How about a relevant, informative thread for once!!

Editorial Team / Admin · Sep 13, 2007

Most of the discussion in this forum is for the grad student in Masters or Doctorate programs. Any topic related to these programs is specifically for this forum. Although, most FNP and other APN discussion is in the NP or CNS forums.

Since you are in grad school, how about start a thread with the specific topic you wish discussed? Or, come to the NP forum for a good topic.

Go for it........

arciedee · Sep 13, 2007

Perhaps because the only people who have time to post are the ones who are still in the application process... the rest of us in school are too busy studying!

Asherah, BSN, RN · Sep 13, 2007

Well I don't know about you all, but I think being relevant is totally overrated... :uhoh3:

Seriously, I'm not sure if you were exactly attempting to be rude, but you should probably consider the fact that these forums are intended to provide support to any and all who seek to enjoy and contribute, including future candidates for these specific programs. Please note that what is considered to be informative is very subjective.

Also, remember that you definitely have the freedom to skip over any and all threads you personally do not find relevant, I know I do.

Good luck!

SteveNNP, MSN, NP · Sep 16, 2007

No, didn't mean to sound rude, just slightly frustrated, since over the last 4 years I've been following this forum, all I see are the same "Questions about online programs" and "admissions interview....HELP!!" questions. Not that I haven't used these threads in the past... but there has to be SOME "Graduate Student Nurses" as the forum name implies, and not just applicants.... sorry, didn't mean to touch a nerve here..... just venting.

llg, PhD, RN · Sep 16, 2007

So ...what would you rather talk about?

I'm game.

SteveNNP, MSN, NP · Sep 19, 2007

Sorry for the delay in getting back to this thread..... been a little busy lately :>P

At this juncture in my program, I'm really searching for ways to make the most of my classes while working full-time... Is there anything that you guys are doing/did to make sure you got all the reading, assignments done while working on the side? I'm finding that my reading gets left until the night before the class, because when I work, I leave the house at 0530 and get home at 2030. By the time I get home, I'm beat, usually ending up falling asleep on the couch almost immediately. I really don't have ANY time to read at work. Our unit census has been around 72, and we've had to turn away 11 transports in the last 2 days from referring hospitals. So any ideas from you all on how to make the most from my $7000 semester?

llg, PhD, RN · Sep 19, 2007

I never worked full time while in grad school. I only worked part time. It wrecked my finances (which have since recovered), but it gave me a couple of days off per week that I could use for school stuff as well as a little fun and relaxation.

If you really CAN'T cut back your hours a bit ... is there any possibility of taking a vacation day now and then? Right now, I am teaching a class at a local university in addition to my full time hospital job. Having saved up vacation time, I am able to use a day or two each month to work on my school work.

The bottom line is: You can't keep squeezing activities into your week indefinitely. Eventually, you have to give something up to make room for something else. When I was in grad school, I gave up some money and "lived like a college student" instead of like my more financially secure friends my age. Now, I am giving up some of my vacation time to continue to try to maintain an academic life in addition to my regular work life.

Those are the choices I have made. Maybe other people can offer some other suggetions.

Good luck.

Trauma Columnist · Sep 19, 2007

I worked full-time in grad school too. Here is what helped me:

1. I looked over the syllabus and objectives FIRST day of class.

2. Then, I looked in the table of contents of the books and circled what was pertinent to the objectives.

3. This is what I looked at first. I did not read every bit of the book from cover to cover. I skimmed the important parts and skipped the rest.

4. When in clinicals, I made a concerted effort to see pts and do procedures that I was unfamiliar with - this provided me with an education versus just doing what I was used to doing.

5. I always got my papers out of the way first and this also heped with the reading material because frequently the papers were also on the material I was to read.

Hope this helps Steve. May I ask what type of MSN you're doing?

fgoff · Sep 19, 2007

Hey thanks all for this info. Thank you steve for posting the questions.

I just got my acceptance and have been wondering about the same things!

But wow $7000! I feel like I got a still at about $4250/semester (with books)!

buster4 · Sep 19, 2007

Thanks TraumaRUs for the great reply and information!!!!!!!!!!! that was really helpful!!!!!

Advanced Practice Columnist / Guide · Sep 19, 2007

I actually cut my hours to part-time during my 2nd year of NP school. That's because I wanted to focus more on school and get all the required readings, papers, and clinical hours done without driving myself crazy. That move did affect my finances. The good part is that because I was able to take a full time load of courses at the university, I became eligible and was chosen as one of the students who received an Advanced Education Nursing Traineeship award which paid for 8 credits of tuition for each of the last 3 semesters of NP school. So in the end, everything worked out for me.