CandyG18

WGU is NOT a diploma mill. I am currently enrolled and I work EXTREMELY hard in my classes to EARN my BSN in nursing, so if you don't know what you are talking about perhaps it would be best to not say anything at all. In regards to their accreditation, they have recently been reviewed and are that much closer to receiving FULL accreditation. I implore you to do your own research, call and ask questions I am sure you will be enlightened as to the proper information you will receive. Not the least of which is their affordable tuition because they are a not for profit school, but again do your research and decide for yourself. My experience thus far has been an extremely positive one and I hope that you will come to find this out for yourself. Just my $.02 Candy

I work at a level one trauma center in Norfolk,VA Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, you didnt specify as to what type of nursing you wanted to do but at this time there are several positions open. Sentara runs the majority of the hospitals in southeastern Virginia but they also have competition from Bon Secours, apply at either facility and I am sure that as long as you have a solid work history one of them will definitely call you back. Hope this helps! Candy

Starr84, While I don't actually live in Hampton per se I live in Suffolk, Va. which is only 15mins away. Most of the hospitals around here are new grad friendly, perhaps with the exception of Portsmouth Naval Hospital which wants you to have at least a years experience under your belt. The biggest hospitals around this area are Sentara (which I work for) and Bon Secours. The going rate for new grads is roughly 19.50 per hr and yes alot of the hospitals do hire new grads into critical care areas. I started out in an Intermediate Stepdown cardiac unit straight out of nursing school. As for the cost of living around here I think it's fine. Assuming that one doesn't try to live above their means you can have a nice home and enjoy lots of recreational activities without breaking the bank. I have lived here with my military husband and children for four years and I consider us to be truly blessed as we have a wonderful home, great friends and lots to do on the weekends! Hope this helps!! Candy

Cherry, Funny you should ask this question as during the last week we at work have all asked that same question. I too, work on a busy labor and delivery floor and we have been encountering more and more spanish only speaking patients. The language line that they provide is ok but it is just such a tedious process. So suffice to say that I was put in charge of doing research on the best at home spanish software and came up with Fluenz Spanish. They have a website http://www.fluenz.com where you can even demo the software online prior to making a purchase. It's a little pricey but wayyyyy less than rosetta stone. Check out the website. Hope this helps!!!

Hi Enigma, I actually reside in Suffolk,VA! There is one hospital that is actually located in Suffolk and that is Sentara Obici Hospital. I worked there for a year in an ICU stepdown unit and it's a nice hospital. They refer to themselves as a planetree hospital which means that they try to maintain the focus strictly on the patient and their family. Does it really work out that way, well I guess the answer is simply a matter of opinion. I transferred just recently to another Sentara hospital which is Norfolk General. Norfolk General is the only level 1 trauma center in southeastern Virginia, pretty big hospital with close to 500 beds. Either hospital is roughly a fifteen minute drive from the northern part of Suffolk. As for pay, it depends on experience and what type of floor you are trying to work on. The ED department is desperate for help and is offering 55.00 hr for internal travelers. Sentara also offers an 8.00 hr shift diff for nights and I believe weekends as well. Cost of living isn't bad, you can definitely raise a family and live a pretty decent life on the salaries around here. Hope this helps! Candy

I just recently graduated from MCI in April 07 as an RN. I can tell you that the program is an intense one since it is only fifteen months in length. When I first started I had my doubts as to whether or not they could really teach you everything that you needed to know not only to graduate nursing school but to also effectively prepare you for boards. Not to mention that the course is expensive in cost. I am happy to report that the instructors and the program are excellent in nature. As for the school not being accredited it is only a matter of time as they are currently in the process of doing so. Hope this info helps!

Mrod, Are you referring to the passing score for Kaplan? I did the Kaplan Q bank and question trainer and maintained scores between 58-65%. I took my boards on May 22 and passed. I think the key is to "review" the material that you "learned' in school, basically lab values and I also concentrated on the endocrine system because I had to refresh my memory about the difference between Cushings and Addisons. I remember how nervous I was for at least a week before the test. So be confident that you "know" the material and remember to breathe!!!! Good Luck!

I attended a Kaplan live review course as well as doing the online Q bank and I highly recommend it. By doing questions on a daily basis I built my confidence level in preparation for the NCLEX. By the time I completed Question trainer 7 which consisted of 265 questions I felt that the NCLEX couldnt possibly be any worse! (smile) Long story short I did the Q bank and the question trainers. I took my boards on May 22 and passed!

Hi! I took my state boards on May 22 and passed. The majority of the questions that I had were prioritizing and delegation. I did have some pharm questions but luckily they were ALL drugs that I had heard of. But remember that since it is a computer adapted test the computer is looking to ascertain your "weak" areas and will continually ask questions in that particular area. I also had questions about lab values but if you know them then that shouldn't be a problem because you'll be able to readily identify if a value is too high or too low. Just remember to study hard and become comfortable answering question after question and you'll be fine. I remember being soooo nervous the day before my test but the day of the test I told myself to just relax and be calm, and I was!!! Good luck on your test!!!!

I took my boards on yesterday 5-22-07 and I was so focused on the questions that I am not sure what number question it cut off at but I believe it was either 105 or 110. I found out today that I passed, so it's official I can now add RN to the end of my name!!! YAHOO!!!! Thanks to all of the encouragement that I found here in the NCLEX forum alot of the advice helped me to relax and be able to focus on answering the questions.

I've been told that 100 a day is what you should shoot for, that way you retain more of the information because you want to read and understand the rationales behind the answers. Hope this helps!!

Hey Netty78 I am actually taking a Kaplan live review course and according to them the only difference between the "old" NCLEX exam and the current version is that they have basically made the requirements to pass the NCLEX go from a passing grade of a C+ to now a B. I graduated on April 12 and one of the girls in my class has already taken and passed the "new" version but it also helped that she has been an LPN for the last 20 years! Hope this info helps.