PreRN Katie

I probably was! I sat about 3 rows back on the left side. Probably the best advice I can give you is bring your application in and turn it in by hand and try to have all your classes done with the highest grades possible. I think anything above an 1100 is considered a competitive score. I got in with a 1200 or something like it I think. Good luck to you!!! I know it hasn't been long since I posted this rant but I really love the program and I'm starting to get used to the swing of things. The professors are all great! I think they cashed my check about a month after I turned in the application. Good luck to you and let me know how you do!!

To JW, you sound like you'd be competitive to get in! Good luck! To everyone who wanted to know about the schedule, we go 3 days a week and have one online class day. We do everything at the Heritage Hall campus in Rome. So far so good, I really love the program. Good luck to everyone trying to get in!

I've just decided I won't try not to cry, I'll just study while I weep lol. My poor hubby thinks I have gone insane, but he's very supportive. I don't have to work while in school, so it's my only focus. I just have to get in the groove. Thanks for everyone's support!:heartbeat

Thank you, I really appreciate your kind words. I am glad to know it's normal to feel a little bamboozled at this point. I'm making it a point to study with classmates and we practice our skills together. If I don't make it through it won't be for lack of trying! That's great advice about the books, I noticed the same thing from our first test. I did good grade wise (89%), but I'm so nervous about all the technical skills. I will focus more on reading the charts, graphs, etc. so that I don't miss the forest for the trees, ya know? Thanks again!

Ok, so this is a small (well...maybe medium sized) pity party and vent. I am a brand new nursing student and I'm just feeling very disillusioned about the whole thing. I knew it would be hard, but I didn't know I would cry every day. I didn't realize that I would question this decision every moment and think "oh my God, what have I done?!" I guess I just wasn't realistic about it and was just so excited to be accepted and start along the path towards my dream...I never realized that a dream can be a nightmare. I did well on my first test, but my school does some of the content online and I'm having to learn to do health assessments purely by reading the book and doing interactive course content online. We get no lab or lecture time before we are checked off, and are expected to perform a perfect head-to-toe assessment. Is it me or is this crazy? I am definitely going to practice on anyone who will stand still long enough, but I am just frustrated that I will get no teacher feedback before they decide whether I have mastered the skill or if they should kick me out of the program. All I can do is my best, and I'm trying my hardest, but it's very nearly impossible to read 12 chapters, watch skills videos, and figure out how to do something as hands on as this without having anyone who actually knows what they're doing guide you through. That, and I'm having some serious issues figuring out how to document my findings. I either don't include enough or I write a book so to speak on their assessment. Does it come with practice? Does nursing school get easier? I don't mean easier in the sense that the content becomes less intense, but just in that you get into a rhythm and get used to it. I hope so, I'm not sure how many more panic attacks I can take. I won't quit though...I may fail, but I WILL NOT quit. Thanks and sorry for whining!

CONGRATULATIONS Ocelot & Itsinthegenes!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Way to go!!!!!

Good luck Ocelot!!!!!!!!!!

Sure thing! I'll be attending Georgia Highlands and the program runs straight through from January '09 to May '10 so like 14 months? It's taken me approximately 1 1/2 years to do prereqs.

You can get your CNA at a lot of schools...I know KSU offers a course, and I believe Chatt Tech does as well. It's 8 weeks I think, and they usually meet evenings or weekends. A BSN will usually only take you a little bit longer than an ADN since an ADN takes more than 2 years if you account for prereqs. There's also accelerated BSN programs for people who already have degrees in another field. There's a lot of options out there, you just need to find out what suits you. I graduated this past May with my BS in Criminal Justice and I'm starting an accelerated ADN program in January. I'll finish in May 2010 and be able to take the NCLEX and start work as an RN. I'll go back and get my BSN shortly thereafter. Good luck! Don't feel bad about going back to school so soon, you need to do what makes you happy!

SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!! I just got my final grade and I made an A in Micro!!!!!!!!! Thank you everybody for all the support and study help, it really saved my life during this crazy semester!:heartbeat

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I agree with you that it will be very hard at times, but I think it's just where I would thrive. I've always adored babies and children in general and as hard as it would be to see them suffer, knowing that I'm helping them would make up for it. I hope your baby is doing wonderful! It's good to know you received such great care, that's the kind of nurse I would like to be someday.

You're in my prayers! Good luck, you'll do great!

I always make flashcards with the disease on one side and the causative agent, symptoms, etc on the other. I try to memorize them in groups according to what body system they occur in. For example, for the respiratory system I'd make flashcards for Whooping Cough/Pertussis, TB, etc. and then once I had those down I'd move on to the skin, digestive system, etc. Good luck!

I went to KSU for my first degree and I don't think you can take Chem 1151 and 1152 online because of the labs. I'm not sure about the other classes though. Hopefully someone on here will have been through the program. I'd like to know more about it myself. Good luck!

Congratulations!!!!!! That is so awesome!!!:yeah:

I take 120 mg of Inderal (propanolol - sp?) every day to prevent migraines and it works pretty well. It's decreased them down from every single day to maybe 2 a week. I also take Midrin when they get started and it will usually cut them off before they get too bad. It's not a perfect treatment by any means but I'm afraid of the memory issues that come with Topamax. Good luck, I know how miserable migraines are!

Thank you so much for the response! I'm getting my ADN and will definitely eventually pursue my BSN. I would love to work at CHOA and hope I can get into their new grad program in 2010.

That's fantastic!!! Way to go!!!!!!! You should be very, very proud of yourself!

Congratulations!!! You're on your way!!!

Good luck RNBound83 & Stacygirl!

Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hooray!!!!!:lol2:

Restriction endonucleases (enzymes) are usually found in viruses and they are used to insert viral DNA into the host cell. They "clip" the host's DNA at a specific location after recognizing certain sequences so they can attach theirs, but it usually leaves the "sticky ends", which are basically just the double-helix structure that hasn't been snipped all the way across. Imagine if you uncoiled the DNA and then cut only one side instead of all the way across...you'd be left with a section of dangly little nucleotides that aren't paired up. Those are the "sticky ends". Hope that helps, good luck on your test!

I have my comprehensive lab final tonight:uhoh3:, wish me luck! I'm just hoping I can remember a semester's worth of info. I've been studying a bunch though so I think I should be ok. Good luck to everyone else who's gearing up for tests and finals!

Hi there all my fellow future nurses!!! This is fun! I'm actually graduating Spring 2010 because I'm attending an accelerated ADN program (we go straight through with no summer break from January 2009 to May 2010). Where are you attending: Georgia Highlands College When does your program start: January 10th I think When are your orientation(s): December 15th What is your 1st semester schedule: NURS 1101 - Foundations of Nursing Practice (class hours, labs, & clinicals) and NURS 1151 - Clinical Calculations (just class hours)...don't know what days/times I'll be going yet, we find out at orientation. How are you preparing yourself and/or family: Honestly I think things are going to be easier now...I was working full-time and taking all my prereqs at night but now I will just be going to school and studying. I'll be home more and be able to study more, and since my hubby works weird hours I'll actually see him more. It's just the two of us so I don't have to worry about any kid issues. I know nursing school will be very very tough but I have an awesome supportive family and it will be nice just to focus on school and becoming a great nurse! Will you be working fulltime/parttime/not at all: Not at all, just going to live frugally with the help of my wonderful family! Yay for the class of 2010!!!!!!!