LBH32C

Vanderbilt University School of Nursing!! Go 'Dores!!

I shadow a NP at a level one trauma unit. They respond to all Level Ones as well as oversee pt care of each individual in the Trauma Unit. It is always very exciting seeing as that you NEVER know what will come through the ED doors. My advice is to look at Level One units in your area and research to see whether or not they utilize NPs and what the NP protocols are for that unit.

K, Vandy's Fin Aid dept was very helpful. I had never taken loans out before. I was in your shoes too when I had to take out loans. I was scared that I wouldn't know how to do it. But trust me, they want you to pay the money to go there, so they will walk you through it.

Well personally, I am taking out many many loans. But I figure that it will pay off in the long run when I am making great money as a NP and doing something I love. Student loans have a very low interest rate and you don't have to start paying them off until 6 months after you graduate, so they give you time to breathe. Plus they approve you based on your financial need and give you extra money for spending money, living expenses, etc. Luckily I have no debt going in to it, so that helps too. All in all I think I will have about 90k in loans!!!

Hey Kalin!! Congrats on your house today! I am glad you made it home ok.

GREEEEAT, seeing as I am shelling out 90k to go there.

I am going in the fall also, sorry I can't tell you anything either.

Vandy is not taking applications for the fall anymore though. You get your RN the first year and your MSN the 2nd but for some reason they still consider it master's right away...

Yes, Vanderbilt is only 2 years and we are considered Grad Students right away. I am taking out Federal Stafford Loans (Subsidized and Unsubsidized) and what they call a Grad PLUS loan. That is the major bulk of my loan, I think it is like 32K. Anyway, you have to be approved for those, the others you are automatically approved for. UIC is another great school that I looked at, I failed to mention it earlier.

I am doing the direct entry MSN program at Vanderbilt in the fall of this year. Yes, it is so expensive, but I think it will be worth it in the long run... it saves a LOT of time. I think Vandy is about 85k all together for 2 years (then you include books, fees, uniforms, equipment, etc) and I think I am ending up with about 102k in loans!!! YIKES. But when it is all over with it will be worth it when I will be doing what I love and of course rolling in the big bucks. Besides Vanderbilt, I have heard of these schools: Emory, Virginia Commonwealth, Ohio State, DePaul, East Carolina University (I am sure there are more, those are just the ones I found when I was researching) Hope this helps...

Haha OOPs. :selfbonk: Yes that is what I meant... OBVIOUSLY have not started nursing school yet. Hopefully I would have eventually learned that!! But that is what this site is also good for I guess!!

I am entering Vanderbilt in the fall as ACNP. There are many departments you could work in as well besides the Emergency Department> Acute Care also covers Trauma, Oncology, Cardiology, Renology, Critical and Intensive Cares to name a few.

This is all very very helpful. Thank you so much. I may change my mind after all and go ahead and dive in and get married while in school (like on a break or something) since people have heard of success stories. I was beginning to wonder if there were any married nurses out there seeing as how stressful it is!!

I live in Nashville and have been accepted to Vandy's ACNP program. They have a "bridge" program or direct-entry program for student's who do not have a BSN, so one way to be a CRNA in Nashville would be to bridge to NP and then go to MTSA for anesthesia. They have an "early interview" process for Vandy NP students because some of the professors are the same at each school and if you can make it in their classes at Vandy, you can make it in their classes at MTSA. That is how I understand it at least. The program director for Acute Care at Vandy said only 2 or 3 NPs did the early interview to MTSA in the past year if that is of any help. Because you are right, two Master's degrees... seems silly.

That is great to hear because I have been worried that I won't feel prepared when I am finished. Thanks so much for your reply. It is encouraging to all of us who are just beginning and have no idea what to expect.