metalgirl70

I bought my book used, so there was no CD unfortunately. I did however today pay for the access to the website and started taking the quizzes. Very helpful. What does the CD have on it that the 'pay' website doesn't?

I bought that green Marieb book used, so of course it doesn't come with the access code for the website guide. I was thinking about buying the access. Do you think it's worth the $35?

I am taking A & P 1 now with the Marieb book too. I really dislike that book. To me, it's not organized well, the passages are too wordy (just get to the point), and it can be confusing. What I do as I make my outlines from the chapters, I go online and find other diagrams or explanations that are done in a more simple manner.

Great! Thanks for your response! I am registered to take the class for the second 8 week term, starting in March.

Hello, You don't need to be admitted into a nursing program to take this class. It's just a 1 unit class, but I am signing up for it, since anything that will help me prepare for nursing school sounds good to me. Since it's just 1 unit, it's only 8 weeks, and I can't imagine that it will be too much work involved. For my prereqs I just need to do A & P (1 and 2) and microbiology. Also offered at Sac City as well as American River college are a pharmacology class and a medication dosage class. Again, anyone can take these classes (don't need to be admitted into nursing school) , so I will also plan on taking them while I apply to nursing school.

I was wondering if anyone has taken this class? I figured it would be a helpful way to prepare for nursing school. If anyone has taken it, was it helpful? Thanks, Lisa NURSE 380 Preparing for a Nursing Career 1 Unit Description: This course presents the role of the Registered Nurse (RN) and the Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) within various settings in today's health care systems. Students assess their own learning styles and compare their abilities to those required in nursing; critical thinking is applied to several scenarios. Written, verbal, and math skills are emphasized along with learning resources, study strategies, legal and ethical aspects of practice, and stress management. The rigors of being a nursing student and graduate nurse are presented along with information on the current job market and opportunities for advancement in nursing.

Thanks for all the input! For the person who pointed out that the nursing major is a heavy course load , I am well aware of that and it won't be a problem for me for two reasons: * when I get accepted into a nursing program I will be quitting my job *I already have a bachelor's degree in another difficult discipline and I graduated in the top 10% of my class, and I was taking a very heavy class load then. I don't like anyone insinuating that I can't 'cut the mustard'. I have been a academic star all my life and I have the grades and awards to prove it. Sorry, just a touchy subject for me.

I am trying to plan my schedule for next semester. For the prereqs, this is what I have left to take: A&P (5 units) microchemistry (4 units) maybe another chemistry class (I think I need a second chemistry class to get into Sac State, although I know the ARC doesn't require it ) (5 units) also I could take a 2 unit pharmacology class onlineSince I have to work and have a family, I find that I can only take two classes a semester. I am trying to figure out which two of these I should take next semester. This semester I am taking chem 305 and human development and I'm getting an 'A' in both of the classes, but I spend HOURS studying for the chemistry (about 80% of my study time is devoted to chem) and not a lot of time (20%) to human development. I want to take the first semester of A&P, but would you recommend taking that with microbiology? I am an 'A' student, but like I said it have to spend a lot of time to get those 'A's. In my opinion, for myself, anything lower then an 'A' is unacceptable and I don't want to take a course load that will jeopardize my ability to study enough for the grade I want. Has anyone taken microbiology in summer school? How was that? I am in the Sacramento area, so are there any teachers for the above classes that you could recommend? Thanks, Lisa

I didn't find mole factor conversions too bad, as long as you understand the factor label method.

Great suggestions! Thanks for your repsonse, however I am already doing all the things that you mention. (except I haven't seen a tutor yet) I know all the study tricks, since I've already gone through school one time around and did very well. I've been online, printed study guides out, the whole deal. It's not that I don't 'get' the concepts, but it takes me hours to understand the concepts and then I am skeptical that I will be able to remember all the stuff on an exam, when I feel pressured for time. There are just so many things to memorize, all the little nuances of many intricate things. So far on the quizzes, I am scoring 80-95%, so it's not that I'm not getting it, but I just don't know if I can handle the pressure of an exam full of questions under a limited time. Honestly, I am interested in nursing because I want to help people, but also because I need a recession proof job that pays well. I may or may not have too many working years ahead of me, I'm 37 but I have multiple sclerosis, so I don't know how long I can work, although for the moment I'm fine. So, in my mind, I need something I can do that interests me and make a lot of money right off the bat. My 'real' love is consumer behavior, which is the mix of psychology and marketing. I just can't find any job in consumer behavior that will pay me $30+ per hour and let me have a flexible part time schedule. I can't work full time due to the fatigue of the MS. I'm in general chem, by the way. I'll get through this, but if I don't get an A I will be devastated and feel like a failure.

My chemistry class is so hard it just makes me want to give up on being a nurse! I spend most of the time angry and frustrated as I try to do the homework. I spent at least 20 or more hours a week studying for this 5 unit class (not including the class and lab time). I either go to work or school all day, come home and eat dinner, then I'm up until 2 AM studying, sleep a little, and then get up at 7 AM to do it all over again. I am not a stranger to working hard in school. I already have a bachelor's degree in marketing and I graduated in the top 10% of my business class, but this science stuff is a whole different animal! I have to work to support myself, so quitting work in lieu of more study time is not an option. And I am taking psychology also, which I love that class! It's a lot of paper writing, but that's easy for me, so that class will be an easy 'A'. I really want to be a nurse, but I don't know if I can get the 'A' s needed to be competitive. This is very frustrating for someone who is used to being an academic superstar from my business school days! When I can't get an 'A', I take it very hard, and usually cry and berate myself. I don't know if I can do this guys...

Hello all, I am currently working on getting into nursing school. In my previous career as a hairdresser, it didn't matter that I had tattoos or burgundy hair. I understand that the healthcare field is much more conservative. I can change my hair color to a 'natural' color, that's not problem, but I do have large (and beautiful, in my opinion- a peacock and the other is an angel in full color) tattoos on my biceps. I am thinking that if I wear a uniform with a half or 3/4 sleeve, that will cover them. So, I'd love to hear from other nurses who have tatoos and hear about their experience. Do you think that standard will change in time, since so many young people are getting tattoos these days? Thanks!

Ok, I just looked at the webpage for the CSUS accelerated program. It appears that the entrance criteria is based on GPA and score on GRE. My grades are very good thus far, so if I can get a high score on the GRE, then maybe I'd have a shot at this one... If there is anyone who is doing the CSUS accelerated program, I'd love to hear from them!

I've looked a little bit into that program. Is it the accelerated BSN that you are referring to? If so, my problem with doing an accelerated program is that it doesn't allow you to work part time while going to school. I do still have to work part time, you know I have mega bills like everyone , so I need to have some income. I will continue working part time my at salon, as an stylist, not an owner. I'll look a the Sac State page again though. I am afraid to apply to Sac State since I don't have any medical field experience or any foreign language fluency. Those are the things that give you extra points, so without them, I don't know if I can compete. Thanks!

When I was 19 I went to cosmetology school and got a license to do hair. While I worked in that field, I continued on with college and got a bachelor's degree in marketing and worked in that field for 8 years or so doing sales jobs, while still working in the salon part time as well. I don't do sales anymore, I don't really have the 'sales mentality'. Now, I own a small salon, but with the slow down of the economy, the business is just falling apart. I am getting out of my share of the ownership of the salon. Frankly, I can barely afford to pay the overhead. Also, the business taxes and paying for my own health insurance is expensive. I have MS, so my insurance premiums are expensive. I have seen a continual fall in salon services since January of this year. I just don't want to go through another recession in a customer service job. So, I had always wanted to do nursing and even took some science courses and pharmacology when I was getting my marketing degree. I didn't go that route at that time, since I was close to getting the marketing degree. Anyway, now it's time to pursue that. I hope to get a BSN and maybe even a master's degree in nursing. So that's my story!:loveya:

I do live in the Sacramento, CA region, and my mom works in med-surg at Mercy Hospital. She says they hire new grads all the time. This is starting to worry me, since I'm leaving my current career because the recession has slowed business down so much. I'm 37 years old with a family, house, etc, and I can't afford to get in another career where I'll have a difficult time making a living, shoot, I already have that now! Thanks for all the input everyone.

Thanks for the input! I am planning on signing up to volunteer at the hospital, but I can't afford to quit my current non-health care job to work as a CNA or something of that sort.

Hello, I am currently working on my preresquisite classes and will be applying to nursing school next year. I thought that nursing jobs were plentiful and there was a shortage of nurses. But as I read this message board I am reading time and time again of new nurses not being able to find jobs or being offered low wages. My mom has been an RN for 35 years, makes very good money and says there are always new grads starting at her hospital, and they always need more help. So is the job market really that different from region to region? I'm in California, and new nurses here start in the $25-35 per hour and there seems to be plenty of job opportunities. What am I not understanding here when I read about people not being able to find jobs or being offered wages that start in the teens? I'm confused! Thanks!

My mom has been a nurse in CA for 30 years and she works full time, but she only makes $50 per hour.

I know in my area in Northern California, you can't apply to nuring school until all the pre-requisites have been complete, that applies to a ASN or BSN. When in doubt, talk to a counselor for the program that you are interested in. I too have a bachelor's degree in marketing and I decided I needed a career change. I am working on taking the pre-reqs right now and I work part time in my marketing job. Fortunately I was able to go part time at work while I complete this goal. Good luck to you!

Opps! I had a typo of hospital in my title! Sorry! I am currently working on my prerequisites for nursing school. Since I aleady have a bachelor's degree in marketing, I was hoping to get accepted tothe BSN program at Sacramento State. Sac state is on the merit system and it awards more points if you either have worked or volunteered in a health care center that is 'multi-cultural'. I already work in a non health related job and I need to keep that job in the interim since it pays my bills, keeps a roof over my head, and puts food the the table. I would like to volunteer though in a hospital so I could get some exposure and also be eligible to win the extra points Sac State awards for working / volunteering in a health care center. What kind of volunteer work can I do with no credentials? My mom who is a nurse at a hospital got me an application for volunteering, but the positions listed are stuff like working in the gift shop and other stuff like that, very non clinical stuff. Thanks!

Hello all! I'm so glad that I found this forum! I am a 37 year old female with a bachelor's degree in business. In my professional career, I have worked in marketing and owned my own business for many years. I am considering a complete career change and going into nursing. My mom has been a RN for 35 years and she always has touted the benefits of being a nurse. Over the years I mulled over the idea, but now I'm thinking that I'm ready for a new challege. Frankly, I am tired of the economic ups and downs that small business ownwers must face. Although I would say I'm in excellent health and very fit, I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis two years ago. So far I have some minimal pain issues and other minimal sensory stuff, but nothing that has significantly impacted my life in anyway. So now I'm excited about getting back into school for nursing, but with the unpredictable course of MS, I'm apprehensive. I know that no one can foretell the future in any of our lives, so I'm inclined to just get into school and go for it. Any advice? Better yet, any nurses out there working sucessfully eventhough they have MS? Thanks!