Over the past few weeks I have bene looking for the "perfect" nursing program and do not like what I have seen. Most schools have 1 or more of these flaws that prevent me from enrolling:
1. Huge waiting lists
2. Exit exams
3. Unprofessional attitudes
So I have bene giving serious thought to getting a BS in radiologic science with the hopes of furthering my education to become a radiologist assistant. I've been researhing the field over the past week and I think it is something I will like. I already have an unrelated BS so I'm hoping I can complete the degree in less time than it would traditionally take.
To clarify, I am not looking for an absolutely perfect NS. (hence why I put it in quotes). But I would like to go to a NS that I can get into this century and doesn't require any silly exit exams. Deep down inside I want to be a nurse. I know a lot about the field since my mother is an RN. But on the side I have been researching other health prefessions as a back up. I'm attracted to nursing since it does not require a substantial amount of schooling.
One other profession I am looking into is physician assistant. There are some schools in my area that offer it on the bachelor level (although most only offer it on the master's level, which I am not interested in). Has anyone ever looked into undergraduate PA programs?
I live in FL, one of the most strictest state. Everything here is Masters program. You should probably stick with MS program in the event you move, etc.
I guess I don't really understand what's wrong with the exit exam. I wouldn't let that keep you out of nursing school if that's truly where your heart is. Why change your whole major and career choice from something you really want to do just because a school has an exit exam or an unprofessional attitude? If it's what you want, you shouldn't let any obstacle stand in the way. My school has the HESI, we take one each semester as our final and then we have the Exit Exam HESI at the end of the program that you have to pass. From what I understand, most people don't have a problem with it once they have gotten that far.
If you really and truly feel like you want to be a nurse, then suck it up and deal with it. Unprofessional staff members? They'll teach you how to deal with it in the real world then. Exit exams? Really, you're going to let an exam scare you out of a school? A waitlist will teach you how to deal with waiting while you wait for a new grad position to open up somewhere.
I know I sound snarky and I am OK with that. I do not want to talk you into going into nursing school if you cannot deal with imperfections in any system. ANY school you go to for ANY program is going to have issues. Heck, I have an unrelated degree from a REALLY GOOD school and encountered a LOT of BS while getting my education. Putting up with other people's garbage and your own issues are just a part of life.
There is no such thing as a "perfect" nursing program. Period. Never was and never will be.
If nursing is what you really want to do, don't let "imperfect" programs stop you from reaching your dream. If not, have fun blasting radiation into people (it does sound fun, doesn't it?). :)
perfection is a fallacy! setting urself up for failure
i am sure once u r researching radiology school u will find out that they too are not perfect!
P.A students usually have a 4+ years of experience in the health care field and of course have at least a bachelors degree before they apply to a P.A program. Also physician assistant programs are VERY competitive. Maybe you should just stick with radiology.
I don't want to go to a school with an exit exam because I think it is wrong that I can be prevented from graduating even if I pass all of my classes.
And most wait lists for CC nursing programs can be YEARS. I don't see how a waitlist to teach me to wait for a new grad position to open up. I have spoken to people who have strong GPAs and have been waiting since 2006.
And most wait lists for CC nursing programs can be YEARS. I don't see how a waitlist to teach me to wait for a new grad position to open up. I have spoken to people who have strong GPAs and have been waiting since 2006.
I started out at a community college and there was absolutely no wait list involved. I would advise you to look in rural areas. Many urban community colleges may indeed have huge wait lists, but look to small towns, because those schools are usually just as good, if not better, and can get you in and out quicker.
The wait list at my CC is about a year. There's another CC about an hour away from us that doesn't have a wait list at all, you get in based on a scoring system. There are a lot of options for schools to choose from. You may think it's wrong for them to have an exit exam, but so much so that you will keep one exam from deciding your whole future?? If you didn't want to be a nurse, then fine, but you say it's something you really want! I think your excuses are just rediculous. If you want something bad enough, you will go out and get it, no matter what. What do you think the NCLEX is if it isn't just one hell of an exit exam. Even if you graduate, you are not a nurse unless you pass the NCLEX, same concept as an exit exam right?
If you look at the data on your state's BON website, you will get a good picture of how ugly exit exams are. In NY, not only do they tell you the pass rate for every school, but they also tell you how many people from each school took the NCLEX. I recently went to one school that has a 100% NCLEX pass rate. Each class has 30 students. But for 2009, the NY wesbite says that only 4 people from that school took the NCLEX. Just FOUR. There are some other schools where only ONE student took the NCLEX in the entire year.
Why do I want to go to a school with an exit exam that prevents 70% of its students from graduating? That would be a total waste of 16 months and $28,000.
Before anyone here enrolls in NS, please find out how many people from the last class actually took the exam. You will save yourself a lot of headaches down the road.
Intern67
357 Posts
Best of luck finding the "perfect" anything.