balticbreeze

I just couldn't resist - had to drop in. This is an amazing discussion! Comming from a former Soviet Union where freedom of speech meant you went straight to Gulag (as a lot of my relatives did, including my own father) I enjoy and respect having this wonderful opportunity of saying what I think and feel BUT I believe that any kind of freedom without responsibility turns into a nasty tool. What I'm trying to say here is - why can't we just say what we mean and MEAN what we say without offending each other.

Believe me, they are on their way! And the rest of us will have to deal with our local middle aged and cynical ones:D

Did you look into perioperative nursing discussions? They might have something there for you.

This is why hospitals hire recruitment agencies(I wonder how much that costs??) to come to Latvia (and all other foreign countries) and look for young, innocent and uninformed nurses, telling stories about that huge "nursing shortage" in the U.S. and how much money they would be making there. They just "forget" to mention about the working conditions and prospects of being "burnt out" in a short period of time from being overworked. The truth is - a foreign hired nurse will complain less for she/he has a lot more to loose - working visa, contract etc. I hate to think that the represantitives of one the noblest professions in the world are being manipulated with and mistreated, no matter where they are. I'm going to do my laundry - at least something I'm still in control!!! Have a nice weekend everybody!

Thank you for information! To my understanding accelerated BSN is a slightly different program from the one you mentioned(RN to BSN). There are couple of schools offering the type I was talking about, Johns Hopkins Uni for instance offers "Accelerated baccalaureate option - Available to students who possess a bachelor's degree or higher in any major other than nursing" http://www.son.jhmi.edu/academic_programs/undergrad/undergraduate.asp I know they are very expensive! Thanks again for you advice!

Thanks for your response! Yes, I've heard those programs are tough and there is absolutely no time for anything else but studying. I also have a daughter (1.5yrs old) and not being able spending enough time with her worries me. Ilze

I guess I'm introducing myself and looking for some advice at the same time here. Please be merciful if some parts of my "confession" are a bit incoherent! I already hold an associate's degree in allied health and bachelor's in social work from a regionally accredited institutions (Republic of Latvia), both have been evaluated as equal to U.S. standard by WES (World Education Services). My degree in allied health allows me to practice as RN in my country which I did for 4 yrs back in 90's but it wouldn' work the same way in the U.S - which is fine with me. I'm sooo ready to go back to a nursing school. I've done all kinds of weird stuff (working as a secretary, customer service agent at the airport etc) after quitting nursing just to keep my head above the water - financially speaking. Right now I'm working as a teacher's assistant in the international school in Riga/Latvia along with my american husband (I'm latvian - "born and bread") who is a Social Studies teacher here. He is crazy about the idea staying overseas for "some" time and wants me to beacome a certified teacher. I kind of gave in and enrolled at George Mason University for elem. teaching cert. It's going great, I have one more summer to go (it's a summer intensive program for international teachers), I have good grades,my instructors believe I will be an excellent teacher but there is only one problem. I WANT TO GO BACK TO WHERE MY HEART IS --- NURSING!!! Needless to say, I've been bugging my husband about this non-stop. Finally he agreed in two years time we could go back to the Sates and I'd be able to go to a nursing school. So, I started looking for something that would suit me and discovered those accelerated and/or second-degree programs. I've been searching high and low for the best accelerated RN or second-degree RN programs available in the U.S. and getting more and more confused by a variety of different options on the market. They come in all "shapes and sizes" - from 11mths versions to 18mths, curricula are different too, different prerequisites etc. Could somebody shed some light on this, pleaasee!!! Has anyone of you or your friends/colleagues had an experience with these programs? I would appreciate any information - cons and pro's of this type of program etc. Sorry it turned out so long, had to let it all out! Thank you in advance Ilze