Hello to all October 2007 timestamps. Here's the "Roll Call" thread I promised to start. Please copy and paste your timestamps here so we can all keep track of each other and where we go.
Since the most "recent" timestamp to get in was Oct 21st (LOL), that means we're next. Either this time or the Spring placement.
I wasn't happy about my "randomized" timestamp because I know that I'm behind most of you at the back of the October line. But I still feel good about Spring.
I hate to say this... but I've been suspecting the same thing that jke530 said for a while now. It doesn't make any logical sense but I'm not convinced that we are in the 12-15 month bracket yet. Just the variety of timestamps alone on this thread justifies this fear.
And yes, Boogs, that does mean that there is a slight chance to miss the Spring placement also... but I believe your choices would have to be fairly limited for this group to miss that.
But if you look at the time stamp of the most recent one to get in (the Sunday application we'll call them Applicant X) this doesn't make any sense. Unless those are all deferrals ahead of him... because according to our research here, that would put jke530 74 spots behind Applicant X (of course we are assuming that Oct 21st is a typo)... make sense?
Here's the list from this thread in chronological order so far:
- Applicant X ____08:00:15 (already in)
- jke530_________08:01:29
- Boogsdad_______08:03:02
- MassagetoRN____08:04:07 (sold her Soul to Banner) :bowingpur
I hate to say this... but I've been suspecting the same thing that jke530 said for a while now. It doesn't make any logical sense but I'm not convinced that we are in the 12-15 month bracket yet. Just the variety of timestamps alone on this thread justifies this fear.
And yes, Boogs, that does mean that there is a slight chance to miss the Spring placement also... but I believe your choices would have to be fairly limited for this group to miss that.
But if you look at the time stamp of the most recent one to get in (the Sunday application we'll call them Applicant X) this doesn't make any sense. Unless those are all deferrals ahead of him... because according to our research here, that would put jke530 74 spots behind Applicant X (of course we are assuming that Oct 21st is a typo)... make sense?
Here's the list from this thread in chronological order so far:
- Applicant X ____08:00:15 (already in)
- jke530_________08:01:29
- Boogsdad_______08:03:02
- MassagetoRN____08:04:07 (sold her Soul to Banner) :bowingpur
- Boru___________ 08:04:08
- kmm03_________ 08:05:31
It does, but the law of averages is in our favor. The thing we need to consider are those with the timestamps before us that are selecting the schools with lower capacities, and are only choosing one school since they need a weekend/ accelerated program. That is why there are timestamps ahead of us who are not in yet. That is why I am just choosing the ones with the most available slots.
Here is my thought- Bottom line... MCCCD needs to change their admissions protocol tree ways:
1) Have a higher GPA requirement. Their requirements in no way get you ready for a BSN. This does not set anyone up for success. I personally feel like I might be wasting time right now, and I am taking classes for my BSN while I am on this fun waiting list.
2) Up the prerequisite courses, include Patho, etc. The drop-out rate is dumb, and those of us who can handle the work miss out.
3) Have something like a mandatory 2-day nursing workshop that requires applicants to see what they are really going to be doing. Some have no idea what they will really be doiing. CNA's are not the only tush-wipers, urine-moppers and barf-cleaners. This should be graphic at times like a driver's education class in high school. Look at all of those people who wait to get into Rad Tech school to do Ultrasound... They think it is a cushy, cutsie little gig... they don't have a clue about the math, etc. that is involved. They think that they are going to "wook at the snuggwy-wuggwy wittle baby-wabies all day wong." I have heard that more times than I care to. People who haphazzardly choose a career like that mess things up for those who really want this.
I think the above things will help deter some from applying or entering the programs offered at MCCCD. Either because they can't do the work, handle the workload, or don't want to do the work the field requries.
Call me extreme, crazy, whatever... but I hear about dropouts, etc. And I keep thinking that I could be sitting in their seat right now.
I hope I made some of you laugh a little with my rants on this website.
I think you two are right about us being in the 9-12month bracket still. However there have been several deferrals already that would account for alot of people who are in the 12-15 month bracket still. I'm sure we are all at the top of the 9-12 month bracket. So hopefully at least some of us get in.
You're a good poster and I always laugh at your perspective. I'm going to disagree with you about a few of your points but I'll qualify myself 1st.
I was a Paramedic for 10 yrs (not currently licensed). I have worked in three major cities, four different states, rural and inter-city EMS, and I was a flight medic in Arizona a few years back. I already have a BS and I have been in RN school twice. The 1st was in 2002, when I was in one of the original Medic-to-RN programs back in Atlanta. The 2nd was this past summer at EBSN. I won't go into the reasons why I withdrew from them but to say my reasons were personal. Academically, I had no problems in either of these programs.
I don't usually recite my resume in a public forum but some of my opinions about RN school may appear harsh and I wanted you to know that I had some experience in the medical field and with RN school.
Your 1st point was about GPA requirements and I have to disagree. I believe anyone that can pass A&P, Micro, Nutrition, Patho, and Pharm with a "C-" can be effective nurses.
Before I say more allow me say this. I have met some extremely intelligent RN's over the years... and some of the best and most noble and altruistic people I have known have been in the Nursing field. I also believe that the RN's that stuggle in certain areas in school may not be the best ICU, ER, or Flight Nurses... but I believe if you care about patients, and people in general, that there will be a role for you in the Nursing field in "some" capacity. I believe RN's with more technical skills will rise to the challege in those more technical fields and the ones that are not as technically-savy will find other areas they can use their own personal skill set to be effective in areas/specialties of their chosing.
I don't believe the problem with these folks that drop-out is intelligence... I believe in most cases, it's either "life" or all the "busy-work" that all Nursing programs inflict upon you. I believe that Nursing school has fallen behind the actual "Field of Nursing". In other words, just because you don't do well in Nursing school doesn't mean that you won't be a good RN... and vice versa: just because you get all "A's" in Nursing school doesn't mean that you'll be a very good RN. (and I won't even mention the NCLEX and all the problems associated with it). Nursing school is mainly about passing the NCLEX. When you get through with school and you pass the boards you are granted a license... my opinion is that this is a license to go and learn how to be a nurse. The "field" actually is the thing that teaches one to be a Nurse... Nursing school only allows you to enter that field. Most of the journey of becoming an effective Nurse begins once you enter the field.
Do you learn effective skills and knowledge in RN programs?... absolutely! Patho, Pharm, Human Development etc... But too much time is spent in group projects, paper writing, Hx of Nursing, writing Care Plans and my personal most unfavorite subject - Nursing Theory (UGH!). In my opinion, Nursing school today is a lot of "busy work" and not enough, "real-life" work.
If you want to get your BSN, that's a great goal... but some of the best RN's I've ever met have only an ADN/ASN. I believe Nursing school should be cut-down to two years, meaning pre-reqs and all... keep clinicals the same but have them work externships in the summer.
I will agree with you about the fact that many folks get into school or the field for the wrong reasons. But that's the nature of the beast created by the nursing shortage. When you look at the payoff per educational investment... what other field is there that with an associate's degree, you could be making 50-60k within a few years?... and more after that?
I would alleviate the folks with this lack of concept about the field by bringing back the mandatory CNA requirement... and making the applicants actually document work (6 months or so) as a CNA. In most states, you cannot go to Paramedic school without working as an EMT-B or EMT-I for at least a year. There where a few places that I've seen that allowed people to go from regular joe to Medic in an a one year program (we called these folks "popcorn paramedics") and they killed people all the time.
My apologies for the long post... but I'm very passionate about this area.
I have been an avid fan of this site for more than a year now but have yet to post until today. Good luck to everyone with an October timestamp.
My time stamp is Oct 22, 2007 08:03:55 and my choices are:
Phoenix College Accelerated
Phoenix College 4 Semester
GateWay CC
Glendale CC
PVCC
I've heard a lot of people talking about the 12-15 month block on their website and have spent countless minutes trying to analyze the information provided there. If you read the information posted about our "waiting" time it says that we are not considered waiting until our applications are updated as complete because we could not be waiting if we were not eligible. That is if anyone else applied for a provisional spot like I did. I believe what that means is that they didn't update my application until December'ish when my final grade was turned in. If that is the case, that might be why we are still in the 9-12 month column.
Just a thought. Good luck again to everyone waiting. I know this has been a really long and hard battle for all of us with the hardest part being the hurry up and wait process.
Welcome, and thanks for choosing our thread... your posting name is long but very descriptive (we may have to give you a nickname). I'll put your name on our updated list.
Here's the list from this thread in chronological order so far:
- Applicant X ____08:00:15 (already in)
- jke530_________08:01:29
- Boogsdad_______08:03:02
- ErikandZaksMom__08:03:55
- MassagetoRN_____08:04:07 (sold her Soul to Banner) :bowingpur
I appreciate your candor, and I also appreciate your comments. You clearly have more experience with the subject than I do... while you have all very valid points, I still think that there must be a better way to get things better prepared for folks interested in nursing. Thanks for the great info! I apppreciate it.
I finally talked to some people down at Maricopa that are involved with this process and could access info about the white board and the 12-15 month grid vs the 9-12 month grid. They told me that you cannot figure out where you are from looking at that grid.... so throw it out the window. The process and the math/algorythms (sp?) are way to complex to figure out.
We talked a lot about different issues with this process. I didn't get specifics but they did tell me 3 important pieces of information.
1) There are plenty of timestamps before October 22, 2007 that have not been placed yet (and the 21st was not a typo). They mentioned a specific placement this past run of October 9th timestamp. I was under the impression that that was impossible but that's because I was receiving misinformation from advisors. I actually turned in a completed application a week before 10/22/07 but I was told it had to go in on the 22nd.
2) The unused partnership spots will be back in the pool somewhere between now and day one of school. They have to deal with every institution on a case by case basis. They couldn't give me a number as to how many they think will be unused... but they will be given back to the public.
3) This is the most important one. Although they would not give me specifics of where I was (and I understand why), they did say that they expect all of the October 22's (their term) will most likely be placed in the first run in spring. They looked up the entire group (which they said was a huge group) and said the October 22's could fit twice in the first run... and went further to say, you would really have to make very poor choices or only pick one or two small schools not to be placed in spring (for fall).
SNIXRN
269 Posts
hey october applicants!!!
good luck tomorrow!!!
keep us posted if you get in, and if you don't... keep you're head up! you guys still have a good chance on the future deferrals for spring.