aldeur

Any advice for this person? I'm in the same boat.

I'm a new grad, and have been having a tough time finding a job in my region. I started at a SNF/LTC facility less than a month ago, and ended up quitting 2 weeks later. I was only given 2 days on the floor orientation, and only one 8 hour shift on my unit. It drove me crazy the things I was doing because there was only one blood pressure machine that worked properly for the entire facility, and while I only had 21 patients, many of them had 21 meds, almost all crushed - and I kept the BP and heart meds separate in order to save time. I ended up having to buy my own wrist BP cuff just so I wasn't risking the lives of my patients! We were constantly out of supplies and forms/treatment supplies/meds were so disorganized it slowed me down so much. I didn't have time to call the Dr. about patients that needed a change in medication and that just made me so sad. There was no one around to help me, either... if I had questions. It felt so unethical. Not to mention nurses at the facility were telling me to just "sign off" treatments that I didn't have time to do and make up vital signs. We were also asked to clock out and keep working, sometimes 2 hours past the end of our shift. I would come in half an hour early and leave 2 hours late and only get paid for 8 hours. And the DON accused us of chit chatting and how we obviously had enough time to be doing everything we were doing, when every one of us was extremely overworked and being forced to cut corners because we didn't have enough time to do things right. It was a no restraint facility, and the worst came the day I quit. An elderly patient had been agitated and aggressive all night and grabbed another RN around the neck among other things. No one was called and when I came on shift I didn't know what to do, calling the DON and shift supervisor... and they told me to wait and not call the police (probably because an ambulance ride cost them money? we had no security of course, it's a small facility). He ended up grabbing ME around the neck - the CNAs had to pull him off of me... and the shift supervisors response was annoyance that I was upset and I was near tears! Eventually authorities were called but seriously? They acted like I was making it up, or that I should have to put up with being treated like that because he was just an old man (he was strong, ok). The management didn't talk to me about it all day and the DON wasn't even notified until the end of my shift. I told them later that I was not comfortable caring for him and was told that I had no choice. I was so proud of myself for not walking out, even though I wanted to so bad. How is being assaulted ok or is that something that you just have to "put up with" in SNF/LTC and hospitals? I'm just really disappointed, because I had high hopes, liked my patients a lot, and really enjoyed finally working as an RN after everything I went through to get my license. Reading the boards makes me think that this kind of thing isn't all that abnormal, so even if I got to the point that I wanted to work at a SNF/LTC again, I might encounter the same types of things. Please tell me this is an anomaly!

Yep!! I've already joined. I'm Rebecca D.... and thanks! :)

Alrighty! Yesterday I got my call. I am looking forward to meeting the rest of the cohort!

Okok... So this is a question I am really hesitant to ask administration because of how bad it looks... but what grade are we required to get in our remaining prerequisites? I got A's in all of my other science prerequisites but I am teetering on the edge of the C/B cusp for pathophysiology and it's kind of making me nervous. Anyone have any idea? Bueller?

I am taking it through University of Nebraska, Lincoln. It's the most difficult online class I've ever had... Barely any review questions, no study guide or online discussions.. just reading and 6 proctored exams. I'll be so glad when it's over! Thank you for the offer, though :)

Yeah, actually. I was #11, now I'm #3. I talked to the Dir of Admissions on Friday and she told me that there will be a lot of movement with the numbers within the next couple of months and that yes, actually... people will sometimes make deposits and not attend. Some people might not get officially accepted until October, which was surprising for me to hear. So, it really is a waiting game for the next couple of months. She told me if she had to guess, I will probably get in... she mentioned something about September. I hope she's right. I am finishing up Pathophysiology right now and am having a hard time motivating without an official acceptance. So, so close...

Woo! I'm number 10! *danse danse danse*

Not necessarily! From talking to administration, they said they will have a better idea by the end of the month. People need to have their deposits in by the 31st according to this thread, so I'm assuming that still stands. There is no way that they would ask us to wait until the day school starts, that's preposterous.

Hey all, Anyone have updated information re: waitlisting? Last I heard we would know better by the end of the month and well, here we are! I'm number 11 and thinking I might have a good shot, but who knows. Thanks!

Do you have a contact number that I can find out where I'm at, if anywhere? You can PM me if that is more comfortable.

bluestar46 ... it will definitely be more than the 55k unless you have a benevolent benefactor. :) Think more up to 100k when it is all said and done... not money I would be falling all over myself to spend, especially with none of those elusive high paying bay area jobs. I am friends with someone who is in the program currently and she has told me that the organization is sometimes very difficult to navigate. She spent a good half an hour telling me how frustrating it is sometimes.. but I didn't care because I want to be working already and yes, I have also garnered myself a tough skin. I have done all the work I can for now, so I'm just going to volunteer and keep applying... spam the nation! I really ~do not~ want to leave the bay area but I will if I have to. There is going to be a turnaround in the nursing field soon, with all the older nurses retiring and the baby boomers doing the same. Everything happens for a reason....

No call for me today, either. Plan B is to keep on trying til something falls into place. Don't get discouraged guys, it will happen eventually :)

Wow, how crazy. I've heard in AZ they don't have enough people to fill the slots in the nursing schools yet in the bay area there's gazillions of qualified applicants. I wonder if we are just lucky enough to be in a star stunning cohort, because in the info session I went to they said often they don't have enough qualified applicants to fill the pool. They also said that volunteer experience didn't matter, but that is obviously not the case. Tough cookies. I'm getting tempted to leave my phone at home, because waiting is driving me batty.

Yeah... you know. I /have/ been thinking about this. A little time off from working full time and going to school constantly for the past two years wouldn't be the worst thing in the world! Plus, as much as I don't want to move away from the bay area, Samuel Merritt is a whopping chunk of change. Everything happens for a reason (most of the time I believe that)... and those who don't get accepted will have many other opportunities in the future that may work out even better for them! I've heard SF's program is a tough one to navigate... so chin up either way. It's so nice to be able to commiserate with other people going through the same struggles.

Ugh... I hear you. My science GPA was 3.9, a NET of 93, and I spent 1.5 years volunteering at ERs around SF, including SF General (those were where my letters of recommendation came from). Maybe not getting in to Samuel Merritt is the way it's supposed to happen for me, but I'm having a hard time accepting that at this time. Still hoping...

Oh man, I'm started to get worried! I've really felt like I've done everything right that I possibly could, and would be really disappointed (confused and paranoid) if I did not get accepted. Ugh... here's to hoping the rest of us get calls tomorrow... and the remainder of the week. I think the best thing to do at this point is make myself a margarita and try to relax!

I haven't received any additional emails, either. I'm assuming this is because I haven't inquired, but I hope it isn't indicative of bad news in the mail! I honestly can't wait until this week is over!

Yeah. I am going crazy with anticipation. A week and some days to go until we find out! Good luck everyone. It has certainly been a long haul already...

I also applied to the Nov 09 cohort. I saw that they cashed my check, but haven't received any notifications. My science GPA is around a 3.9 (3.7ish on the last 60 units) and I got a 93 on the NET. I'm wondering how long we have to wait until we find out. :) I'm already antsy!

I did not get an interview, but realistically, it would've been a Christmas miracle. I applied for the ANP/PCNS track. I had GRE scores of 600V/650M/4W. My GPA was (weighted) 3.7, cumulative 3.3. I was a psychology undergrad and most of my work and volunteer experience was therapeutic. I volunteered in an ER for 6 months, but for the next year or so I plan on building hands on patient care in order to become more competitive not only for this program but for others (also for other reasons such as learning, obviously). I have plenty of life experience, as I assisted in performing palliative care for my terminally ill father and my brother suffers from Schizophrenia. I thought I remembered reading something about administration making themselves available to review applications with rejected applicants, but I saw no mention of this in my letter. Does anyone know anything about this? I would like to know what I can do to improve my chances for next year. I see this as an exciting new challenge to overcome more than anything else. :)

LOL, I didn't even see this. Thank you very much for the advice, Newtonian. Beyond my own volunteer work, my mother has been a nurse for decades so I'm pretty sure I know what it takes to cut it. GRE scores are *an* assessment tool but I don't believe that they are a reflection of your innate ability to solve problems. If you take the exam 2 times in succession your scores will improve most of the time. This means (to me), you can learn to take the test better, not really that you can learn to problem solve better. Although, it could be a combination of the two. Sometimes, even if you a great problem solver, you are required to follow a subset of regulations in order to succeed - and to make things easier for others (ie administration). I'm sure the parking attendant at the hospital I volunteer wouldn't be too ecstatic if while I parked on the sidewalk I explained "I'm just using my creativity because I want to be a nurse!" In the end, I want the best for the field and those of you that get accepted (even if it isn't me, this time around) are the best of the best and will move forward to provide the best patient care for whatever community to decide to root up in. For those of of you that don't get in, remember... it's just a speed bump on the way to your ultimate goal. Stay determined! UCSF is a great program, but there are many other ways to achieve your dream. Good luck everyone!

Nothing like logging in to read this thread with a freshly popped bag of popcorn in my lap.

Eek! Well I guess that saves me from having to hide the letter until my Physiology final is over...

I'm in San Francisco and haven't received anything. I'll let you all know when I do!