I desperately needs advice

Nurses General Nursing

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It is with heavy heart that I am posting this. I am native of Nigeria but a legal residence of Colorado. I moved into Colorado in January 2007, after which I have been blessed with my wife and a set of twins. Since then life has been really difficult. As a bachelor degree holder in Economics from Nigeria I could not secure a reputable job with my qualification. I decided to go back into school and get myself re-educated. I thus changed my career to nursing and set a goal at bagging a degree in nursing.

I opted for a special nursing program designed for people like me with a bachelor degree in a non-related course. Going to school for my prerequisites and working full time with my two daughters was the most difficult task I ever undertook in my life. Relentlessly, I pursued all my prerequisites and had the required ten of them in A's. Having gotten all my required prerequisite, I set out and applied with University of Colorado and Health Science Center but was turned down for no reason. Followed up by applying in Regis University, but was met with same fate.

I can't finish counting my losses. I have sacrificed valuable time that could have been spent with my kids in making sure I excelled in all my classes. I have expended so much money over the last eighteen months for all these classes. The schools applauded my application only to turn it down after my interview. I strongly believe I get turned down because of my accent. But has anybody ever sat down and realize the fact that "if I have an accent to you, it means you automatically have an accent to me too". Merit has given way for accent in the days where knowledge rules the world.

I have been working as a customer representative on the phone for the past two years with Staples and never had an issue with any customer about not understanding what I'm saying. It is very important for our society to be aware that global competitiveness should be cushioned with cultural tolerance. I feel so depressed about this, and presently at a point where I really don't know what to do but ask the question: Is our land of opportunity turning to graveyard of dreams?

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Specializes in CTICU.

I'm sorry you've had a frustrating time.

Do you actually have any idea that your accent or nationality has anything to do with the rejections? I think people jump to conclusions about these things sometimes with no evidence.

Why don't you contact the schools and ask if you can talk to the admissions department and seek feedback about why they did not feel you were a good fit for them? There are thousands of US students who cannot get into nursing degrees as well, it's not just immigrants.

Are you a permanent resident of the US?

The fact that you have got all As in your prerequisites shows that you obviously understand and express yourself very well in English. I would not immediately assume your accent is responsible for the rejections.

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I'm so fustrated that I just can't factor a reason for this. I called UCHSC once about it but was told the they received so much application and that thus made the selection a little competitive. I have done all my possible best to get into this program...like I said before, I don't know what to do and regret not going for the LPN program at first. Now because of the waiting list, LPN program will take me another 18 months to get into. If anybody have an advice for me, I will appreciate it.

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If it's really that competitive... especially if you have gotten all A's in your prereqs then you may need to get some other training to put on that application such emergency medical technician or certified nursing assistant training... maybe even some community service at a local hospital.

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Although you may have all A's in your pre-req's, that may not be enough. You may be competing with applicants who may not have all A's, but they have some healthcare experience, such as a being a tech, CNA, volunteer, etc. My suggestion would be to try to obtain your CNA and work every other weekend if you could just for the experience and something to add to your application.

When I was applying for nursing schools, a girl I had did my pre-req's with had a 3.89 GPA and she got turned down to someone with a 3.25 who had CNA experience. The girl I knew only had corporate america experience and that's it.

I wouldnt automatically assume it's your nationality or your accent, because I work with serveral nurses male and female from Kenya, Camaroon, Nigeria, etc.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Many people have been turned down for nursing school the first time around. Sometimes perseverance is what is needed. I second the idea of contacting the schools to see what they want in the way of qualifications. Then, I would set out to get them!

Many of us have worked full time, gone to school full time and had a family. It can be done.

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Specializes in Ortho and Tele med/surg.

My friend, I feel for you from the bottom of my heart. I know how you feel. Don't give up. There's a school out there for you. Apply to as many different schools as possible. Can you relocate? Hope everything works out for you.

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You may need to try a community college, perhaps one where you can get on the waiting list. Get some kind of experience while you're waiting, it will help you in the long run. Work on your writing skills if they require an essay. Broken sentences with poor structure, like some in your post, will hurt your chances for admission.

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Specializes in BURN, LTC, Critical Care.

I agree, SOMETHING needs to be done about nursing schools! Hundreds of applications are turned down for every single seat filled... And then if they graduate a third of the class they are ecstatic!

The problem in this country is the lack of qualified instructors. After all, if an instructor is qualified, they can actually make a TON more money actually working in the field rather than teach. Just a sad fact.

You're heart is in the right place...

Keep plugging away.

I know the graduating class behind me were all getting a free ride from the hospitals they were working at as nurses aides. The hospitals paid for EVERYTHING from books to tuition. Perhaps if you could get a job as an aide at a local facility there in your town, they may pay for your nursing school. And you'd have a leg up on the competition?

Good Luck!

Michael

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

Let me begin by saying that I admire your dedication to your family and the desire to become a nurse. A lot of times it requires patience and perseverance. It took me 5 years to become an lpn and that's because I didn't give up. You can do it.

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Specializes in Emergency, Trauma, Critical Care.

I had approx a 3.7 gpa, became an LVN, and got turned down by three RN programs. I applied to a bachelor's program, they were going to turn me down (I got a 95 on my TEAS by the way, spoke a second language, everything they were looking for, and still got turned down). Then I finally got accepted next time around.

It's not that you're not qualified. It's that you're one of 1000 people who are qualified. Sometimes they take people who have applied multiple times and are qualified first, others they'll take on the first try.

Good luck, but I would definitely try to get some sort of healthcare experience. Sounds like that's all you need to make yourself more marketable, and you will get in eventually.

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