Limbic System

I know this thread is old but I just wanted to bump this up. Sometimes it's difficult to imagine that things will get better because of how difficult it is to get a job nowadays (especially as a new graduate RN with no experience) but things will get better. Thank you for helping me put things into perspective.

I liked taking two science classes together. I took anatomy and biochemistry together (both were pre-reqs for physiology). The following semester, I took physiology and microbiology together.

SFAgrad2015-- they just posted L&D position! Check their career page. I applied to the NNICU but I'm out-of-state so I don't know if they'll consider me. I hear Dallas is pretty saturated with new grads.

JuliaguliaRN, BSN - Thank you for sharing! What state did you move to (I'm beginning to look at out-of-state options)? And what specialty are in now? Congrats on making it! It gives the rest of us California new grads hope! :)

NNP2018-- Did you have your nursing school preceptorship in the NICU or in pediatrics/maternity? I applied to the UVA program and selected newborn ICU as my 1st choice. Like the OP, I have no experience in NICU/ped (did my preceptorship in adult primary care) but I really want to work in the NICU! I had three rotations in the NICU during my maternity rotation and loved every minute of it. I'm also coming out of CA (graduated with a direct-entry MSN in Dec 2014). Does UVA prefer VA nurses?

Degree type: MSN (direct entry); 3.98 GPA Time out of school: 3 months # of positions applied to date: ~20 Dream RN position: NICU. Neonatology interests me more than any other nursing specialty but with experience, I can be passionate about basically anything-- surgery, renal, etc. I'm a major science nerd. Hospital experience: Volunteered at a local hospital for about 4 years; 750+ hours Where do you live: Northern California What are you doing now: Volunteering and seeking out new graduate RN positions in California. Trying to stay optimistic. Favorite color: Crimson How you cope with unemployment: I draw, read, and bake.

Congratulations! Doing A LOT of questions is the key to passing the NCLEX. There is no way that you can learn every disease or medication that the NCLEX can throw at you... but, you can master the style of NCLEX questions. I used Saunder's and Kaplan's QBank and did anywhere from 300 to 500 questions per day for a week and a half before my NCLEX date. I passed at 75. IMO, Saunders is slightly easier than the NCLEX and Kaplan is slightly more difficult... so I guess I struck a balance. :)

She should be grateful she was hired into the ICU as a new grad with an ADN. It costs a hospital a lot of money to train a new graduate nurses. It's completely fair for the hospital then to require the RN to obtain additional education. Plus, I don't know why a nurse would resent further education. I would gladly work in a hospital that supported my academic endeavors.

My username is my favorite type of tea (tulsi with cinnamon rose). It's a hippie thing. :)

"Nursing needs to implement slightly higher barriers to entry. Moreover, entry requirements should be standardized and consistent across the country." Yes! I think our standards for entry should be as high as pharmacy or physical therapy. I have so much respect for the nursing profession and what nurses do. We're not simply pill-pushers or butt-wipers. Our decisions can mean life or death for a patient. Other healthcare professionals rely on OUR diligent assessments to make their decisions. We really need to (for a lack of better phrasing) "weed out" those who don't make the cut. Nursing isn't for everyone. Yes, nurses are compassionate and kind and blah blah blah... but you have to be both compassionate AND smart; the latter doesn't get enough credit (that's why "smart nurses" are often asked the dreaded question, "Why didn't you become a doctor... you're so smart!").

The PPACA is not socialist medicine. It operates under an insurance model (consumers can choose from multiple insurance providers). "Socialist medicine" would be a single-payer/universal healthcare system. For pre-nursing students, I suggest going straight for the BSN, if possible. I live in California and a lot of hospitals no longer take ADNs (I don't agree with this but since the market is saturated with new nurses, hospitals can take their pick). I'm a new graduate MSN RN who went through a direct-entry MSN program. I don't regret my decision to go for the MSN. On top of the traditional clinical nursing curriculum, I also took classes in graduate-level research, financial management, informatics, and leadership. I think it'll offer me more opportunities for advancement in the future.

I live in Northern California and the job environment is much like SoCal. To even get considered for an interview you will need: BSN or MSN, certs (ACLS, PALS, ), and some kind of health care experience (volunteering at your local hospital, CNA work). I recently interviewed at a local hospital that received over 800 applications for just 6 new grad RN positions. You have a higher chance of getting into Harvard with those odds! It's a tough market. A lot of new grads who went to nursing school in CA are leaving CA for another state where there is an actual nursing shortage.

It wouldn't bother me. I'm a new grad in California. I'll take the job even if they made me wear neon yellow scrubs with zebra prints.

Congrats! And thank you for coming back and updating. :)

I totally understand! I've been attending the local CC since I was 14 (summer after my freshman year of high school). I attended UC Berkeley straight out of high school and finished a BA in 3 years, graduating with a 3.8 GPA (making the Dean's List a couple of times). Now I'm back at that very same CC taking pre-reqs for either a ABSN or a DEMSN program. CC-level science courses are no joke. The majority of the students in the anatomy and physio classes at my school are either pre-nursing or pre-pharm. Most are career changers, many already have advanced degrees, and nearly all are hard-working and devoted students. They certainly aren't stupid. Honestly, I can't say the same about a lot of the people I'd met during my undergraduate career. Regardless of what others think, I'm glad I'm taking my pre-reqs at a CC. Not only is tuition less expensive, classes are smaller which contributes to a better learning experience.

Hi all, I graduated with a BA degree last year and am currently taking my pre-requisites for either an ABSN or a DEMSN program. I am also volunteering in my spare time. The local hospital that I am currently in training for has a number of options for volunteer work. The positions that appeal to me the most are: (1) lobby desk volunteering (greeting visitors, helping discharge patients, delivering meds/charts), (2) CCU volunteering (providing emotional support, explaining visiting procedures) or (2) the hospital's Health Library volunteering (helping visitors find answers to their health-related questions through books, DVDs, and the internet, helping with osteoporosis and blood pressure screenings). I know that the lobby desk volunteering seems more pertinent to nursing in general but the library position seems more relevant to my area of interest-- family and community health. My goal is to be either a FNP or a public health or community health NP-- working in a primary care setting or a non-profit clinic. Would volunteering at the hospital's library be viewed as hospital/health care volunteer work for ABSN/DEMSN programs? Thanks!

HeartsOpenWide, thanks for the reply. "in my area the JCs pre-reqs are actually better and turn out better students than the UC" I feel this way too. From what I've observed.. science classes at Berkeley are "weeders"-- as in they weed those out who are not competitive enough. I'm so worried about doing better than everyone else (since the grade is based on a messed up curve where only a certain number of students are allowed to get A's).. it kind of makes me lose my passion for the subject. Just my two cents.

Thanks for the response. I looked into transferring to a BSN program and found that: 1) Berkeley doesn't offer a Bachelor's in Nursing degree. 2) I'm already a 2nd year student and transferring to another institution that does off the BSN is almost impossible. According the University career center, most Berkeley grads interested in nursing either get a second bachelor's degree (a BSN) or go straight for a direct MSN.. and their first bachelor's is regarded as an element that will make them more well-rounded (which I understand). I was planning on either getting an RN at a JC after I graduate and then apply for a MSN. Or get an accelerated BSN and then go for an MSN. Either way, after I get my RN at a JC or BSN, I plan on working for a year or two to gain work experience. I also hope to volunteer at a hospital (starting next year) before I am licensed to work as a nurse. I'm interested in becoming an advanced practice nurse (not quite sure what specialty yet.. though after some reasearch, I am interested in neonatal NP, CRNA, and psychiatric and mental health NP). I was originally pre-law before I finally realized that law wouldn't make me happy. My mom was a nurse for years in China before she immigrated here and I've been hearing stories about her experiences at her town's hospital since I was a toddler. I'm so inspired to be a nurse and I'm trying to learn as much about the field as I can while I finish up my poli sci degree. I hope to go to a nursing school in the SF Bay Area (USF, SF State, and maybe UCSF). I'm just worried that because I currently go to a school that is notorious for cut-throat academics.. my GPA is (only) a 3.4 (and trust me, I study nearly non-stop). I feel that I would have done better academically if I had gone to a state school (CSU). Thus, I figure if I take some (but not all) of my nursing pre-reqs at a community college, it'll bring my GPA back up. What do you think? Would it really matter if I take my pre-reqs at a JC? The only nursing program website that addresses this is UCSF's. They said "Many excellent and rigorous Statistics, Anatomy, and Physiology courses are taught at community colleges and junior colleges. There is no preference on the part of the faculty about where these courses are taken.."

I'm an undergrad at Berkeley pursing a BA in political science. After I graduate, I plan on either getting an RN (AA degree) at a community college, getting an accelerated BSN, or just applying directly to a Master's entry program. If I were to apply directly to an MSN entry program, would admissions care if I take my nursing pre-reqs (anatomy, physiology, microbiology, etc) at a community college instead of at Berkeley? I heard that experience is vital to admissions. I plan on volunteering at a local hospital next January. Are there any other activities that I should take part in (internships, research, etc)? Is volunteer work more highly regarded? Thanks. :nuke:

Law just isn't for me. The idea of sitting at a desk all day and doing paperwork for a case drives me crazy. I'm really active and if I sit down for too long, I'd get bored. And like rbezemek said, there are too many lawyers in this world anyways. Actually, my professor told me the same thing when I told him that I was interested in either law or nursing. He told me to choose nursing. He himself was orginally pre-law (went to Yale for his undergrad and took the LSAT and everything) before he switched to teaching. And just like me, he realized that the only reason he was going into law was b/c his parents pressured him to. Similarly, I was only pre-law because my family wanted me to go into law. I think I'd be happier as a nurse.

Hi all. I'm currently doing my 2nd year of undergraduate studies at Berkeley with a major in political science. I was originally pre-law but after much reflection (and by much, I mean a years worth), I've concluded that a career as a lawyer would not make me happy. Now I'm looking to switch to nursing. I love to help/care for others and I believe that a person's well-being (physically, mentally, and spiritually) surpasses money and all else. I have a few questions about such a transition: 1) I'm interested in getting a masters in nursing and becoming a nurse practitioner (I'm considering neonatal, psychiatric, or pediatric). Do I need to go get a second bachelor's degree (BSN) after I graduate from college before I am eligible for admissions to a master's program... or will an AA in nursing from a junior college suffice? 2) Will a bachelors degree in political science help me at all in nursing? (Probably not, right?) Also, I might minor in art studio. I'm guess this won't help me in nursing either? 3) I'm not very scientifically-minded at the moment because aside from a general health course and an introduction toxicology course, I have not taken any life science classes since high school. Are there any classes you recommend to get me back into science? Also, are there any non-science classes that might be helpful in the nursing (sociology, etc). 4) I don't have any experience in nursing. Would volunteering at a local hospital help me get a "feel" of the field? And would this look good on my resume when I apply for graduate school? Thanks. :heartbeat