carolc415

I guess it can be assumed that the bare minimum is adequate to prepare you for the NCLEX. That speaks volumes about the massive issues that nursing education faces in our times. I also have a feeling that a lot of the insanity erupted when the 'nursing shortage' was announced. Schools made their entrance requirements less strict so they could fill their programs.

Hi all, Does anyone have any insight into reasons why the CABRN does not standardize prerequisite courses for nursing school applicants in California? For instance, why would a student who has taken only an online Physiology course (no lab!) be eligible for UCSF, when community colleges require the big 5-unit in-person semester lab sciences? Does anyone else find this frustrating and....um, wrong? Does anyone else share my belief that admissions requirements should be 100% standardized for ALL students seeking an RN degree in California? Please share your thoughts. Thanks!

The ABSN program's tuition is over $58,000. Master's programs charge over $1000 per unit. There is also a 2+2 undergrad program that I'm not too familiar with. Students can easily accrue over $100,000 in debt very quickly if they are using Federal and/or private loans. WAAAAY too expensive, especially if you already have undergrad debt. And the bottom line is: EVERYBODY, regardless of what program they're in at SMU, has to put in their time as a floor nurse. So EVERYONE is in the same boat when they graduate. 12-hour graveyard shifts are hard enough, do you want to have to do them while paying back an enormous debt load? Be smart about it. The world will always need nurses and there will always be a way to go to school. Don't sell yourself short by going into massive amounts of debt to do it.

I tried everything in my power to apply the 'school is what you make of it' principle to SMU. I continued to have experiences where I was treated like a number, or a kindergartener. I would say that if you do start school at SMU, at no point should you let them (the faculty or administration) treat you as though they are doing you a favor. If you are a student there, it is because you worked your ass off taking your prereq's, taking the ridiculous TEAS exam, etc. If you are a student there, you have RIGHTS, not PRIVELEGES. Don't let them convince you otherwise.

Thanks for your input, everyone! I am wondering, what does everyone think about the root of these issues? Is it burnout? Is this behavior specific to a certain age range of nurses? Is there a certain psychological 'make-up' of a nurse that exhibits destructive and even cruel behavior? Caretaking and cruelty/rudeness/ignorance/etc. are (in an ideal world) oxymoronic. Do these nurses' actions get lost in big bureaucracies and/or hierarchies? I think we live in a time in the world where we can be progressive and take on this issue. Nurses 'eating their young' was the most horrifying thing I had ever heard when I started nursing school. I know a lot of nurses might be resigned to saying, 'well, that's the way it is, we can't do anything about it'. But can a profession really be sweeping this under the rug and accepting it? I, for one, do not, cannot, and will not.

Hi all, I have first-hand experience with the often bizarre culture of nursing and the culture of nursing school. I'd like your two cents about seeing any improvements (or not) with respect to aspects of the profession (horizontal violence, management, hierarchy, education, patient care, anything!). I've seen my share of rigid, destructive, and petty behavior towards nurses and nursing students, but I do hope this will change for the better as the new wave of nurses enters the profession. Or, maybe not? Please share your thoughts. Thanks!

"But again I ask, why care? So long as its accredited, and you got accepted, and can achieve your RN what difference does it make?" Oh, you SHOULD care. I had that same attitude and wish I could have known then what I know now. I am a former student of SMU. Do NOT waste your money. It was honestly one of the most bizarre school experiences I have ever had. Myself and many of my classmates regret spending the fortune that we did, especially now that the job market in the Bay Area has completely tanked. It is saturated with new grads trying to find jobs. SMU acted like it was doing me a favor. Their administration and their faculty are filled with aging nurses who are burned-out and worn out from their rigid routine. Anyone reading this likely has a strong passion to become a nurse. If you've read posts by nurses saying don't spend a fortune for your education, they are 100% CORRECT. If you really want it that badly, like I did, choose the least expensive route. Don't graduate with hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt. There's absolutely no reason to have to do that. And steer clear of SMU.

Thanks, K :) The doc they requested was an administrative clearance. I'll disclose more about it once I've received their decision. When I was interviewing today, I was really puzzled by the questions. It seemed a poor attempt at seeing how I handle 'conflict'. I didn't leave the interview feeling positive at all. I tried my best not to be defensive. It wasn't easy, especially when the topic is my grades from my first semester of community college, 25 years ago :) But, on the bright side, they wouldn't have wasted time interviewing us if they didn't think we'd do a good job. And congrats, Stifffunny! I like the story of how you got your name :)

*Sigh*....well, mine was....interesting. They've requested an additional document, and so I'm not sure one way or the other how it might go. Fingers are crossed :)

Go get 'em, Stifffunny! Best of luck. (I really would love to know the story with your screen name. I keep wondering if it has something to do with morticians....:)

Thanks! I had just been checking out the CM pdf docs on the SMU website, did anyone else see those? They're interesting and helpful. I think they're prior students' final projects or something. My haircolor is refreshed....clothes picked out & ready to go...so far, have been staying pretty Zen about tomorrow. I keep thinking about that clock! :)

It's at 11am. Yours is at 9, right?

I am SO getting that clock, whether I get in the program or not! :) I have this funny feeling that SMU makes their final selections first, then interviews. Just a hunch. So me and stifffunny (soooo intrigued by that name!) are hopefully 'in' and the interview is just a formality and to ensure they aren't enrolling anyone who is crazy or otherwise challenged. I can dream, can't I? :)

Awesome, lele07! Congratulations! I really hope to have good news on Thursday...I'll post asap after my appointment.

Congrats, kzimmermann! That's terrific. Thanks so much for the info that you shared; being chosen means that you really stood out among many others. I'm reviewing some literature related to the field of nursing case managment and just really mentally prepping myself for the interview. Tomorrow the hunt is on for some interviewing attire--it's been awhile since I've had to interview for anything :) I have an uncommon perspective from within this that I'll reveal later; but I'm basically trusting the process and not worrying too much. Trying to 'get my Zen on', you know? Enjoy your news....celebrate!