give you 4-5 right answers and you have to pick the most correct one. There are also NCLEX style questions where you have to "choose all that apply" so you could have all 5 right or any combination of right & wrong answers. Yes, both of these NCLEX type questions are hard BUT the more you practice, the better you will get.
The instructors for this program are VERY supportive and they want you to succeed. They are not going to give you any short-cuts but they will help you to find a way to succeed in this program. Don't psych yourself out! Enjoy your summer. Take a vacation. Read plenty of books. BUT, be prepared to put your BEST effort for class starting in August.

Medic-

How have you enjoyed your experience in the program thus far? What concentration are you going in to? Just curious here....will begin the program in Fall '09 so any/all information would be greatly appreciated!

Have a great one and LET'S GO CANES!---Sorry, big game tonight folks, haha!

GoECU · Mar 22, 2009

CarolinaHurricaneFan, I'm not able to private message but I'll be glad to give you more specifics and updates if you send me your email... here is some general info. The first semester we were in class on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday (lab) 8-4. The first 4 weeks was community content (boring!) but then we start getting into the meat of things and this is when it starts to get intense. Each week you learn a new system starting with respiratory, cardiac, etc... You will have a test almost every week. They give you an insane amount of reading but you soon learn what you need...focus on powerpoints and then read about it in the books. The most helpful book is our Medical-Surgical book by Lewis. You have very little clinical first semester. 2 days at a nursing home to distribute meds and 2 days at Pitt. You learn stuff so quick that you feel like there is no way you will be able to recall the amount of information but Spring semester things start to click. We have clinical on Monday and Tuesday, tests Wednesday, and class all day Thursday. Half the semester you will be at a smaller hospital and the 2nd half you are at Pitt. You will learn SO much on clinicals. During the first Summer session we will be doing 3 days of clinical in a community setting (health dept) and one day of class. The final summer session is your clinical capstone. You work full time one on one with a preceptor...you will work their schedule, days, nights whatever. Also you will have an online course to help transition to the next phase. After completing this portion you are eligible for NCLEX and you will start phase 2. I'm not sure what I'm going to choose yet...I do have an interest in NNP. ECU will send you some info on uniforms (they come from JA's uniform shop in Greenville). All-Heart is where I got my stethscope. I got a Littman but some others got a cheaper one--the only requirement is it must have a diaphragm and bell. It seems very overwhelming at times but it CAN be done. I've been lucky to have a lot of support from my husband and the grandparents for help with my little one. Congrats on getting in and I'm sure you will do great! It has really gone by quick, I can't believe I've come so far in a semester and a half! Good luck! Let me know if you have anymore questions!

medic97RN09 · Mar 23, 2009

CarolinaHurricaineFan,

Knowing what i know now, if i could go back in time and choose whether or not to enter the program, I would do it all over again. This program has definitely challenged me more than i ever thought possible but i think that it has been really beneficial for me!

I am still undecided on which concentration that i will pursue; ANP or education. I don't know which i will end of choosing to pursue, right now, i'm in the "lets finish this semester mode".

I just read GoECU's post and she gave a great overview of the program. (She's one of the smart ones in the class!) The only thing that i would add is that I would HIGHLY recommend buying a brand new Medical-Surgical book. I purchased mine new at the beginning of the year and i have about worn it out. You can purchase used books for the rest of your book-list. If i think of anything else, i will post it here.