OU Accelerated BSN May 2011 Start

juliaann · Feb 25, 2011

Congrats to you as well, OUmurse!!! If it makes any difference, I'm planning to work through the program. I know they advise against it (especially in the ABSN program), but I don't really have a choice.

I also work at a hospital and had a meeting with my manager and HR today to discuss options. I will likely have to go to part-time or PRN, so I won't be able to stay with the cardiology group *heart breaks,* but I should be able to get a nights/weekends unit clerk or tele monitor tech position by May. Or I can always go back to the floor as a CNA...we always need good CNAs. :)

I have a friend who just started as a CNA at St. John last week - she had orientation last week, preceptorship this week, and next weekend she starts on her own...she really likes it so far! I've heard great things about St. John.

Anyway, I hope you join us, but if not good luck getting into the traditional program!! I'm sure if you can get into the ABSN you can get into the traditional one. :)

newRNstudent02 · Feb 25, 2011

I'm in CA and I still haven't received any letter the wait is slowly killing me...

OUmurse2b85 · Feb 25, 2011

Thanks Juliaann! I really do like St. Johns and I also work on the cardiac floor. One of my friends graduated from OU's ABSN program in 2009 and she was able to continue working as a CNA. I am not sure how much though...I just sent her FB msg, so I will let you know as soon as I find out. At this point, I haven't ruled out the ABSN program, but I am trying to weigh my options to see if it will be a good fit.

I talked to HR today about St. Johns scholarship program and I was a little surprised. I assumed they would pay for everything but I found out that, with a BSN, they will pay for only $7000. That would leave a little over $9000 to come up with. The friend I mentioned said that half the people in her class also received an $8000 scholarship through the college. I was somewhat relieved after that point. I also found out that if you didn't take the hospital scholarship, then the $7000 would be your sign on bonus (w/2 year commitment) upon hire as a new nurse... assuming you graduated from a BSN program.

Does your hospital have a similar scholarship opportunity? Also, what department do you want to eventually work in... cardiac, ICU...ect?

Good luck on the tele monitor tech or unit clerk position.

juliaann · Feb 25, 2011

My hospital's policy is very similar. They offer $1500 each term (including summer sessions, but not December intersession) that I would get 2 weeks before the start of each term, so for the ABSN program I would be eligible for $6000 (and would "owe" 2 years of work as a nurse to the hospital to "pay it back"). It's not a lot, but it would help with books and supplies and stuff to have at the beginning of each semester. And since my hospital isn't offering guaranteed sign-on bonuses right now (they offer them on a case-by-case basis to nurses who are applying to work units/shifts that are chronically understaffed), and I know it's where I want to get my first few years of experience, I'm planning on applying, and accepting if I get offered the scholarship. I

I'm also planning on accepting the federal loans I qualify for and working at least part time throughout the program so I can keep my health insurance. Hopefully with the hospital scholarship, federal loans, any additional scholarships I get, my part-time income and my husband's income we won't have to take any private loans. That's the goal, anyway. :) The money aspect is totally stressing me out right now. If I have to get a private loan, that's what I'll do, because there's no way I'm going to let money stand in the way of this program.

I totally want to do something cardiac! I've been a CNA on a cardiac/tele floor, a monitor tech, an EKG tech, a stress lab tech, and a cath lab tech. Right now I work 3p-11p, doing mostly paperwork for the cardiologists and fellows, and I'm the cardio tech on the code blue/rapid response team for my shift so I still get to do quite a few EKGs and chest compressions and all that fun stuff - cardiology is definitely my "thing." :) My hospital is too small to have a specialized CICU - but we do get 3-5 CABGs a week and I love watching them arrive from OR...so I think ICU is where I want to start. I'd love to learn to recover CABGs. I'd also love to be a cath lab nurse someday, but I don't want to back myself into too narrow of a specialty - I want a broad foundation that will travel well, since I don't plan to live in Tulsa forever. ICU seems like it would be a good fit for me, but I'm totally open to that changing- as I'm fairly sure it will throughout clinicals!

What about you? What departments/specialties are you interested in?

If St. Johns would pay $7k for a BSN, how much would they contribute to an ADN, say if you got in to TCC? Would they be able to cover the whole thing, since it's cheaper?

Oh yes, please let me/us know what your friend says about working while in the ABSN program...I really hope it's do-able, since keeping my insurance is really important to me. And the extra income would be nice, too. :)

juliaann · Feb 25, 2011

I'm in CA and I still haven't received any letter the wait is slowly killing me...

Bummer! I'm hoping for good news for you tomorrow! 3 days seems like a reasonable postal period between OK and CA...

:heartbeat

CC10479 · Feb 25, 2011

I'm in Florida and haven't received my letter yet either. I was stalking the mailman yesterday and was very disappointed when I didn't have a letter. Hopefully I'll get the news today--my husband and I are moving to Oklahoma next week and I'd like to know before we leave!

I'm expecting to get waitlisted because I'm currently finishing two of the pre-req's (Chem and Stats). If I don't get in I'm thinking about working as a CNA for a year in one of the hospitals and taking a few more classes like patho, pharm, etc. I started an LPN program here and was planning to do the LPN-BSN route once we got to OKC, but it turns out we weren't here long enough for me to complete the program (husband is in the Air Force). However, I did finish the training to work as a CNA (my first clinical experience was at a nursing home). Any advice about getting on as a CNA at the hospitals in the OKC area? I did an internet search and found that some of heart hospitals (I actually have an ICD myself) hire CNA's.

Congrats to everyone who has been accepted!

terac · Feb 25, 2011

Wow, California and Florida! I'm still so very excited and hope you guys hear good news soon.

There is one aspect of the financial portion I haven't figured out yet,though. How is this first summer going to be covered by financial aid/loans?

Thankfully, I won't be working during the program thanks to the good graces of my husband, who is a band director at a local school.

juliaann · Feb 26, 2011

Terac, I'm going to be calling the financial aid office tomorrow to ask that very question. I filled out my FAFSA for this year, but I think those loans only start applying in the Fall. Maybe we need to fill out last year's FAFSA to get loans for this summer? That wouldn't be ideal, since it's so late in the year.

I think if you get a private education loan that can be applied immediately.

If I find anything helpful out tomorrow morning after I call, I'll share it here.

OUmurse2b85 · Feb 26, 2011

Juliaann, it's cool that you are wanting to stay either on the cardiac floor or in the cardiac ICU. I'd like to also work in the ICU (not sure which though) for a couple of years and eventually go to CRNA or NP school. Because my interests could definitely change between now and the end of nursing school, i'm open to just about anything.

For an ADN program St. Johns will pay up to $5k. I'm not sure it would pay for the whole thing I'm pretty sure it would cover the majority of their expenses.

So, my friend (former ABSN graduate) works for one of the major hospitals in Tulsa and she did take advantage of their $6000 scholarship (she could have gotten up to $8k because they pay $2k for every term). She was also able to work but it was very limited. She had to go on PRN status (you work when needed but there is a 32hr./mo requirement). Some months she wasn't able to hit the 32hours, but her boss overlooked it due to her being a valued employee adn working in that department for over 3 years. The one downside is that if you change your status to PRN you will lose your insurance coverage with the hospital.

I have been stressing about the financial aspect as well and I have reached the decision that I am not going to do the program. I had to pay to hold my spot in the ABSN program, in the event that the traditional program does not accept me, but if I am accepted then I will make the switch. I had to call admissions so that they could put me back on the list for the other program. She said that there shouldn't be a problem.

Good luck to everyone.

Pakova · Feb 27, 2011

I am new to the forums and have stumbled accross this discussion. I also have applied for the OU ABSN program this summer. Is there anybody outside of OK that has received their letter? I am in Utah and haven't received anything yet. I think the anticipation is going to kill me. I have noticed that there is somebody from Florida and California, but there is no word yet if they have received anything.

CC10479 · Feb 27, 2011

I'm the applicant from Florida, and I haven't received a letter. On Friday I sent an email to the administration at OU stating that I hadn't received anything yet. My husband and I are moving to OKC, and I'm actually heading out that way starting tomorrow so it's going to drive me crazy that I won't be here to get the mail on Monday-these past few days I've been stalking the mailman. I haven't been paying attention to the weather out West so maybe there were some storms that have slowed the mail delivery?

OUmurse2b85 · Feb 27, 2011

I think I AM going to do the program this June. Initially, I was worried about the finances but you can't really put a price on getting another bachelors in 14months. I'm graduating with my MBA in May and it has been the most boring two years of my life. I am so tired of school, but I am definitely looking forward to this summer. Also, if anyone does find out the info on the financial aid for the summer, please post.

Anywho, here is that thread (this is a grad from the OU-Tulsa ABSN program '08):

Sure. The summer (the first one) is really jammed. Remember your fall and spring semester = regular course load. I won't lie - summer is hard- you are getting the hang of nursing school - ACK! Fall is hard because the course content is difficult. Winter is fine - the course is online ( I was able to work an externship- 36 hours/week). Spring - well we were told that this semester was the easiest - I wouldn't say that. There is just a lot of what we feel is busy work - lots of group work, projects, papers etc.

Not sure about May or the 2nd summer just yet. Spring Intersession, we have a research class. Summer we have leadership and our evidence based practice presentation and I think that we might have something else.

Schedule - Every semester you have community hours - summer - 20, fall - 40, spring - 65!!!!

During the summer you are in class for the first half (4 weeks) almost everyday. Then, you start going to clinicals but you finish your assessment class. So, somewhat better but now you learn about the careplan - and those don't write themselves :)

All of the semesters are front loaded - every semester you have a short course at the beginning that is over by now. For instance our Community Focused Health Class is over (last week was our last class with presentations) and our community hours are due soon - so that is almost over.

Basically - every semester for the first 2-3 months (Fall & Spring) expect to be somewhere Monday through Friday. Then you will find that you have a day off once a week. During the initial summer - you have somewhere to be the first 4 weeks or so everyday.

They are changing things up from what I hear. From what I understand they are changing some of the classes ie breaking pharm into pharm I and pharm II (I think that is a great decision). As it is right now - pharm is a 3 credit hour class but you spend your whole fall studying pharm in your "spare" time.

Sorry this is so long - if you have any other questions don't hesitate to ask...

oh, here is one that you may or may not know - ABSN's do ALL of their clinicals at St. Francis Hospital, except for your psych rotation in which you may attend a different facility.