soko2002

I will be graduating from my RN program in June 2008. From what I have been reading the pay is not all that great. It looks like Vanderbilt has a GN residency program. Any information would be much appreciated. I will be living close to Vanderbilt since that is where dh will be working. When/How is the best way to contact/apply for a GN residency program? I know the move is for certain and we will be living there for 3 years.

Thank you so much for your replies. I have always wanted to live in Boston. I was getting a little worried about job prospects there. This makes it much easier to support dh's first pick. Dh told me that I get the final say for our first choice. He will list Atlanta as his first choice if that is what I want but I know he wants to go to Boston.

Dh and I will be moving to Boston or Atlanta for his job. Boston is a better choice for him but from what I've been reading here, not so good for me. I will be graduating from an ADN program and going directly into an RN-BSN program wherever we go. I would have to have a job in the Boston area because dh would have to be within minutes of his job. What jobs are ADN nurses getting if any?

Thanks for the replies! I know that the VA where I'm doing clinicals hires ADN nurses, you just get payed less, but then they pay for your RN-BSN. Too bad I can't stay in the area...lol.

Dh is in the army and I know that at I have spousal preference at army medical centers, but what about the VA? I will be finishing my ADN program in 2008 and dh will be doing a civilian fellowship at the time. We will possibly be moving to an area that it is difficult to get a job as a new grad especially with an ADN. There is a VA in the same area as the hospital Dh would be working. I had to do an ADN program b/c we new we only had 2 years left in our current area. I will be going directly into an RN-BSN or RN-MSN program (already have a BA) wherever we go. We really can't afford to have me out of a job if we are in this new area. TIA

I am in the Tacoma area near TCC. I was accepted to both TCC and Highline Community College. I chose to go to Highline because of all the wonderful things I heard about the support system from instructors. I have not regretted my choice. It is an excellant program. You will have to take Psych 101 and Lifespan Psych for both of these schools and you will have to take a proctored essay for Highline. TCC usually has a cutoff around 3.9 so you would be close. Highline has a point system. All of the required classes can give you up to a total of 24 points. There are 6 required courses. Just add up your GPA for each of those classes and you have your total. You then get 3 points because you are a CNA. The essay is what will make or break you. It is worth 6 points. The total points possible is 33. I believe the lowest points accepted this year was 29.9.

They are suppose to be very good. However, I would also look into Highline Community College. It is an excellant program and the instructors really care about their students. It is very competitive to get in but well worth it.

I am in my second quarter of my RN program. We are starting to learn about Fluids and Electrolytes in Fundamentals and Diabetes in Med/Surg 1. Knowing the Endocrine system is extremely important. I started reading my med/surg and fundamentals book and my head started hurting..lol. Once I got through the basics onto how it relates to what I am learning it all made sense. I did extremely well in A&P and if I hadn't study so hard I don't think the material would have come back to me so easily. Some of the concepts that I learned in A&P I understood but not so much that I could see it working as in depth. I had an ah hah moment today whiled studing fluids and electrolytes. Definitely study hard and understand the material.

Our school requires and 80% to pass. Extra credit is offered but you are not allowed to use extra credit to pass. It only can be used if you are at or above 80%. An A or 4.0 is 96-100 so extra credit is vital to getting an A especially when the class is only out of 150-200 points. You cannot miss hardly any questions on exams.

Not at all! I took most of my pre-reqs at BCC and applied to Highline and TCC. No problem getting accepted. You just have to make sure that the courses you are taking are the equivalent at the other CC. Good luck!

I was just wondering what my options will be when I graduate. I start my RN program in Sep 2006. I will be done in 2008. I know that there are many opportunities as a new grad, but what are the options as a military spouse? Will I be better off getting a position at a civilian hospital as a GN first? Is there even any opportunities for a GN in military hospitals? I would like to eventually work at the same hospital as my husband. He is a doctor in the military and it would be nice to work at the same place, I just don't know if that is possible as a new grad. TIA

I use to be so bad that even talking about veins made me pass out. Forget about drawing blood, I would get so sick to my stomach. Fast forward, after going through IVF and having blood draws daily I was able to have them done as long as I was lying down but still got very woosey. I was so afraid of going through a&p b/c of not even being able to talk about veins and arteries without getting dizzy. I made it through and am starting nursing school in the fall. I still get faint thinking about it sometimes and am going to go through behavior therapy. I was told that this can sometimes be hereditary. My father is the same way. Anyway, I will be a nurse and I will not let this stop me any longer. You might want to find a therapist to help you with this.

I am starting an ADN program Fall 2006. I already have a previous BA. The local BSN programs would not finsih in time for me to attend due to SO being in the military. We will have to move in 2 years. Anyway, I would like to go directly into an RN-BSN online program after I finish my ADN. I have been looking at several of the programs and wanted to take some of the extra classes during my summers. I did find WVU that only requires statistics if you already have a bachelors. All other gen ed courses are waived. University of Wisconsin is similar except there are two other courses besides statistics. I also looked at Jacksonville University. I really like the way the program is set up am considering taking the extra co-req's to do this program. I am considering this b/c the program seems to have a good reputation. I plan to go on for my CRNA possibly in the future. What are your opinions about these schools. Is JU worth taking the extra courses or is WVU just as good? What do you think?

You are not alone. I have been embarassed about this since I was a teen. It use to be just underarms. I use a perscription strength medication for that. I also sweat excessively on my back, chest, between legs and rear. The summer months are awful and it isn't even that hot in this area. Whenever I get out of my car I am usually soaked. I wish I new what to do. I hope someone has some suggestions.

Thanks everyone for your comments. It really helped going into this class. I was sooooo nervous. I have a great instructor and got 100% on my first quiz and just got my first test back and got 100%. He says it is going to get harder for the next 4 tests, which are every week. We'll see how it goes. I'm taking this class during summer quarter but it definitely is a good break from all the studying required in a&p and micro!!!!

4.0 plus 6/6 on entrance proctored essay.

Hello, I just got accepted into an ADN program in my area. I opted for the 2 year program b/c dh has to move in 2 years, he is in the army. All of the BSN programs around here are 3 years even though I have a former BA. Anyway, I would like to go directly into an RN-BSN program once I finish my ADN program here. I have been looking at University of Maryland and University of Wyoming. Will my pre-req's like a&p and micro transfer to out of state schools or will I have to take them over again? I am at an NLN accredited school. I would sure hate to have to take another year of pre-req's all over again. TIA

Well, I went for it. I had a previous BA with a 2.9 GPA from 10 years ago. I knew this is what I wanted to do. I ended up with a 4.0 in pre-req's. I had to take over 2 of my old classes that I had 3.0's. If this is what your wife wants to do then I'd say go for it. Like I said she could always camp out at Seattle Central C.C(had that wrong the first time. Obviously you have to consider whether moving is an option. However, if she is motivated she can get all A's. I'm a single mom to a 3-year-old and I pulled it off. Good luck with whatever decision the two of you make. Just want to say that once I started the science pre-req's the information I learned and the friendships have been well-worth it! Goodl luck!!!!

Hi, I am from the area too. It is true TCC is very competitve. Last year their lowest acceptance GPA was 3.9. Highline is also competitive but there is some wiggle room if you do well on the essay and you have a previous Bachelors or are a CNA, EMT. You also get 1 or 2 points if you have volunteer hours in the medical field. GPA score gives a max of 24 points, up to 3 points for the qualifications I mentioned above and up to 6 points for the essay for a total of 33 possible. Last years class lowest points accepted was 28.5. I have 33 points and am waiting for my letter. They supposivley mailed them out yesterday. Anyway, the c.c. route here is extremely competitve. If your wife does not have at least a 3.6 in her pre-req's I would say she needs to look at Seattle U or PLU. Both of these are extremely competitve but they do consider life experience and any letters of rec and overall well done personal essays. I don't know if that is very uplifting news, but you really need to do well in the pre-req's or take them over. The c.c's up north are the same. BCC is strict GPA, but I think they went down to 3.4 last year. Shoreline is probably the toughest. 4.0 does not guarantee acceptance there. I forgot to mention that there is always the choice of camping out at south seattle community college (I think that's the one). If you have all your pre-req's done with a min 2.5 they have one day each year where you wait in line on the street and it is first come first serve. Plan on camping out overnight!

I am starting my ADN program this Fall. After that I am going to go directly into an RN-BSN program. I need Statistics as a pre-req so I'm going to take it during this summer quarter. I have not taken any college math since my senior year in high school, which I took pre-calc at the local community college. That qualifies me for Statistics, there is no time limit on the math at my school. I do not like math but it was the only subject I got A's in back then, but it was a struggle. I have all 4.0's in my pre-req's now, but had a 2.9 cum with my first BA. I have to say that having finished A&P and Micro both with a 99% average, am I being silly to be this scared about Statistics. I have been putting this class off because my math in the ADN program is considered higher than Statistics so I only have to take it for BSN and Master's level. Why am I so scared? Should I be? Will the math part be like riding a bike? Whenever there have been math, like dilutions, and converstions in Chemistry I was able to do them once I sat down at home but if I thought about it in class it was way over my head.

Tiara, Unfortunately, if you're looking at community college in this area you will need close to a 4.0. The other option is BSN. 3.4 could get you into Seattle U or PLU depending on your letters of recommendations and essays. If you have to go the CC route the only one I know of that might be a possiblitly is Everett. Most of the other schools are strict GPA or GPA plus other factoring things such as CNA, previous Bachelors, volunteer hours etc..

I have the same fear. I use to always pass out when I got my blood drawn. Then, I had to go through in vitro to have my dd. I ended up having to have my blood drawn daily. After that it wasn't so bad but if I haven't had my blood drawn often I get a little light headed, but at least I don't have to lie down anymore. A big step for me was taking A&P. I use to not be able to even talk about veins (weird I know), but have no problems with blood and guts otherwise. Then I took the class and talking about the vascualar system really helped. Now whenever I talk about veins or look at them I think in my head "red blood cells". I say it over and over. It really helps me just think about what is in them rather than "Veins". Anyway, I know that nursing is what I want to do. The only thing that stopped me when I was younger was my fear of veins. I will not let that stop me because this is what I am meant to do.

I will hopefully be starting an ADN program Fall 2006. I already have a BA. I was looking at the pre-reqs and additional courses required for the online program. One thing it listed was Soc or Anth. but recommends Anth because it covers two categories. If I already have a BA would it matter which of those I took? Also it lists US and WY history. Are these two classes offered online? Or will these electives be required if you have a BA. I'm trying to figure out what courses I will have to take so I can get started this summer and next summer so I can start the program right after my ADN. Another question I have is for those of you that have gone into RN-BSN programs right after your ADN. Do you work while you're finsihing your BSN or do you just wait until you're all done? I'd like to get through without working but don't want it to cause a problem when I try after getting my BSN. I don't want to be turned town because it looked like I took a year off after getting my RN. TIA

You really need to look at the classes each nursing program is using in the GPA. I have an old BA degree, but the nursing schools around here only look at the cummalitve GPA of the pre-req's for the nursing program. Every school has different pre-req's except most include the A&P series and Micro classes. I retook my psych 101 class and english 101 because those grades were B's and I needed a 4.0 to be competitive. Good luck!

I just finished my pre-req's and will be turning in my application for both of these programs. I don't know my score on the proctored essay for highline, but I have a 4.0 gpa and a previous BA. This gives me full points except for the essay score. Anyway, I'm pretty confident I did well on the essay, and was wondering if anyone has a recommendation on which program is better. Any information you have good or bad would be greatly appreciated. I live right down the street from TCC, but liked the Highline campus better. Thank you!