dg05

Absolutely. Most organizations won't even look at your resume if you don't have any experience and hospital experience is pretty much where it's at. MSF won't think about hiring you unless you have two years of experience. Most other organizations are similar. 90% of what you learn about nursing is not in nursing school. I can understand your desire to go right into working overseas because I had it, too, but you will be well served by getting a solid foundation. Good luck ! dg

Hello Nursology, sorry for the long delay. I was in the field and just arrived home a few days ago. My experience with RN RN was excellent. They're very professional and helpful. It's a totally different experience than MSF though -- MSF is a career (or can be). They are a competitive organization to get into and they expect a lot from their "volunteers" (you are paid a small stipend). You have to come to them with a lot of international and management experience and they consider it a huge asset if you speak French. RN RN was a really cool life experience (sort of like a really interesting vacation where I did a bit of nursing) and I would do it again in a heartbeat, MSF is something I'll likely dedicate my life to because it's an organization I believe in and the work is incredibly rewarding. If you have any other questions feel fre to PM me; I should be in the country for a while now.

Hello, I was with RN Response Network. RNRN Index Page dg

Hello Paulina, Sorry for the delayed response. I've been out of the country for the last 30 days with a different organization. I had a response about a week or so ago -- more like seven weeks after the interview (their time frame was 4-6 weeks). I was just accepted to information days, which is the last step before you're put into the pool of candidates. Very exciting. The questions were fairly predictable -- goals, assets, teamwork abilities, etc. It was a good and easy-going conversation. Best of luck, dg

Hello, Thank you for your response. Were you accepted? Did you ever work for MSF? I think I have a pretty good handle on cultural sensitivity as I've lived and worked among several different cultures. I've also lived and worked with people with widely varying political and religious beliefs and have gotten along fine. I'm also finished up a two week basic French course so I do know *basic* French. All I can do now is wait for the interview and keep practicing my French. I was wondering if I should brush up on international policy or current research, etc in my area of specialty. I think I'll do that anyway. Thanks agan. DG

Hello there, I have an interview with Doctors Without Borders in a few weeks and I am wondering if anyone has experience with this organization. What kind of questions do they ask? How long was the interview? Anything specific I should do to prepare, etc? thanks in advance. dg

beanie29 I'm wondering about your statement "When I'm giving birth, I like to be with women who have birthed before." Does that mean you would be uncomfortable with me attending your birth? I'm a woman who is preparing to enter midwifery school. I have never given birth before (and possibly never will). Where do women like me fall in this debate? Are we de facto men because we haven't had this experience?

planet612 - for example the midwifery students take a field trip to Albany to speak with legislators there about midwifery practice in the state, etc. Doggie Dad - if you're going to Columbia this is the advice I would give you: (1) have an attitude of zen when dealing with administration. They will treat you like you're 12. They belittle and talk down to students as a matter of course it seems. Stay on top of your stuff. That said, always wait a day to do anything because there were a number of times I did things right away and they changed the rules so I had done needless work. (2) Some Columbia students go into the hospitals as if they're God's gift to the nurses. DO NOT DO THIS. I don't care if you are only going to nursing school to become an NP. Nursing is a HARD job and the nurses on the floor deserve your respect. HELP THEM. They will teach you and appreciate you and your life will be easier. Do not sit around the nursing desk twiddling your thumbs. Even if you don't know the first thing about nursing you can do small things for the nurse -- get water for her patient if she asks you to, etc. (3) If you can, work while you're doing your NP. I think it will help you be a better NP ! (4) Enjoy ! I really loved nursing school (and Columbia) despite all of my grumpiness.

Fiona - This is usually true but when I graduated (May 08) I can say that I honestly only know about one person who was hired directly to her integration site. Of course, I only know a limited number of people but still...also, I know several people who did not get hired to their site because of hiring freezes, etc. planet612 - midwifery is definitely NOT a new profession and it's been cyclical in terms of how popular it is. There was recently a NYT article on how home birth midwives in NYC can't keep up with the demand. More people are choosing home birth midwives because they don't trust hospitals and they don't trust doctors. I'm not sure about hiring rates. My most recent monster search showed a lot of positions nationwide but I'm sure it depends on where you want to be. Laura (the head of midwifery) always says that you'll never get a CNM job in California. Who knows how true that is...I don't want to speak out of turn but it seems like you don't know much about this field. Have you shadowed a midwife? Or even an L&D nurse? Have you read what a CNM does on a daily basis? Are you ready to be politically active (Laura requires it). I would do a lot more research before you figure out if this is what you want to do for the next 30 years of your life or whatever. Tanguera - yes, it is impersonal and class size does get in the way. During out integration some people had to work in a group because the administration couldn't find enough clinical placements. That's shameful -- and not the education we were promised. After the summer you break into smaller groups -- of like 35 or something like that so it becomes easier for professors to remember you. And you find your favorite professor and make a connection with them. But yeah, not a lot of face time with the profs. Also, there is a LOT of beuracracy and the Columbia administration treats everyone like they're teenagers. Sort of annoying if you've been living on your own for a decade to be treated like a kid. Anyway, just my two cents to all of you. Best of luck whatever you decide.

You are not allowed to work during the clinical portion of your midwifery education. This means that you can take a year working and taking the non-clinical classes but you must spend at least another year (in addition to the ETP year) not working. It is fast and intense and you have a lot to learn, that's why they say you can't work. Some people work a few shifts a month but that's always easier to do once you already have experience. A word about jobs in manhattan right now -- they're extremely hard to find. I know people who are still looking and who have been RNs since last summer. They're looking with varying degrees of dedication but still. Many hospitals are flat out not hiring ANYONE because of budget issue. Older nurses aren't retiring because of the economy, etc. I don't know how things will be a year or more from now when you guys are looking for work but for right now, it's tough out there. I went to Columbia for a number of reasons and I stopped after my BSN. It looks like I probably won't go back because I can get the education I want at a different school for 1/4 of the price. Everyone says that name counts. I'm not so sure about that. And 70k is a lot to pay for a name. I love living in NYC and I met a lot of great people through the program but I can't say that I wouldn't think really, really hard about doing things this way again. I would have given myself another year and applied to cheaper programs. Accelerated programs exist now all over the country and I can't help but thinking even with the name and the allure of NYC that the cost of my education to be a NURSE (a great thing but something other people are paying 10k to do) was way out of proportion to what I received. dg

If you're on top of your paperwork -- they give you a little town meeting about this in February or March -- then you can take your exam a little as a week after you graduate. I took mine two weeks after graduation and I know a handful of people who did it earlier. Most waited longer but I really wanted to get it over with. I did questions pretty consistently throughout integration -- maybe 50 questions a week and then sequestered myself for 3 days prior to the test and did several hundred questions a day. Passed with 75. I suggest Mosby's Illustrated Study Guide and Saunders. dg

I'd like info on this, too...

I'm here too - former ETP. Wondering how you've done with your first semester of classes babycatcher !

I would just second the "don't take science classes online" bit. I took micro online and felt pretty far behind. Maybe that's because I'm not terribly motivated and I learn better in a classroom but science stuff is just too detailed and important not to get it.

I'm interested in this, too. If anyone has any ideas, please share.