Sorry in advance for commenting on this page, since what I am about to say isn't relevant entirely.
This is the only discussion available under my search to learn more about Flight Registered Nursing (FRN).
I'd like to speak to CFRN's out there who are willing to give guidance on this specialty.
I've applied to many FRN positions but haven't heard back or received rejection letters.
I know you have to have so many years of experience and I know certifications help etc.
I'm just wondering if there are any companies out there that train from scratch....
who may be more lenient on what you need for requisites, do to having training programs available to their new flight nurses.
I had to reply to this thread immediately when it was sent to my phone. I have to say you are all spoiled. I work for two high caliber hospitals in Los Angeles and only make $32 per hour. I work hard hours to bring home what I believe a nurse should make (80 hr wks to earn 115K)... Non stop work... 12 hr shifts... That's killer... And i have 3 years experience in ICU & ED with adults and kids. I can tell you this with my eyes closed... Take the deal. It is unheard of for new grads to make 60 per hour... Consider yourself extremely lucky.
Great news to share with regard to Page 1 and my request for info on Trauma. I just landed a Trauma RN job, full time, nights... with a Trauma Level I hospital on the east coast. I have no previous experience working as an RN... only EMT. I'm excited about the opportunity. Thank you for Page 1 folks who gave productive feedback. I'll be sure to share feedback as I learn more about my dream specialty.
What I learned (about the job application process):
1. Everyone talks about Trauma being too hard and needing more experience before joining... its a slam in your face. A big door swinging your way and I don't like it. I say open the door... A lot of my friends encouraged me to apply for residency programs... I didn't want to. Why? Because most if not all, require you to rotate on different floors. If you already know what you wanna do... why rotate a different floor every week for 3 months. Makes sense to others, with perhaps less direction. To me its better to get molded in the area of interest right off the bat. So residency programs - as great as they sound - aren't necessarily the only option... you might be luckier applying directly to a position of interest (and be surprised when they call you in for an interview).
2. I was willing to relocate... anywhere... AND when one manager said no... I didn't let it bug me. I kept applying... overall I applied to 600 jobs in 2 months... and earned a position in Trauma... right where I wanted to be... so persistance helps. Its not about how little or how much experience you have... every hospital has training programs... if its not a residency, they have a 3 month transition program in your specialty... This hospital is offering me 3 months of intensive training...
I'll revisit my thread to share more about my experience in the future... thanks again for everyone whose input helped me feel encouraged.
=)
PS - Mexico... war zone... whatever the situation... if you can learn and make an impact on people's lives... you should be there. This is what nursing is all about and will always be about.
Can someone help? How do you start a post??? I forgot... been too long.
Here's my question: I am an RN with the state of MA. I am applying for endorsement with the state of West Virginia... they gave me a form to fill out and then send to my state of original licensure (MA). 2 problems:
1. Where do I mail this form to?
2. What is the processing fee?
3. Nursys.com << what is that? I read all about MA not being a mutual agreement/ compact state... and it says that you cannot usre Nursys if you are not compact... so I am not sure why I am reading blogs on people using Nursys to verify there information for MA to another state. Bottom line, WV wants this form filled out... but then I came across Nursys when I was looking for address (still don't know where to send this form??) ...so I am not sure now if I am even supposed ot fill out this form or go on Nursys... been on the phone ALL morning with BON of MA... nobody called back or picks up... its all automated. Meanwhile I am sitting here with nothing done and I need to get endorsed in order to work.
Can someone please discuss the detailed steps on how to contact the right address for sending endorsement paperwork to our state of MA.
Crazy that this is not more simple. I am proud of being a nurse for MA... but there lack of organization is a struggle.
My initial attempt to start this discussion was to specifically gain perspective on how RNs of any walks of life have arrived at their desired trauma careers. An attempt to understand the steps that others have taken, to attain a trauma nursing roll. Thank you to those who have responded with helpful feedback (i.e. certs needed for the specialty; hospitals in need of trauma nurses, etc.).:heartbeat
Here's what I suggest.
- Business Analyst for the healthcare sector
- Project/Product Manager for the IT medical industry
- Medical Sales
There are plenty of entry level positions for these job titles (ONLY IF they are related to the medical/health sector... all others will require a business related degree) that require BSN without the RN or just a health science bachelors without any licensure of sorts. You have to think beyond the secretarial, CNA world...
This may be an opportunity to step into a job that pays 3x better than an RNs job.
I am speaking from experience as I used to be a healthcare recruiter and on top of it I am a recent nurse grad myself (switched careers)... and I am not upset about the fact that the market is slow because it just gives me the opportunity to experiment in different realms. The idea is to look for the entry level positions... scroll right to the requirements section of each position... also bypass ALL staffing agencies... meaning if you see their names listed next to the job... you don't wanna go there. Trust me on this. They take a huge chunk out of your salary... and you will have to mention their names in your resume instead of who you are really working for... because they are the middle party... should you get a job through staffing. So ignore those... go straight to a list of hospitals and medical sales companies in your area... and go to their career tab... look for ALL positions and see if there is any entry level sales or business side opportunities... scroll to their requirements section.
Also, look at plasma donation centers... and clinical research centers... they require non-RNs.
You'd be surprised.
Instead of using allnurses for further information regarding this particular dilema... hop directly on linkedin and start connecting with medical sales recruiters... only problem is that most work for staffing... so make sure they are corporate medical sales recruiters.. as in that they work for the company you want to apply to directly.
As a recruiter I found all my top people through linkedin... I felt that Monster was a pile of non-sense content. Recruiters can see right through resumes... if you catered it to the type of job you are applying to , etc.
Go forth confidently... and don't allow yourself to be passive. You apply on-line and then immediately formulate a packet... cover letter, resume, attached letters of recommendation, any attached copies of licensures... send it to HR for that very position. Lastly, put the title of the position, link, date you applied in your Excel sheet... and keep track.. if you don't hear back in a week... you MUST call or walk over.
These are my opinions only. Take it with a grain of salt.
I just read all your threads, which deemed themselves VERY helpful. Thank you! I googled my question and this is what popped up. My question being can non-nurses (recent nurse grads) take ACLS and cert in it. Reason being, most ER tech jobs require this certification. Again, thanks for sharing!!!!
Ok... let me help. When you say you are not sure what your options are... first question that pops in my head is... how long have you been looking into accelerated BSN or MSN programs? Most people who choose to head this direction have done ample research (not saying you haven't) and have a list of options (aka programs that they have applied to). MCPHS happens to be one of the most advertized on google... or easy to find... when you ask most people how they found out about the school they just googled accelerated BSN in MA... and MCP popped up. In my opinion, there are MANY great programs... you are better off looking at a list... some require much less requisits others much more... some are 11 months long like NYU others are 14-16 monhs. One thing that I would suggest is to ask yourself how long you wanna last through hell (not being smart with you, it really is hell) and what pre-requisits you already have... if you don't need to do more pre-requs and you can apply to a program immediately go for it.. if you need to do more pre-requs but you feel its worth it... do that. What I mean is, I wish I had taken pharmacology as a pre-requ instead of being prematuraly excited that it wasn't a pre-requ for MCP. Because I am positive it would have been easier had I taken it at a community college and less pressure then having to sit through 3 months of it at MCP. That is one of the toughest classes and its required the 1st semester. The other thing to look at besides, length of program and requisits... is the HESI exam... at MCP it counts as 25% of your total grade for every single class you take... if you don't do well it can bring down your B or your A as much as 5-10 points.. and remember passing is 73% which is a C. Look at programs that may not be HESI testing. HESI doesn't even match what you will be seeing on the NCLEX... I know, I took it! Again, all this is personal opinion.. take it with a grain of salt.
@adyal2003: Did you get your 48 hr. PASS/FAIL response yet (in order to confirm the trick; which we all know is 200% right)? If you did fail, I can tell you the steps to rescheduling another exam immediately... so you don't sit there sulking like I did with my head spinning. Two things you need to do STAT is call pearson vue and your BON... DEPENDING on the state where you registered your payment may be as low as 80 dollars by phone to the BON and the usual 200 dollars to PEARSON by phone. You don't need to fill out any more paperwork. Just call them with your credit card handy (that part sucks). Then, schedule your exam by going to the PEARSON VUE website... it will not let you schedule the exam for another 45 days minimum (if you are registered for MA)... I am taking my exam in Florida but I am registered with the state of MA... I am not sure how long FL makes you wait. If you haven't yet taken KAPLAN, jump on that wagon stat. I took an online course that was 4 days per week for 2 weeks... for 3 hour sessions on line and we learned test taking strategies and how to apply them via non stop questions that were provided during each class. Now, I have about 2-3 weeks left till the exam and I plan to do questions/content/remediation on the questions I got right&wrong every day till my test. Kaplan helps you plan this! Its structure that I didn't have before my 1st exam. I can't predict how I will do the 2nd time, but all these steps helped me move forward days after failing instead of sulking and being depressed about it. Keep us posted with your story...
@ applyingbsn: i just got an alert now regarding your post. i noticed the date is april!!! so, i am not sure if any of what i am about to say will help. it's probably too late. i have graduated and i am currently studying for my board exam. my general idea of mcphs, worcester is: i hated every single second of it! the people, the school, and the location. if you plan to go here, expect it to be 16 months of hell. i will answer your questions below:
1. i've chosen to live in the borysek 6 person suites, any experience or insight on the living situations within the borysek living and learning center?
i lived in both dorms... there are only 2! the location you mentioned is at 25 foster street. it comes in different suite sizes: the 6 person suite was big and had a nice view of the area (would suggest 8th or 9th floor). but, i was placed with random students and there was a lot of drama. i wanted to study hard, and the rest of the students wanted to be loud. since the school library is tiny and loud, being in this suite was not ideal. i ended up using the umass med library instead. what sucks about driving to the medical library is that you have to pay for parking (you used to be able to sneak your car in and pay nothing, but now they are stringent about ticketing cars that do not have a permit). if you want a quiet place to study and don't have a car, take the city bus. umass med library is up the street. not far at all! the perk about living at 25 foster, is that you can take the elevator down to class and back up... you can take the elevator and never leave the building (ideal during snow season). there is also a store next door, so you can just take the elevator down, step outside, take 4 steps get into the store, shop for food and go back in. i didn't see or deal with snow the 1st semester in ma.
i moved to 10 lincoln square, where i had my own private room (your key is legit: a hotel room key, swipe your card and you're in, kind of funny). it is quiet there!!! and you have your own bathroom, fridge, microwave, desk, access to the cafeteria and large hotel ball rooms where you can study. you also have access to washer and drier down in the basement where all the mailboxes are. you also have access to computers, printers (just like the 25 foster dorms). it’s ideal! but, you have to walk to class (only about 3 blocks away, not bad at all). this is a great place to live during clinical rotations if you have a car. because the back of the hotel is your parking lot, so you are close to your car. people living at 25 foster have to walk to 10 lincoln to have access to their cars.
2. how is the whole clinical experience, when do they start, how is the process of being placed?
clinicals are chosen for you. doreen luciani is the one in charge of emailing all the students with their schedule. at the start of school they will provide you with a form that asks if you have a car and where you are currently living. they will take the information you provide, into consideration, in order to place you appropriately. clinicals are as good as the instructor is... if you have an instructor that likes to teach and is patient: great! if you get an instructor who is always stressed out and worried about you making mistakes, you will suffer! they may give you clinical warnings... the last semester = your preceptor (if you have a high gpa and are in good standing aka have no clinical warnings)... not everyone gets a preceptor which is definitely something that would have kept me from coming to mcp if i knew this in advance!!!! preceptors helped some students line up jobs and really get to be a nurse. not having a precept really sucks!
3. would it be difficult getting to clinicals and doing routine things such as grocery shopping without a car? i don't plan on bringing a vehicle and was hoping that the public transportation would be dependable (coming from chicago, i've always used public transportation).
grocery shopping is not a problem. you have a cvs within walking distance and the next door store: honey farms. if you want serious grocery shopping you can go to the super walmart or blackstone mall (you will need to car pool or take the bus). if you can bring a car... do it. you will want to escape this school every chance you get. blackstone mall off the highway is stress relief (2,3,4th semester when you have a bit more time to get away)... and driving to and from your clinical is that extra free time to listen to music and clear your mind... trust me on this!
4. how is the program in terms of difficulty/workload, teaching quality, advising, career development, etc? my background is in biochemistry and biology so i'm hoping my strong science background will help me through the program.
the program is extremely challenging! mainly because you have no time! your first semester is the worst since you have 5 classes scheduled. this translates to having 2-3 tests per week (if not more) on top of assignments... the remaining three semesters are usually 3 classes each, only. so, your time does become more manageable if you can make it past the 1st semester.
semesters 2, 3, & 4 = you start provider classes (i through v) those are the hardest classes in my opinion. they start with 2 weeks of "front-loading" and then you are in clinical rotations all week every week with classes scheduled only 1 or 2 times per week. the front-loading period is nonstop lecture and exams. keep in mind you are still testing when you have clinicals. just b/c you made it past "front-loading" doesn't mean the hell stops! i was a biochempremed major... and it didn't make a difference. i also worked in biotech and that made no difference. i think your past experience really doesn't make or break you... it’s how you test and how you manage time that will predict your success in surviving the program.
5. what is your educational/career background, and why did you choose mcphs?
bio, chem, premed... i chose mcphs because i was looking into accelerated programs since 2005... and this happened to be the first one that popped up on google... it was accredited (important!!! don't even consider a school that is not accredited!) and was the first school that accepted me... i didn't want to wait for other schools to get back to me (some were not starting until 4-6 months later)... since i was accepted and they had classes starting in the winter... i thought why wait months when i can begin immediately. the goal was to change careers with an accredited school.
6. pros and cons to the program?
pros = you get done in 16 months.
cons = everyone is stressed out, including the professors, nobody wants to help you even though they say they do and try to make all these tools available to you (i say this because if you fight a question with a teacher, they will always be right, even if you find outside sources or more info), << i also say this because every time the entire class has a concern, the professors say "well, this is an accelerated program and you knew this coming in!"
you have to fight for every point on every grade, they test you on information you learned the night before, or two nights before... its hard to cram all the time, you feel like you know nothing because you are cramming constantly, gpa requirement = 2.7 (sounds low, but its a hard program, you will see...), you must have a 2.7 to graduate... if you have a 2.69 you will not graduate! you must have a 73% or higher in every class to pass and move on with the next semester... this is a hesi testing school which means that every final exam is in fact a hesi exam! it counts as 25% of your grade for each class... if you are not getting your 73% or higher average in class (prior to final exam day) you are screwed... because the hesi exam is hard and usually brings your grade down (this is not the case for everyone). but, most people experience a poor grade on the hesi... the hesi being 25% of your final grade in every class can really hurt your average.
7. do you know the first time pass rate on the nclex? as a "senior" in the program, do you feel prepared to enter the profession and take the nclex?
passing rate used to be 100% up to last year... last year the seniors passed 88% the first try... our class is still in the process of taking it so i don’t know yet... i did not pass the board my first attempt... i do not feel prepared for the board. i feel that a hesi testing school does not predict your success on the board.
8. since the class size of the accelerated bsn program is small, how is the interaction between faculty and staff? are they approachable and available for help when needed? how are classes and the learning environment?
our class was the first largest class they had in years! we were ~80 and trickled down to ~60 on commencement day. you will notice on orientation day: the school tries to paint the picture that they are there to "help" you and be most involved in your success. they do provide you tools: like tutoring, and the 3rd floor counselors etc. you do have the opportunity to sign up for office hours with professors. but, in general when i look back... i had to fight for my grades, i had to fight to find a quiet area, and i had to fight to stay in this program. there are more and more students being admitted, and less faculty. most classes are no longer your typical face to face with a professor. you will be staring at screens and getting your lecture from boston or manchester, streaming in live. i have not experienced this because we were the last class to have had a teacher present with us, prior to the web cam evolution.
9. what is your typical week like?
1st semester: wake up, take the elevator down to class or if you live at lincoln, walk to class. sit in lecture for 3-4 hours. break for lunch. 1-4 is more class followed by maybe lab simulation hours. then you take the elevator back up to your dorm, or walk to lincoln... make something to eat, and then study. repeat!
2, 3, & 4th semesters: your provider i - provider v classes kick in. meaning you only have 3 classes per semester. first 2 weeks of each class involves non-stop lectures and exams (called front loading)... then you step into clinical rotation mode (class only 1 or 2 per week and then clinical 3-4 times per week). you are still testing during clinicals. just because you have clinicals doesn't mean you don't have tests on days that you have class.
lastly, i have some questions about finances, but since they may be too personal, i understand if you won't want to answer them:
talk to: lynn berry, he was a great help for any questions you have regarding loans! i took out both federal and private loans.. fed doesn't cover much so then you are stuck going to a bank for extra help. wells fargo has the best deal.. interest wise. i would get a fixed interest. also, if your credit is bad, co-sign with a reliable source. the school receives their cut from your federal source and from your private source... then they hand you a check with whatever is left of what they took. this is what you live on for the semester. be wise with your money. you should probably abstain from working while you are in this program. if you have poor credit, it can really be stressful trying to get a loan. that is why i suggested having someone co-sign if at all possible. again, talk to wells fargo for the best deal (my opinion).
thank you so much!
no prob! hope you received this feedback prior to attending. if i had someone break it down in detail i would have listened and not gone to mcp. understand, again that this is just my opinion... and it could have been different for other students. i do have to note that reviews i had seen on line reflect what i wrote here... i chose not to listen to the reviews because i felt they were too biased and opinionated... but at the end of the day, they were all right.
( last note: you will be wearing a white coat the entire time you attend this school. they emphasize professionalism and dressing the part. you will also have scrubs for clinical. you cannot wear jewelry, or heavy makeup, or nail polish, etc. they are very stringent about looking the part. )
Thank you kindly for taking the time to answer my blog. Nobody has ever answered my requests for information on this particular topic... I appreciate the information you provided. I am still studying for the board exam... in the mean time I will look at the certifications you mentioned: TNCC, ACLS, ATCN... and will look into the Trauma ICU option. I was an EMT for years and I am quick... I do not particularly enjoy slow paced environments. In addition, I want to work where I am needed the most... the idea of moving to Brazil is not exciting but the thought that their municipal hospital needs staff for their dying patients is very thought provoking and an attractive option. I will keep you posted on my progress since you took the time to share your thoughts with me. Thanks again... very very much. (P.S. I printed this discussion and will keep it on my desk to refer to what you all said as I apply... so your thoughts will be my guide. Thanks again.)
TrisenRN THANK YOU SO MUCH for finally answering the question we all needed answers to... at least those of us who are biting our finger nails and freakin out over failing.
I get that these posts are old... but I recently took my NCLEX-RN and failed... I did the quick results... $8... and got the Fail. The trick works by the way... but won't go into that... just never go the pop up. I don't know what to do now because I am in FL but I am registered with MA. Moved in with the folks for the time being... school was in MA... so that explains the registration through new england... I called my school to ask them what the next immediate steps are... Not sure if I will have to wait or if I can move forward with registering via Pearson Vue... as for the portion with the BON... not sure if like NC, I will have to send the photo ID page... like you did TrisenRN.
So I am still unsure about everything... sitting here wondering how I can plan anything without knowing the steps... If anyone knows details about MA's steps if you fail... please let us know.
I paid the ~$8 and failed NCLEX-RN (1st attempt). Took my exam 2 days ago with 260 questions and 9 minutes on the clock. Asked me the SAME QUESTIONS over and over again: forgot conversion of oz. to mL. I studied my butt off... 8-12 hours per day since the day I graduated. I think it was just luck of the draw... EVERYONE in my class passed flying colors... with 75 questions... they are all on their way to finding work. Its a very frustrating, sad, upsetting, angering situation. Moving forward... I am not gonna ask for advice on how to study... that part I believe again is LUCK of what the computer throws at you... but I do have a question about the process... now that I know that I failed... what do I do? Do I do the exact same procedure again with my BON and Pearson Vue...???? Can I even reschedule an exam???? I know the whole wait 45-90 days... but I am not sure if thats after you re-due the ENTIRE registration process like before... Can someone who really knows the answer to this get back to me? I am crying and driving my entire family nuts... and besides this blog I am basically a deer frozen in headlights. Thank you. / P.S. I know exactly how you feel... I was drained the entire test... 35 questions through and I needed my break... I was hot in that room and felt light headed from thinking... I too spent too much time on the questions. I usually never spend 2 hours on 35 questions... I wasn't expecting it to go past 75 because I felt confident through the ones I was already doing. Questions repeated after the 85 quest. mark... before that I felt fine.
I know these posts are outdated... but I am wondering if anyone can give me more thorough steps on how to re-apply for NCLEX-RN for the state of MA. Thank you.
This is the only discussion available under my search to learn more about Flight Registered Nursing (FRN).
I'd like to speak to CFRN's out there who are willing to give guidance on this specialty.
I've applied to many FRN positions but haven't heard back or received rejection letters.
I know you have to have so many years of experience and I know certifications help etc.
I'm just wondering if there are any companies out there that train from scratch....
who may be more lenient on what you need for requisites, do to having training programs available to their new flight nurses.
I had to reply to this thread immediately when it was sent to my phone. I have to say you are all spoiled. I work for two high caliber hospitals in Los Angeles and only make $32 per hour. I work hard hours to bring home what I believe a nurse should make (80 hr wks to earn 115K)... Non stop work... 12 hr shifts... That's killer... And i have 3 years experience in ICU & ED with adults and kids. I can tell you this with my eyes closed... Take the deal. It is unheard of for new grads to make 60 per hour... Consider yourself extremely lucky.
Great news to share with regard to Page 1 and my request for info on Trauma. I just landed a Trauma RN job, full time, nights... with a Trauma Level I hospital on the east coast. I have no previous experience working as an RN... only EMT. I'm excited about the opportunity. Thank you for Page 1 folks who gave productive feedback. I'll be sure to share feedback as I learn more about my dream specialty.
What I learned (about the job application process):
1. Everyone talks about Trauma being too hard and needing more experience before joining... its a slam in your face. A big door swinging your way and I don't like it. I say open the door... A lot of my friends encouraged me to apply for residency programs... I didn't want to. Why? Because most if not all, require you to rotate on different floors. If you already know what you wanna do... why rotate a different floor every week for 3 months. Makes sense to others, with perhaps less direction. To me its better to get molded in the area of interest right off the bat. So residency programs - as great as they sound - aren't necessarily the only option... you might be luckier applying directly to a position of interest (and be surprised when they call you in for an interview).
2. I was willing to relocate... anywhere... AND when one manager said no... I didn't let it bug me. I kept applying... overall I applied to 600 jobs in 2 months... and earned a position in Trauma... right where I wanted to be... so persistance helps. Its not about how little or how much experience you have... every hospital has training programs... if its not a residency, they have a 3 month transition program in your specialty... This hospital is offering me 3 months of intensive training...
I'll revisit my thread to share more about my experience in the future... thanks again for everyone whose input helped me feel encouraged.
=)
PS - Mexico... war zone... whatever the situation... if you can learn and make an impact on people's lives... you should be there. This is what nursing is all about and will always be about.
Can someone help? How do you start a post??? I forgot... been too long.
Here's my question: I am an RN with the state of MA. I am applying for endorsement with the state of West Virginia... they gave me a form to fill out and then send to my state of original licensure (MA). 2 problems:
1. Where do I mail this form to?
2. What is the processing fee?
3. Nursys.com << what is that? I read all about MA not being a mutual agreement/ compact state... and it says that you cannot usre Nursys if you are not compact... so I am not sure why I am reading blogs on people using Nursys to verify there information for MA to another state. Bottom line, WV wants this form filled out... but then I came across Nursys when I was looking for address (still don't know where to send this form??) ...so I am not sure now if I am even supposed ot fill out this form or go on Nursys... been on the phone ALL morning with BON of MA... nobody called back or picks up... its all automated. Meanwhile I am sitting here with nothing done and I need to get endorsed in order to work.
Can someone please discuss the detailed steps on how to contact the right address for sending endorsement paperwork to our state of MA.
Crazy that this is not more simple. I am proud of being a nurse for MA... but there lack of organization is a struggle.
Thank you.
My initial attempt to start this discussion was to specifically gain perspective on how RNs of any walks of life have arrived at their desired trauma careers. An attempt to understand the steps that others have taken, to attain a trauma nursing roll. Thank you to those who have responded with helpful feedback (i.e. certs needed for the specialty; hospitals in need of trauma nurses, etc.).:heartbeat
Here's what I suggest.
- Business Analyst for the healthcare sector
- Project/Product Manager for the IT medical industry
- Medical Sales
There are plenty of entry level positions for these job titles (ONLY IF they are related to the medical/health sector... all others will require a business related degree) that require BSN without the RN or just a health science bachelors without any licensure of sorts. You have to think beyond the secretarial, CNA world...
This may be an opportunity to step into a job that pays 3x better than an RNs job.
I am speaking from experience as I used to be a healthcare recruiter and on top of it I am a recent nurse grad myself (switched careers)... and I am not upset about the fact that the market is slow because it just gives me the opportunity to experiment in different realms. The idea is to look for the entry level positions... scroll right to the requirements section of each position... also bypass ALL staffing agencies... meaning if you see their names listed next to the job... you don't wanna go there. Trust me on this. They take a huge chunk out of your salary... and you will have to mention their names in your resume instead of who you are really working for... because they are the middle party... should you get a job through staffing. So ignore those... go straight to a list of hospitals and medical sales companies in your area... and go to their career tab... look for ALL positions and see if there is any entry level sales or business side opportunities... scroll to their requirements section.
Also, look at plasma donation centers... and clinical research centers... they require non-RNs.
You'd be surprised.
Instead of using allnurses for further information regarding this particular dilema... hop directly on linkedin and start connecting with medical sales recruiters... only problem is that most work for staffing... so make sure they are corporate medical sales recruiters.. as in that they work for the company you want to apply to directly.
As a recruiter I found all my top people through linkedin... I felt that Monster was a pile of non-sense content. Recruiters can see right through resumes... if you catered it to the type of job you are applying to , etc.
Go forth confidently... and don't allow yourself to be passive. You apply on-line and then immediately formulate a packet... cover letter, resume, attached letters of recommendation, any attached copies of licensures... send it to HR for that very position. Lastly, put the title of the position, link, date you applied in your Excel sheet... and keep track.. if you don't hear back in a week... you MUST call or walk over.
These are my opinions only. Take it with a grain of salt.
I just read all your threads, which deemed themselves VERY helpful. Thank you! I googled my question and this is what popped up. My question being can non-nurses (recent nurse grads) take ACLS and cert in it. Reason being, most ER tech jobs require this certification. Again, thanks for sharing!!!!
Ok... let me help. When you say you are not sure what your options are... first question that pops in my head is... how long have you been looking into accelerated BSN or MSN programs? Most people who choose to head this direction have done ample research (not saying you haven't) and have a list of options (aka programs that they have applied to). MCPHS happens to be one of the most advertized on google... or easy to find... when you ask most people how they found out about the school they just googled accelerated BSN in MA... and MCP popped up. In my opinion, there are MANY great programs... you are better off looking at a list... some require much less requisits others much more... some are 11 months long like NYU others are 14-16 monhs. One thing that I would suggest is to ask yourself how long you wanna last through hell (not being smart with you, it really is hell) and what pre-requisits you already have... if you don't need to do more pre-requs and you can apply to a program immediately go for it.. if you need to do more pre-requs but you feel its worth it... do that. What I mean is, I wish I had taken pharmacology as a pre-requ instead of being prematuraly excited that it wasn't a pre-requ for MCP. Because I am positive it would have been easier had I taken it at a community college and less pressure then having to sit through 3 months of it at MCP. That is one of the toughest classes and its required the 1st semester. The other thing to look at besides, length of program and requisits... is the HESI exam... at MCP it counts as 25% of your total grade for every single class you take... if you don't do well it can bring down your B or your A as much as 5-10 points.. and remember passing is 73% which is a C. Look at programs that may not be HESI testing. HESI doesn't even match what you will be seeing on the NCLEX... I know, I took it! Again, all this is personal opinion.. take it with a grain of salt.
@adyal2003: Did you get your 48 hr. PASS/FAIL response yet (in order to confirm the trick; which we all know is 200% right)? If you did fail, I can tell you the steps to rescheduling another exam immediately... so you don't sit there sulking like I did with my head spinning. Two things you need to do STAT is call pearson vue and your BON... DEPENDING on the state where you registered your payment may be as low as 80 dollars by phone to the BON and the usual 200 dollars to PEARSON by phone. You don't need to fill out any more paperwork. Just call them with your credit card handy (that part sucks). Then, schedule your exam by going to the PEARSON VUE website... it will not let you schedule the exam for another 45 days minimum (if you are registered for MA)... I am taking my exam in Florida but I am registered with the state of MA... I am not sure how long FL makes you wait. If you haven't yet taken KAPLAN, jump on that wagon stat. I took an online course that was 4 days per week for 2 weeks... for 3 hour sessions on line and we learned test taking strategies and how to apply them via non stop questions that were provided during each class. Now, I have about 2-3 weeks left till the exam and I plan to do questions/content/remediation on the questions I got right&wrong every day till my test. Kaplan helps you plan this! Its structure that I didn't have before my 1st exam. I can't predict how I will do the 2nd time, but all these steps helped me move forward days after failing instead of sulking and being depressed about it. Keep us posted with your story...
@ applyingbsn: i just got an alert now regarding your post. i noticed the date is april!!! so, i am not sure if any of what i am about to say will help. it's probably too late. i have graduated and i am currently studying for my board exam. my general idea of mcphs, worcester is: i hated every single second of it! the people, the school, and the location. if you plan to go here, expect it to be 16 months of hell. i will answer your questions below:
1. i've chosen to live in the borysek 6 person suites, any experience or insight on the living situations within the borysek living and learning center?
i lived in both dorms... there are only 2! the location you mentioned is at 25 foster street. it comes in different suite sizes: the 6 person suite was big and had a nice view of the area (would suggest 8th or 9th floor). but, i was placed with random students and there was a lot of drama. i wanted to study hard, and the rest of the students wanted to be loud. since the school library is tiny and loud, being in this suite was not ideal. i ended up using the umass med library instead. what sucks about driving to the medical library is that you have to pay for parking (you used to be able to sneak your car in and pay nothing, but now they are stringent about ticketing cars that do not have a permit). if you want a quiet place to study and don't have a car, take the city bus. umass med library is up the street. not far at all! the perk about living at 25 foster, is that you can take the elevator down to class and back up... you can take the elevator and never leave the building (ideal during snow season). there is also a store next door, so you can just take the elevator down, step outside, take 4 steps get into the store, shop for food and go back in. i didn't see or deal with snow the 1st semester in ma.
i moved to 10 lincoln square, where i had my own private room (your key is legit: a hotel room key, swipe your card and you're in, kind of funny). it is quiet there!!! and you have your own bathroom, fridge, microwave, desk, access to the cafeteria and large hotel ball rooms where you can study. you also have access to washer and drier down in the basement where all the mailboxes are. you also have access to computers, printers (just like the 25 foster dorms). it’s ideal! but, you have to walk to class (only about 3 blocks away, not bad at all). this is a great place to live during clinical rotations if you have a car. because the back of the hotel is your parking lot, so you are close to your car. people living at 25 foster have to walk to 10 lincoln to have access to their cars.
2. how is the whole clinical experience, when do they start, how is the process of being placed?
clinicals are chosen for you. doreen luciani is the one in charge of emailing all the students with their schedule. at the start of school they will provide you with a form that asks if you have a car and where you are currently living. they will take the information you provide, into consideration, in order to place you appropriately. clinicals are as good as the instructor is... if you have an instructor that likes to teach and is patient: great! if you get an instructor who is always stressed out and worried about you making mistakes, you will suffer! they may give you clinical warnings... the last semester = your preceptor (if you have a high gpa and are in good standing aka have no clinical warnings)... not everyone gets a preceptor which is definitely something that would have kept me from coming to mcp if i knew this in advance!!!! preceptors helped some students line up jobs and really get to be a nurse. not having a precept really sucks!
3. would it be difficult getting to clinicals and doing routine things such as grocery shopping without a car? i don't plan on bringing a vehicle and was hoping that the public transportation would be dependable (coming from chicago, i've always used public transportation).
grocery shopping is not a problem. you have a cvs within walking distance and the next door store: honey farms. if you want serious grocery shopping you can go to the super walmart or blackstone mall (you will need to car pool or take the bus). if you can bring a car... do it. you will want to escape this school every chance you get. blackstone mall off the highway is stress relief (2,3,4th semester when you have a bit more time to get away)... and driving to and from your clinical is that extra free time to listen to music and clear your mind... trust me on this!
4. how is the program in terms of difficulty/workload, teaching quality, advising, career development, etc? my background is in biochemistry and biology so i'm hoping my strong science background will help me through the program.
the program is extremely challenging! mainly because you have no time! your first semester is the worst since you have 5 classes scheduled. this translates to having 2-3 tests per week (if not more) on top of assignments... the remaining three semesters are usually 3 classes each, only. so, your time does become more manageable if you can make it past the 1st semester.
semesters 2, 3, & 4 = you start provider classes (i through v) those are the hardest classes in my opinion. they start with 2 weeks of "front-loading" and then you are in clinical rotations all week every week with classes scheduled only 1 or 2 times per week. the front-loading period is nonstop lecture and exams. keep in mind you are still testing when you have clinicals. just b/c you made it past "front-loading" doesn't mean the hell stops! i was a biochempremed major... and it didn't make a difference. i also worked in biotech and that made no difference. i think your past experience really doesn't make or break you... it’s how you test and how you manage time that will predict your success in surviving the program.
5. what is your educational/career background, and why did you choose mcphs?
bio, chem, premed... i chose mcphs because i was looking into accelerated programs since 2005... and this happened to be the first one that popped up on google... it was accredited (important!!! don't even consider a school that is not accredited!) and was the first school that accepted me... i didn't want to wait for other schools to get back to me (some were not starting until 4-6 months later)... since i was accepted and they had classes starting in the winter... i thought why wait months when i can begin immediately. the goal was to change careers with an accredited school.
6. pros and cons to the program?
pros = you get done in 16 months.
cons = everyone is stressed out, including the professors, nobody wants to help you even though they say they do and try to make all these tools available to you (i say this because if you fight a question with a teacher, they will always be right, even if you find outside sources or more info), << i also say this because every time the entire class has a concern, the professors say "well, this is an accelerated program and you knew this coming in!"
you have to fight for every point on every grade, they test you on information you learned the night before, or two nights before... its hard to cram all the time, you feel like you know nothing because you are cramming constantly, gpa requirement = 2.7 (sounds low, but its a hard program, you will see...), you must have a 2.7 to graduate... if you have a 2.69 you will not graduate! you must have a 73% or higher in every class to pass and move on with the next semester... this is a hesi testing school which means that every final exam is in fact a hesi exam! it counts as 25% of your grade for each class... if you are not getting your 73% or higher average in class (prior to final exam day) you are screwed... because the hesi exam is hard and usually brings your grade down (this is not the case for everyone). but, most people experience a poor grade on the hesi... the hesi being 25% of your final grade in every class can really hurt your average.
7. do you know the first time pass rate on the nclex? as a "senior" in the program, do you feel prepared to enter the profession and take the nclex?
passing rate used to be 100% up to last year... last year the seniors passed 88% the first try... our class is still in the process of taking it so i don’t know yet... i did not pass the board my first attempt... i do not feel prepared for the board. i feel that a hesi testing school does not predict your success on the board.
8. since the class size of the accelerated bsn program is small, how is the interaction between faculty and staff? are they approachable and available for help when needed? how are classes and the learning environment?
our class was the first largest class they had in years! we were ~80 and trickled down to ~60 on commencement day. you will notice on orientation day: the school tries to paint the picture that they are there to "help" you and be most involved in your success. they do provide you tools: like tutoring, and the 3rd floor counselors etc. you do have the opportunity to sign up for office hours with professors. but, in general when i look back... i had to fight for my grades, i had to fight to find a quiet area, and i had to fight to stay in this program. there are more and more students being admitted, and less faculty. most classes are no longer your typical face to face with a professor. you will be staring at screens and getting your lecture from boston or manchester, streaming in live. i have not experienced this because we were the last class to have had a teacher present with us, prior to the web cam evolution.
9. what is your typical week like?
1st semester: wake up, take the elevator down to class or if you live at lincoln, walk to class. sit in lecture for 3-4 hours. break for lunch. 1-4 is more class followed by maybe lab simulation hours. then you take the elevator back up to your dorm, or walk to lincoln... make something to eat, and then study. repeat!
2, 3, & 4th semesters: your provider i - provider v classes kick in. meaning you only have 3 classes per semester. first 2 weeks of each class involves non-stop lectures and exams (called front loading)... then you step into clinical rotation mode (class only 1 or 2 per week and then clinical 3-4 times per week). you are still testing during clinicals. just because you have clinicals doesn't mean you don't have tests on days that you have class.
lastly, i have some questions about finances, but since they may be too personal, i understand if you won't want to answer them:
talk to: lynn berry, he was a great help for any questions you have regarding loans! i took out both federal and private loans.. fed doesn't cover much so then you are stuck going to a bank for extra help. wells fargo has the best deal.. interest wise. i would get a fixed interest. also, if your credit is bad, co-sign with a reliable source. the school receives their cut from your federal source and from your private source... then they hand you a check with whatever is left of what they took. this is what you live on for the semester. be wise with your money. you should probably abstain from working while you are in this program. if you have poor credit, it can really be stressful trying to get a loan. that is why i suggested having someone co-sign if at all possible. again, talk to wells fargo for the best deal (my opinion).
thank you so much!
no prob! hope you received this feedback prior to attending. if i had someone break it down in detail i would have listened and not gone to mcp. understand, again that this is just my opinion... and it could have been different for other students. i do have to note that reviews i had seen on line reflect what i wrote here... i chose not to listen to the reviews because i felt they were too biased and opinionated... but at the end of the day, they were all right.
( last note: you will be wearing a white coat the entire time you attend this school. they emphasize professionalism and dressing the part. you will also have scrubs for clinical. you cannot wear jewelry, or heavy makeup, or nail polish, etc. they are very stringent about looking the part. )
Thank you kindly for taking the time to answer my blog. Nobody has ever answered my requests for information on this particular topic... I appreciate the information you provided. I am still studying for the board exam... in the mean time I will look at the certifications you mentioned: TNCC, ACLS, ATCN... and will look into the Trauma ICU option. I was an EMT for years and I am quick... I do not particularly enjoy slow paced environments. In addition, I want to work where I am needed the most... the idea of moving to Brazil is not exciting but the thought that their municipal hospital needs staff for their dying patients is very thought provoking and an attractive option. I will keep you posted on my progress since you took the time to share your thoughts with me. Thanks again... very very much. (P.S. I printed this discussion and will keep it on my desk to refer to what you all said as I apply... so your thoughts will be my guide. Thanks again.)
TrisenRN THANK YOU SO MUCH for finally answering the question we all needed answers to... at least those of us who are biting our finger nails and freakin out over failing.
I get that these posts are old... but I recently took my NCLEX-RN and failed... I did the quick results... $8... and got the Fail. The trick works by the way... but won't go into that... just never go the pop up. I don't know what to do now because I am in FL but I am registered with MA. Moved in with the folks for the time being... school was in MA... so that explains the registration through new england... I called my school to ask them what the next immediate steps are... Not sure if I will have to wait or if I can move forward with registering via Pearson Vue... as for the portion with the BON... not sure if like NC, I will have to send the photo ID page... like you did TrisenRN.
So I am still unsure about everything... sitting here wondering how I can plan anything without knowing the steps... If anyone knows details about MA's steps if you fail... please let us know.
I paid the ~$8 and failed NCLEX-RN (1st attempt). Took my exam 2 days ago with 260 questions and 9 minutes on the clock. Asked me the SAME QUESTIONS over and over again: forgot conversion of oz. to mL. I studied my butt off... 8-12 hours per day since the day I graduated. I think it was just luck of the draw... EVERYONE in my class passed flying colors... with 75 questions... they are all on their way to finding work. Its a very frustrating, sad, upsetting, angering situation. Moving forward... I am not gonna ask for advice on how to study... that part I believe again is LUCK of what the computer throws at you... but I do have a question about the process... now that I know that I failed... what do I do? Do I do the exact same procedure again with my BON and Pearson Vue...???? Can I even reschedule an exam???? I know the whole wait 45-90 days... but I am not sure if thats after you re-due the ENTIRE registration process like before... Can someone who really knows the answer to this get back to me? I am crying and driving my entire family nuts... and besides this blog I am basically a deer frozen in headlights. Thank you. / P.S. I know exactly how you feel... I was drained the entire test... 35 questions through and I needed my break... I was hot in that room and felt light headed from thinking... I too spent too much time on the questions. I usually never spend 2 hours on 35 questions... I wasn't expecting it to go past 75 because I felt confident through the ones I was already doing. Questions repeated after the 85 quest. mark... before that I felt fine.
I know these posts are outdated... but I am wondering if anyone can give me more thorough steps on how to re-apply for NCLEX-RN for the state of MA. Thank you.
Congrats! ...I had the option of testing sooner, but I didn't want to... just feel so nervous about it... :/ Glad it worked itself out. Best wishes.