Cynthiann

It sound like a combination of your exposure to more germs and your own health. If you are stressed out, not sleeping enough, not eating right and not exercising, they all can lower your immune system. Make sure you are taking care of your self by giving your body what it needs to fight off those germs. Although I'm not in nursing school yet, I notice when I eat right, exercise and get plenty of sleep it's very hard for me to get sick.

AA's wouldn't necessarily be cheaper to employ if you need more MDA's to supervise. I tend to think the the cost is about the same either way. (Keep in mind I'm still an undergrad student, so my statement is based on what I've been reading here for the past year).

That is sooo true.

I followed it on the first post. I just don't understand why you care so much your first choice didn't choose you. You said that when you choose it you knew you didn't have a good chance because so many other students already work there. So you obviously worked on getting in with the second choice by working there. If you wanted to get in with your first choice, why didn't you try to work there instead? I don't think it's unfair that they will more likely choose someone that already works there. Once I graduate nursing school I would expect a hospital I'm already working at to hire me over someone else who has never worked there (of course, that I meet all the qualifications). It's not the exact same situation but it's the same idea.

There's lots of mothers trying to do the program. I have 2 toddlers (age 2 & 3) and it's very hard but it takes a lot of dedication and sacrifice. Make sure your husband helps out more around the house and with the kids. If you have them in daycare, it will be a lot easier for you. But I agree with Manna, get them used to it slowly. My mother watches my kids a couple of times a week and after a year of going to school my kids still have a little separation anxiety. Keep posting here, a lot of us can relate to your situation.

I just joined too, mainly for the scholarships. Every school is different with the GPA to maintain and joining fee. At my school, you have to maintain a 3.0 and to join is $55.

I had asked my husband to translate since I was curious what Matt said. I'm a mestiza who never learned to speak tagalog. Matt - how did you learn to speak tagalog? I want to learn by the time we go visit the Philippines after I graduate from school and my husband is not a good teacher.

I'm just still in school but have a question about 7 on/7 off shifts. How does the pay work? Do you get straight pay until 80 hours? Or do you get time and a half after 40?

That's good that you went ahead and made an appointment. It's so easy to think of different things when you are just lying in bed. I just wanted to add one comment to the whole HIV/AIDS situation. If you've had sex since you were last tested or never been tested, you need to take a test anyways. With our world today it's better to be safe than sorry.

I'm not a nurse yet, but someone told me a nurse recruiter quoted her $16.40 for a hospital in my area. That's new grad pay. Like someone said, the midwest and south the pay isn't high. On the other hand the cost of living is much cheaper than the north or coastal areas. Also, it's not easy to compare pay in another country because of cost of living and lifestyle, you can't just go by the exchange. For example, I have family in the Philippines and that $16/hr here is so little. Take that same money and convert the currency in the Philippines and you will be living really, really well there. That's because a lot of things are much cheaper over there. I'm not sure what the difference is in Canada, but it's something worth mentioning.

I haven't been in that situation but seen and heard of many who have especially since I live next to Tinker AFB by OKC. Many marriages and relationships are fine despite the separation. But you asking this question reminds me of all the bad stories I've hear when spouses go TDY. I was just talking to my cousin whose husband is in Iraq - she just got home from the hospital because she had an anxiety attack. But you can't compare it since it was because the people on base lied to her about their living conditions there in the middle east (ie no water for 6 days in 120F weather). I'm in OK and wished there was a program here too. But I am willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish my goals. Actually I look at it in a positive way - a reason to leave Oklahoma, I don't care for it here. If you hear from OANA let us know what they say, I'm curious.

Our school's ADN program doesn't require all pre-reqs to be done before applying but you'll need most of them done just to be competitive enough to even apply. Some people go to school 1-2 yrs before applying so that 2 yr degree is still 3-4 yrs. The local BSN program has so many pre-reqs that it would take 3 years to complete. So the 4 yr degree takes 5 yrs to complete.

You're right, that it would make it much harder for those who are not on financial aid. That's why I'm not complaining too much. The credit hours are very deceiving, the work is double than what that number seems. But at my school the tuition would not double or triple if they were to go up 3-4 credits, maybe be up 50% more. Honestly I'd rather spend more time on an extra class to be able to get hundreds of dollars more in financial aid than have to go get a part time job. Since I have two young children (age 2 & 3) I would have to pay for daycare to work and daycare costs just as much money as I would earn in a paycheck, which defeats the whole purpose. The only way to avoid daycare is to work nights but that would sacrifice my sleep and in turn kill my 4.0 GPA (I don't function on anything less than 7 hrs a night). So I personally think it's worth taking extra classes to get full financial and and take out extra loans just so I don't have to work. Oh yeah, the financial aid office told me that if I get a scholarship my grant money will not be reduced but my loan amount will. So I will have the exact same left over and less in student loans. Which is good news for me since my GPA will get me my school's tuition waiver scholarship.

That's what I'm planning to do, take a PE class the first semester since I will only need 1 more credit to have 12 total. We know that we can get financial aid with less than 12 hours. But when you do take at least 12 you get way more money and for someone who quit working to go to school that money makes a huge difference. With pre-reqs the nursing program has 17-18 hours a semester.

Now that you all are talking about how much time you spend with these classes, I'm a little worried now. Marilyn and I go to the same school and I've already applied to the program (waiting for my letter still) and I need to have 12 full credits to get my full financial aid. So I'll have to take additional classes to make it 12. I'm worried I will be struggling with the extra class while doing the nursing classes. For example, I'm planning on taking Microbiology the 2nd semester where the nursing classes are already 7 credits. Well whatever it takes, I'll do it.