KaeRN

This should help you out, I advise checking out the whole site, it gives a very clear picture of what they want http://main.uab.edu/Shrp/default.aspx?pid=77401 Good luck!

Does anyone, who is already familiar with Birmingham, have any suggestions on apartments for the 9 months we will be there? I am starting now to look for a place because there are so many options... I would rather have some opinions from "the locals" on the what would and wouldn't be a good idea. Not cheap, but not expensive, safe, close to school, mostly just for sleeping... if we are going to get any during the 9 months? I am looking for a 1 bedroom (or 2, if any other girls are transfering in and want to have a roommate for the didactic portion) please do share.

I am copying my post from the thread "Is the GRE as hard as it looks?" you may want to search for "GRE" because a lot of people have helpful hints on threads that have already been started. but here is my I would suggest Princeton review! It worked great, I get test anxiety and it walks you through all sections so no parts of the test are a surprise, it was like taking a practice test again. Helpful hints: * give yourself at least 4 weeks especially if you are working full time (I think the pros suggest 4-10 weeks) * study the vocab the way they tell you too, because it can't be crammed in your brain overnight * dictionary.com is a great reference - sign up for "word of the day", they will email you a word a day and break it down into the latin origins, which helps with other unfamiliar word you may run into on the test. * need to save a penny!!! - go to the public library, they have many books Princeton, Kaplan, etc. For free!!! And Princeton at least will mail you a practice study disk for going to their site (but you have to check the back cover of the book for exact info) Good luck!!!

Congrats to all! I finally got my acceptance letter this weekend. I feel so much more "official" now :) I am so ready to start.

Well said! You will do great. I had a very smart and determined friend interview after only 6 months and he also got in. They would have been crazy not to accept him. I think it is very bold to apply so early... and I want a bold person taking care of my family member when they go to surgery! Some people will be assigned challenging patients after only 6 months because they just get it and are eager to learn, and to the other extreme some people who have been critical care nurses for 5+ years still aren't the person anyone would choose to take care of them. I would say most of us probably fall in the middle somewhere, where we are having to work our butts off (on and off the clock) to shoot for our dream. Thank god when we do go to school we will be around a diverse group of people with different experience levels.

Piper, I just want to say that I think it is great idea to change units... mostly because I just did the same myself ...lol I just found out that I was accepted to UAB for this fall, and I have no doubt that the way I sold myself on this issue and letting them know I wanted to challenge myself helped make that happen. I worked on a CVICU for 2 years and have now transfered to a Neuro/Trauma/SICU. I too was nervous because I had become comfortable in my CVICU position and did not want to feel out of my element. But I also know that if I am going to go to CRNA school that I needed a more well rounded experience and a more solid foundation. I really think because clinical experience is so independent and diverse in CRNA programs that we (students) need to be as prepared as possible for anything, gain knowledge on the many diverse patient populations, and be ready to step up when there are unknow challenges to face. It is a hard choice to make, I don't see many swans anymore, but I do have a better understanding of a whole lot more situations, and looking a head I am ready for so much more after only 2 months of trauma patients. p.s. make sure your current boss has already wrote your recommendations though, it is no fun to ask a new boss for that when they barely know you

I would hold on to that sheet given after the exam, myself and at least one other person I know had troubles getting our official card and certificate sent to us. Most people get it very fast, but seems like you have a deadline, so I would be prepared with the piece of paper that prints after the exam.

So, I finally gave up with the post man ... it has been 2 weeks and nothing. I couldn't handle the anxiety anymore so I called UAB today to let them know I was under the impression that they would let us know one way or the other, but I have nothing... apparently some letters were not mailed out and were sent out late last week. ...But the good news is they let me know over the phone, and I am going to UAB this fall!!!! I need to go scream al little more :w00t:

I too am applying for UAB. I think depending on your other sciences the B can play either way. To get an interview your last 60 hours GPA and science GPA average have to be a 3.3 period. Unfortunately for some, this is the strictest part of UAB's application process, and no matter how good your reference letters or experience they will not interview you without the 3.3. I had a 3.25 avarage for last 60 hours and sciences and was sent a "thank you for applying" letter, was advised by UAB staff to take a patho class (not requires by my BSN program) before interview time and I could boost my GPA to a 3.3. As soon as I turned in a transcript I got accepted to the interview process. Although the patho class does not have to be a masters level patho (because we will be taking an anesthesia patho class during the program) it may help you in your interview. One question they asked me is, "how can you be sure you will succeed in the front heavy coursework portion?" (which I still feel is a weird question because that seems to be the only thing they have guaranteed themselves by only interviewing people with 3.3 or higher GPA's.... but that's another story) But on questions like that saying something to the extent that you have only made A's & B's in sciences including master's level sciences shows that your record already speaks for its self. Good luck!!!

I have been working all week to try and keep myself from annoying the mail man... and to stop myself from overanalyzing everything that was said in the conversation. The interview was so short. I still don't know what to think! I was surprised that they did not ask any clinical questions, wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. I was the last interview of the day, which made me very nervous. I am hoping for the best! They said they would mail out letters mid week, so as of Wednesday I have wanted to throw up every time I walk out to get the mail...:chuckle. What did you think about the interview? Did you think it was the same type of questions as previous interviews?

I interviewed yesterday at the Tuscaloosa site. Did anyone else interview there? I thought it was very short interview. I don't know what to think, can't wait to find out the final verdict.

I think I worked at your hospital...lol. SuperSleeper has some good points though chances are you are a strong nurse that they trust in these situations to make the right decisions. I have had many of nights like those above and they can be hectic. And I am not sure if my manager was just feeding me some bs to get me through the night or what, but when I get these assignments they usually come with a side of "I'm sorry" and/or "I trust your abilities the most and I want to give this patient a fighting chance". That being said after the night is through you have to admit you feel like an awesome nurse. Seriously, in these situations if you are prioritizing no one can complain about your baths not getting done (well they can, but that's just because there will always be that one petty, grumpy nurse on every unit). I learned very soon after starting on the ICU that if I had a cake assignment to go help the nurse about to drown, and for that matter if I had easy patients and was caught up with stuff then I would go find someone to help, even with easy stuff. We all need an extra hand at times like this, and if you offer to help others first, they are more willing to lend you a hand. You have to build a team to run a good ICU. Go Team!!!:w00t:

Everyone has great points. I think the point I agree with the most is finding an area you love. I did not even have a thought about working in an ICU until my last couple semesters in school. I thought I wanted to work in an ER, but after doing a rotation there found out the adrenaline rushes were too few and far between for me. Also thought of psych, but after that roation I thought it was more interesting to read about schitzophrenics than to be face to face with them. Even when I did my ICU rotation I was afraid to kill someone and I did not think I would want to be around such "sad cases" that can be emotionally and physically draining. But after only a few weeks, and an awesome instructor, I knew that the ICU was for me. The adrenaline, the complexity, the need to stay up to date on your education, the teamwork, the need to release your OCD personality traits, the technology. It is awsome!!! It is not for eveyone though. One of my best friends does hospice nursing and her passion is just as deeep to her specialty. Life's too short to not follow your heart (and mind). Every unit/specialty has it's ups, downs, positives, negatives. My 2 cents if you are unsure of what area you want to work: make a list of things you want out of your job, and then list traits of the units you are interested in (and the types of people on them) and compare for the best fit. Worse come to worse, someone already mentioed this, but you are a nurse and have the great flexibility to change and find you place in the vast number of specialties. Good luck!!!

Do not work on the floor! You need to be in an ICU to get the critical care experience you need. And once you have been a "floor nurse" it is harder to sell yourself to most managers over a new grad who has only wanted to work in an ICU and wouldn't settle for the floor. I have had friends at many differnent types of facilities (large, small, 1 general ICU vs 6 specialized ICU's) and you can get into CRNA school with any of that experience... If you spend your time wisely in the ICU and learn as much as you can. More people, in my limited experience, have better chances working in a cardiac or trauma/neuro ICU vs medical ICU. Mostly because you will be exposed to many more medication drips and emergent situations that will boost your knowledge and confidence for interviews.

I am interviewing at the Tuscaloosa component at the end of jan. Nervous, but Ecstatic! Everyone please share how the interviews go I just moved to this area so I asked a million questions during my first visits. From what I gather each of the sites (except the Birmingham area) will accept 5-10 students, depending on their projected needs in the next couple years. Each hospital is hoping that the students will want to work at their hospitals when school is over, so they plan accordingly. They do accept more than needed so they and you have options. For example: last year Tuscaloosa had 8 SRNA's in clinical, but the hospital anticipated they could only hire 5 CRNA's in Dec. Hope that helps some of ya'll.