TNMommy

I work at both Vanderbilt ED and another Nashville hospital critical care department. I can tell you that the pay for new grads in the critical care area comes out to be about the same with the shift diffs. But...Vandy has the best benefits around. Even better when you have a family and you need to find someway of paying for your children's college. Also, I have noticed that nurses are all the time getting called off at the other hospital and losing pay because they always have a low census. At least at Vandy, you can pretty much guarantee that you will not be called off. As far as traumas going to other hospitals, I don't see that happening. We are the only Level 1 trauma center in the middle TN area. We also have Level 2 traumas come into our facility all the time. Now, if the patient is able to specify the hospital that they want to go to and refuses Vandy, the EMT has to take the patient where they want to go. If not, it is considered kidnapping.

Credentials only. Read some of the other posts. You will be able to get a feel of what they look for.

I am in my 2nd semester and things are pretty good so far. I am at the Franklin campus and love my instructors. First semester was a good experience all around. I really do not have a comment about 1st semester Columbia campus instructors. I just do not know enough about there style to give a comment. Franklin campus 2nd semester instructors are wonderful. I do not have any complaints. The Med/Surg. & Pharm instructor is a hoot. She is very animated. As far as the Columbia campus instructor, I and many of my peers do not care for her style. I have heard that she is not very nice to the students and give no direction. He teaching style is awful. When she is teaching, it is better to read thru the book yourself and go from there. Overall, I love it and would not have wanted to go anywhere else.

Yes 8 hours does not seem like alot, but the amount of reading, studying, and preparing for those 8 hours is extreme. You will have a test or checkoff almost every week. There really is no down time. Now with that said, someone has told me that taking Micro online is easier than in the classroom, but from personal experience with online classes, you get hammered with busy work. Now as far as the uniform, I do not know of any second hand stores. I would suggest just buying two tops and two bottoms and a lab coat. The second set is just mainly if you get bodily fluids on you and you need to change quickly. You will only be wearing your uniform once a week and not until you go to a clinical site. The watch needs to have a second hand, a good stethescope that you feel you can hear out of well, and bandage scissors. My stethescope is a Littman Master Classic II. I love it. I have a heard time hearing soft sounds and this really helps me alot. Hope this helps!

First of all, the clinicals first start off at the school to get you acquainted with your basic skills. This lasts for about 3-4 weeks. After that you will go to NHC-Cool Springs for a few weeks and then go to Williamson Medical Center for the remainder of your clinical weeks. The 8-12 is your clinical time at the site such as NHC-Cool Springs and Williamson Medical Center. The 1-3 is your lab time that is required with the clinical. This is where you will do your checkoffs of your skills. Also, I suggest taking Micro during the summer. Micro is hard enough alone much less with the nursing courses added on. Also, there is a practice lab that is not required, but I higher recommend that you attend it. On top of that, you will have patient pickup the day before your clinical day which will take you a few hours to complete your first time. After that, it should get better. I know that all this sounds overwelling, but it really isn't as bad as it seems. Also, I wanted to make sure that you are getting a 10 panel drug test. I don't understand why your doctor would need to sign off on the drug testing. I did mine together with the background check thru verified credentials. I picked the one for both on the nursing web site, then did everything that I was supposed to on the website. I did have to call verified credentials about the drug testing as far as where it was and my reference number. The lab was Lab Corp over by the airport in Nashville. Anyway, let me know if you need any other info. I will try to answer it if I can.

I am in my 1st semester of Columbia State's nursing program. I love it! I have had no complaints and the instructors are great. I have an A average in the classes right now. It is hard but every nursing program is. My schedule this semester is Wed, Thurs, and Fri. Thursday is my longest day because of clinical and lab (3:00p.m.). Next semester my classes are on Mon., Wed, and Thurs., again my longest day will be on Mon. at 3:00 p.m. The other two days I am out my noon. I don't think that you will regret applying to the school. If you have any other questions, just let me know!

Okay, the thing is that they do not seem to be treating her renal failure. She is on hypertension meds, anticoagulent meds, meds for constipation. Her labs indicate stage 4 renal failure. She has anemia, osteoporosis, did have a stage II pressure ulcer. She just is not exhibiting any excess fluid volume that you would expect with renal failure. Her hypertension is under control and within normal limits. She has borderline bradycardia. Since she is stage 4 renal failure, she is not on dialysis either. No excess weight gain either.

Okay, So, I need to know what kind of nursing dx to give a pt. with chronic renal failure, anemia, hypertension, weakness of LE. She was admitted for hip fx. I have already done a care plan on impaired physical mobility, but I need to do another plan on her for the chronic renal failure. The only thing, she does not have any edema, fluid in lungs, and the facility has not put her on any kind of fluid restriction. Her labs indicate chronic renal failure, but none of the other characteristics in my care plan book relate. I want to go with Ineffective Protection, but at the same time, I find this to be kind of vague. If anyone could help, that would be great! By the way, it looks like she is in Stage 4. Just before being put on dialysis and/or renal transplant.

Hey there, Are you going for an interview for the class or for a job? In either case, working as a tech is a great way of getting experience in the healthcare world. You will be able to practice your fundamental skills while working as a tech. If you work in the skilled side, you will have an opportunity to gain experience with many med/surg practices. Working on ICF (long-term care), you really are just doing basic care. I have been able to gain alot from watching my RN on the skilled side. To be able to work on the skilled side, you really need to ask for 12 hour shifts because the ICF side are 8 hour shifts. I only work 1 day a week now. I could work more, but I wanted to have time for my family and school. I work Sunday nights from 7p-7a. So far, work has not gotten in the way of school. Plus at night it is slower and I have more time to study. I really want to work in the hospital setting, so when I am on break either winter or summer, I am going to apply for a nurse extern position somewhere. Anyway, let me know how it goes for you. Have you already been accepted at Cumberland? Jennifer is coming to Columbia State in the spring too. It will be nice to have someone there that I knew from Vol State.

I do not have the info that you need, but I would post this again in the tennessee forum. You might get more hits that way.

I agree with TN Student. I found all of my required textbooks at barnes and noble alot cheaper. I even bought my fundamentals book from the publisher at a lower price. I went to www.mypearsonstore.com and typed in the ISBN# and it had all 3 cd's plus the nursing lab. I haven't opened it yet until I go to the bookstore at the school and make sure it is exactly the same. I would think it is the same because of the ISBN#. I also ordered my lab coat, 2 white tops, pen light, stethoscope, and scissors from www.allheart.com. I found that their prices were very reasonable. I did not order pants because I like to see how long they will be. I am between an average and petite so I never know how long pants will come on me. Anyway, I cannot wait to meet everyone on the 15th! I am so excited about starting this program and scared at the same time. I started doubting myself this summer. I think it is because of all the down time I have had this summer that allows my mind to wonder. LOL!

I'm not sure if I did. I will have to look back at all my paperwork. Is that how the meet and greet will be set up? If they do not have it, just let me know everything thru allnurses. Just PM me! See you there!

Does anyone know if the orientation in August is casual dress or dressy casual? I would hate to show up in blue jean capris and a tee shirt while everyone else is dressed in business casual attire. LOL! I am so excited about starting. I bought a Ipod Touch for clinicals as a PDA and plan on asking during orientation if they are allowed. I hope so because it would be alot lighter on my back to carry my PDA than a bunch of books into clinicals. Anyway, can't wait to meet everyone at orientation!

Just wanted to let you know that Columbia State (from my knowledge) is the only school around here that looks at the ACT for admission into nursing program. So I would probably go ahead and take the residual. You can always use your national at other colleges for admission purposes to the universities.

I agree with everything that TN Student said. I was accepted for the Fall and my grade in A&P I was an A with a 23 on the ACT. As far as the advisor goes, I still do not have one either. I have looked on ChargerNet several times but they have not posted it. I do not really care because I never use an advisor. I never had the need for one. I always did and researched everything on my own. At Vol State where I did all of my pre and co-req's, I found that the advisors did not really know what they were talking about. I kept getting different and incorrect information. That might not be the case for Columbia State, but I still will not use one. Good luck on your venture! I hope that you success and have a great future as a nurse!