Nursing shortage! Nursing program waiting lists!

[melpip3]

I am working on completion of my pre reqs for the ADN program at my local CC. I am a little concerned over the fact that upon my app. I will be placed into a random selection pool. One-third of the class will be alternates from the previous year .Two-thirds will be new apps. I knew what I was walking into, however I just don't understand why. There is a nursing shortage and such high demand for nurses. Why don't we have more programs to educate those who are ready, willing and able. I live in CA. Are other states in the same boat? I'm a mom of three . 33 years old. I work PT and attend classes. Just curious about what others have to say about this issue.

[LadyKLibra]

Was wondering what county you were in? I am in Wayne Co., Michigan. It is similar here, except the cc I am in supposedly admits 240 students per year, but it is on a lottery also and they say you must have A's and B's in pre reqs to get in. Although I have heard they allow some C students in. I am thinking of transferring to another cc or university.

I'm also in Wayne County. I haven't applied for nursing school as of yet - still completing the pre-req's. Because of the nursing program waiting list situation, I'm also contemplating whether or not to forego nursing altogether. I'm getting older and really don't want to have to wait to much longer. I often say "shoulda coulda" when I was took some pre-req's in the past many years ago, but no sense of thinking of the past. I really want to be a nurse, and never thought that there was a nursing waiting list problem.

[mstigerlily]

I'm in San Diego too...I went to Palomar College, just graduated in December. When I started the wait was 2 semesters, now their website says 6-8!!! Other colleges are similar, it's insane!!! I was wondering the same - is the nursing shortage a result of small class sizes, not many nursing programs in schools and long waiting lists???

Melissa

I'm in San Diego and the wait list here is 2 years for the community colleges. You can get in but you have to wait. SDSU is tough to get into also even tho they have no wait list because they run by points. The higher the grades the more points. Plus way more pre-reqs and you have to do something extra like volunteer in a hospital setting or be a girl scout leader or something for more points to be able to make it in because it is so competitive. Guess its' pretty much the same all across the country.

FW

[shawnrj]

I've been lurking here for some time and to be honest, some threads and posts put a scare into me about nursing school and such. However, this has not and will not discourage me from wanting to be a nurse. I just recently retired with 20 years from the Coast Guard (last 14 years as a reservist) and am a Paralegal for a personal injury law firm. I've been doing this since 1994 and I'm sick of it. I'm now 40 years old and 3 years ago I realized that what makes me happy and satisfied is helping people, so I decided I wanted to be a nurse, it's more my personality.

I've finished all my pre-req. classes and am presently taking my last general ed. class (Algebra) which will be completed June 6. I live in San Fernando Valley (Los Angeles County) and have 4 nursing programs to chose from at 4 different community colleges here in the valley. There are a few more but a bit of a distance away. I will not be able to apply until January of 2006 but that's okay. The only thing that bothers me is "How long will I have to wait until I'm accepted?" Only God and the schools know for sure. The nursing programs here just changed from the so-called 'lottery system' of acceptance to accepting students by their overal GPA, biology GPA, English GPA and a few other requirements. This could be an advantage over the old way. Now they are looking at a person's education and not pulling names from a hat, bypassing good people. By the way, I am a male and I heard that this might be to my advantage because of the demand for male nurses. This is what I've been told, not sure.

It's been a struggle to go to school and hold down a 50 hour a week job, along with having to drop classes due to being called to active military duty, but I'm almost there. I'd like to keep believing it is all worth it, somehow I do. Everyone keep your heads up and continue to follow your dreams. Just remember, it may take time but what else do you have to lose except a dream of becoming a great nurse.

[tommysgirl5067]

:angryfire Hi, I have been going through the same thing here in North Carolina. Everyone is always talking about a nursing shortage, and how it is only getting worse. What I can't believe is that there are not a whole lot of nursing programs offered in my area, and the ones that are avaliable are all full. I have completed my pre reqs, and have a 3.9 GPA, and a 25 on the ACT, and was still turned down, because there are just to many students and not enough space. I don't think it should be called a nursing shortage, but a nursing student shortage.

[Tony35NYC]

Also, consider the fact that it isn't just educator shortages but problems with finding enough clinical spots in the area.

There aren't a lot of MSN and PhD nurses out there to teach, and nurses with these degrees probably make much more money in their research, administrative, and NP jobs than they ever would as clinical instructors. Clinical space is another big problem because the hospitals don't want instructors to have more students than they can safely supervise, especially when it comes to passing meds. Putting more clinical instructors in the hospitals is not a solution because that would cause other problems. Where I did my last clinicals was terrible because there were two nursing clinical groups on the floor, plus a group of medical students. We were all vying for a spot inside the nurses station to get to the patient's charts, the Kardex, the computers, etc. Of course, the nurses didn't take too kindly to all these students cluttering up their work area.