kertz81

I also cannot find work. I graduated in December 2008, and took the NCLEX and passed in February. I have been applying everywhere since then. Most positions want 1 year of experience, but no one is willing to hire me so I can gain the experience. It is extremely upsetting and very discouraging for me, especially since nursing is where my heart is. I did very well in school, and received outstanding recommendations from my professors and the nurses I did clinical with. But, without the experience, none of that seems to matter. I would definitely try Orange Park. They have a TON of openings....all of which I've applied for. But, you have experience, so that will help a lot. All of the hospitals here have openings....they just aren't willing to hire anyone without experience. I can only hope and pray that someone will give me a break soon. I really just want to be a nurse! Good luck to others who are searching as well.

It's no problem answering questions. Like I said before, I know where you all are coming from because I was on here asking the same questions when I got accepted. It's very nerve racking! :) It's hard....I know I've said it before, and I'll say it again....but it is do-able. You are right, the whole thing is about time management, and it will take you a good three to four weeks to get it down, but then you'll start getting the hang of how the program works, and it will go more smoothly. Good luck to you, and if you have any other questions, don't hesitate to ask.

For orientation, you don't need any books. They will give you your assignment though (yes, you will have homework before school even starts). You'll need to study dosage calc and medical terminology on your own before the term starts. Those will be the first two tests, I think the 2nd week of school. You'll get independent study packets for them. I would recommend you buy your books that day. The book store will probably have them all boxed up together (they did for us). It's expensive! The only money you need to orientation though is for your shirts and techniques bag. The night/weekend group has 24 students, divided into two sections of 12. You will draw numbers for the lottery and that's how you will pick your section. Both sections have the exact same schedule, they just go to different hospitals for clinical the last 1/2 of the semester. So, with my group, the same 24 of us will always have class together, but when we do clinical, that's where it depends on your lottery number and what you pick. This term for me, they offered Memorial and OPMC. I chose Memorial. 2nd term for my group is either Shands or Baptist Nassau. I chose Shands. Orientation isn't bad, it's just long. Oh, and make sure you get yourself a day planner...it will be your life! I have everything in there, and if it's not there, I can't remember it. This will be a very hard 16 months....but it's only 16 months of your life, and you can do it. Just stay dedicated and focused. It will require a lot of sacrifices on your time, but it does get easier as time goes. The stress level doesn't subside though. :) But, it's a good sort of stress. I'll put it to you this way, I was in tears my first two weeks of school thinking there was no way I would be able to do school and work full time, but I'm here now, getting ready for 2nd term, and I've got all A's and B's, and I'm still working!

Here was the schedule for the 1st semester: Monday: test(s) from 6-8 (if you have 2), only until 7 if one test Thursday: class from 6-9 Friday: the 1st weeks, you have nothing on Friday's, but once you start clinical on the 8th week, you have to go to your hospital and pick up your patient info to write your care plan. Getting the info will take about 45 minutes at first because you're not really sure what you're looking for, so you write everything, and writing the care plan will take several hours. It gets easier as time goes on, though. Saturday: 1st 8 weeks - class from 7-2:30; 2nd 8 weeks - clinical at your hospital from 6:45-2:30 (maybe 3pm) Sunday: class from 9-12pm, then an hour break, and class again from 1-4pm. There is some outside of class time required as well. You'll have to do 15 hours of outside lab practice before you do your techniques simulation in your 7th week. Without passing that, you cannot go to clinical (don't worry....you'll be ready by then). Also, there may be some group projects....I've had several. As far as your studying, you need to aim to study at a bare minimum 2-3 hours every night! I'm not kidding about that! If you don't study, you won't make it. There's a lot of info packed into a very short amount of time (especially pharm). If you study anything at all, let me preach pharm, pharm, pharm!!!!! If you have any other questions, just let me know. I was in your spot not too long ago, so I totally understand your apprehension.

Hi everyone. I just wanted to wish you all good luck in your first semester. I am in the night/weekend program right now, getting ready to finish term one!!! Finals are a week and a half away!!! Anyway, good luck to you all. It's VERY hard.....but it's VERY do-able...even with a full time day job (I'm doing it, and so are most of the people in my class), so don't get discouraged. Jump into it headstrong, and you'll do just fine. :)

Hi Np wannabe, I just wanted to give you a little boost....I am in the night/weekend program now, in my first semester, and I must say that this is the hardest thing I've ever done in my entire life. I work 40 hours a week Monday through Friday, I'm planning my wedding, and I have school. My schedule right now is: Monday: tests from 6-8:30 (only until 7 if you only have 1 test) Thursday: class 6-9pm Friday: go to the hospital to pick up patient info and write a care plan Saturday: the first 8 weeks it was class from 7am-2:30pm, now it's clinical at the hospital from 6:45am-3pm Sunday: two classes - 9am-noon and 1pm-4pm So, needless to say it is very hard...but also very do-able. I had the same doubts tha tyou did, and I'm making it through. I think it really depends just how badly you want it. And if you got good grades for your pre-reqs, then you'll get good grades in nursing school. Our grading system is a lot harder, though. 100-93 = A, 92-86 = B, and 85-80 = C. Anything below that is an F. But, you just have to dedicate almost all of your free time to studying. You will sacrifice a lot for this (I know I have), but it's worth it. You see what all I'm doing, and I'm still getting all A's and B's on my tests! So, don't doubt yourself. If you want it....go get it!

Hey all. I'm almost done with chapter 3 of med terms. It's SO interesting. I'm loving it. It was a bit challenging at first, but now it totally makes sense! I haven't looked at dosage calc, though. I figured I should save that for next week, so that way on the first day, it will still be fresh in my mind (hopefully....) So, has anyone gotten an email from the nursing tutor? I haven't gotten anything, but I thought we were supposed to get something for that EVOLVE thing for the med terms. I wanted to use the online thing to take some quizzes and practice last night, but it says you need a user name and password. Then I looked back at the packet we got, and it said that we would get an email in about a week. So, are you all prepared? Have you gotten your school supplies and what-not? I went when it was still tax free and got notebooks, pens, pencils, binders, a backpack....all that good stuff. I also got a paid of nursing shoes and a watch (I don't want to use my nice one for clinicals.) Well, I hope everyone else is doing well.

HI! I am getting ready to start in a couple weeks in the night/weekend program. My schedule for the first semester is: Monday: TEST 6-7:30 Thursday: CLASS 6-9 Friday: (about 1/2 way through the 1st semester, we will start clinicals at the hospital, and on Friday at some point during the day, we will have to go to the hospital and get patient info to write a care plan that night that will be used the next day....I'm pretty sure that's how it will go, at least) Saturday: CLASS/CLINICAL (class the 1st 1/2 of the semester, clinical the rest....once again....I think) 7-2:30 Sunday: CLASS 9-4 From what I saw on the day program (there were 12 different sections to choose from, but only 12 people per section)....the class and clinical times were quite varied. The night program seems to be a more steady approach if, let's say, you work full time during the day (which I do, unfortunately), or if you have kids and no day care. I hope this helps, and good luck! I hope you get in!

Well, it looks like it's going to be a lot of work right from the beginning. But, I agree on he Christmas break thing. That will be nice to have a couple weeks off in between semesters (even though I'm sure we'll still be studying). I can't wait to find out more information at orientation this week. I'm in the night program, and unfortunately, I haven't seen many posts from other night students, so it's been kind of hard for me to get the feel of what it might be like. Oh well...I guess I'll know soon enough!

I totally agree with you. I'm very upset at the fact that everything is so secretive with them. And I've also gotten some wrong info from them. They told me the night/weekend program for this fall would be run out of the Deerwood campus, but then the other week, I asked again just to confirm it, and they said no! And the funny part is that is was the same advisor in the nursing office who told me two different things. I'm irritated, but I'm just happy that I'm in.

Elby, Thanks for the info. I feel a lot better about it now. I can't wait until orientation. I'm just ready to know what my schedule will be like. Then I can relax, if only for a couple weeks before classes. Actually, I'll be working asw much OT at work as I can, because once school starts, there will be no more OT for me. 40 hours a week, plus school will be enough as it is!

So....now I'm confused. I didn't sign the Hep B waiver, and didn't have a titer for Hep B done, but I did get my first injection of the vaccine. I have to go back for my 2nd on the 19th of this month. I sure hope that's good enough for them!!!! What do you all think? And.....what all is everyone bringing to orientation, and (I guess this next question is kind of stupid....) but what are you wearing? Business casual, jeans, dress???? I don't want to look like a slob, but I don't want to be overdressed and have everyone looking at me like I'm an idiot! :)

I ordered my uniforms yesterday. I did end up with the elastic ones, but I figure I should have enough time to exchange them if I totally hate them. I ordered one extra set of uniforms, so 3 total, plus one lab coat and 2 name pins and it cost $190!!!! I can't beleive that! It's insane. Plus, I'm pretty sure that my health insurance isn't going to cover any of the testing and vaccines, so there's a whole bunch too. Oh well....I guess it's a good investment in the long run. :)

Hi, and congrats to you! I am also starting in August this year for the night/weekend RN program. I just got my packet yesterday and I'm already stressing out. I'm missing the book list, so I'm trying to see if anyone can scan it to me. Anyway, are you doing the night or day program? I know a lot of good places to live around Deerwood center, which is where the night program is located out of, but I don't know anything about the northside. Good luck to finding something. Try going to apartments.com

I'm going to call the office on Monday because I want to see if they can fax me the book list. I want to see what's on there. I'm also going to ask if we have to get our books at orientation, because my sister has been acfcfepted to her nursing program i nsouth Florida, and what she is doing is getting her books from Barnes and Noble. She told me yesterday to pay for the membership, which is $25, and that you get 20% discount on hard back books, and that they can order almost all the text books. She said the discount card has already paid for itself. (I really hope I don't get in trouble for advertisting, because that's not what I'm trying to do...I promise.) Anyway, if anyone else has a way to scan me the full book list, I'd really appreciate it. I'm going to try and get the testing done this week. I have to call my PCP to see how much he's going to charge, because if that northside clinic is a lot cheaper, I'll probably just go there, especially since that's where we have to get the drug testing done.