Th0r

Hello everyone, I have been following this forum a bit now and doing research on my own. I have the desire to become a nurse in the navy but have a few questions about it first. I only just sent a request for a recruiter a few days ago, so I have not yet been able to get the answer to these questions. But want to be prepared. A) I am slated to graduate in December 2010 with an ADN after just having completed my B.S. in Molecular and Cellular Biology in May 2009. I was wondering if that was enough of a related field to enter as an Officer? And if so how can I separate myself from other candidates to increase my chances of being commissioned? B) If that does qualify me, I will giving a five year commitment. I understand that one receives $40,000 for loans. Will those just go towards my nursing loans (16,000) or also towards my Bachelors loans (still have another 10,000 to pay off). C) I ultimately plan on becoming a nurse practitioner (ER) if accepted. Do we have enough time to pursue those dreams while still serving for our country (especially if stationed at sea or overseas)? D) If my fears are validated and I do not qualify for commission, I will apply after I have received my MSN/FNP (in approximately 2 years), but then would only commit for a three year period. So I have a few questions regarding that as well. 1) Will entering with an MSN provide any added benefits? 2) Can I apply for the NCP program even though it is post-grad nursing education? Thank you all in advance for your time in answering these questions. Sincerely, Robert

Yeah you dont need to get the pants from the school supplier. We are supposed too, but there is only one instructor that really cares about it. The rest want you to save money and have a more comfortable fit. The guys pants are great though, havent been able to find anything that quite compares to the storage space the cargos give. Congrats on getting through orientation.

Yeah, just started the accelerated program and already have the first test this coming Monday. At this point though, exams have just become commonplace and I’ve got a good flow going on so shouldn’t be too bad for the summer. Anyways more stuff: *SPOILERS ahead, if you don't want the magic ruined lol* What to expect for orientation: You’ll meet with an academic advisor, financial aid, the Lippincott book representative, go on the tour of the building with a student (doesn’t matter you’ll get lost your first day anyways), order uniforms from a student, order other supplies from a student, and get updated on what you else you’ll need including: student nurse insurance, CPR certification, completed physical, yearly PPD, get information about the NSNA, acquiring parking passes, and how to get your student ID cards in August. Note on parking passes, its only $20 a month for students. Books will be $600-700. Uniforms are about $100-150 each (order two). And if given the option, go for the cargo scrub bottoms. Extremely nice and plenty of room for stuff for clinicals. You can also order sweatshirts and tshirts if you’d like. And last theirs also some miscellaneous stuff you can get buy from the NSNA (all of which I’d recommend getting). We will also be having a raffle for free stuff including a set of books, uniforms, etc. So basically bring your checkbooks lol. I know it all feels stressful especially since you don’t know exactly what to expect but I hope this all helps. I also do not yet know if they will do this at orientation but I know that the being of your academic year you have the option of having a mentor (basically a level II student to show you the ropes). We are all pretty good and can give you tips for exams, studying, teachers, and misc. if you decide to do that. Anyways good luck to you all and congratulations again. And wannabe, yeah you'll see me there. Shouldn't be too hard to pick out, I'm the only guy orienting that day.

Congrats all on making it. Everything will be alot clearer when you hit orientation. Unfortunately Ive got class the 24th and 30th but I'll be assisting with the orientations Tuesday the 29th from 12.30-5.00. You'll basically be hooking up with 4 students no matter what time your orientation is and get your uniforms, tours, etc. Be prepared to spend about 700 on the books. There good and help clarify information in class if you need that, but yeah ive barely touched them.

Hey BHSN class of 2012, orientation is coming up at the end of June. Be sure to bring your checkbooks lol. Alot of stuff to buy ... books, uniforms, you name it.

to nursstud: i haven’t started nor applied to the accelerated program yet. that will be happening shortly, however. if accepted you go straight through from may- december instead of having the summer off and graduating the following may. same amount of semesters accept more days a week and faster pace. as for teas, didn’t use a study book so can’t help you there. it took about 2 months for me to hear back after i applied. my study habits are not exactly the norm. i just cram 3 hours the morning before the exam, that’s the best way and most time efficient way for me to study. other students gather in study groups throughout the week and study every day so if that’s your thing than that’s fine. nothing special to the syllabus besides what i have already mentioned in my post.

To Cardinal: The first two semesters you will not get a choice of where you are placed but once you start NU104 in January you can begin to request where you get to attend clinical. Here are the breakdowns of where you can be placed based on semester: Nu101 and 102: Yale, Griffin, Bridgeport Nu104: Yale, Griffin, Bridgeport Nu105: Waterbury, St. Raphael, Bridgeport, Griffin Nu201- Nu205: Ill let you know as I go through them. You can also request to stay at those hospitals for other semesters as long as you are able to change clinical instructors. Certain instructors are assigned different areas, and they do not wish to have one student stay with the same instructor for more than 2 semesters. And again this is just a request but they tend to place students for clinical based on your home address. So the closest students get preference. Also on another benefit to BHSN over other schools: The economy is tough right now and yes even nursing is experiencing it. Many hospitals are experiencing hiring freezes for new graduate nurses as many retired nurses come back into the field because of others in their families being laid off. They prefer their years of experience to the expense of training a new graduate, and for good financial reason. Last I heard the accelerated class of Bridgeport Hospital in 2010 all got offered positions in Bridgeport Hospital, whereas other colleges and community colleges do not have benefit of being a hospital based program. That being said it is highly more likely to be hired as a new graduate at Bridgeport Hospital if you attended school there as the take their own first along with of course exceptional students from other schools. No one wants to be stuck looking for a job when they have to begin paying off their loans. Speaking of loans the past accelerated graduating class all got the option to sign the two year contract and have their tuition refunded. Not bad especially when it’s very hard to find any sort of signing bonus for new graduates now, the field is certainly not what it was 8 years ago. That being said, once the economy picks up their will be a big rebound and jobs more readily available.

Im finding that excelling well in school is more about time management than anything else. You need to try and not stress out and just find time to study. If you wait till the day before you might not always have time to adequately prepare.

Yeah look up a few of the big diseases and common medications for em. Id recommend CHF, Diabetes, COPD, and checking out fluid and electrolyte balances to name a few.

You can park on the street if you want and if you can find a spot. But usually everyone just grabs the student parking pass. Its $20 for the entire month. Not bad at all considering other hospitals like Yale can end up charging you $9/day, not exactly great if your a student trying to pay your way through school.

I personally like to get all the time they can give me. Usually end up with an extra shift every other week. But of course if I have plans I will politely decline.

Yeah i noticed there can be a bit of drama on the floor. Not really with the females of my class in general but more with the female floor nurses. Its nice not to have to deal with it and the women seem to appreciate a male to escape to fpr conversation when they get sick of the drama.

Started when I was 22 and Ill be 23 by the time I graduate. Really can't wait to start

Congrats all around. Good luck next fall maybe see ya at your orientations.

Haha ... oh the torture lol. Anyways id say your assessment skills are on par, good luck!

We mainly deal with adult patients. Only two days of pediatrics thus far but everyone seemed to manage fine with their stethoscopes. However, this may change seeing as maternity is next semester. I will keep you posted. Uniforms are worn only for labs, clinical, and research. You can wear whatever you like on lecture days. Also instead of the uniform you can opt to wear professional attire and the BHSN lab coat to lab and/or researching your patient. While researching your patient for the following day you will just be gathering relevant past history and evaluating their mental status. No examinations or aide of any kind. You wont even be able to get them a glass of water if they request, afterall they may be NPO. Yeah I use a NCLEX book when I feel weak on a particular subject. Test questions are similiar in style as they try and gear you towards high scores. Lecture notes are emailed a week in advance (if your lucky). Sometimes though we get emailed lecture notes the day before. I just print them out, bring them to class, and jot down any other useful information not on the handouts. Also use the recorder incase I missed anything. Reading works for others. Its more about time management than studying. Especially if you have a job, family, kids, or any other responsibilities outside of school. I mean if you have time to read, why not? It will maybe give you an extra few points on the exam but that can mean a big difference sometimes.

hey just browsing and saw this post. i am currently in nu104 (1st year) at bhsn, and here is a basic rundown on what to expect: -orientation: is going to be scheduled sometime in late june. here you will get your preliminary schedule, order uniforms, and they have a book representative where you can order the book package from. the orientation is more one on one and you won’t meet many other classmates at this time. besides those books you will need to pick up a health assessment guide, drug book, and nursing diagnoses manual before you start in september. total cost of the package comes to $600 and the books will last you till you graduate. to be honest though, i don’t even use the books but i know of some students who do. it’s really up to you. best book worth getting is the brunner and suddarths med-surg book. tons of useful information and good reading for if you’re bored. also will help you on research for your clinical patients. -nu101: you will be on clinical starting the first week. it’s pretty basic and you will just be interviewing the patient and then slowly performing more skills as you use them. you have three tests for this semester spaced every 3 weeks, they are not cumulative. by the end you will be passing out medications. the schedule looks like the following for day students. mondays: off tuesdays: lecture from 8.30-3.30 (with 1/2 hour lunch usually around 12.30) wednesdays: 1-2 hour lab period, based on your lab group number. there are 4 lab groups (a-d) of about 25 students each. thursdays and fridays: you will have either a thursday or friday for clinical and the other day you will have off. clinical runs from 8-1.30 for nu101. also no lunches during these days. you will be in a group of about 8 students per clinical instructor. saturdays and sundays: off -nu102: begins around halloween and runs till christmas. your main focus this semester will be developing nursing diagnoses and big care plans for clinicals. schedule remains the same as nu101. you have 3 tests this semester spaced 2 weeks apart, the final test is cumulative. than you are given a small thanksgiving break and a two week break after christmas, before nu104 starts. -nu104: begins first week of january and runs till ides of march. schedule changes a bit here and so does the testing. you will have 3 tests spaced three weeks apart and one cumulative final. we also pick up an extra day of clinical. mondays: off tuesdays: lecture 8.30-4 (with 1/2 hour lunch usually around 12.30) wednesdays: 2 hour lab period based on lab group thursdays: clinical 7.30 - 2.30 (with 1/2 hour lunch usually around 11.30) fridays: clinical 7.30 - 2.30 (with 1/2 hour lunch usually around 11.30) saturday and sunday: off also during this semester you will be given 2 days of clinical off as they schedule you, and also 2 days of jewish home, 1 day at the vna, 1 day of surgery, and 2 days of pediatrics. these will be on a thursday or friday and when scheduled you will simply not go up to the regular floor for clinical and report to that assignment for the day. -------------------------------------- also some tips: -the lecture hall can be unforgiving. temperature shifts in that room rapidly, so my advice is wear something comfortable but also bring a sweatshirt or something when the temperature drops and be prepared to take it off a half an hour later, lol. -i saw some mentions of a voice recorder. i personally have a droid and use their voice recorder app. ain't much special but allows me to email it directly to my gmail so i can listen at home. normally though i just record the lectures and listen to them while i drive. ends up being pretty time efficient. -i have a cardiology iii stethoscope also a gift. let me tell you the difference in quality is pretty amazing. some patients don’t have the best peripheral blood flow so it comes in very handy when i can grab a blood pressure that the nurse on the floor can't accurately get. -instructors are all great. i haven't met a bad one yet. some have reputations but the truth is they are all there to help you to become the best nurse possible. don’t forget that. if that means challenging a student some times, than i say let them bring it on. -clinical will be held primarily at bridgeport hospital although you may also be rotated to either yale or griffin for a semester. -passing grade is a 75 average for each semester. my advice is you normally have three tests to get that so do as best you can on the first so you allow yourself a buffer. and if your average is a 74.9, sorry no rounding up you will fail. i saw a few kids just miss the mark. the average is based on exams only. clinical doesn’t count and is only pass/fail. don’t stress yourselves out about this though only about 5 kids dropped out per semester so far. we started out at about 120-130. the weeding process seems pretty much done at this point and those that remain are those that are going to stay. and even if you do poorly you can wait a year and try again, so you may have new students joining your class as the semester’s progress. -you will also have a chance to join the accelerated program. you will apply at the end of nu104. in order to join you need to have all your prerequisites and corequisites done by the time you start the accelerated program in june. you will end up forfeiting your summer but also graduate that december. so i say the trade off is fair. ill let you know more about that once i apply. -after nu104 you get a 2 week spring break. nu105 follows which is maternity, which runs through april. nu201 runs through may. than you either have summer off starting in june to come back in september and graduate in following may or class through the summer to graduate that december. -along with clinical and exams you will need to pass a few competencies per semester. examples of these are health assessment, injections, wound dressings, catheter insertion, and a few math exams for drug administration. math exams are basic calculations and algebra, not too difficult if you’re good with math. you need to get an 80% on the math exam to pass. and if you fail any of these you will be given one more chance to complete it. -you will need to research your patients the day before clinical. this usually involves going to the hospital the day before anytime after 2 pm and logging into the computer to get lab data, checking the patients chart, and going to introduce yourself to the patient for the following day. -as far as patient load. you will start with one patient a day and eventually work your way up to dealing with more. they normally don't want to always overload you so expect about 2 patients once you hit nu104. -uniforms are maroon scrub top and white pants. grab the white cargo pants if they are quite nice. not sure if they offer them for girls. -pda/smartphone use: they dont allow it on the floor. although i dont find it useful anyways. with researching the patient and always being on the floor i have quickly memorized many of the common drugs and actions without even realizing it. if you really need to look up something quick no ones stopping you from drifting into a corner and doing fast research. -other supplies you will need are light pen for neurological checks, a watch, and a white pair of leather shoes. that’s all i can think of for now. hope it was informative. if you've got anymore questions either post or pm me. im usually on once a week.

I went tuesday as well got about the same experience. They will also assign you an advisor when you get there, who will be your main contact throughout school. Everyone was very friendly, so if anyone is worried or stressed don't bother. The current students are real helpful too and will provide you with a little FAQ that they came up with. Helped to answer some questions like what else should we get before we start up in the fall. If anyone is wondering about the schedule, the first 8 weeks will comprise of Tuesday long day lectures, Wednesday labs (2 hours time depends on group your placed in), and either a Thursday or Friday clinical day (also dependent on group). Eventually will we also pick up clinicals on Thursday and Friday as we progress. Also a mandatory practice lab that is scheduled on a random monday within the first 8 weeks. I think that about covers it. Good luck at orientation.

If you already have a BA, the type of path you go for your RN really wont matter. Like above posters said each MSN, CRNA schools, etc are different in that some will require a BSN, a BS and RN, or any Bachelors Degree and an RN in order to get in. Im going on a similar path and just graduated from Uconn with a BS and am going to go to BHSON, for the sake of time with the accelerated program and location. So basically just choose the place that you feel is best for you, good luck.

I was happy to get my acceptance letter on March 5th, considering it was the only school i wanted to go/applied too. If anyone was wondering who is still waiting for a letter, i took my TEAS on Jan. 17th