soon2beRN2021

Hi futurenurse06, I have a soft spot for nursing students and full-time mamas for one reason, I walked that path. I started while pregnant, was told to drop and return the next semester. Had a baby who had a cleft lip and palate, and I kept going. I remember distinctly in my first semester, we had skills check-off..it was foley inserts..and this was at the exact time my little girl was going into the OR over 30 minutes away. They wouldn't budge, but I didn't quit. I aced it then spent the next 24 hours in a crappy hospital couch while practicing for my other finals and giving her love. It's possible. My life took another turn when my ex-husband had a major emotional breakdown and was misdiagnosed with depression, then subsequently went into psychosis. I didn't give up. I kept plugging. We went through a divorce process, then my final semester I ended up in the hospital with AFib/Flutter with RVR, and almost died twice--on my kiddo's 2nd birthday. It's literally INSANE to write this, because I cannot believe all the crap I went through to get here. I say this..not to toot my own horn, I'm nothing extraordinary..I say this to tell you--you have a source of immense power within you as a mother. Draw from it and you can do ANYTHING. Seriously, us women are tenacious as heck. (You men are too!!). In nursing school, each semester is different. Do you have any family or friends that can help you with your kiddo? I say this as, usually you have a live lecture(s) (probably Zoom), you will have a lab day, and clinical within a week, each on different days. My lectures were on the same day, then I'd have a day of lab, then a separate clinical day. As my program progressed and I entered my final semester I was in clinical many times a week to meet the 500 hour cap, but this does not mean you will! We stopped having labs after our second semester (I was in an ADN not a BSN program). Find good, reliable childcare so you can go to those clinicals, as you NEED those hours to sit for the NCLEX. Find some times where you can get away from the kiddos and donate time to studying for your nursing course exam. Flashcards do not work, I found reading the text, highlighting important info, then writing it down or typing them up. I'd then do application questions online/quizlet questions from the chapter content. I would donate the weekend to studying or catching up on notes/assignments. My mom would come stay with me to help with the baby, and I'd plug right along. You have to really read the text and practice the content. If you don't have family/friends, do it while the kiddo naps, then at bedtime really hunker down. I'd suggest starting earlier than a few days before the exam to do this method and not lose sleep. You will see your child less, but it is nothing dramatically insane. You can fill in the times you are taking a break, with your little one(s). Ultimately, I found success with the LATTE study method. I graduated summa cum laude and managed to work as a nurse extern at my home hospital now. I only worked 12h/week, sometimes less during stressful times. I know you are probably a type A..need all A's person. So was I, I was seriously cursing the one B I got on my "report card". But...C's get degrees. Content and life get in the way sometimes and it's OK to not be that A student. We ALL get C's/Fails once in a while, the RN grading scale is vastly different from pre-reqs..however don't let it discourage you. Sometimes when my daughter was asleep I'd watch her chest rise and fall, cuddled in her crib. She was my motivation and I knew I wanted to prove to her she could do anything in the face of adversity..and come out winning! Draw from that strength!! I graduated this past Spring and now have a job in the ICU (MICU) as a new grad RN. My journey in school has ended but my next journey continues! P.s.: for the NCLEX..use UWorld. It is literally amazing and works so well!! I believe in you immensely ?

Hey there chichimel, First off congrats! Hope you get the NICU job!! I graduated recently too, and currently studying for the NCLEX. I'm taking mine in June!! So, during finals I was hospitalized for AFib/Flutter/SVT..all in one delightful package. The cardiac nurses were telling me tidbits of info I thought I'd pass on! UWorld is so highly recommended by every RN I have met, so if you can--get a 30-60 day membership and utilize it! Take practice tests every day on their portal if you can (even just 1 test of 75-100 questions). They have great remediation information on the bottom of each question, including diagrams/charts that you can actually copy into flashcards through their portal and peruse later. The program also tells you your chance of passing the NCLEX based off your pretest score, and then tells you how much you should be studying based off that percentile you score in. I've learned 2-4 hours is really my limit, but I try to cap off at 2.5 if possible just so I am not burnt out the next day. You can study for as many or as little days as you like. I try to M-F just because this feels like real "work", then I relax on weekends. If I really don't understand the content, I write down in a notebook the info so I can re-read it later. UWorld seriously has a crap ton of SATAs, which is good..as the more practice the more accuracy! I cannot say enough, taking questions modeled after the NCLEX format and style (SATA, diagrams, ordered responses, fill in the blank) really help you feel confident when you get to that test. Reading a book will only get you so far! I'd check out the NCLEX NCSBN Test plan, this will not only let you know how the test will go..but the different categories the test will focus on. (https://www.NCSBN.org/testplans.htm) In regards to applications, I got my dream ICU RN job by being a nurse extern and having a great interview! Since you've already interviewed and I'm sure you'll be great..try to relax ? you've accomplished so much! I start 7/26, hence why I'm doing my NCLEX in June. Remember to go through your state's dept of health licensure site to start your process in order to be cleared to schedule for your NCLEX on the NCSBN site!! Good luck!

If you have the means, go BSN! It seems you prefer the atmosphere and it would be a more streamlined process + the aide helping ease your load. However, as the previous poster said..I AM one of those ladies who hypes up ADN/ASN progams ? I started my ADN program and found out I was pregnant..then that my baby would have a facial birth defect. We worked through it, and I graduated on time. The professors were hit or miss: either loved them or hated them. This is unspecific as every program has that ONE professor you want to shake mercilessly. It just so happened my ADN program had an excellent reputation within the community, so I landed myself a nurse extern job while in school. I completed my Pre-BSN classes (all courses that are prereqs to a BSN program) along with my ADN curriculum, then dual enrolled in a RN-BSN program that ran concurrently with my ADN program. I took my BSN classes during the Summer and did 1-2 during the semesters. The best thing? This was cheap. I was fully funded by grants. School would have been 1-2.5K a semester which is definitely not bad when you only have 4 semesters. I graduated this Spring 2021 with a New Grad RN job in the Medical ICU, and work parttime till I transfer over to that position on 7/26. I loved my ADN program. It awarded me financial ease, a challenging but excellent education, I graduate with my BSN this Fall 2021..it all fell together. Life does happen, however as long as you push forward you can do it. I ended up hospitalized with AFib a month ago in the middle of finals season. Somehow I went from having a few life threatening arrhythmias, to being able to get out and graduate on time. If you put your mind to it, you can definitely achieve it! So, I'll get off my soap box ? I would say think it over!

Hey! So, this is almost identical to my situation. I graduated from my ADN program this Spring 2021. Prior to that, I started as a CNA within the hospital staffing office/float pool that prior Fall 2020. At our hospital, few specialties open new grads--specifically the critical care units (L&D, ICU). This being said, have you talked with your New Grad Residency coordinator to see if they allow ICU openings to New RNs? I ask, as my hospital is very picky (Level 2 Trauma Center), since it does include higher level skill due to increased acuity of the patient. In regards to timing, I would ask the coordinator when applications for whatever cohort (Jan/Feb 2021 cohort) open up, and I'd apply during that time. You have to remember, while you graduate in Dec, you still have to take the NCLEX prior to hitting the floor. It is possible! I was 1 out of 2 New Grads to get a MICU position! Critical care is highly sought after and I believe they stated over 60 something students who were not aides wanted the position. The good thing is most hospitals don't require ACLS for up to 6 months-1 year, unless you are going to be an ER RN. And, I am sure they will prioritize you over other new grads who are not affiliated with the hospital. I hope your hospital allows you to filter into that position ? I will say that there were no "MICU opening" positions when I applied, but stating preference and having a good interview placed me there! So, don't fret if the app is gone, just express your desire! Good luck!!

I understand your feelings 100%. I was bullied as a kid due to a birth defect, and felt always super sensitive no matter what. I found my life and sensitivity changed when I became a mom. But seriously--find something to focus on like your nursing career---are you going to let some a-holes stop you from your dream? It's true people like that exist everywhere. While it is true some professors won't give a fart, some will switch your lab partner to someone else. I am entering my last semester of nursing school and I've met some crappy people in my program. One girl joked about abortion while I was having a miscarriage on clinical rotations (she knew I was miscarrying to add insult to injury)..the list goes on. I recently accepted a Nursing Assistant position in our local hospital that is in tandem with our program. No joke a freshman nursing student decided to berate and trash me due to the fact I had peeled the wrapper off a straw for a patient drink. The patient had a stroke and couldn't do it, I had to adapt (I used gloves y'all!!). She was so arrogant and childish she tried to correct RNs and CNAs on their job. I had to let it go. I ignored her, I didn't engage. When I was forced to engage, I was so kind and asked her questions about herself. She really liked that. People who make fun of others or bully/target them, are usually some of the most insecure people you'll ever meet. They are SO concerned with looking better, that they hide their weaknesses by hating on others. Trust me...I once married a guy like that. It didn't last. In my experience--I allow people to say what they want and I ignore it. I don't feed into it, I don't react. Soon they will realize they cannot get their jollies off by harassing you, and look elsewhere. If you really want to stick it to them, speak up and tell them to mind their own business and focus on their work. Then..walk away. I hate to say it doesn't get better. I think a TON of people in nursing school are very supportive and loving. However there is a minority of crap people everywhere we go. Don't let the 1% destroy your goals and day.

Yup. Care plans are the devil. Luckily for me, my RN program restarted clinicals since last semester and we are doing alllll our makeups + more. I graduate next semester so, this is crunch time for us. My program is really sneaky, as they do care plans on written documentation sheets in a succinct manner. We have four columns: we need to provide two concepts we are discussing for that patient. For example, perfusion, metabolism, infection, clotting, etc. We then write two nursing diagnoses for each concept. Example: I had a patient entering thyroid storm. I did perfusion and metabolism. The patient had underlying A Fib and CHF so I discussed decreased cardiac output for one diagnosis (he was on diltiazem, thirty million beta blockers, diuretics (Lasix then spironolactone--he became hypokalemic yikes..you name it he had it for that irregular rhythm and tachycardia), and then impaired gas exchange. His H&H were very low, he was anemic (seen in Graves disease) and satting quite low, showing signs of dec peripheral perfusion, etc. We then explain what interventions we did for each diagnosis and if the goals were met that we made (SMART goals). I don't think any care plan should be 10 pages long. Maybe they should change their format.. I dislike wordy care plans but they REALLY get me thinking, especially with complex concepts like HF patients with multiple comorbidities. I get it, I felt like I didn't get a lot of hours of personal practice. I had to hound the nurse I had politely, but I was able to do some IV med admins, insulin injections, PO meds (IV admin'ED Lasix--wild right?) LOL. My nurses I shadowed (preceptors you called it) would do the same thing yours did. They have the experience, we do not--so of course they aren't doing care plans and charting it out mentally. They do that mental gymnastics in seconds. I totally get your frustration with limited clinical hours and tons of paperwork. COVID has really put a lot of things on pause. For us, we had to sign waivers and daily we put ourselves out there at clinical with the best PPE possible. That's our job, right? I hope things get better for you.

Nursing school can be b-word. I'm entering my last sem at my ADN program this January 2021. The professors have at times been ruthless and due to COVID, everything changes so fast and we have to keep up to date 24/7. That is harsh in my opinion, but it's similar to any college class. If you don't show up the first day, they assume you dropped the class or do not want to attend. Nursing school is tough because ADN programs are so dang competitive, so of course they will bump someone off who doesn't do their due diligence to attend something. I'm so sorry, I know this must be rough! Can you reapply to another program/get a spot in the other school? It might be too late, but at least you know you can try again elsewhere. I think it's a good lesson though. There have been days I had to do my own research to even find a clinical location, perform clinical tasks, or even do an assignment. They didn't care if my 10 month old was in the OR having surgery, I still had to show up for check-offs, etc. I'm sure you're a great student and will get your money back. I've always been refunded at my community college, you just have to alert the right department!

It depends on the program itself. My community college (ADN/RN) nursing program allowed a GPA of 2.5 or higher to join. The issue was, there were limited slots due to competitiveness--therefore they went from highest to lowest. I knew quite a few people with lower GPAs get in, but not all of them stayed in the program due to how rigorous it was. I had a similar situation happen when I was going to a four year university, so I understand those struggles! If they do not accept you, you may need to retake the pre-reqs as a C is the lowest grade you can get in those courses to be considered for admission. For me, I had a 4.0 upon admission to my ADN program, but like I said--I knew a ton of people with 2.5+ who did great too. It depends on the slots they have available and the pool of applicants. Is there anyway you can ask for the median GPA of the students who are admitted to your specific program of interest? Some have this and it helps gauge your shot. Good luck ?

I am currently entering my last semester in my RN-ADN program, and will have my BSN this August 2021. I started my ADN while pregnant, and will be graduating with a 2 year old. My daughter was born with a cleft lip/palate, something that is genetic in our family. Between nursing school, surgeries, and my own needs--I have been doing extremely well in school!! I have a 4.0, and I have only had to make up one clinical day in over 1.5 years. All you need is passion, organization, and focus! I was able to do my best by having my mother watch my little one during clinicals, and help me out at home on the two days before a big exam/final. I would recommend going straight for your RN, as there is more $$ in the job and more positions available. Of course, this is something you have to weigh--as RN programs are longer than LVN/LPN. Unlike others, I have not paid very much for my ADN/BSN journey. I currently do not work, and hubby makes very little. FAFSA has saved me, and I have earned grants. I would recommend getting your ADN through a good community college, as the cost is VERY low (the issue is the programs are competitive for slots, due to cost). You can then bridge to an RN-BSN program at a four year college, and you either can get scholarships/grants, or you pay out of pocket for just two years instead of 4. I did all of my BSN requirements and electives at my community college for a low cost. I was able to get a job through my community college at a local hospital, similar to a CNA but with shadowing nurses for big RN skills! They even entered an agreement to give me a RN job once I graduate this May 2021. I know I could not have afforded a BSN program straight out of HS (I am 23 :)). Just as a nursing student, I have realized the hours can be long. BUT, you can choose your hours and there will always be a job for you in the market. I had a LOT of classmates without kids who actually did worse than me and failed. So do not let the fact you are older and have a family stop you! If you really enjoy the career prospect, do it! If once you enter school it isn't for you, you can always withdraw. Good luck!