Blessedx3

Thanks. We are totally paperless. We are going to EPIC in September. I appreciate your suggestions...

I have been in a specialty practice for 3 months. Love my job and we just recently moved to a new office. I now have my own office-which should help with organization. Until I get closer to having a full schedule-I won't have a nurse. I currently call pts with their lab results until I get a nurse. I am not ADHD at all, but am struggling to find a system that works. One that incorporates staying on top of labs and worklist, calling pts, dictation and then editing dictation, etc. Any suggestions of what has worked for those of you that have been out for a while---is much appreciated. Thanks!

My school only went to campus once..so pretty much all online. Tests were proctored. I agree with the above poster--it doesn't state anything on your certificate. You are only as good as your clinical experiences. Although I had to find my own preceptors, they were Excellent..and gave great references. So-in my opinion-the online didn't hurt me. Good luck!! :)

I agree--I set aside 3 weeks..studied 5-7 hours off and on--between 3 kids and a dog that went missing! Fitz and Hollier will well prepare you. The Liek review questions were most like the exam. My score on Liek and Board scores was exactly the same....Good luck. If you are scoring 83-85 percent on practice-you will be fine! AANP didn't throw any punches--very strait forward questions and enough info to answer!! :)

My advice is work part-time in the ER and do part-time DE program if that is your goal. In the ER-you see everything and there is some autonomy of ordering labs, etc. Your skills would be what they need to be as well. Just a thought....

BSN-those are fine together. Pharm was the only one I found really time consuming...I think you will do great with a prn schedule. They feed into each other-patho and assess.

I did the live review..BUT the audio CD's are invaluable..I listened on the way to clinicals for months. When you do Peds-she offers a Well Child and Sick Child CD. It condenses what you really need to know for each major topic. The live review was good--but it's exactly what's in the Live CD/review you can purchase. I would start listening NOW to the CD's... The Leik review book is excellent as well.

Carachel-we seem to always respond on these family topics.... I agree-I was pregnant with my second child while in nursing school. I actually graduated and then laid off for a year to enjoy the baby. I made nursing work for my family schedule--I worked part-time Post Partum, taught childbirth and lactation for years, and then was a school nurse for 1800 kiddo's when my last one went to kindergarten. Fast forward 14 years--with a hubby, dog, and 3 children-I just graduated from NP school. It is family friendly UNTIL you hit your clinical component. The last 4 months in my program--I missed a lot of family events. There is no way to do full time school and full time parenting and do it perfectly. My biggest piece of advice when going to NP school is finish your writing and all pre-req type courses first...slow if needed. I had to take 2 writing courses in my last year with all the clinicals-that was definately difficult. Best of luck..You have time to enjoy this baby. You only have one shot at being a parent. I have one that heads off to college next year....that idea is very fresh on my mind. Best of luck!

ER and Radiology

My advise--and I wish someone would have told me: Get either Fitzgerald or Hollier CD's in the beginning. You are going to read a HUGE amount of material. These separate by body system the needed info. They are a life saver studying for boards. I tend to think Fitz is more comprehensive than Hollier. In each class-save your papers, test reviews etc by Class Name ...for example 508/spring/Rolespaper. Organization on the computer is as important as your physical papers. Welch Allyn is the best. We didn't have to buy them. You get so much experience in peds/family looking in ears--it really is plenty. I have the Cardiology III steth--love it. Can't advise on a peds one. Also-if you have a family--and can take all the writing type-non clinical courses before you hit the clinical portion--it will save your sanity (and allow for more time with your children). Also--save money so that you can go part-time during clinicals. It is a very demanding time--but doable with lots of planning. Best of luck--I graduate in a week--and wish someone would have shared this info with me!

I will tell you--from a MSN-FNP graduate...that our class have been quite dismayed with USA.

I am curious--as I take AANP in 2 weeks. Do they allow a piece of paper and pen? or write on/wipe off board. That is the one thing that helps when I get nervous--to write it out.

MiddleAgeNP....Ha--NO WE aren't ready YET! Hoping for 12/20.. Zerwach is a darn hard book. I do well on Fitz and Hollier, but that book hits my weak areas for sure.

I would encourage you to look back a couple of pages. Someone posted "My heart isn't in it anymore." There is a lot of good advice there. I am graduating in 3 weeks. Worked full time with full time school the first year. I have 3 children. I still stand by the fact that you can't do it all GREAT...just not humanly possible. Things I would have done different: 1)I would have taken all the writing courses and extra non-clinical courses BEFORE starting clinicals. Clinicals and the required paperwork take so much time. When you add multiple 8-10 page papers--it's very hard when everyone needs your time. 2) Go part-time at work. Apply for grants, scholarships, save in advance. Whatever it takes to still have quality and memorable time with your children. Regardless of how much school you have that day- Keep your rituals-whether it's a bedtime routine, walking the dog--whatever--that they can look forward to. Parenting is the most important job you will ever have. You do lose a lot of time with them if you are in school full time..and although I am proud to be finishing--it's always at some cost. I waited until my youngest started kindergarten--had saved quite a bit of money--etc... It can be done--but I wish I had planned a little more in advance. Hope this helps! Best of luck.

Just the online price--no out of state for online classes.and you don't add the online to the regular price..seems that I paid about 2200 a semester for 6 hours.

Hello, I am graduating in a few weeks from the FNP program--and Yes--needs much improvement. THE GOOD SIDE--everyone in the NNP program LOVE it. If you inbox me-I will give you the email of a girl in the program.

THe Combivent prevents bronchoconstriction-but is not a relief med..I agree--the prednisone burst is warranted.

Magnolia, If you are going FNP, Inbox me...I am grad. from there...It's been ROCKY at best...can give you some ideas. Julie--I would email the individual instructors that you have had...bet they will send you a syllabus.

We usually do two-three different weeks of summer camp, a week with each set of grandparents, take some vacation in the summer, and use a college age girl who can take them to movies, pool, etc. My youngest is 10 and this past summer was the first summer we had to do all of this. It worked out well. The trick is a very reliable late-teen or college helper.

At a recent Fitzgerald Board review course--the FNP's were by far the most marketable. The WHNP's around here can't find work. Fitz said that in the future--all specialties would be based around an FNP core--with specialty beyond that. I think that provides a great foundation. Good luck.

Julie--send me your email to my inbox....We talked at length about the program..good luck with UMC. I bet Bev has the syllabi--didn't you talk to her? If she doesn't--I can prob. get them for you.

That is a good point. Our program goes strait through...Like the fall first semester is only offered once a year. If I had all the writing/theory courses out of the way before clinicals-it would have been much more manageable. Also-there are a lot of grants out there for mom's going back to school. In the South where I live, there are several grants that pay for a year of school--if you agree to look at jobs in underserved areas.

Let me give the student view from a mom of 3--I graduate in a few weeks.... Wow-I admire your ability to home school. That is tough. Obviously you are worn out. As a mom of 3 --I know it is hard. I see nothing wrong with taking a year or two off. There is no way to be 100 percent at school, work, and parenting in grad school. You are simply pulled in every direction.. They do grow up really fast. I waited until my last one went to K-5--to go back. For me, that was the right decision. Once the clinical portion starts-it really gets hard. Our program requires us to enter patients into a database at night. On top of that-you have many hours of reading a week, care plans, etc. My family has seen very little of me for a year now. Good luck making your decision. If your heart isn't in it, that may be your decision-FOR NOW! Take care.

This may be more info than you asked for, but.... I graduate from a FNP program in Dec. Here are my thoughts. Eventually the thought is that every NP program will be FNP based--with speciality coming out of that. Many students in our program did specialty hours within the FNP clinical semesters. For example-if you do 200 hours your last semester--then do 80 in the ER with the remainder in FNP. Margaret Fitzgerald-who has written many review books and does live seminars--said the FNP's are more marketable.. (as you can do any age). As for working full time--I have 3 children--and saved money to go very part-time the last year. Otherwise-I would have never seen them. :) Also--I wish someone had recommend that I get the Fitzgerald Review CD's when I started the program. It would have been so helpful. They are entertaining--can listen on the way to clinical.. I wish you the best in the next 2 year journey.

Congrats to you!!!!! A new journey lies ahead....