nynurse2be

Another waiter here:devil:

I think it's a combination of things. For one, most nurses do not get a PhD. In most universities, for a tenure-track position, a PhD is required. Hence the lack of tenure-track faculty. Most instructors are just that - instructors. Not publishing, not on the tenure track. Nursing is also an expensive program to support, from a university standpoint. Insurance alone is $$$.

me too! A&P 2?

Anyone else starting to do this in an obvious pre-emptive strike against hurt feelings if a rejection letter comes? :o:o

I hate him too.

Anyone else getting this response from out-of-the-know relatives/co-workers/neighbors? I feel like they think I'm lying when I say the program I applied to has almost 450 applications for 25 spots. They look at me like I'm making it up!

My husband won't discuss it with me anymore. He's like "be positive!" and I'm like "No! I'd rather assume I'm not getting in so I won't be so crushed if/when a rejection letter comes". So I'm playing the same games with myself, but in the end, it will hurt the same amount.

Congratulations Nurse -to -Be! That's awesome!!!!!!!!!!:cheers::yeah::yelclap::yelclap::yelclap: I'm still waiting to hear...which makes me think I'll be getting a thin letter.

The scoop for me is I am on pins and needles waiting to hear if I got in!:confused: Anyone else?

I'm dying to find out if I got in!!!!!!!!

Nurses ARE professionals. However....I think the general public has a perception of nurses as less-than professional, as "yes-men" to doctors and administrators. This might get me flamed but here it is: I think that nurses themselves don't help if they act like they are not professionals: i.e. not demanding fair wages, a voice in management, taking on too much and putting themselves at risk. Yes, the patient comes first. But IMO, NOT at the expense of the nurse.

I have 2 friends who are new-ish (1.5 years) RNs. Both say that they usually are not paid OT b/c they need to get a supervisor's permission first, and fill out forms, and in the end it becomes more cumbersome than it is worth. So....they wind up working an extra couple of hours every shift b/c the work has to get done and they don't have the time to go through the chain of command to get OT approved. I think this is bullocks! The problem is the system, not the nurses. If they insisted on getting paid OT and going through the proper channels then maybe management would enforce a more efficient system. I feel like they should respect their own time and get paid for their hard work. I think it's demeaning to them that if they are paid hourly, they give away a couple of hours every day. Is this common? How do you handle getting authorized for OT at your job?

I was wondering if anyone has taken this course and if so, could you tell me if the homework included answering the questions at the end of each chapter? I am taking it in Spring session 2, but wanted to get a head start while I had some free time. Thanks!

You can also take pre-reqs online (see distance learning and pre-nursing student forums). Are you near Brooklyn College? It has a better rep than Medgar Evers and lots of night/weekend classes. Just to clarify: Excelsior isn't a SUNY school: University of the State of New York - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I'm starting today. Anyone else? Then on to A&P 2 for the spring...

I'm not sure about mailing the lab kits, but you might want to look at EduKan.org (a consortium of Kansas cc's - regionally accredited), SUNY Learning Network (State University of NY online, sorry I do not know the web address, also RA), and ccconline.org (Colorado cc's online, not sur eof their accreditation status, but probably RA).

Thanks everyone for your insight. Since a few have a commented on it, I'll address my sensitivity to Jules' 2nd post: what I asked for was if anyone had been in a similar situation. I did appreciate her insight into my husband's perspective, even though I didn't ask for it. What I did not appreciate was the comments on children and marriage stress. Like I said, they sounded condescending to me, as if as a 35 year old woman I don't know that children are a responsibility and that financial troubles can cause stress in a relationship. Like someone said, we are all entitled to our opinions - she expressed hers, I expressed mine. We still haven't come to a decision. The replies here have really got me thinking, and I will apply to an ADN program in addition to the BSN. I really prefer to do the BSN, esp with children on the horizon, but the strain of loans makes me a bit hesitant, even though the job market here in NYC is very good, and we have no cc debt and a resonable mortgage. You all have provided eye opening perscpectives. Thanks again.

I'm a bit confused...I just read this on Sallie Mae's website: *If you choose to borrow only through Tuition Answer to pay for your education expenses this year, you may borrow up to $40,000, or the cost of attendance at your school, whichever is less. If you will be using Tuition Answer in addition to other student loan programs, the total of all your loan proceeds may not exceed the cost of attendance at your school. It sounds like they have an idea of what the "cost of attendance" should be, and will not fund over it. My cost of attendance is a lot higher than what my school says it is. Does anyone know of a loan that does not take into account what the school says is the cost of attendance? Thanks in advance!

Wow thanks you guys! I decided to go with the latest edition, just in case the end of chapter questions were different. I bought from campusi. Thanks so much!!!!!!!!!!!!

I agree, and also from what my nurse relatives tell me, demand for nurses is cyclical. Some remember times when even in NYC, where demand is currently high, when they couldn't be so choosey about their jobs.

I'm 35 years old, and really enjoying my 30's! I've been married for 2 years. I am a grantwriter, and am really nervous about this career change. I come from a long line of nurses, both here and in Ireland, so I guess it's in my blood. I used to teach college composition, and the best students were always the "returning" students. Here's to maturity and dedication!

LovesDisney, I'm in a somewhat similar situation. I have a BA and MA, but the MA was paid for by my employer (I worked for a university). I still do have enormous BA loans though. I do not have children, but want to finish my BSN before I do. My husband makes a pretty decent salary, but not enough for us to live on entirely. I need to work, or take out more loans if I am to go to school full time. I think the ADN/RN vs. accelerated BSN really is so personal. I can see either way working best, depending on circumstances. I think no matter the route, there will be hard work involved, lots of juggling of responsibilities, and sacrifice. For me, I'd rather do it in one year rather than spread out, and start an NP program as soon as possible. But I can see the benefits of taking more time, and trying to find an employer with generous tuition remission. I wish you the best of luck. I know this isn't an easy decision.

Jules, perhaps you really are trying to be helpful, but you sound quite condescending with your life lessons on children and marriage. I guess agreeing to disagree was too much to ask and you had to get personal. Thanks to everyone else for offering their take on the situation.

We had a preliminary talk last night. I told him I wanted to do an accelerated program, and how it would mean not working for 12 months, plus the cost of tuition. He asked a few questions, thought some, and we ended with he'll think about it some more. To the person who asked about working at a hospital: where I live there are not programs for becoming an RN, but there are RN-BSN programs for employees. There are tuition reimbursement programs, but I want to do this in the next year or two, not three or four, b/c we want to have a child. Thanks everyone for your replies. I can see how differently people feel about this, and it helps to understand my husband's perspective. Thanks again. ETA: Someone wrote to me about how if I died my spouse would be responsible for my student loan debt. Not entirely true - federally funded loans are not transferrable to a spouse unless they co-signed (mine is undergrad debt, pre-spouse) or the couple has consolidated their joint student loan debt. Private bank loans are another matter.

I see your points. I think it's true that a lot of this depends on a person's comfort level with debt. Here is what I worked out: I currently make 45k gross, about 31k net. I don't have much room for growth in my career unless I get a PhD. For a 25-30k investment, I would be able to repay that 25-30k with interest PLUS the loss of the 31k salary loss in 5-6 years. After that, I will still have about 25 working years ahead of me. 25 years in a job with lots of opportunities for growth, and one that would continue to outpace my current career path. Also, we don't live an extravagant life. We have a small home, used cars, I don't have expensive tastes - not into jewelry, etc. So where other people may spend 30k for an SUV, or buy the house with the extra bathroom, we don't. The point I'm making is that it is very easy to spend 30k on something much less important than education. I really, really appreciate this feedback, b/c it is helping me understand where my husband is coming from. Please let me know if I'm making any sense. :nuke: Thank you!!!!!!!