scottjon

Shoreline admits every quarter (except summer) and does not require a CNA. http://shoreline.edu/nursing/ Scott

Just a followup... I believe the prereqs are changing effective winter quarter, which is the quarter you're applying for starting in August. Look at the site and note the differences in the point generation from previous quarters. (there are FEWER prereqs, according to the new point system).

When the point threshold was higher (in years past) it was very common to take classes twice to raise your grade for the point computation. I personally took Anatomy twice (hated my first prof, which really tanked my performance... LOVED my 2nd prof). So it's not generally a problem. Now, as an aside, if you took one of the prereqs, say, FIVE TIMES.... there are some other problems you might want to consider. :-) Scott

Yes. Don't have a lot of info on it though.... http://www.shoreline.edu/athletics/pefacilities.html Scott

I don't know ALL of the particulars about the Spring schedule, but based on experience and what I can see posted online, I can tell you this much: Unless things are VERY different this coming quarter, Monday and Tuesday mornings you will be in clinical at a LTC facility. Tuesday afternoon you'll be in class. Wednesday morning you'll be in class. Thursday either morning or afternoon you'll be in a lab. There's another lab you'll be in that I can't see the schedule for, so I don't know when you'll be in it (although for me a year ago it was on Thursdays, but at a different time than my other Thursday lab (one lab in the morning, the other in the afternoon). The first couple of weeks are very front-loaded with extra skills lab sessions because you need to get up to speed before you start clinical around week 3, so the schedule is different for the first two weeks than for the rest of the quarter. If you continue working, I strongly (read: STRONGLY) advise against working more than 24 hours/week max. And if possible, arrange to take the first couple of weeks of school off of work. You'll be glad you did. You'll get much more information about all of this at your orientation session in a few weeks. Scott

j450n, Regarding the point threshold, it has definitely come down (search my posts for a detailed explanation of this). If you're at 105-110, you're definitely competitive (though that's no guarantee in any given quarter that the threshold won't rise (or fall)... see my previous posts, like I said). Scott

I agree completely with j450n. I'm currently in the Shoreline program, so I'm obviously a little biased, but here's my quick assessment: you've been ADMITTED to Shoreline for the Spring quarter. That's a done deal. You're still waiting to hear from UW for Fall quarter start. Looking at the numbers of apps and the number of places open, there's certainly no guarantee you'll get in for fall. So you can take a gamble, or you can start school, get through the program, get your license, and start working. Yes, Bothell would be an additional year. But you'd be working AS A NURSE. This is what I'm planning on doing. You already know Shoreline's reputation, or you wouldn't be trying to decide between SCC or UW. Are there any other factors you haven't mentioned that might be weighing on your decision? Scott

I was probably about a 3.7 in my pre-reqs, and I did my 200 hours of hospital volunteer work (on top of my non-healthcare work experience). I was WELL above the threshold. Remember that at Shoreline, it's not your overall GPA, like it is at some other schools, but each pre-req class carries a different value depending on which multiplier they use (your science classes, for instance, have a higher multiplier). If this is confusing, you need to read about how the points are computed at the SCC nursing site. But seriously, anyone who is even considering Shoreline, DO IT! The threshold changes every quarter depending on the pool of applicants, and there's no wait-listing if you don't make it in, but if your score is, say, above 105, I'd definitely advise you to apply. That doesn't guarantee admission (see above comment regarding who else is applying in any given quarter), but it gives you a very good shot. And I'd certainly rather go that route than say, depend on a lottery system, or a 2-year wait list, or subjective interviews. I wanted to KNOW I was likely to get in the quarter I applied. But that's me. YMMV.

I'm currently in the Shoreline program, and I strongly recommend it. It used to be nearly impossible to get into a few years ago, because they use a point-based admission system, and can only take the top 32 applicants each quarter. The top applicants were so competitive (i.e., their points were so high) that it was incredibly hard to get enough points to get in. So, people continued taking their pre-reqs at Shoreline, but they stopped applying to the Nursing program, instead applying elsewhere. Result: fewer applicants because everyone's been scared off of even TRYING to get in means the point threshold for getting in has come down. SO DO APPLY! It's a great program with a fantastic reputation in the region.

I'm bigger than anyone who's posted so far to this thread (big enough that I won't even tell you, but suffice it to say, much bigger), and I was very nervous about skills lab when we first started, and there are lots of skinny girls in my class. But I got over it by taking the following attitude: "Yo, girls, it may not be pretty, but you're going to see a LOT of this type of body when you're a nurse, so you better get used to it. Unless you're going into pediatrics, you won't have the luxury of doing draw sheet repositioning on someone who weighs less than 100 pounds. I *AM* the patient you're going to be dealing with, so start practicing now." Of course, I need to lose a lot of weight, and I'm aware of that. But in the meantime, they might as well get a dose of reality. I like to think that I'm contributing to their learning experience.

Shoreline CC has a childcare program. I know it can also be hard to get into, but then again, so is nursing school around here. http://www.shoreline.edu/parentchildcenter/

Northgate mall has Life Uniform (http://www.lifeuniform.com), and in Bellevue there's Acorn Uniform (http://www.acornuniforms.com). Both are good, and will get you going in the short term.

From a guy's perspective (not sure if there have been any others yet, sorry if there have been).... What other posters have said about getting into counseling seems like the spot-on approach. There's clearly an underlying problem in this relationship. One thing that I haven't seen mentioned is the possibility that he's feeling threatened by your plans to become an NP, and the change in income and autonomy this will bring you, and how it might affect your relationship with him. How did he react when you wanted to go back to school for nursing in the first place? I can't count on all my digits how many women I've known who have sacrificed their successful careers for their husbands, and years/decades later, had such seething resentment about it. Marriage is a partnership... that means both sides have to compromise... ALL the time. But too often I see only one side compromising, and can you guess which one it is? (and don't forget to get me that beer while you're in the kitchen!) He has to articulate what his problem is. If he can't/won't, then you have to do what is best for you. I don't see how this will be possible in the next 24 hours, though (awfully short notice). Perhaps if you had a serious chat with the dream job folks about this, and explained that in a year's time or so, you'd be in a better position to accept, and that you're REALLY INTERESTED, but family issues prevent the move at this time. There's always turnover. Just keep your eyes open on that facility. To the poster who lost her husband a few years ago, my condolences. It sounds like you had a great marriage. But it also sounds like this wasn't someone who would stifle your needs, either. To those who think the marriage is the most important thing, I'd agree, ASSUMING that both parties were treating each other with respect. Too often, however, I see women getting the short end of the stick.

I believe this depends on the state you're in. Here in Washington (state), assaulting a healthcare worker during the performance of their job is a Class C Felony.

If you want to get it over with as quickly as possible, try the Nursing Assistant Training Institute (NATI) in Shoreline. They have classes starting monthly (that last about a month, then you do your clinicals, then take your certification exam). I know the August class is full, and they tend to alternate between doing a day class one month and a night class the next month. The next evening course would start October 11. (http://www.natraining.net) I understand there's also a similar program in Everett, but I don't know the name of it.