Tinker

I attended Columbia's Entry to Practice program. I didn't study at all, skipped classes, and somehow still managed to have a 3.6 GPA. No, I am not a super genius. The program was poorly organized and run. Everytime students complained about the education during ETP, the director would say "You will learn that on your first job". Was she right! My 6 months on an oncology floor as a new grad taught me twice as much as my entire time in ETP! I just wish I could have skipped the $53,000 in tuition and went directly to the job. Starting next year, someone else is taking over the ETP program. It happens to be one of the teachers that I admired the most. I am quite jealous of the new students who get to be a part of her newly-vamped program. I am currently attending Columbia's Adult NP program and have found myself much more challenged than during the undergraduate part. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me!

I have had two patients almost code due to too much narcotic. One had a rr of about 6. She was blue and her skin was so cold. I told the Dr that this all started after her last dose of morphine and she did have impairment in her kidneys and liver. They ignored me since they said she had been getting the medication for awhile. I told them that normally she got the med 2-3 times a day but that day she had it almost 6 times (it was prn). They were doing EKG's and starting fluid but had no idea what was going on. I just had a gut feeling about it and insisted. They decided to try some narcan *just in case*. Within a minute the lady sat right up, grabbed my stethescope around my neck, and began to choke me. It took two other people to peel her off of me. Some way to thank a person for saving their life eh? She ended up becoming one of my favorite patients. Those who are confused have the funniest things to say.

Personally, I think it is pretty crappy that they told you that, and did not help you to overcome whatever barrier you were having. They should be encouraging you to ask questions. I have only been working for 5 months. There were times that I thought I was never going to make it. I couldn't prioritize. I would run from task to task with no rhyme or reason. Everyone on my floor encouraged me and said I would find my rhythm. They are tolerating my relentless questions. It sounds like you need to move on to somewhere else more supportive.

I went to Columbia University's second degree program (ETP) last year. It only takes a year - which is a plus. The downside is thatit is expensive and I did not feel we got enough practical nursing experience . I have since made up for that in my current job, but it was a stressful initiation into nursing. Even so, I am glad for the time that I saved.

I'm at Columbia-Presbyterian. It isn't bad. They are applying for magnet status and I can't complain about the salary. They have been very supportive of my various religious obligations as well.

I started working at Columbia Presbyterian a month ago. The nurse recruiter is Paula Trinidad. I like it ok. My friend is working at Cornell, and it appears to be almost exactly the same except there is no union at Cornell. I did a few rotations at Mt. Sinai in nursing school and I don't reccomend it.

I am in my first semester of nursing school now. I am taking physical assesment with lab, science of nursing, Issues, Advanced physiology, pharmacology, and we have 8-12 hours in the hospital each week. We were not allowed to choose our courses either.