Aaron-RN

Hi myty23 - During the 4 years of my BSN program, I worked 7P-7A as a Patient Care Tech in the Emergency Department/Trauma Center in my town. I would work every friday night and every other saturday night. I made sure that the mondays that I had a test was the weekend that I only worked friday night so that i had the majority of the weekend to study. While I know nights are not for everyone, it worked well for me! Good Luck! -- Aaron-RN :wink2:

Hi buffscotty- First, CONGRATS on passing boards! Second, there are many discussion postings regarding the differences between PAs and NPs - I think a search of the site would give you lots of the information that you are looking for. Good luck beginning your career as an RN!

I understand your situation. I would accept the job at the hospital. I am a senior in a BSN program and have worked in both a Pediatric Medical Office and most recently at a hospital for 2 years. The hospital experience has been invaluable to me. I learned so much as a Tech (we also do some secretary work). I know about common orders, medications, etc, etc. Yes the shift is not desirable. I worked 3-11 for a while and made out ok, but then again I am not married with kids. Maybe the hospital will allow you to work part-time. I work as a 0.5 FTE (3 12's in 2 weeks) and share my job with a classmate of mine who also works 3 12's in 2 weeks. This way, the hospital benefits from having a full time position filled and we benefit because we can work part time and get some amazing experience. Maybe they can work something like thsi out for you. Good Luck!!!-- Arbys1595

Hi NrsJena, I am currently a BSN student in Maryland and I too had some of the same questions that you have. I was offered $6,000 for the last 2 years of the BSN program, $3,000 a year. This would require me to work for the hospital for 2 years full time, on any unit. The $3,000 is given to me in the form of a check before each school year starts so I can buy uniforms, books, or pay my tuition. I also work at this same hospital, so I recieve an additional $2,000 a year for being an employee, this money is available for all 4 years. I also recieve the Maryland State Nursing Scholarship which gives me $3,000 a year for all 4 years. This requires that I work full time in Maryland (any city, county, etc.) for 4 years in any capacity as an RN. Hope this helps and good luck with school! - Aaron

Hi, in Maryland on the Eastern Shore, our hospital is starting new RN's @ $21.05. This is before shift differentials, they also offer scholarship money and a generous sign on bonus. Hope this helps. P.S. the rate is the same from BSN's and ADN's

I currently am a Nursing Student at Salisbury University and love it! The program has recently been changed, but only to better the program. The collaboration with our local hospital: Peninsula Regional Medical Center, I believe is outstanding. There are students from SU in all nursing departments and the nursing staff is very open to students, especially since a majority of the nurses went to SU. So, like the previous poster said, it is all a matter of opinion.

On our Ortho/Neuro/Uro unit, our ortho patients recieving coumadin have daily INR's. Then we have a protocol where we take 1.5 and subtract from the INR. This gives us the coumadin dosage. For example if a pts INR is 1.2, they would recieve 3mg coumadin that evening. Hope this helps!

I am not sure if you are interested in attending a 4 Year institution, but I have found that it is somewhat easier to get into BSN programs. I applied and was accepted my first try without any wait list. However, they only took 50 students and had 220 apply, but some of the people that applied did not have all of their classes done yet. But good luck!!!

Hi Tri- I wanted to respond to your reply. The reason that I was asking what the intitials would be is because of the advertising of the school. As I stated before, they indicate a BS with a major in Nursing and a BSN. So, as a Nursing Student, I was very confused as to what the true intitials to be used are. I stated that I would like to be a Nurse Manager one day and all of the business cards that I have seen from managers has their name, RN and any degrees i.e. BSN, MSN. It is not that people are "full of themselves" for putting their degrees after their name, it is just that they are representing their knowledge. I can see using the degrees on a business card, nut definately not in a pts chart. Thanks, Arbys1595

Hi Gennaver, Just posting a reply to your post. This will be my first bachelor's degree as I hold no other degrees. Thanks everyone for your replies, and any more opinions would be greatly appreciated! - Arbys1595:specs:

Hi tpacrc, Although I am not a nurse yet (BSN Student), I work at a regional medical center in Maryland as a Patient Care Technician. At the hospital where I work, LPN's start @ around $15.00/hour before any differentials, etc (without any experience). However, you will make probably $25.00 at a nursing home. I live on the Eastern Shore where the COL is not very high, so if you are moving to Baltimore or Annapolis, the rate of pay will be higher due to the higher COL. Hope this helps and I hope that you will enjoy the "Old Line State." - Arbys 1595

Just thought that I would add the starting pay for RN's @ my hospital. They just gave a 6% cost of living increase to be $21.02 per hour (base, not including evening, night, weekend, or holiday differential). Not too bad in my book.

Hi Everyone- I have been reading this thread and some posters have indicated that all PA programs now offer Master's Degrees not Bachelors Degrees. However, this is not 100% correct. I live in Maryland and a local University- University of Maryland Eastern Shore, has a comprehensive PA program. The degree granted is a Bachelor's degree in Physician Assistant Studies, which takes 4 years to complete. Here is a link to University's website to verify the information - http://www.umes.edu/pa/ . Arbys1595

There has been a lot of jokes made regarding the "extra" classes that a BSN nurse must take to graduate. However, all of these classes are not "filler." I am just a BSN student, but where I go to school, we take extra classes in: 1. Health Assessment - 3 Credits 2. Nursing Research - 3 Credits 3. Nusing Leadership - 6 Credits 4. Community Healthcare Lecture - 3 Credits 5. Community Healthcare Clinical - 3 Credits TOTAL: 18 Credits All of these classes in addition to the mandated University requirements and the core Nursing classes make up the degree. The 18 credits listed above are classes that are not included in the ADN/ASN programs where I live.

RN, WCCM Worker's Compensation Care Manager.

CNS can mean Clinical Nurse Specialist, which requires a Master's degree in Nursing. Hope this helps!

Hi- At the hospital where I work, we use the initials in two different ways. 1. PCA- Patient Care Assistant; our unit secretary who also has their CNA license and if the staffing is short takes a group of patients, and then we have no secretary . 2. PCA- Patient Controlled Analgesia; a patient controlled pain pump that usually has a lockout and sometimes a loading dose. Usually MS is used as the drug of choice. Further, my hospital offers a Nurse Extern position that is only offered to students in a BSN program. This position is between the Junior and Senior year (in the summer) and is paid. I believe that the rate is around $14-15 an hour, around the LPN rate. This position allows students to function in a nurse-like position under the direct supervision of a RN. Hope this helps!!

J/W Why not apply for a NP program, rather than a PA program? This way, in most states you can run your own clinic, rather than work under a physician.

Has anyone had a change to look at Salisbury University's website to see what I was talking about with their confusing language by both indicating a BSN and a BS with a major in Nursing????

Thanks again llg for your reply. I now understand what is appropriate and what is not. I think that one reason that I was confused was due to the advertising of the Nursing department itself. The website of the department has heading with links to pages about their "Traditional BSN." There is also a heading titled "RN-BS(N)." Also, there is a heading that is titled "BS Curriculum Guide." As a direct quote from the website, "This RN-BSN program is for RN students pursuing a BS as a nursing major." So, you all can see how I was very confused as to the degree title. Here is a link to the Nursing Department at Salisbury University so that you can see what I am talking about: http://www.salisbury.edu/Schools/Henson/nursingdept/ In reality, the diploma from the Univeristy says Bachelor of Science, so I do not understand why their website indicates a BSN. - Arbys 1595

Thanks llg and Future_RN_Jess. So, since the degree offered by my school is a Bachelor of Science with a major in Nursing, I would put my name, R.N., BS. However, I would like to become a nurse manager someday and a co-worker told me that writing just BS after my name that would not indicate to the Nursing world that I have a Bachelors in Nursing, and that the degree could signify a Bachelor's degree in Mathematics or Chemistry. Is this true in the Nursing community?? Also, I know of some people that have graduated from the University where I attend who write their name, RN, BSN although the degree is just BS. Is this ok, or is it fraud?

Hi everyone! I am new to the site and a Nursing student. I just had a quick question. My school offers a Bachelor of Science with a major in Nursing, rather than a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. I have read some previous postings and noticed that they are basically the same thing, it just depends on how the Univeristy/College is structured. However, when I graduate and eventually move along in my career what initials will I use, my name, R.N., BSN OR my name, R.N., BS OR my name, R.N., BS(N) I have seen all three of these, and as you can imagine as a Nursing student, all of these initials can become quite confusing. The Univeristy that I attend also offers a Master's program that I am interested in and offers a Master of Science with a major in Nursing, rather than a MSN. So, again, what initials does one use? Any help would be appreciated!!

Hi everyone! I am new to the site and a Nursing student. I just had a quick question. My school offers a Bachelor of Science with a major in Nursing, rather than a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. I have read some previous postings and noticed that they are basically the same thing, it just depends on how the Univeristy/College is structured. However, when I graduate and eventually move along in my career what initials will I use, my name, R.N., BSN OR my name, R.N., BS OR my name, R.N., BS(N) I have seen all three of these, and as you can imagine as a Nursing student, all of these initials can become quite confusing. The Univeristy that I attend also offers a Master's program that I am interested in and offers a Master of Science with a major in Nursing, rather than a MSN. So, again, what initials does one use? Any help would be appreciated!!