JeromeFJ

I know this post was made a while ago, so I hope someone is still viewing it. Carl, I am like your protege. I am a Drexel ACE grad, and I also work at HUP in the ED. I, too, am interested in the field of informatics, but as I am a relatively newer nurse, I have no idea how to go about getting there. Within the limitations of our hospital, how would you recommend going about it to get myself into the field? I was looking for masters programs, and really not sure if I wanted to do Informatics, or some Health Administration/leadership type of program? Maybe a combo of the two? Health admin with a informatics cert? Not sure what to do.. So, I'd lovee to hear what you advise, especially as far as getting the informatics experience at Penn? Jerry

@Alisabeth Hey, Alisa. You are just the person I want to talk to. I just started a new job in the OR. It's been my first job out of school, and so far I love the OR. I think I always had a love for the OR, and this job has just confirmed that. I am really interested in the idea of the RNFA, and also interested in possibly being a Surgical Nurse Practitioner. From your post on the 15th, it looks like this is what you are? Unfortunately, information on Surgical Nurse Practitioners is so hard to find. I'm not sure what the correct track is, and what I should do as far as education and training. I'd like to get on the track as soon as possible, so I'm curious as to how you did it? Is it better to get my masters and NP first? Do I need to get a CNOR, and RNFA before my Masters? How do you find a job as a Surgical NP? Who do you contact? I don't even know how to search for surgical NP jobs, or know how to contact surgeons. Not that I could do this yet, but I'd just like to play around with it, and see what's available out there. Also, as a Surgical NP, what are your responsibilities? Do you get a lot of time scrubbed in on cases, or do you mainly take care of pre and post op type of things? How is the salary for a Surgical NP, as opposed to a RN, and as opposed to other types of NPs? Lastly.. what type of Nurse Practitioner license do you have? Are you adult? Acute Care? Family? As you can see, I know nothing about this, and would love ANNYYY type of information you could give me. I don't have enough posts to send PMs, or else I would have. Sorry for hijacking the boards, folks. Any other Surgical NPs are welcome to weigh in, also. Thanks everyone!

How do you folks feel about starting in the OR as a new grad? I saw one post, but I want to hear how people feel about it. Is the OR something that you're trapped into once you do your residency program? Is it possible to leave the OR and go somewhere else if the OR is your only experience? Basically im wondering is it more important to get the job that is tough to come by... in a good place... and see how it goes.. stay if you like it, or get out a few years down the road if you want a change... esp if you can stay within the same hosp? or do you think its better to wait and wait and wait for a "staff nurse" position? I want to be in the OR, but I'm just wondering if 5 years down the road.. will I still have options? I think having long term options are the most important thing for me.. Jerry

Heeyyyy there Hiddencat... I think I knoowww who you areeee.. haha. Hope you're enjoying the break! *surfing through the message boards while on hold with financial aid* Yes, even in the third quarter, I'm still on hold with financial aid! It never ends! To all the incoming ACErs... welcome and good luck! It's not as bad as people make it out to be. Not only is it doable, you can actually do well with it. Just take it seriously! Form your study habits in the first quarter while you have time. By midterms, you'll have enough material that you should be able to assess yourself and know how much studying you need to do. Some people need to study all night, others need a few hours. First quarter is your chance to figure that out. Also, use that time to get to know people. Make friendships. Get phone numbers. Have people that you can talk to about a crazy day. No one outside of the program can relate to you the way that your classmates will be able to. It'll help with your mental health once the program starts getting a little crazy. That leads me to my last big point... MENTAL HEALTH! Don't kill yourself. You will burn yourself out. Give yourself at least one night a week that is just yours. Actually, I give myself two nights and I'm doing well. One night, come home and watch American Idol without your text books. One saturday night, put your book down and go out with friends to have a drink, or watch the big game. Go to the movies with your husband or wife! Some days you'll get home from class and just be too worn out to do anything. Don't feel guilty about this! Take that night off. Just be disciplined and don't let it happen every single night. I just feel that I've been much more productive when it's time to study if I'm mentally refreshed, as opposed to killing myself monday through friday. Think about it! With that being said, good luck to all of you guys! The bark of ACE is much worse than the bite! Don't get caught up in the hooplah and the scary ghost stories of ACE, and you'll be fine! If you have any questions, I'm here to help out my homegirl Hiddencat over there and answer them for you. *financial aid finally picks up the phone...* Thank god...

I believe the nursing classes are pretty much the same. Rather you are in a BSN program or a ASN program, there's only so many ways to put in a foley. There's extra classes in a BSN that prepare you to perhaps manage, or to influence nursing in some way. There's health promotion or informatics. These classes give the student a foundation for doing something bigger in the nursing field other than just basic nursing. These things aren't on a NCLEX so it' gives no advantage on the test for the BSN students

I agree with that in a way. I think if you can sit and plan out your future like that you can make that move... The thing is, some people take just as long getting thru their ASN as do the students with BSNs because of prerequisites. Some students take two years for pre reqs, then a 2 year ASN program. Some kids would do their ASN and get comfortable working and never return to school.. You also have the people that spend a year or two in a 4 year school n then realize they wanna go into nursing and they slide right in. For that student, the traditional BSN caters to them more. I'm a second degree student that had a BA in something useless, and now I'm going to get a BSN in a year. That works best for me since I decided late. I totally agree the RN-BSN is a great idea if you have that luxury.

I don't understand people having Bachelor's degrees, and then doing 2 years associate degree programs? The only time I think it's a good option, is if you simply cannot afford a second degree option BSN program, or you can't commit the amount of time it'd take to attend those types of classes. Mitchell, you coulda brought yourself right on up to Philadelphia and went to Drexel for 11 months with your accounting degree and got your BSN. Then you wouldn't be so overly defensive with everyone else.. but.. maybe you missed the boat there. I totally understand what the one dude is saying.. it is just simple logic. The BSN has more class time. So you learn more. On day 1, the BSN knows more than the ASN. The reason they can sit for the same test is because they are both qualified. They both know ENOUGH to be nurses. No one is taking away the ASN's ability to be a nurse. No one is saying that. We are simply saying, the BSN knows more. ON DAY 1. This is an important concept as well. A ASN with real work experience without a doubt knows more than a BSN student on day 1, or week 1. But once again, that's not the issue. Also, if you have no desire to go for advanced practice, then there is little need to really get your BSN. The nurse that comes outta HS, takes their prereqs at a CC, and gets their ASN/RN, and loves their job on a floor... why do anything different? Why pay for more degrees and take more time, when you don't need them, or have any desire to do anything different? If you want to be a NP, or CRNA, or whatever APN you desire, then yes.. get your BSN. It'll make it much easier later down the road.

Is anyone else having financial aid issues? We start on Monday, and I listened to Drexel and took out exactly what they told me I should. Now I'm finding out that they split your disbursed money into the 4 quarters. This would be great, except for the first quarter we're charged an equipment fee, which looks like is gonna eat up all of my refund money for the first quarter.. not to mention I'm going to have to get the student health insurance plan... does anyone know how payment for that works? Does it get added onto your student bill and taken from your financial aid? I really wish I woulda knew about these extra expenses, so i could have requested much more money.. looks like I'll be a poor college student again.. lol

I applied about a month or so ago, and just found out today that I was accepted. A friend of mine was accepted on Friday, I believe. I think she applied a few months ago, though. I would say it took 2 weeks after I got the letter tha t said they received all my information and are reviewing my transcript.

Howdy folks, I just got accepted provisionally to the ACE program for the Fall. Questions I have that I hope someone has experienced are... There is a prereq listed as "computer applications/public speaking/communication elective". What exactly type of courses are we talking about for computer applications, and ESPECIALLY for communication electives?? For the august 1st deadline of having your prereqs complete... does this mean the class has to be finished by august 1st? or transcripts have to be received by drexel august 1st? The summer 2 semester at my local comm. college finishes july 27th.. so would that work? and lastly... is there housing available for ACE students? Or does Drexel just say good luck, you're on your own finding an apartment in center city? Either way, those looking for roommates, keep my name handy.. :) Jerry