barbnyc

SVCMC is a registered program for NCLEX and NYS licensure by the Department of Education. http://www.op.nysed.gov/nursing.htm SVCMC also integrates its nursing program with Queensborough Community College for the non-nursing courses (which is accredited with NLNAC). As far as moving forward in furthering one's education, one of my clinical instructors is a former graduate of SVCMC and now possesses a MSN. My decision to go there (vs. Beth Israel) was based on personal choice and convenience. I have no regrets, having finished my first year. It is a demanding curriculum and the staff are terrific. It is important not to confuse professional accreditations/affiliations with licensing accreditations. I think SVCMC may have had NLNAC affiliation in the past when they may have used the NLN-PAX exam -- not sure. They presently don't use that test and have their own admissions exam. The friends I know that have graduated from there are very successful, employed, and have gone on to management level positions. The majority of seniors were interviewing and were offered jobs before their graduation. I made the right choice.

Sallie Mae Tuition Answer loan. The interest rate is based on your credit score. If you don't have a credit history or bad credit, you will need a cosigner. The process takes about one week once you have all the paperwork done. The check comes fast.

Wherever you take your prerequisites, make sure they are transferable to the nursing program you plan on attending. CUNY is the cheapest, but the required courses usually get filled very quickly. I took prerequisites of A&P I and II, Micro, and Psychology at LaGuardia. I transferred the other credits from my B.A. It will make your nursing school life a lot easier to get as many prerequisites out of the way. Other students in my program have taken their prerequisites at Queensborough. Good luck.

I was where all of you are one year ago. Nervewracking to the say the least. Beth Israel sends out its letter the middle to end of May. For every student that declines their program, they call the next student on the waiting list for the interview. My colleagues and I established they were calling for interviews based on NLN scores. When I declined Beth Israel's acceptance because I accepted another program, my friend was called for an interview the next day and he went to their program. I would recommend paying the deposit for any other program that accepted you before Beth Israel sends you a letter or calls you -- it is better to have a spot in a program than to be in no program at all. Good luck to all of you who are waiting.

I just found this cartoon on nursing students and bubbles in the tubing line. http://www.nurstoon.com/comic37.html

I had an easier time with my Masters Degree than my current ADN nursing program. The material is time consuming. The smartest move I made was taking all of my science courses before I got into nursing school. Some of my colleagues are in nursing school and taking the science courses simultaneously and they are overwhelmed. The program is demanding whether it is a BSN or ADN because everyone takes the same NCLEX. Take every suggestion the nursing instructors tell you. Do the assignments they tell you to do and study what they tell you to study. Time management is essential and you have to pace yourself because there is no way to play catch-up before a test. I got 3 A's my first semester and I'm in my second semester now. It's about three weeks into the semester and we have covered 12 chapters from the OB material and about 8 chapters on regulatory/endocrine and psychiatric issues. Had one big test already and start clinicals this week. I have no regrets. I love learning the material. I am determined to finish the program. It is hard work but really interesting.

Try to stay away from negative, dramatic, overreacting, draining students. Don't share your work with other students unless you are getting something out of it. Treat yourself well. Take the suggestions the professors offer. Pay attention in lectures - I bought a digital recorder which is great for reviewing. It enables me to be a better listener in class. Start studying for a test 3 days before the test, not the night before. The professors will be clear what is required for the tests. Remember you are going to be a nurse, not a doctor (I have to tell myself this daily). Read the material before the lecture. Manage your time and remember this is your career and everything you invest will enhance you professionally, as well as economically. Good luck!

Hi Paragon, Beth Israel uses the NLN. LICH probably uses it (Beth Israel's sister school), but I'm not sure. SVCMC uses their own admission exam similar to the NLN without the science questions. I took the NLN for Beth Israel and admission exam for SVCMC, got accepted to both schools and I am presently attending SVCMC (closer to home). I would highly recommend completing A&P I, Psychology, Eng 101 and Sociology -- as they are the common prerequisites. If you could also get A&P II finished before you begin nursing school, it would make your life a lot easier. SVCMC doesn't require biochemistry, but BI might. It also saves money on tuition costs to take any non-nursing courses before you start a nursing program. You could take the prerequisites at a CUNY school for a lower cost. All the programs take transfer credits if you already have completed these courses somewhere else. The private nursing programs look at your test scores, your past college courses completed, your essay, any past job experiences (not necessarily clinical) and meet you for an interview. The private schools are really interested in what you can bring to the field of nursing and who you are. The CUNY schools look only at your grades and could care less about who you are. There is an excellent study guide for the NLN (MacDonald is the author) and also is useful for SVCMC's admission exam. Good luck.

The problem with A&P I and A&P II is the amount of information required in a short period of time. The content is not hard, but the short time frame to cram everything in the brain is exhausting. I'm glad it's over. You really need to be disciplined and pace yourself to stay on top of the learning curve. I enjoyed Micro because it had a lot of hands-on work in the lab and it was easier for me to integrate the learning. It was demanding, but more interesting.

We dissected cats in both Anatomy I and II. There were also sheep brains and hearts. I didn't appreciate the smell or the process. They didn't use human cadavers. I had an arrangement with my lab partner where I brought the gloves, the dissection kit, the mask and the lab manual. He was the surgeon (which he seemed to enjoy immensely). I was the coach. There are many resources on the internet for reviewing cat anatomy and human anatomy. Our lab practical exams used the dead cats, so you may want to grin and bear it.

I worked for an MD/VP at a large corporation and had to interact with all of his MD direct reports. My boss was wonderful but his direct reports (who were renowned worldwide physicians) often got on my nerves. It was my first experience working with a large number of doctors. In time, I came to the conclusion that because they spent so much time studying medicine and science, they didn't have time for the classes on social skills. After reflection, I came to the awareness that the value they brought to humanity and the lives they saved throughout their careers, allowed them extra slack from me. I found the more I thought about this, the less personally I took their behavior and attitude. I also learned to communicate differently and started every interaction with "Doctor, how may I help you today?" as soon as I saw them rushing down the hall in my direction (some were waiting at my desk when I arrived in the morning). In time, I got to know their quirks and learned how to navigate through the drama. It took a lot of discipline for me to not personalize the way they communicated, and I learned to focus more on my problem solving skills. The reward for me was acquiring very valuable interpersonal skills which I will carry over into nursing.

I have to say, I spent about that much time per week for tests and still couldn't get above a B+ in any of those science classes. All of these courses were based strictly on test scores (with the exception of Micro - which had a few projects). You have to realize you will be getting about 100 pieces of new info each week and it's hard to judge what will be on a test. I had professors who created questions that required more than memorization. I have talked to students from other schools and the requirements for the courses often vary. The midterms and finals usually require an additional amount of time for review. You also have to stay on top of everything, otherwise you will get lost. It's a lot of work, time consuming and very different from liberal arts courses. Good luck in your studies.

The incoming nursing students for LaGuardia have a GPA of approximately 3.75-4.00 for the prerequisite requirements. The other courses do count toward to your ranking, however, the GPA for core courses is doubled in factoring in your ranking. They have a scoring system of 12 maximum points. As an example, if you have a 4.0 GPA for the prequisites (double that number) and then add the cumulative GPA (i.e., 3.75 would), your standing would be 11.75. I heard they then narrow down the tie-scores by eliminating those individuals who got B+ or less for the science classes. So, if your non-prerequisites have a 4.0 but your science courses are significantly lower, it lessens your chance of getting in the program. Keep in mind there are about 50 slots for about 300 applicants. I went there for my prerequisites and will be going to private nursing school in a few weeks. Good luck.

I see a lot of people wearing scrubs on their way to work. I would think you are at great risk of someone spilling coffee on you. A lot of New Yorkers commute with coffee cups.

Many potential nursing students are attracted to the career opportunities nursing brings and the salary benefits. However, I have observed many students don't realize that nursing carries a lot of responsibility with it and the studies are demanding, enforcing the reality that human lives are in your hands. I have friends who are nurses and they say a lot of people who have become nurses don't care about the people and went into the profession just for the money. I think the learning process to becoming a nurse weeds out a lot of applicants because they really don't want to take care of anyone but themselves. Try not to listen to the negativity. Some people use the negative attitude to eliminate the competition for entrance into nursing programs. Good luck in your studies.